pjh@mccc.uucp (Pete Holsberg) (08/22/90)
My nice new 6386E/33 refuses to boot from the floppy drive! This began after I tried to re-install UNIX SV R3.2.2 from the diskettes supplied by Consensys, the caching controller people. I booted their FORMAT.PS diskette and formatted the #1 HD, then switched to the BOOT.PS diskette -- a modified version of the SVR3.2.2 distribution diskette #1 --, rebooted, hit <space> at the appropriate point, and typed "unix.PS" as per their instructions. "Can't find file" was the result. I then decided to remove their controller and install a WD1007-WA2. No joy there either, so the PS controller went back in. Now, when I power up, the "fault" light goes on immediately and stays on, POST runs faultlessly, indicating that I have 2 floppies, but showing failure for the hard disk(s). And a 1790 error appears, and tells me to hit F1 to continue. I get a message about a boot, but the FD access LED stays dark and nothing happens (except that the NUM/SCROLL/CAPS Lock LEDs are on)! Before I waste a call to the Hot Line, does anyone have any suggestions? I have already removed the Starlan board and the multiport boards, and even removed the controller briefly, but turning the power on turns on the fault light! Thanks, Pete -- Prof. Peter J. Holsberg Mercer County Community College Voice: 609-586-4800 Engineering Technology, Computers and Math UUCP:...!princeton!mccc!pjh 1200 Old Trenton Road, Trenton, NJ 08690 Internet: pjh@mccc.edu
aland@infmx.UUCP (Colonel Panic) (08/25/90)
I would have emailed the following, but this is important info for anybody using or planning to obtain Consensys caching controllers. If not interested in this subject, hit 'n' now... In article <1990Aug21.232347.14038@mccc.uucp> pjh@mccc.uucp (Pete Holsberg) writes: >My nice new 6386E/33 refuses to boot from the floppy drive! This began >after I tried to re-install UNIX SV R3.2.2 from the diskettes supplied >by Consensys, the caching controller people. > >I booted their FORMAT.PS diskette and formatted the #1 HD, then switched >to the BOOT.PS diskette -- a modified version of the SVR3.2.2 distribution >diskette #1 --, rebooted, hit <space> at the appropriate point, and >typed "unix.PS" as per their instructions. "Can't find file" was the result. Uh, methinks you got some steps out of order. The logical flow of Consensys install is: 1) boot with FORMAT.POWERSTOR to re-LLF hard disk 0 2) boot with BOOT.POWERSTOR to run regular original boot processing (define sizes for partitions/filesystems on disk 0; load barebones UNIX on hard disk root and /usr. When complete, the UNIX fireup is altered to start at disk 2 after reboot. for these first two steps, do *not* specify an alternate kernel. Since "/unix.PS" doesn't exist until after step 2, this explains your trouble. 3) reboot from hard disk to install rest of foundation set NOW you specify the alternate kernel /unix.PS. It will prompt you for disks 2-n of the foundation set, rebuild the kernel, then shutdown. 4) reboot from hard disk to install POWERSTOR disk drivers AGAIN you specify the alternate kernel /unix.PS. Run installpkg to install the POWERSTOR drivers from the powerstor installation diskette. Once done, it initiates a shutdown. Upon next boot and forever after, you don't have to respecify the kernel. >I then decided to remove their controller and install a WD1007-WA2. No >joy there either, so the PS controller went back in. Now, when I power You couldn't boot with the AT&T original disk 1 (or copy thereof) on the WD? What were the symptoms? Did you run SETUP to re-recognize the hard disk(s)? (Remember, you had to undefine the hard disks for the Consensys controller). Also, since the drive no longer has a low-level format that the WD controller can recognize, this may cause problems as well. (And, according to the Hotline, the "hidden" LLF on the Diagnostics disk has fatal bugs. Isn't that special! The Hotline will ship "fixed" LLF disk on request.) >up, the "fault" light goes on immediately and stays on, POST runs >faultlessly, indicating that I have 2 floppies, but showing failure for >the hard disk(s). And a 1790 error appears, and tells me to hit F1 to >continue. I get a message about a boot, but the FD access LED stays >dark and nothing happens (except that the NUM/SCROLL/CAPS Lock LEDs are on)! If UNIX install can't find a hard disk, I suppose that it may just hang indefinitely... >Before I waste a call to the Hot Line, does anyone have any suggestions? >I have already removed the Starlan board and the multiport boards, and >even removed the controller briefly, but turning the power on turns on >the fault light! This is NORMAL for that machine. The fault light comes on after every powerup or reset and shuts off *after* all POST tests and device checks are made. Don't let the light bother you. To have gotten past the PS FORMAT stage is a good sign -- your floppy drive could read that disk, at least -- so I don't suspect the drive. >Thanks, Pete The Consensys installation is pretty complex and not sufficiently well-documented. However, once you get beyond that, it's a real screamer. Have you been in contact with Consensys people? If so, ask them if the version of the software that you have includes Alan Denney's (my) fixes for Alternate Console support and Streaming Tape Unit support. (Bob Ripley and Vas Rajevsky will know what you mean). If not, I can send you my fixed versions directly, assuming your boot drive is 3.5". If you're still lost, give me a call at (415) 926-6619 -- the Consensys User Group hotline :-] :-] :-] -- Alan Denney @ Informix Software, Inc. "We're homeward bound aland@informix.com {pyramid|uunet}!infmx!aland ('tis a damn fine sound!) ----------------------------------------------- with a good ship, taut & free Disclaimer: These opinions are mine alone. We don't give a damn, If I am caught or killed, the secretary when we drink our rum will disavow any knowledge of my actions. with the girls of old Maui."