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EK-PM30F-MG-004

February 1998

386 pages

Original

2.1MB

Document:	Personal DECstation/DECsystem 5000 Series Maintenance Guide
Order Number:	EK-PM30F-MG
Revision:	004
Pages:	386
Original Filename:

OCR Text

EK-PM30F-MG-004

Personal DECstation
/DECsystem 5000
Series
Maintenance Guide

digital equipment corporation
maynard, massachusetts

First printing, February 1992
Second printing, June 1992
Third printing, April 1993

U.S.A.
This equipment generates, uses, and may emit radio frequency energy. The
equipment has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
A computing device pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which
are designed to provide reasonable protection against such radio frequency
interference. Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause
interference in which case the user at his own expense will be required to take
whatever measures may be required to correct the interference.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:

DEC
DECnet
DECstation
DECsystem
DECUS
DESTA
MicroVAX

MicroVMS
PDP
ThinWire
TURBOchannel
ULTRIX
ULTRIX-32
UNIBUS

VAX
VAXBI
VAXcluster
VAXstation
VMS
VT

Contents
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

xxiii

Part I System Overview
1 Base System
System Hardware Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Controls and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
External System Unit Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal Base System Module Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clear-NVR Jumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Boot ROM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For Further Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1–2
1–5
1–7
1–8
1–9
1–11
1–12
1–13

2 Hardware Options and Peripherals
CPU Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monitors and Terminals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keyboard and Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TURBOchannel Option Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For Further Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2–1
2–2
2–2
2–3
2–4
2–4
2–5

iii

3 A Server Configuration
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connecting a Console Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Halting a server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Default Settings for Using the Console Terminal . . . . . . .
Operational background information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3–1
3–2
3–3
3–4
3–4

Part II Troubleshooting
4 Troubleshooting Overview
Troubleshooting Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Four Troubleshooting Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reference Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4–2
4–2
4–4
4–5

5 The Powerup Self-test
Troubleshooting Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Invoking the Powerup Self-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interpreting Video Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example: Power-up Selftest Failure . . . . . . . . . . .
Connecting and Using an Alternate Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . .
Minimum Configuration Troubleshooting With the System
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding the Power-up Self-Test Sequence and the
LED Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Power-up Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What to do when the Power-up LED Indicator is Inactive . .
How to Troubleshoot the R4000 CPU Module LEDs . . . .

5–2
5–3
5–4
5–5
5–7
5–9
5–10
5–11
5–15
5–16

6 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics
Console Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Similarity to Other DS5000 Systems’ Console
Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On-line help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6–2
6–4
6–5

Configuration Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example: cnfg Command output . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The cnfg x Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example: cnfg 3 Output Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TURBOchannel Slot Number Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . .
Environment Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interpreting Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Console command error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Console exception messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting diagnostic routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6–6
6–6
6–8
6–9
6–11
6–12
6–14
6–17
6–18
6–19
6–21

7 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser
Troubleshooting Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ULTRIX Error Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Generating error reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On-line help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ULTRIX error log event types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interpreting part one of the error report . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sample error report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interpreting part two of the error report . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Error Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Analyzing memory error report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Error and status register error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Error and status register error log: Example 1 . . . . . . . .
Error and status register error log: Example 2 . . . . . . . .
System Exercisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On-line help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Running the system exercisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Running several exercisers at once . . . . . . . . . . . .
Running individual exercisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising the file system and memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising local file systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising the system memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising shared memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising peripherals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising disk drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising tape drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The mtx tape drive exerciser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The tapex tape drive exerciser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7–1
7–2
7–2
7–4
7–5
7–5
7–6
7–7
7–8
7–8
7–9
7–10
7–12
7–14
7–15
7–16
7–16
7–16
7–16
7–17
7–17
7–18
7–18
7–19
7–20
7–20
7–21

Exercising the network and communication systems . . . .
Exercising the TCP/IP network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercising the terminal communications . . . . . . . .
Exercising line printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7–22
7–22
7–23
7–24

8 Obtaining a Crash Dump
Troubleshooting Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Verifying the system is hung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crashing the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Creating a dump file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the haltaction Environmental Variables . . . . . . . .

8–2
8–2
8–3
8–4
8–4

9 Procedural Flow Charts
No Display at Power-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Missing SCSI Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Missing TURBOchannel Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Missing Memory SIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Missing SERIAL.bus Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9–1
9–3
9–5
9–7
9–9

Part III Removing and Replacing FRUs
10 Base System Hardware
Using the Antistatic Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing the System Unit Cover . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove the System Unit Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install the System Unit Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing and Removing a Serial Line Adapter . . . . . . . . . . .
To install a serial line adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To remove a serial line adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing and Removing a SCSI Controller Terminator . . . .
To Install a SCSI Controller Terminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove a SCSI Controller Terminator . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing and Removing a SCSI Chain Terminator . . . . . . .
To Install a SCSI Chain Terminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove a SCSI Chain Terminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing and Removing a ThickWire Ethernet Loopback
Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install a ThickWire Ethernet Loopback Connector . . .

10–2
10–3
10–3
10–4
10–5
10–5
10–5
10–6
10–6
10–6
10–7
10–7
10–7
10–8
10–8

To Remove a ThickWire Ethernet Loopback
Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing and Removing a Serial Line Loopback
Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install a Serial Line Loopback Connector . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove a Serial Line Loopback Connector . . . . . . . . .

10–8
10–9
10–9
10–9

11 Storage Devices
SCSI Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Cable Lengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing an Internal Floppy Disk
Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To remove a floppy disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To install a floppy disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing a Floppy Disk Mounting
Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To remove a floppy disk mounting bracket . . . . . .
To install a floppy disk mounting bracket . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing a Floppy Port Cover . . . . . . . . .
To remove the floppy port cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To install a floppy port cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing an Internal Hard Disk
Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To remove an internal hard disk drive . . . . . . . . .
To install an internal hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . .
ID Settings for Internal Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting SCSI IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ23L hard disk
drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ24 hard disk
drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ24L hard disk
drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ25 hard disk
drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ26 hard disk
drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting the SCSI ID on an TLZ06 tape drive . . . .
Setting the drive select switch on an RX26 floppy
disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For Further Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11–2
11–3
11–4
11–6
11–6
11–6
11–10
11–10
11–10
11–11
11–11
11–11
11–12
11–12
11–13
11–14
11–15
11–15
11–17
11–19
11–20
11–23
11–25
11–26
11–27

vii

12 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory
Removing and Replacing a CPU Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove a CPU Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install a CPU Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing Memory Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identifying Memory Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Slot Numbers and Address Ranges . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install a Memory Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing TURBOchannel Option
Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove an Option Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install an Option Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet Option Module ESAR Chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base System ESAR Chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove the Base System ESAR Chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install the Base System ESAR Chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing the Base System Module . . . . . . . .
To Remove the Base System Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install the Base System Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing and Removing the Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Remove the Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install the Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For Further Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12–2
12–5
12–5
12–7
12–7
12–8
12–11
12–13
12–15
12–15
12–15
12–17
12–19
12–19
12–19
12–21
12–23
12–25
12–26
12–26
12–27
12–29

13 Keyboard and Pointing Devices
Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and Installing the Input Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Disconnect the Keyboard and Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To Install the Keyboard and Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

viii

13–2
13–3
13–4
13–4
13–4

Part IV Appendices
A Equipment Specifications
Personal DECstation 5000 System Unit Equipment
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRC16 Monitor Equipment Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRM17 Monitor Equipment Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LK501-AA Keyboard Equipment Specifications . . . . . . . . . . .
VSXXX-BB Mouse Equipment Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications . . .
RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications . . .
RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications . . . .
RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications . . . .
TLZ06 Cassette Tape Drive Equipment Specifications . . . . .
RX26 Diskette Drive Equipment Specifications . . . . . . . . . . .

A–2
A–4
A–6
A–9
A–11
A–13
A–15
A–17
A–19
A–21
A–22

B Part Numbers
Basic System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI and Floppy Disk Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Input Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cables and Cords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miscellaneous Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connectors, Adapters, and Terminators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hardware Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Software Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B–2
B–3
B–4
B–4
B–5
B–5
B–6
B–7
B–8

C Connector Pin Assignments
SCSI Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ThickWire Ethernet Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . .
EIA RS232 Communications Connectors Pin
Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Power Supply Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISDN Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SERIAL.bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sound Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loopback Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C–2
C–3
C–4
C–6
C–7
C–8
C–9
C–10

D Console Commands
Entering Console Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rules for entering console commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Conventions used in this chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Some terms used in this chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction to the Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Console command format summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
? Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
boot Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Important information about the boot command . . . . . . .
cat Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cnfg Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General System Configuration Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Individual Configuration Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base system configuration displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet controller configuration displays . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI controller displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3D graphics module configuration displays . . . . . . . . . . . .
Color frame buffer graphics module configuration
displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2D graphics accelerator module configuration
displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
d Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
e Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
erl Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
go Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
init Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ls Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
passwd Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
printenv Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
restart Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
script Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
setenv Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
sh Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
t Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
test Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
unsetenv Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Console Command Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D–2
D–2
D–3
D–3
D–4
D–5
D–7
D–8
D–10
D–11
D–12
D–12
D–14
D–14
D–16
D–16
D–18
D–19
D–20
D–21
D–23
D–25
D–25
D–26
D–27
D–28
D–29
D–29
D–30
D–31
D–35
D–36
D–36
D–37
D–38

E Base System Test Commands and Messages
Locating Individual Tests in This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ab/caps—Desktop Bus Device Capabilities Test . . . . . . . . . . .
Desktop bus device capabilities test error messages . . . .
ab/cntl—Desktop Bus Controller Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ab/ctrs—Desktop Bus Counters Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Desktop bus counters test error message . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ab/nm—Display Next Message Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ab/t—Desktop Bus Tables Verification Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cache/data—Cache Data Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache data test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cache/fill—Cache Fill Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache fill test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cache/isol—Cache Isolate Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache isolate test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cache/reload—Cache Reload Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache reload test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cache/seg—Cache Segment Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache segment test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scache/data - Secondary Cache Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scache Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/ascii—ASCII Font Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/cursmem—Cursor Memory Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cursor memory test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/e—‘E’ Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/fb—Frame Buffer Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frame buffer test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/h—‘H’ Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/init—Chip Initialization Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/patterns—Screen Patterns Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
crt/vdac—Vdac/Color Palette Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vdac/color palette test error message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
epm/dump—EEPROM Contents Display Test . . . . . . . . . . . . .
epm/init—EEPROM Reinitialization Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
epm/sign—EEPROM Signature Data Check Test . . . . . . . . . .
EEPROM signature data check error messages . . . . . . . .
epm/write—EEPROM Read/Modify/Write Test . . . . . . . . . . . .
fctr/intvl—Free-running Counter Interval Test . . . . . . . . . . . .
Free-running counter interval test error messages . . . . .
fctr/run—Free-Running Counter Increment Test . . . . . . . . . .
Free-running counter increment test error message . . . .
fdi/dor—Floppy DOR Register Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floppy DOR register test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . .
fdi/exfdc—Exercise Floppy Disk Controller Test . . . . . . . . . . .

E–2
E–6
E–6
E–6
E–7
E–7
E–8
E–8
E–8
E–8
E–9
E–10
E–10
E–11
E–11
E–12
E–13
E–14
E–14
E–15
E–15
E–16
E–16
E–16
E–16
E–17
E–17
E–17
E–18
E–18
E–18
E–18
E–19
E–19
E–19
E–19
E–20
E–20
E–20
E–21
E–21
E–21
E–22
E–22
xi

Exercise floppy disk controller test error messages . . . . .
fdi/read—Floppy Media Read Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floppy media read test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
fdi/reset—Reset Floppy Disk Interface Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reset floppy disk interface test error messages . . . . . . . .
fdi/t—DOR Subtest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
fdi/wrtrd—Write/Read Floppy Media Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Write/read floppy media test error messages . . . . . . . . . .
fpu—Floating-Point Unit (FPU) Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FPU test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
isdn/audio—ISDN Controller Audio Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
isdn/base—ISDN Baseline Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISDN baseline test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
isdn/dma—ISDN Controller Peripheral Port Test . . . . . . . . .
ISDN controller peripheral port test error message . . . . .
mem/float10—Floating 1/0 Memory Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floating 1/0 memory test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . .
mem—Memory Module Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory module test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
mem/init—Zero Memory Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
mem/select—RAM Select Lines Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RAM select lines test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
mfg/done—DIAGDN Bit Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
misc/cpu-type—CPU-Type Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CPU-type utility message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
misc/wbpart—Partial Write Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Partial write test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/cllsn—Collision Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Collision test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/common—Common Diagnostic Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Common diagnostic utility error messages . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/crc—Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CRC test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/ctrs—Display MOP Counters Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/dma1—Ethernet-Direct Memory Access (DMA) Registers
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet-DMA registers test error messages . . . . . . . . . .
ni/dma2—Ethernet-Direct Memory Access (DMA) Transfer
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet-DMA transfer test error messages . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/esar—Ethernet Station Address ROM (ESAR) Test . . . . .
ESAR test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/ext-lb—External Loopback Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
External loopback test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/int—Interrupt Request (IRQ) Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

xii

E–23
E–24
E–24
E–24
E–25
E–25
E–26
E–26
E–27
E–27
E–28
E–29
E–29
E–30
E–30
E–30
E–31
E–31
E–31
E–32
E–32
E–33
E–33
E–33
E–33
E–34
E–34
E–34
E–35
E–35
E–35
E–36
E–36
E–37
E–38
E–38
E–39
E–39
E–40
E–41
E–41
E–42
E–42

IRQ test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/int-lb—Internal Loopback Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal loopback test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/m-cst—Multicast Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Multicast test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/promisc—Promiscuous Mode Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Promiscuous mode test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/regs—Registers Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Registers test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ni/setup—LANCE Setup Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LANCE-setup utilities error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
rtc/nvr—Nonvolatile RAM (NVR) Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NVR test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
rtc/period—Real-Time Clock (RTC) Period Test . . . . . . . . . . .
RTC period test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
rtc/regs—Real-Time Clock Registers Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Real-time clock registers test error messages . . . . . . . . . .
rtc/time—Real-Time Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Real-time test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scc/access—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Access
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC access test error message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scc/dma—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Direct Memory
Access (DMA) Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC DMA test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scc/int—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Interrupts
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC interrupts test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scc/io—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) I/O Test . . . . . . . .
SCC I/O test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scc/pins—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Pins Test . . . . .
SCC pins test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scc/tx-rx—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Transmit and
Receive Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC transmit and receive test error messages . . . . . . . . .
scsi/cntl—SCSI Controller Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI controller test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
scsi/sdiag—SCSI Send Diagnostics Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI send diagnostics test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . .
scsi/target—SCSI Target Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI target test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
tlb/prb—Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) Probe Test . . .
TLB probe test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
tlb/reg—Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) Registers
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E–43
E–43
E–44
E–45
E–45
E–46
E–46
E–47
E–47
E–48
E–49
E–49
E–49
E–50
E–50
E–51
E–51
E–51
E–52
E–52
E–53
E–53
E–54
E–55
E–55
E–56
E–56
E–57
E–58
E–59
E–60
E–61
E–62
E–62
E–63
E–63
E–64
E–66
E–66
E–66

xiii

TLB registers test error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic LED Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E–66
E–67

F CPU and System Registers
CPU Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CPU Registers for R3000A Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CPU Registers for R4000 Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cause Register R3000 Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cause Register R4000 Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exception Program Counter (EPC) Register R3000 and
R4000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Status Register R3000 Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Status Register R4000 Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic Status Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BadVAddr Register R3000 and R4000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Error Exception Program Counter (Error EPC) R4000
Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Configuration Register R4000 Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Data Buffers 3 to 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Support Register (SSR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<31> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<30> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<29> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<28> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<27:23> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<22> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<21> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<20> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<19> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<18> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<17> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<16> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<15>DIAGDN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<14:13> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<12> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<11> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<10> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<9> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<8> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<7> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<6> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

xiv

F–2
F–2
F–3
F–3
F–5
F–7
F–8
F–9
F–11
F–13
F–13
F–14
F–14
F–16
F–16
F–17
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–18
F–19
F–19
F–19
F–19
F–19
F–19
F–19
F–19
F–19

SSR<5> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<4:1> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SSR<0>LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Interrupt Register (SIR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<31> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<30> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<29> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<28> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<27> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<26> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<25> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<24> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<23> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR22> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<21> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<20> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<19> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<18> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<17> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<16> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<15> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<14>UNSCUR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<13> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<12> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<11> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<10>NRMOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<9> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<8> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<7>Floppy HDSTATUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<6> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<5> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<4>Floppy XDSTATUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<3> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<2> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<1> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SIR<0> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Interrupt Mask Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
<31:0> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Error Register (MER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<31:28> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<27> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<16> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<15> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<14> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<13:12> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F–19
F–20
F–20
F–20
F–22
F–22
F–22
F–22
F–22
F–23
F–23
F–23
F–23
F–23
F–23
F–24
F–24
F–24
F–24
F–24
F–24
F–24
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–25
F–26
F–26
F–26
F–26
F–26
F–27
F–27
F–27
F–27
F–27
F–27

MER<11:8> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MER<7:0> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Size Register (MSR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<31:27> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<26>INTREN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<25>MS10EN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<24:21>PFORCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<20>MABEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<19:17>LASTBANK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<16:14> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<13> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MSR<12:0> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Error Address Register (EAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F–27
F–28
F–28
F–28
F–28
F–28
F–28
F–28
F–29
F–29
F–29
F–29
F–29

Personal DECstation function blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Controls and indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
External system unit connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal base system module connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clear-NVR jumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Boot ROM Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Alternate terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing a Console Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Flash Sequence of the Diagnostic LED Indicator . . . . . . . . . . .
External System Unit Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting When the Monitor Has No Display . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting a Missing SCSI Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting a Missing TURBOchannel Option . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting Missing Memory SIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting a Missing SERIAL.bus Device . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the antistatic kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System unit cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Serial line adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI controller terminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI chain terminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ThickWire Ethernet loopback connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1–4
1–6
1–7
1–9
1–10
1–11
1–12
2–3
3–2
5–12
5–15
9–2
9–4
9–6
9–8
9–10
10–2
10–3
10–5
10–6
10–7
10–8

Index
Figures
1-1
1-2
1-3
1-4
1-5
1-6
1-7
2-1
3-1
5-1
5-2
9-1
9-2
9-3
9-4
9-5
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6
xvi

10-7
11-1
11-2
11-3
11-4
11-5
11-6
11-7
11-8
11-9
11-10
11-11
11-12
11-13
11-14
11-15
11-16
11-17
12-1
12-2
12-3
12-4
12-5
12-6
12-7
12-8
12-9
12-10
12-11
12-12
12-13
12-14
13-1
13-2
13-3
13-4

Serial line loopback connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floppy disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floppy disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floppy port cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and installing an internally mounted hard disk
drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ23L half-height hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ23L SCSI ID jumper settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ24 hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ24 drive SCSI ID jumper settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ24L hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ25 hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ25 drive front SCSI ID jumper settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ25 drive side SCSI ID jumper settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ26 hard disk drive front and back view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ26 hard disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TLZ06 cassette tape drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RX26 floppy disk drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R3000 CPU module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R4000 CPU module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and installing a CPU module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identifying 2-megabyte memory modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identifying 8-megabyte memory modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory module slot numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing a memory module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing a memory module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and installing a TURBOchannel option module . . .
Option module ESAR chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base system ESAR chip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base system module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and installing the base system module . . . . . . . . . .
Power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keyboards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VSXXX-BB Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VSXXX-GB Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Removing and installing a keyboard and mouse . . . . . . . . . . .

10–9
11–5
11–8
11–9
11–11
11–13
11–15
11–16
11–17
11–18
11–19
11–20
11–21
11–22
11–23
11–24
11–25
11–26
12–3
12–3
12–6
12–9
12–10
12–11
12–12
12–14
12–16
12–18
12–20
12–22
12–24
12–28
13–2
13–3
13–3
13–5

xvii

Tables
1
3-1
5-1
5-2
5-3
5-4
5-5
5-6
6-1
6-2
6-3
6-4
6-5
6-6
6-7
7-1
11-1
11-2
12-1
12-2
12-3
A-1
A-2
A-3
A-4
A-5
A-6
A-7
A-8
A-9
A-10
A-11
A-12
A-13
A-14
xviii

Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Alternate Terminal Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic Tests for Base System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identification Codes for Selected TURBOchannel Options . . .
Alternate Terminal Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interpreting Diagnostic LED Indicator at Power-Up . . . . . . . .
Interpreting Diagnostic LED Indicator During 2nd 30
Seconds Following First Video (Power-Up Self-Test Period) . .
Interpreting Diagnostic LED Indicator During First 30
Seconds After Power-Up (Firmware Initialization Period) . . .
Console Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Slot Numbers in Commands and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Environment Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Controller Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic Tests for Base System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identification Codes for Selected TURBOchannel Options . . .
Console Command Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Event Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Cable Lengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal Drive ID Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CPU Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Identifying Memory Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RAM address ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Unit Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Unit Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Unit Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acoustics—Preliminary Declared Values per ISO 9296 and
ISO 7779 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRC16 Monitor Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRC16 Monitor Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRC16 Monitor Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRM17 Monitor Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRM17 Monitor Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VRM17 Monitor Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LK501-AA Keyboard Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LK501-AA Keyboard Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LK501-AA Keyboard Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VSXXX-BB Mouse Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

xxiv
3–3
5–6
5–6
5–7
5–13
5–13
5–14
6–3
6–11
6–13
6–15
6–16
6–16
6–17
7–5
11–3
11–14
12–2
12–8
12–9
A–2
A–2
A–3
A–3
A–4
A–5
A–5
A–6
A–8
A–8
A–9
A–10
A–10
A–11

A-15
A-16
A-17
A-18
A-19
A-20
A-21
A-22
A-23
A-24
A-25
A-26
A-27
A-28
A-29
A-30
A-31
A-32
A-33
A-34
A-35
A-36
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
B-5
B-6
B-7
B-8
B-9
B-10
B-11
B-12
C-1
C-2
C-3
C-4
C-5

VSXXX-BB Mouse Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VSXXX-BB Mouse Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions . . . . . . . .
RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions . . . . .
RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions . . . . . . . .
RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions . . . . .
RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . .
RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . .
RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . .
RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . .
TLZ06 Cassette Tape Drive Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TLZ06 Cassettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TLZ06 Cassettte Tape Drive Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . .
TLZ06 Cassette Tape Drive Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . .
RX26 Diskette Drive Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RX26 Diskette Disk Drive Specifications (formatted) . . . . . . .
RX26 Diskette Drive Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RX26 Diskette Drive Nonoperating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI and Floppy Disk Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Input Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cables and Cords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miscellaneous Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connectors, Adapters, and Terminators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hardware Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Software Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miscellaneous TURBOchannel options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TURBOchannel Frame buffer options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TURBOchannel Graphic accelerator options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ThickWire Ethernet Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . .
EIA RS232 Communications Connectors Pin Assignments . . .
Power Supply Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISDN Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A–12
A–12
A–13
A–14
A–14
A–15
A–16
A–16
A–17
A–18
A–18
A–19
A–20
A–20
A–21
A–21
A–21
A–21
A–22
A–22
A–23
A–23
B–2
B–3
B–4
B–4
B–5
B–5
B–6
B–7
B–8
B–8
B–9
B–10
C–2
C–3
C–4
C–6
C–7

xix

C-6
C-7
C-8
C-9
C-10
D-1
D-2
D-3
E-1
E-2
E-3
E-4
E-5
E-6
E-7
E-8
E-9
E-10
E-11
E-12
E-13
E-14
E-15
E-16
E-17
E-18
E-19
E-20
E-21
E-22
E-23
E-24
E-25

SERIAL.bus Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sound Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary of Loopback Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet Loopback Connector Pin Assignments, Part
#12-22196-02 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modem Loopback Connector Pin Assignments, Part
#12-15336-13, Option #H3200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Console Command Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Standard Environment Variables for the Personal DECstation
5000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Console Command Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Base system module tests and utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Desktop Bus Device Capabilties Test Error Codes and
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache Data Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache Fill Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache Isolate Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache Reload Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cache Segment Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . .
Frame Buffer Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . .
EEPROM Signature Data Check Test Error Descriptions . . .
Free-running Counter Interval Test Error Descriptions . . . . .
Floppy DOR Register Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . .
Exercise Floppy Disk Controller Test Error Codes and
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Floppy Media Read Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reset Floppy Disk Interface Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . .
Write/Read Floppy Media Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . . . .
FPU Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISDN Baseline Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Partial Write Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Collision Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Common Diagnostic Utility Error Codes and Descriptions . . .
CRC Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet-DMA Registers Test Error Codes and
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ethernet-DMA Registers Test Error Codes and
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ESAR Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
External Loopback Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . .

C–8
C–9
C–10
C–10
C–11
D–6
D–32
D–38
E–2
E–6
E–9
E–10
E–12
E–13
E–15
E–17
E–20
E–21
E–22
E–23
E–24
E–25
E–27
E–28
E–29
E–34
E–35
E–36
E–37
E–38
E–40
E–41
E–42

E-26
E-27
E-28
E-29
E-30
E-31
E-32
E-33
E-34
E-35
E-36
E-37
E-38
E-39
E-40
E-41
E-42
E-43
E-44
F-1
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
F-8
F-9
F-10
F-11
F-12

IRQ Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Internal Loopback Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . .
Multicast Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Promiscuous Mode Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . .
Registers Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LANCE-setup utilities error codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . .
RTC Period Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Real-Time Clock Register Test Error Codess . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Real-Time Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC DMA Test Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC I/O Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pin Pairs Tested by Individual Loopback Connectors . . . . . . .
SCC Pins Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCC Transmit and Receive Test Error Codes and
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Controller Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Send Diagnostics Test Error Error Codes and
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCSI Target Test Error Codes and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . .
TLB Registers Test Error Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Power-Up LED Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R3000A CPU Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R4000 CPU Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exception Codes R3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exception Codes R4000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diagnostic Status Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Config Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Support Register 0xBC040100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Interrupt Register 0xBC040110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Interrupt Mask Register 0xBC040120 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Error Register 0xAC400000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Size Register 0xAC800000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E–43
E–44
E–45
E–47
E–48
E–49
E–50
E–51
E–52
E–55
E–57
E–58
E–59
E–61
E–62
E–63
E–65
E–67
E–68
F–2
F–3
F–5
F–6
F–13
F–15
F–16
F–17
F–21
F–26
F–27
F–28

xxi

About This Guide
This guide explains how to perform maintainence operations
on the Personal DECstation/DECsystem 5000 workstation and
server. The following topics are discussed:
The parts that make up the basic Personal DECstation
/DECsystem 5000 workstation and server
The meaning of icons that appear on the system unit and
cables
The function of each workstation component
The function of the connectors, controls, switches, indicator
lights, and LED display on the base system unit
Site and voltage requirements
How to set up the workstation and adjust workstation
hardware
What options are available to improve workstation
performance
How to install and remove optional internal workstation
components
How to connect a workstation to an Ethernet network
How to connect external communications options
How to install a terminal as a separate system console
How to connect external storage devices to a workstation
How to power up, test, and shut down a workstation

xxiii

How to read the configuration displays and interpret the
power-up and system self-test results
How to diagnose and solve basic hardware problems
How to use console commands
Specifications and part numbers for workstation
components
Pin assignments for workstation cables and connectors
Table 1. Conventions Used in This Guide
Convention

Use

Monospace type

Anything that appears on the monitor is
set in monospace type, like this.

Boldface type

Anything you are asked to type is set in boldface
type, like this.
Provides information that protects the workstation
from being damaged.
Provides information that protects you from being
harmed.

Caution note
Warning note

xxiv

Part I
System Overview

1
Base System
This chapter provides an overview of the following Personal
DECstation/DECsystem 5000 hardware:
Basic system hardware
System hardware configurations

Base System 1–1

System Hardware Configurations
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem contains a rich set of
maintainability tools and features. The troubleshooting section
of the manual describes, in some detail, four techniques to
detect and isolate problems.
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem is a powerful yet flexible
machine. Although it is the entry-level member in the Digital
line of MIPS Technologies Inc, (MIPS) RISC workstations, it
supports all the TURBOchannel options and peripherals Digital
has developed for its high-end workstations. The system also
works with many industry-standard commodity peripherals,
such as monitors and disk drives, sold by third party vendors.
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem can be configured in
many ways. This can range from a simple standalone server
to a multiscreen workstation with multiple communication
connections and many external storage devices.
The Personal DECstation is a MIPS, R3000-based, reduced
instruction set computer (RISC) desktop system designed to
support the ULTRIX operating systems.
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem Model 50 is a MIPS
Technologies Inc, R4000-based, reduced instruction set
computer (RISC) desktop system designed to support the
ULTRIX operating system.
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem can be configured as
either a workstation or a server.
When it is configured as a workstation, the user input
and output devices are a graphics monitor, a keyboard,
and a mouse.
When it is configured as a server, the user input and
output devices are a terminal with keyboard connected
to the serial communications port.
The base system can be connected to the following devices:
One color or gray scale monitor
One keyboard and mouse
Up to seven SCSI storage devices (one mounted
internally)
1–2 Base System

One internally mounted floppy disk drive
One Ethernet network
A single modem, terminal, printer, or other serial
device
Additional monitors, storage devices, network
connections, and serial devices can be supported by
adding TURBOchannel option modules.

Base System 1–3

Ethernet network
Modem, terminal, or printer

CD-Rom (optional)
Monitor
Expansion box (optional)
Tape drive (optional)

Keyboard
Mouse

Video
controller

Serial port
RS232

SERIAL . BUS

CPU module

Sound I/O

TURBOchannel
option module

Ethernet
(ThickWire)

SCSI

TURBOchannel
option module

Additional SIMM RAM (0-32 Mbytes) (optional)

On-board RAM (8 Mbytes)

Clear
NVR

Power input

Drive power

SCSI (internal)

Internal hard
disk drive
(optional)
WSMXM001

Figure 1-1. Personal DECstation function blocks

1–4 Base System

FDI

Internal floppy
disk drive
(optional)

System Unit
The system unit is the assembly of the modular components of
the workstation, including the system unit chassis and cover,
the modules, and the power supply. The modular components
are called field replaceable units (FRUs). The components
and features of the system unit are listed here and shown in
Figure 1-2.
Base system module, which includes
One CPU module connector
Eight megabytes of 32-bit parity random access memory
(RAM), resident on the system module
Four connectors for up to 32 megabytes of additional
RAM
One on-board 1024 x 768, 8-plane, 72-hertz color frame
buffer video controller
One SERIAL.bus interface for keyboard and mouse
One floppy disk interface (FDI) controller for an
internally mounted 3.5-inch floppy disk drive (such as
the RX26)
One small computer system interface (SCSI) controller
for up to seven drives
One synchronous/asynchronous RS232 serial
communications port with full modem control
One ThickWire Ethernet controller
Two connectors for TURBOchannel option modules
Diagnostic ROM
R4000 has one removable CPU module with a floating-point
unit (FPU), cache memories, and a ROM that supercedes
the base system ROM.
R3000 has one removable CPU module with a floating-point
unit (FPU), cache memories.
Space for two internal drives

Base System 1–5

One power supply with cooling fan
One metal chassis
One removable cover
System unit cover

P E R

S O N

A L

DECstat

ion 500

0/50

CPU module

SIMMs

Power supply

Base system
module
Internal drives

System unit chassis
LJ-02986-TI0

Figure 1-2. System Unit

1–6 Base System

Controls and Indicators
The system unit controls and indicators are listed here and
shown in Figure 1-3.
The on/off switch controls the power to the system unit.
Press down the 1 side of the switch to turn the power on.
Press down the 0 side of the switch to turn the power off.
The status indicator LED glows green when the power
supply is operating properly and displays blinking error
codes to identify faulty components. When the cover
is installed, the status indicator LED illuminates the
medallion on the front of the system unit.
Status indicator
LED (green)

d i g

Perso
i t a

nal
DEC sta
tion 50
00/25

Front view

On/off switch

1
0

Back view
WSMXM004

Figure 1-3. Controls and indicators

Base System 1–7

External System Unit Connectors
The external system unit connectors on the back panel connect
the workstation to external devices. The external system unit
connectors are listed here and shown in Figure 1-4.
The power connector connects the system unit power supply
and the system unit power cord.
The system-unit-to-monitor connector allows the monitor
to receive its electric power through the system unit rather
than directly from a wall outlet.
The video connector links the base system video controller
to a color or gray scale monitor.
The SERIAL.bus connector links the system unit to the
keyboard-mouse cable.
The base system ThickWire Ethernet connector links the
base system Ethernet controller to an Ethernet network.
The base system external SCSI connector connects the base
system SCSI controller to a chain of external drives.
The RS232 serial communications connector links the base
system serial line controller to an external device, such as a
printer, modem, or console terminal.
The two option module connectors, labeled 0 and 1, connect
TURBOchannel option modules to external hardware. The
number printed above each option module position is the
logical slot number by which an option module mounted in
that position is addressed in test commands and identified
in error messages.

1–8 Base System

TURBOchannel
option module
connectors

Power connector

1
0

System-unit-to-monitor
power connector
Base system
SCSI connector

Video connector

Base system ThickWire
Ethernet connector

RS232 serial
communication
connector
Sound
I/O connector

SERIAL.bus
keyboard-mouse
connector

WSMXM005

Figure 1-4. External system unit connectors

Internal Base System Module Connectors
The internal base system module connectors are the means by
which the system’s modular components, both standard and
optional, are connected to the base system module and to each
other. The internal base system module connectors are listed
here and shown in Figure 1-5.
The CPU module connector connects the CPU module to
the base system module.
Two pairs of SIMM connectors provide the means to install
up to 32 megabytes of additional RAM.
Two internal TURBOchannel option module connectors
connect TURBOchannel option modules to the base system
module. The connector closest to the power supply is
referred to as logical slot number 1 in test commands and
error messages. The connector furthest away from the
power supply is logical slot 0.
The system module power connector receives DC power
from the power supply for all components in the system
unit enclosure.
Base System 1–9

The drive power connector supplies DC power to the two
internally mounted drives.
TURBOchannel option
CPU module

module connectors

connector
Clear NVR
connector

System module
power connector
Drive power
connector
Internal SCSI

SIMM connectors (4)
FDI connector

connector
WSMXM006

Figure 1-5. Internal base system module connectors

1–10 Base System

Clear-NVR Jumper
The clear-NVR jumper (12-14314-00) erases any existing
environment variable settings by shorting together the two
points on the connector and power cycling the machine.
Clear-NVR jumper

WSMXM007

Figure 1-6. Clear-NVR jumper

Base System 1–11

System Boot ROM
The Boot ROM on the system module does not need to be
replaced because there is a Boot ROM on the R4000 CPU.
Two switches on the module control access to the Boot ROM.
Both switches must be off. Refer to Figure 1-7 for location of
switches.
Note: Note the orientation of the switches. Switches pointing to the

ON postion are on, switches pointing towards the 1, 2 are off.

MLO-010159
LJ-02970-TI0

Figure 1-7. System Boot ROM Switches

1–12 Base System

For Further Information
For troubleshooting information, see Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9
of this guide.
For detailed information about system unit FRUs, see Chapters
10 and 11 of this guide.
For information about Personal DECstation/DECsystem
hardware options and peripherals, see Chapter 2 of this
guide.

Base System 1–13

2
Hardware Options and Peripherals
This chapter provides an overview of the following options and
peripherals supported on the Personal DECstation/DECsystem
hardware:
One CPU module (R4000 or R3000 based)
Two or four memory modules for up to 32 megabytes of
additional RAM
One or two TURBOchannel option modules
Up to seven SCSI drives per SCSI controller
One internally mounted floppy disk drive (FDI)
Graphics monitors and terminals
A keyboard and one mouse
RS-232 serial devices
Figures 1-4 and 1-5, show the external and internal connectors
that support the hardware options and peripherals.
CPU Module
The Personal DECstation supports the following CPU modules:
R3000 CPU modules
25-megahertz CPU with 128-kilobyte cache (KN02-CC)
33-megahertz CPU with 128-kilobyte cache (KN02-DA)

Hardware Options and Peripherals 2–1

R4000 CPU module
50-megahertz CPU with 1-Megabyte secondary cache
(KN04-AA)
See ‘‘Removing and Replacing a CPU Module’’ in Chapter 12 for
detailed information about CPU modules.
Memory Modules
The base system has eight megabytes of 32-bit parity RAM
resident on the base system module. In addition, the base
system module has two pairs of connectors for additional
memory. Each connector accepts one Standard In-line Memory
Module (SIMM). The following SIMM types are supported:
2-megabyte SIMM (MS01-AA or MS01L-AB)
8-megabyte SIMM (MS01-CA)
Do not mix 2-megabyte and 8-megabyte SIMMs in a single
system. The SIMMs must be installed in pairs starting
with the paired memory connectors numbered 0, nearest
the back of the system. See ‘‘Removing and Installing
Memory Modules’’ in Chapter 12 for information about
memory modules.
Monitors and Terminals
The on-board 1024 x 768, 72-hertz, 8-plane color frame buffer
video controller currently supports the following monitors:
VRC16 sixteen-inch color monitor
VRM17 seventeen-inch gray scale monitor
A third-party 1024 x 768, 72-Hz, color or gray scale monitor
If optional TURBOchannel graphics modules are installed,
the monitors supported depend on the TURBOchannel
graphics modules installed. Refer to the TURBOchannel
Maintenance Guide for a list of monitors that each
TURBOchannel graphics module supports.
You can connect an alternate console terminal to the serial
communications connector on the back of the system unit.
The monitor can be any RS232 monitor of type VT52 or

2–2 Hardware Options and Peripherals

greater. Figure 2-1 shows a monitor and an alternate terminal
connected to the system unit.
Regular system monitor

Alternate
console
terminal

1
0

Alternate
terminal cable
Communications
connector
Communications
line adaptor
LK201 or LK401
keyboard

Alternate
terminal cable

WSMXM074

Figure 2-1. Alternate terminal

Keyboard and Mouse
The system receives input from the user through an LK501
keyboard and a VSXXX-GB mouse. The keyboard and mouse
connect to the SERIAL.bus keyboard-mouse connector on the

Hardware Options and Peripherals 2–3

back of the system unit through the keyboard-mouse cable. See
Chapter 13 for information about the keyboard and mouse.
SCSI Drives
The base system module comes with a SCSI controller. In
addition, one or two TURBOchannel SCSI controller option
modules can be added to the system. Each SCSI controller can
support up to seven drives. One of the drives connected to the
base system SCSI controller can be mounted inside the system
unit enclosure. See Chapter 11 for more information about the
SCSI drives.
TURBOchannel Option Modules
The TURBOchannel connectors on the base system module can
support two TURBOchannel option modules according to the
following rules:
Any SCSI controller, Ethernet controller, or serial interface
TURBOchannel option modules operate in addition to
the equivalent functions on the base system module.
See ‘‘Removing and Installing TURBOchannel Option
Modules’’ in Chapter 12 for information about removing
and installing TURBOchannel option modules.
A TURBOchannel option module that occupies three spaces,
such as a PMAG-FA or PMAGB-FA module, must be
installed in a TURBOchannel Extender box and connected
to a TURBOchannel Extender option module installed in
one of the TURBOchannel option slots of the Personal
DECstation/DECsystem.
When one or more TURBOchannel option graphics modules
are installed, the following rules for multiscreen use apply:

2–4 Hardware Options and Peripherals

Two frame buffer modules can be used in multiscreen
mode only if they are frame buffers of the same type.
A 1024 x 768, 8-plane, 72-hertz color frame buffer
module can be used in multiscreen mode with the base
system video controller, which is of the same type. (Use
the HX PMAGB-BE module.)
The TURBOchannel option graphics module installed
in the lowest-numbered slot, not the base system video
controller, will be used as the output console device.

For Further Information
For troubleshooting information, see Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9
of this guide.
For detailed information about the FRUs mentioned in this
chapter, refer to Chapters 10 and 11 of this guide.
For further information about field service of TURBOchannel
option modules and connected drives and monitors, refer to the
TURBOchannel Maintenance Guide and the TURBOchannel
Extender Maintenance Guide.

Hardware Options and Peripherals 2–5

3
A Server Configuration
This chapter discusses the following topics:
Connecting a Console Terminal
Halting a Server

Introduction
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem has been designed to be
configured as either a workstation or a server. (A server is used
to provide other client systems in a network with distributed
services such as filing, computation and printing.)
When performing distributed network server tasks, the
Personal DECstation/DECsystem has no need for the expensive
graphics hardware usually associated with workstations, so it
is configured without a graphics monitor. However, to maintain
a console window, connect the Personal DECstation/DECsystem
to the input and output of a VT320-type terminal attached to
the RS232 port in the rear of the system unit, as shown in
Figure 3-1.

A Server Configuration 3–1

Regular system monitor

Alternate
console
terminal

1
0

Alternate
terminal cable
Communications
connector
Communications
line adaptor
LK201 or LK401
keyboard

Alternate
terminal cable

WSMXM074

Figure 3-1. Installing a Console Terminal

Connecting a Console Terminal
Connect your terminal to the 25-pin RS232 connector, and
set your terminal as described in Table 3-1. You may notice
that these settings are the standard default settings for
Digital terminals. Some terminals may use the modular MMJ

3–2 A Server Configuration

telephone style connectors. If this is the case, an adapter (Part
#H8571-A) can be used to make the connection.
Note: Customers who have multiple servers may not have a terminal

plugged into each unit. In this type of configuration, the system
manager generally accesses the server via the Ethernet.
Table 3-1. Alternate Terminal Settings
Setting

Value

Baud rate
Bits
Parity
Stop bits
Flow Control
Mode

9600
8
None
1
Xon/Xoff
Full duplex

Once you have connected the terminal to the RS232 port, you
can now use the messages displayed on the terminal to perform
system operations.

Halting a server
A server generally does not need to be halted during normal
operations. If a server does need to be halted, it is usually shut
down from the operating system with the shutdown command.
However, applications developers and other advanced users
may at times wish to abruptly halt the server to examine the
contents of memory during code development and debug.
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem may be abruptly halted
as a server by the same technique that is used when it is
abruptly halted as a workstation: namely, plug in an LK501
key board and type Ctrl-Alt-Return. We recommend that
developers who do this type of work also set the console
environmental variable to s, as explained in the next section.
Note: The Personal DECstation/DECsystem does not have an
explicit Halt switch.

A Server Configuration 3–3

Default Settings for Using the Console Terminal
An advanced user may wish to alternate back and forth
between use of a graphics monitor and a console terminal.
When using a console terminal, defeat the default power-up
console assignment by issuing the following console command:
>> setenv console s
The console can be switched back to a graphics monitor with
the command:
>> setenv console *
Operational background information
The system has the ability to display console and diagnostic
messages, either on the graphics monitor, or on a VTxxx
character-based terminal connected to the RS232 port located
on the rear of the unit.
At powerup, the system looks for a keyboard plugged into the
SERIAL.bus. If one is found, the system will route all console
messages to the graphics monitor. If, however, no keyboard is
detected on the SERIAL.bus, all text will be sent directly to the
RS232 port.
Therefore, when using the Personal DECstation/DECsystem
as a server and there is an LK501 keyboard plugged in when
the system is powered on, the system will attempt to display
console output on a non-existent graphics monitor. To prevent
this from happening, establish the terminal as the default
console device by issuing the setenv console s command, as
described in the previous section.

3–4 A Server Configuration

Part II
Troubleshooting

4
Troubleshooting Overview
This chapter discusses the following topics:
Troubleshooting overview
The troubleshooting process
Four troubleshooting techniques
Procedural flow charts
General troubleshooting tips
Obtaining a Crash Dump

Troubleshooting Overview 4–1

Troubleshooting Overview
Just as the complexity of the configurations can vary, so can
the complexity of the problems encountered. Some problems
are fairly straightforward to diagnose. Others problems,
like intermittent hangs and lost network traffic, have much
more subtle causes. Some problems may involve interactions
between the operating system, the application software, and the
hardware.

Four Troubleshooting Techniques
The next four chapters discuss the tools available and
provide the necessary background information to successfully
troubleshoot a Personal DECstation.
When isolating Personal DECstation/DECsystem problems
usually start with the power-up self-test (PST). If greater
detection and isolation capabilities are needed to resolve the
problem, the console and diagnostic tools can then be used.
Finally, for problems with more subtle origins, use the error
logger and system exerciser.
The approach to troubleshooting presented in this manual
starts with a fairly general test tool, and then moves on to tools
that do a progressively more specific job of identifying your
problems.

4–2 Troubleshooting Overview

By resolving any difficulties encountered when using the
general tools, subtle problems are not masked or compounded
by other failures.
Chapter 5 ‘‘The Power-Up Self-Test’’
Discusses how to use ROM-based power-up self-test
diagnostics, and how to connect an alternate terminal.
It also describes how to interpret the flashes the system
LED displays during power-up.
Chapter 6 ‘‘ROM Based Console and Diagnostics’’
Discusses how to run the diagnostics scripts and test, and
interpret their error messages.
Chapter 7 ‘‘ULTRIX Error Reports and System Exerciser’’
Discusses how the ULTRIX error reports and system
exercisers can be used to isolate intermittent problems.
Chapter 8 ‘‘Obtaining a Crash Dump’’
Discusses how to force a crash dump on a hung system.
A dump provides a snapshot of memory just prior to the
system crashing or hanging.

Troubleshooting Overview 4–3

Reference Material
The appendices in this guide amplify the material presented in
the troubleshooting chapters. The appendices listed here are
particularly useful as troubleshooting aids.
Appendix D
Contains a detailed description of each console command.
Appendix E
Contains a detailed description of the diagnostics tests and
the error messages they produce.
Appendix F
Contains a description of the system registers and memory
address assignments.

4–4 Troubleshooting Overview

General Troubleshooting Tips
Below are a few tips and questions you should ask when
troubleshooting.
It is as important to know what works as it is to know what
is broken.
What malfunction does the user report?
What malfunction does the field engineer observe?
Has the system ever worked before?
What changes occurred that could have caused the system
to fail?
Do you have good electrical contacts on all cables,
connectors, sockets, and chips?
Is there power, and is it getting to all parts of the system?
Does the system see all the equipment you physically see?
Is the system configured properly? (Check boot path,
default console, halt action, etc.).
If you have swapped the same board several times you
probably have a software problem.
What resources do you have to work with?
Always read the table of contents and the index of your
maintenance manual.
Look for patterns in intermittent problems.

Troubleshooting Overview 4–5

5
The Powerup Self-test
This chapter discusses the following topics:
Troubleshooting Techniques
Invoking the Powerup Self-Test
Interpreting Video Error Messages
Connecting and Using an Alternate Terminal
Minimum Configuration Troubleshooting with the System
LED
Understanding the Powerup Self-test Sequence and the
LED Display
What to do when the Powerup LED Indicator is Inactive

The Powerup Self-test 5–1

Troubleshooting Techniques
The first step in isolating and detecting problems on a Personal
DECstation/DECsystem is to interpret the results of the
system’s ROM-based power-up self-test. One of the three
procedures described in this section can be used to identify the
problem module. These techniques will be explained in detail
in this chapter.
1.

Troubleshooting with the graphics monitor

The primary method of troubleshooting a system is to
interpret the console error messages which are displayed
on the video screen during the power-up self-test. Identify
the problem module and replace it. The power-up self-test
should then be rerun to verify the system is operational.
Troubleshooting with the alternate video
Some failures can prevent the system from displaying error
messages on the graphics monitor. In this case, connect
a VTXXX terminal or equivalent to the RS232 port on
the back of the unit. Use this alternative video display to
troubleshoot the system.

Troubleshooting with the system LED
Customers who do not have access to a VTxxx-type terminal
or equivalent can use the status LED as a troubleshooting
aid. A single green LED, mounted to the front of the power
supply, flashes several times during the system power-up.
These flashes indicate how far the the unit has progressed
through the power-up sequence.
By interpreting these flashes one can determine which
modules are operational and which modules are candidates
for replacement. How to interpret the system LED is
described in detail later in this chapter.

5–2 The Powerup Self-test

Invoking the Powerup Self-Test
The most straightforward way to invoke the power-up self-test
diagnostics is to power-cycle the system. This is done by simply
turning the power off and then turning it back on.
Note: Power-cycling the machine will result in the erasure of the
contents of memory.

You can also type the commands pst-q or pst-t at the console
prompt. pst-t will run a thorough test. pst-q will run a
reduced version of the power-up self-test. This version tests all
major sub-systems, but has been optimized to execute quickly.
When running the power-up self-test, it is important to either
have a device connected to the Ethernet and SCSI ports, or to
install the Ethernet loopback connector (Part #12-22196-02)
and the SCSI terminator (Part #12-29635-01). If nothing is
connected to these ports, the system may report false errors.
The Ethernet diagnostics used by pst-t actually send data out
onto the network and then listen for a response. If none is
received, an error is reported. The loopback connector routes
this transmitted message back to the system, thereby enabling
the Ethernet diagnostic to test the complete circuit path.
The basic design and architecture of the SCSI bus requires that
a terminator be placed on the connector at the end of the bus.
The SCSI I/O bus allows you to daisy chain up to seven devices
together. These devices are most often disk drives that use the
SCSI bus as a party line to communicate with the system.
Note: This chapter focuses on how to use the power-up self-test

diagnostics to isolate problem modules. There are additional
diagnostics available. Their use is described in Appendix F, "Console
Commands."

The Powerup Self-test 5–3

Interpreting Video Error Messages
When the power-up self-test diagnostics encounter a failure,
a formatted error message is displayed. The example below
shows a breakdown of an error message which indicates that a
problem was detected with the SCSI control portion of the base
module.
The key pieces of information which lead to this conclusion are
that the failure was detected on TURBOchannel slot 3, the base
module. The problem was with the SCSI sub-system, and was
specifically the controller. Finally, the diagnostic identified the
failed module as the KN02-CA.

5–4 The Powerup Self-test

Example: Power-up Selftest Failure

Error Message Format:
?TFL slot_number/test_name (n:description) [module]
Example:
Name of the test
-----------------|
|
Name sub test which failed
|
--------------------------|
|
|
|
Descriptive failure info
|
|
-----------------------|
|
|
?TFL 3/scsi/cntrl (3: cntxfr) [KN02-CA]
|
|
|
|
|
| ID of Failed Module
|
|
-------------------|
|
|
-------------------------------|
Number of sub test which failed
----------------TURBOchannel Slot
Slot Number
3= Base module, CPU and Memory
0= TURBOchannel option in slot 0
1= TURBOchannel option in slot 1

Table 5-1 and Table 5-2 contain reference material that is useful when
interpreting error messages.

The Powerup Self-test 5–5

Table 5-1. Diagnostic Tests for Base System
Test

Sub-system

Problem module

ab
cache
crt
epm
fdi
fpu
isdn
mem
ni

SERIAL.bus
CPU
Video frame buffer
EEPROM
Floppy disk
CPU
Isdn and sound
Memory
Ethernet

rtc
scc
scsi

Real time clock
RS232
SCSI

scache

Secondary cache

Base module, keyboard, or mouse
CPU daughter card
Base module
Base module
Base module or floppy drive
CPU daughter card
Base module, ISDN peripherals
Base module, memory SIMMs
Base module, Enet card, Enet
peripherals
Base module
Base Module, RS232 peripherals
Base Module, SCSI card, SCSI
peripherals
CPU daughter card

Table 5-2. Identification Codes for Selected TURBOchannel Options
Module ID

Description

KN02-CA
KN04-AA
PMAG-AA
PMAG-BA
PMAG-CA
PMAG-DA
PMAG-FA
PMAGB-BA
PMAG-JA
PMAD-AA
PMAZ-BA

Base module, R3000 CPU, memory
Base module, R4000 CPU, memory
MX mono frame buffer
CX color frame buffer
PX 2D graphics accelerator
PXG 3D graphics accelerator
PXG turbo graphics accelerator
HX smart frame buffer
TX true color frame buffer
NI thickwire Ethernet
SCSI interface module

5–6 The Powerup Self-test

Connecting and Using an Alternate Terminal
The system has the ability to display console and diagnostic
messages, either on the graphics monitor, or on a VTxxx-type
terminal connected to the RS232 port located in the rear of the
unit. At power-up, the system looks for a keyboard plugged into
the SERIAL.bus. If one is found, the system will route all the
console messages to the graphics monitor. If no keyboard is
detected on the SERIAL.bus, all text will be sent directly to the
RS232 port.
Connect the terminal to the 25 pin RS232 connector, and
set the terminal as described in Table 5-3. Notice that these
settings are the standard default settings for Digital terminals.
Some terminals may use the modular MMJ telephone style
connectors. If this is the case, an adapter (Part #H8571-A) can
be used to make the connection.

Table 5-3. Alternate Terminal Settings
Setting

Value

Baud rate
Bits
Parity
Stop bits
Flow Control
Mode

9600
8
None
1
Xon/Xoff
Full duplex

The Powerup Self-test 5–7

Once the terminal is connected to the RS232 port, disconnect
the keyboard from the serial port before turning on the system
power. This will insure that the text is routed to the terminal
and not to the graphics connector.
Use the error messages displayed on the terminal to resolve
failures and re-establish video on the graphics monitor.
After establishing video on the graphics monitor, a terminal
can be used as a console device. The default power-up console
assignment can be defeated by issuing the following console
command:
>> setenv console s

Switch the console back to a graphics monitor with the
command:

>> setenv console

Some users may configure their systems with several graphics
monitors to take advantage of the systems multi-screen
capabilities. After the system detects the SERIAL.bus
keyboard, it selects the monitor connected to the video
controller with the lowest TURBOchannel device number
as the default console. Since the base video operates on slot 3,
the system will select the controller located in slot 0 or 1 as the
default console device.

5–8 The Powerup Self-test

Minimum Configuration Troubleshooting With the System LED
The most effective way to use the system LED to troubleshoot is
to strip the unit to its bare essentials. Such a minimal system
consists of the CPU module, base module, and the power supply.
To reduce the unit to a minimum configuration, disconnect
all cables in the rear of the system. Then attach the
Ethernet loopback connector (Part #12-22196-02) and the
SCSI terminator (Part #12-29635-01). Then remove all
TURBOchannel options that may be installed as well as all
memory modules.
You can then run the power-up self-test and interpret the
flashing system LED to isolate and correct problems with this
core system.
The keyboard and video sub-system can then be reinstalled. If
necessary the power-up self-test can again be used to isolate
and correct problems with the video.
Once the video is re-established, the remaining components
can be reinstalled one at a time. If a problem occurs at this
point, the error messages displayed on the screen can be used
to resolve the problem.
More experienced users may not need to strip the system down
to a minimum configuration. However, troubleshooting a fully
configured workstation with the system LED generally requires
a significant amount of knowledge of system operation.

The Powerup Self-test 5–9

Understanding the Power-up Self-Test Sequence and the LED
Display
A single LED, mounted on the front of the power supply,
flashes several times during system power-up. These flashes
indicate how far the unit has progressed through the power-up
sequence.
By interpreting these flashes you can determine which pieces
of the unit are operational and then deduce which modules are
not functional. It is important to watch the LED closely during
the entire power-up sequence.
Note: The front-mounted system LED is a new feature which has

been introduced with the Personal DECstation that is designed as a
diagnostic substitute for the traditional eight-segment LED display
located on the rear of DECstation models 100, 200, and 240. It is not
a DCOK LED.

5–10 The Powerup Self-test

The Power-up Sequence
Immediately after the system power comes on, the firmware
will begin to execute code.
2 flashes will be displayed. This indicates that the power
supply works, and that portions of the CPU and Base
Module are operational.
The LED then goes dark for about 30 seconds. During this
time period the console code will be loaded into the memory.
The system will then identify what hardware is present,
and select which device is to be the default video console.
Continuous flashes will be displayed if a problem is
encountered using the memory contained on the base
module.
When the system reaches the point where text will be
displayed on the default console device, the LED will flash
one of two patterns:
2 flashes indicate that a graphics monitor has been
selected.
3 flashes indicate that the RS232 port has been selected.
The LED then goes dark a second time for about 30
seconds. The power-up self-test diagnostic is executed.
At this point, status and error messages will be displayed
on the console device.
When the self-test is complete, the LED will be turned on
and will stay on.
Figure 5-1, Table 5-4, Table 5-6, and Table 5-5 contain additional information which may be useful when troubleshooting
with the system LED.

The Powerup Self-test 5–11

(POWERUP)

30 SECONDS
(INITIALIZING FIRMWARE)

(VIDEO COMES ON
AT THIS POINT)

NORMAL
POWER−UP
SELF−TEST

ERRORS
DETECTED

2 SHORT LED FLASHES

LED STAYS OFF

LED STAYS OFF
FOR LESS THAN
30 SECONDS
BEFORE...
1 LONG LED FLASH
FOLLOWED BY EITHER:
−1 SHORT LED FLASH
OR
−2 SHORT LED FLASHES

LED EXHIBITS A SERIES
OF CONTINUOUS LONG
FLASHES

LED STAYS OFF
FOR MORE THAN
60 SECONDS.

30 SECONDS
(POWERUP SELF−TEST)

LED STAYS ON

TEST COMPLETE
.
Figure 5-1. Flash Sequence of the Diagnostic LED Indicator

5–12 The Powerup Self-test

Table 5-4. Interpreting Diagnostic LED Indicator at Power-Up
LED Function

Meaning

2 short flashes at powerup

Power-on indication set immediately
None.
after system firmware begins
execution. Indicates that:
1. System is receiving DC power at
correct voltage levels.
2. Instructions can be fetched from
system ROM via TURBOchannel
Read operations.
3. System processor is able to
execute non-cached instructions.
4. Processor can perform TURBOchannel
write operations to a register in the
I/O CTRL ASIC that drives the
power supply LED.
Power supply, CPU, TURBOchannel
Check power
option, system ROM, or I/O CNTL
supply, swap CPU,
ASIC could be at fault.
swap base module.

LED stays off at Power-up

Corrective Action

Table 5-5. Interpreting Diagnostic LED Indicator During 2nd 30 Seconds Following
First Video (Power-Up Self-Test Period)
LED Function

Meaning

Corrective Action

LED stays on continuously

Firmware test sequence has
completed without detection of any
errors.

None.

The Powerup Self-test 5–13

Table 5-6. Interpreting Diagnostic LED Indicator During First 30 Seconds After PowerUp (Firmware Initialization Period)
LED Function

Meaning

Corrective Action

Off for less than 30
seconds after first two
flashes.
Off for more than 30
seconds after first two
flashes.
A continuous series of
long flashes occurs.

Power-up self test in progress.

None

Some failure has been detected
during the power-up self-test that
could not be isolated.
Memory failed during firmware
initialization.

One long flash followed
by 1 short flash

kbd (SERIAL.bus keyboard input)
and crt have been selected as the
firmware console devices: the system
is configured as a workstation.
tty (Serial line input/output) connected to the Personal DECstation’s
RS232 port has been selected as the
firmware’s console device: system is
configured as a server.

Swap base module
and/or CPU daughter
card.
Remove all memory
SIMMs and retest to
determine if the
memory on the
base module or on
a SIMMs is faulty.
None.

One long flash followed
by two short flashes

None, unless you
were expecting
a workstation
configuration, in
which case you
should troubleshoot
the SERIAL.bus
keyboard.

Note: Actual test time will vary depending on the memory and the
TUROBchannel options which have been installed.

5–14 The Powerup Self-test

What to do when the Power-up LED Indicator is Inactive
Sometimes the single power-up indicator of the Personal
DECstation/DECsystem is itself not working.
When the powerup indicator is inactive, it means one of the
three following parts are defective:
power supply
CPU daughter card
base system module
To determine if the power supply is defective, turn on the
system power and place an Ethernet loopback connector
(12-22196-01) on the Ethernet port (shown as Base System
Thickwire Ethernet connector in Figure 5-2. The LED in
the loopback connector will glow when the power supply is
generating correctly regulated DC power.
TURBOchannel
option module
connectors

Power connector

System-unit-to-monitor
power connector
Base system
SCSI connector

Video connector

Base system ThickWire
Ethernet connector

RS232 serial
communication
connector
Sound
I/O connector

SERIAL.bus
keyboard-mouse
connector

WSMXM005

Figure 5-2. External System Unit Connectors

The Powerup Self-test 5–15

If the loopback connector LED does not glow, replace the power
supply.
If the loopback connector does glow and yet the power-up
indicator LED is still inactive, the problem is with either the
CPU daughter card or the system module. Retest the system
after replacing the CPU daughter card (easiest to remove)
followed by the system module, if necessary.
How to Troubleshoot the R4000 CPU Module LEDs
Two LED’s on the Daughter card can provide a quick indication
of the working condition of the daughter card and system
module. If either of the LED’s are off then replace the daughter
card.

5–16 The Powerup Self-test

6
ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics
This chapter discusses the following topics:
Troubleshooting techniques
On-line help
Console commands available for troubleshooting
Configuration display as a troubleshooting aid
Effects of Environment variables on system operation
Interpreting status and error messages displayed by the
system
Diagnostic scripts and tests for troubleshooting specific
problems

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–1

Console Commands
The console commands are used to obtain more detailed
information about how the hardware is configured and about
how various system parameters, called environment variables,
are set. The use of diagnostic scripts and tests direct the
hardware to exercise a specific subsystem.
Once the power-up self-test has completed, the console prompt
>> is displayed on the screen. Table 6-1 contains a list of
console commands available. This table has been organized by
function. For a detailed description of each command, look in
Appendix D.
The R> prompt is a secure prompt that signifies the passwd
command has been used to password-protect the console. Once
the console has been secured, only the boot and passwd
commands will be processed.
This security feature was added for systems that are deployed
on secure government sites. Using the passwd feature is not
recommended unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
The console command syntax has the ULTRIX look and feel.
Some commands like ls and cat are very similar to those used
in ULTRIX. Even the bootpath strings look similar to the path
strings used by ULTRIX for file specifications.

6–2 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

Table 6-1. Console Commands
Command

Description

Type

Displays a list of console
commands and formats.
Shows HW configuration.

Displays system
information.
Displays system
information.
Displays system
information.
Displays system
information.

cnfg
printenv
erl

setenv
unsetenv

Shows environment
variables.
Shows error history.

Sets environment variables.
Removes environment
variables.
Sets console password.

Sets system parameters.
Sets system parameters.

t #/?
ls #
cat Script

Lists test for slot #.
Lists scripts.
Lists test contained in a
script.

Lists diagnostic routines.
Lists diagnostic routines.
Lists diagnostic routines.

t #/t_name
script_name
sh

Executes a test on slot #.
Executes a script.
Executes a script with
options.

Runs diagnostics.
Runs diagnostics.
Runs diagnostics.

boot
init

Boots the system.
Initializes the system.

Operational commands
Operational commnads

d
e
go
script

Deposits data into memory.
Examines memory locations.
Go to an address.
Creates a temporary script of
console commands.

Miscellaneous commands
Miscellaneous commands
Miscellaneous commands
Miscellaneous commands

passwd

Sets system parameters.

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–3

Similarity to Other DS5000 Systems’ Console Commands
The console implementation of all DS5000 machines is defined
by the TURBOchannel firmware specification. As a result, the
basic command syntax is the same across the entire family of
systems.
There are few differences between the Personal DECstation
/DECsystem and other members of the DS5000 product set.
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem introduces some new
hardware features, which are described in Table 6-2. Some new
diagnostic scripts and tests have been added to support these
new hardware features.
Some of the names of familiar scripts and tests may have
changed. This is a result of a continual engineering effort to
enhance the diagnostics with the release of each new machine.
Appendix D contains a detailed treatment of all the console
commands.
Throughout this chapter there are output listings for various
commands. In all cases, this output was generated for a single
hardware configuration. This configuration is a Personal
DECstation/DECsystem with a Mid-3D graphics option.
These output listings have been selected to show you how
to obtain various types of information that are useful when
troubleshooting a problem system.

6–4 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

On-line help
The ? command lists the available console commands. This
display shows the parameters, arguments, and qualifiers
commands can take on.
Because the console is ROM-based, there are practical limits
to the code space available for the help facility. As a result,
the on-line help does not provide a detailed description of each
command. However this display is a good memory aid, for those
who are familiar with the DS5000 console.
>> ?
?[cmd]
boot [[-z #] [-n] #/path [ARG...]]
cat SCRPT
cnfg [#]
d [-bhw] [-S #] RNG val
e [-bhwcdoux] [-S #] RNG
erl [-c]
go [ADR]
init [#] [-m] [ARG...]
ls [#]
passwd [-c] [-s]
printenv [EVN]
restart
script SCRPT
setenv EVN STR
sh [-belvS] [SCRPT] [ARG..]
t [-l] #/STR [ARG..]
unsetenv EVN

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–5

Configuration Display
One of the most useful troubleshooting tools is the cnfg
command. This command displays hardware configuration
information. Early in the power-up sequence a data structure is
created in the memory with an entry for all hardware contained
in the system. The cnfg command reads this data, formats it,
and generates a report that is displayed on the video console.
By comparing the hardware physically attached to the system
with the report generated by the cnfg command, you can
often identify portions of the hardware that are not operational.
There are many reasons for hardware not being configured into
the system. They range from improper installation, to defective
hardware. Further investigation will determine the exact cause
of the problem.
The command shown below is used to display configuration
information for the entire system.
>> cnfg
Example: cnfg Command output The example below shows a
typical output screen from invoking the cnfg command on a
system with the R4000-based CPU module installed.

>>cnfg
3: KN04

DEC

V1.0a

TCF0

2: PMAD-AA
1: PMAZ-AA
0: PMAG-BA

DEC
DEC
DEC

V5.1f
V5.1c
V5.2b

TCFO
TCFO
TCFO

6–6 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

( 32 MB)
(enet: 08-00-2b-2d-84-c7)
(SCSI = 7)
(enet: 08-00-2b-0f-41-32)
(scsi: = 7)
(CX -- d=8)

The sample >>cnfg command output displayed below shows a
typical R3000-based system output, and has been annotated to
identify the key pieces of information.

DEC

V5.3f

TCF0

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–7

From the example >>cnfg display it can be determined that
Two devices are connected to the SERIAL.bus.
The SCSI ID of the base module controller is 7.
16MB of memory are installed.
A floppy disk drive is connected to the base module.
A mid-3D graphics accelerator is installed in slot 1.
If the R4000 CPU is installed, the module name is KN04-xx
vice KN02-xx
The cnfg x Command The cnfg command can also display more
detailed configuration information for a specific slot using the
following format:

>> cnfg

#
|
|
----------------------# is the slot number (0,1,3)

6–8 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

Example: cnfg 3 Output Screen The >> cnfg 3 command output
displayed below has been annotated to identify the key pieces
of information. This output represents an R3000 CPU-based
system.

3: KN02-CA

DEC

2.0g

TCF0

( 16MB)
(DV -- d=8)
(Sb: devs = 2)

Name
Rev.
Vendor
===========================
LK501-AA
AV1.3
DEC
VSXXX-BB
AV1.2
DEC
(enet: 08-00-2b-XX-XX-XX)
(FDI: 1)
(SCSI = 7)
-----------------------------------------DEV
PID
VID
REV
SCSI DEV
==== ============= ==== ===
========
rz1
RZ25 (c) DEC DEC
0500 DIR
rz2
RZ55 (c) DEC DEC
0900 DIR
rz3
RRD42 (c) DEC DEC
1.4a CD-ROM
dcache ( 64 KB), icache ( 64 KB)
mem( 0): a0000000:a03fffff ( 4 MB)
mem( 1): a0400000:a07fffff ( 4 MB)
mem( B): a0800000:a0ffffff ( 8 MB)

From the >> cnfg 3 display, more detailed information can be
obtained about the hardware contained in and attached to the
base module. It can be determined that:
An LK501 keyboard and a VSXXX-BB mouse are connected
to the SERIAL.bus.
Three drives are connected to the base module SCSI
port. These drives are an RZ25 winchester disk, an RZ55
winchester disk, and an RRD42 CDROM. The SCSI device
IDs for these drives are 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
Four MS01-AA modules are installed on the base module.

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–9

The screen below represents the output display result of the
cnfg 3 command with the R4000 CPU module installed.
>>cnfg 3
3: KN04

DEC

V1.0a

TCF0

( 32 MB)
(enet: 08-00-2b-2d-84-c7)
(SCSI = 7)
--------------------------------------------------DEV
PID
VID
REV
SCSI DEV
===== ================== ========== ====== ========
rz1
RZ25 (c) DEC DEC
0500 DIR
rz2
RZ55 (c) DEC DEC
0900 DIR
rz3
RRD42 (c) DEC DEC
1.4a CD-ROM

cache: I( 8 KB), D( 8 KB), S(1024 KB);
processor revision (3.0)
mem( 0): a0000000:a07fffff ( 8 MB)
mem( 1): a0800000:a0ffffff ( 8 MB)
mem( 2): a1000000:a17fffff ( 8 MB)
mem( 3): a1800000:a1ffffff ( 8 MB)

Scache line (32 bytes)

Note in the above example that the screen output is the same
as that of an R3000 based system, with two exceptions:
1.

cache line of the R4000 screen changes to Instruction, Data,
Secondary and Secondary cache line size on an R4000-type
system.
An additional processor revision information line just below
the cache line.

6–10 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

TURBOchannel Slot Number Assignments
Table 6-2 contains a list of the TURBOchannel slot number
assignments for Personal DECstation’s hardware subsystems.
This information is a useful reference while interpreting various
console displays.
Table 6-2. Slot Numbers in Commands and Messages
Slot

Hardware Identified

0
1
2
3

Option module in slot 0 (farthest from the power supply)
Option module in slot 1
Reserved
Base system hardware, which includes
System module
CPU module
Base system RAM
SIMMs
Base system video controller
Base system SCSI controller
Base system Ethernet controller
SERIAL.bus (keyboard and mouse)
Base system serial communications controller

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–11

Environment Variables
There are times when a system does not function as expected,
yet all the hardware is operational.
One source of such problems can be improperly set system
parameters called environment variables. For example, we may
expect a system to automatically reboot itself after a power
failure. If it does not, the cause could be an incorrect setting for
either the boot or the haltaction environment variables.
>> printenv
boot=3/rz2/vmunix -a
testaction=t
haltaction=b
more=24
enet=08-00-2b-xx-xx-xx
console=
osconsole=1,3
#=3

From the information in this environment variables listing, it
can be determined that:
The system will boot into multiuser mode from an RZ drive
with the SCSI device ID 2.
When this system is halted, or if a power failure occurs, the
machine will automatically reboot itself.
On power-up, this system will run a thorough version of the
power-up self test diagnostic.
Console messages will display on the monitor attached to
the graphics module in TURBOchannel slot 1.
Environment variables are stored in a data structure in
memory. The printenv command reads this data and
formats it to generate the report that is displayed on the
video console. The operating system uses call back routines to
read the environment variables and obtain needed hardware
information. In addition, the diagnostic scripts read and write
the environment variables during their normal operation.

6–12 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

Modifying environment variables with the setenv command
can also be a useful troubleshooting tool. In Chapter 5,
we used the console environment variable to redirect the
console error messages to an alternate terminal. Setting the
testaction variable to thorough, will cause extended testing to
be conducted during power-up self test.
Changing the haltaction variable from boot, where it is most
often set, to halt will keep the system from automatically
booting after power-up. Having the system continually boot
itself during testing can be annoying.
Table 6-3 contains a list of environment variables with some
additional descriptive material.
Table 6-3. Environment Variables
Variable

Argument Summary

Type

boot
haltaction

boot path
b=boot,h=halt,r=reset

User-defined
User-defined

testaction
console
more

q=quick,t=thorough
s=RS232, other=CRT
number lines /video screen

User-defined
User-defined
User-defined

enet
#
osconsole

08-00-2b-xx-xx-xx
Slot 0,1,3
video slot,keyboard slot

System-defined
System-defined
System-defined

Several of the environment variables are system-defined.
Although the user cannot modify these settings, these variables
do contain useful information. For example, osconsole=1,3 in
the environment variable display on, indicates that console text
is displayed through the video controller in TURBOchannel slot
1 and that console input is obtained from a keyboard attached
to TURBOchannel slot 3 on the base system module.

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–13

Interpreting Error Messages
When a test detects an error, a formatted message is displayed
on the console. The example below shows an error message that
indicates a problem has been detected with the SCSI control
portion of the base module.
Error Message Format:

?TFL slot_number/test_name (n:description) [module]
Example: Console Error Message

There were three key pieces of information that led to this
conclusion. The failure was detected on TURBOchannel slot 3.
The problem was with the SCSI subsystem and was, specifically,
the controller. Finally, the diagnostic identified the module as
the KN02-CA base module.
Example:
Name of the test
-----------------|
|
Name of subtest that failed
|
---------------------------|
|
|
|
Descriptive failure info
|
|
-----------------------|
|
|
?TFL 3/scsi/cntl (3: cntxfr) [KN02-CA]
|
|
|
|
|
| ID of failed module
|
|
-------------------|
|
|
-----------------------------|
Number of subtest that failed
-----------TURBOchannel
slot number
3= Base module, CPU, and memory
0= TURBOchannel option in slot 0
1= TURBOchannel option in slot 1

6–14 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

Tables 6-4, 6-5, and 6-6 contain reference material that is useful
when interpreting error messages.
Appendix E contains detailed descriptions of all diagnostic
errors. Below is an excerpt from this appendix for the SCSI
error at hand. This specific failure was a read/write mismatch
that occured when data was passed to the SCSI controller.
SCSI controller test error messages have the form
? TFL: 3/scsi/cntl (code: description)
?TFL 3/scsi/cntl indicates that the SCSI controller test
failed.
code represents a number that indicates which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that describes
the failure.

Table 6-4 lists error descriptions used in SCSI controller test
error messages.
Table 6-4. SCSI Controller Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code

Description

1: rd cnfg

Values written to and read from configuration register did
not match.
First in, first out (FIFO) load and FIFO flags did not
match.
Write and read operation on TCL register reported a
mismatch.
Command was illegal and did not generate an interrupt.
Controller cannot clear internal interrupt register.
Mismatch occurred when reading the write/read
configuration register.

2: fifo flg
3: cnt xfr
4: illg cmd
5: int reg
6: rd cnfg

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–15

Table 6-5. Diagnostic Tests for Base System
Test

Subsystem

Problem Module

ab
cache
crt
epm
fdi
fpu
isdn
mem
ni

SERIAL.bus
CPU
Video frame buffer
EEPROM
Floppy disk
CPU
ISDN and sound
Memory
Ethernet

rtc
scc
scsi

Real time clock
RS232
SCSI

scache

Secondary Cache

Base module, keyboard, or mouse
CPU daughter card
Base module
Base module
Base module or floppy drive
CPU daughter card
Base module, ISDN peripherals
Base module, memory SIMMs
Base module, Ethernet card,
Ethernet peripherals
Base module
Base module, RS232 peripherals
Base module, SCSI card, SCSI
peripherals
CPU daughter card

Table 6-6. Identification Codes for Selected TURBOchannel Options
Module ID

Description

PMAG-AA
PMAG-BA
PMAG-CA
PMAG-DA
PMAG-FA
PMAGB-BA
PMAG-JA
PMAD-AA
PMAZ-BA

MX mono frame buffer
CX color frame buffer
PX 2D graphics accelerator
PXG 3D graphics accelerator
PXG turbo graphics accelerator
HX smart frame buffer
TX true color frame buffer
NI ThickWire Ethernet
SCSI interface module

6–16 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

Table 6-7 contains a summary of all the error messages the
console will display.
Console command error messages
Table 6-7. Console Command Error Messages
Error Message

Meaning

?EV:ev_name

The specified environment variable does not
exist.
The specified environment variable value is
invalid.
An I/O device reported an error. slot_
number represents the I/O device slot
number, and device represents an additional
message about the error.
The module in the slot represented by
slot_number does not recognize the device
represented by device.
The module in the slot represented by
slot_number contains an early version of
firmware. The ROM chip must be upgraded.
The system did not find the script that was
to be run.
The name specified in the script command
is not a valid script name.
A console command contained a syntax
error. The usage parameter lists the correct
syntax.
A console command contained a syntax
error. The error parameter lists the
incorrect portion of the command.
A test failed. slot_number represents the
slot number of the module that reported the
error, and test represents the name of the
failed test.
Test not found. The test name was probably
typed incorrectly.

?EVV:value
?IO:slot_number/device

?IO:slot_number/device
?PDE3:slot_number
?SNF:script
?TXT:
?STX:usage
?STX:error
?TFL:slot_number/ test

?TNF:

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–17

Console exception messages
It is important to remember that the console commands are
programs that execute on the hardware we are attempting to
diagnose.
Occasionally, a hardware problem will cause the console code
to fail. When this occurs the console is said to have taken an
exception. In such a case, the following type of message is
displayed. Notice that this display has a different format than
test error messages.
By interpreting the register values listed in the console
exception message, you can determine what caused the
exception. The R3000 console exception message has the
following format:
? PC: address
? CR: cause
? SR: status
? VA: virtual address
? ER: error address
? MER: memory error

address represents the address of the exception instruction.
cause represents the value in the cause register.
status represents the contents of the status register.
virtual address represents the virtual address of the
exception.
error address represents the contents of the error address
register.
memory error represents the value in the memory error
register.
The following is a typical R3000 console exception message:
? PC:
? CR:
? SR:
? VA:
? ER:
? MER:

0x451<vtr=nrml>
0x810<ce=0,ip4,exc=AdEL>
0x30030000<cu1,cu0,cm,ipl=8>
0x451
0x100003f0
0x2000

6–18 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

The following is a typical R4000 console exception message:
In each entry, the information in brackets (<>) is the decoded
version of the hexadecimal value that precedes it.
???
? PC: 0xbfc0cd60 <vtr=TLBM>
? CR: 0x00000008 <CE=0,EXC=TLBL>
? SR: 0x30010002 <CU1,CU0,DE,IPL=8,MODE=KNL,EXL>
? CFG: 0x10410243 <SB=8W,SC=Y,IC=8K,DC=8K,IB=4W,DB=4W,K0=CNC>
? VA: 0x00000000
?
? MB_CS: 0x00008000 <MSK=0,EE,ECC=0>
? MB_INT: 0x001f0000 <>

Diagnostic Tests
There are hundreds of diagnostic scripts and tests available for
troubleshooting. With these diagnostics, the entire machine or
specific subsystems can be exercised. In this section we show
you how to identify the diagnostic routines that will isolate the
source of the particular problem.
The approach presented in this guide is to start with a fairly
general diagnostic that covers the entire system. After this,
diagnostics that do a progressively more specific job of isolating
the problem can be used.
The diagnostics can be divided into two categories: scripts
and tests. Tests are the most specific diagnostics. Hundreds
of individual tests are available. Each has been designed to
exercise a specific portion of the hardware.
Diagnostic scripts are a collection of tests selected to exercise
a segment of hardware. These scripts are much like ULTRIX
script files.
When the power-up self-test is run, a script named either pst-q
or pst-t is executed. This is a general script that exercises the
entire machine. The tests in the script have been selected to
ensure that all of the key components are tested while keeping
the total test time to a minimum.

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–19

From the error messages contained in the pst-q script
report, it can be determined which subsystem of a specific
TURBOchannel option is having difficulty. The ls command can
then be used to identify what scripts are available to exercise
the affected hardware.
The cat command can be used to ascertain what a particular
script does. The cat command displays a list of the tests
contained in the script. If a more specific exerciser is needed,
the t command will list all of the individual tests for a specific
TURBOchannel slot. Finally, Appendix E can be consulted for a
description of what each test does.

6–20 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

Selecting diagnostic routines
If the pst-q power-up self-test script identifies an error, a more
specific test may be needed to isolate the problem. In the
following example, a problem was detected with the PMAG-EA
Mid-3D graphs accelerator in slot 1. The ls command is used to
list the scripts that will exercise this module.
>> ls 1
28 1 cnfg -> code
28 1 init -> code
28 1 t -> code
132 1 cnsltest
216 1 pst-q
234 1 pst-m
450 1 tstall
232 1 pst-t
7664 1 crt*
54544 1 code*

The cat command is then used to find out what tests the
cnsltest script contains.
>> cat 1/cnsltest
t ${#}/sram
t ${#}/stic
t ${#}/intr-dma
t ${#}/utl/mkcnfgtbl
t ${#}/stamp
t ${#}/vdac
t ${#}/vdacsig

Note: This example was chosen only because the output produced by

the ls, t, and cat commands was small enough to be presented easily.

ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics 6–21

The cnsltest script runs seven tests, each of which exercises a
specific portion of the 3d graphics module.
There are additional tests available. The t command can be
used to list all the tests available for slot 1.
>> t 1/?
1/
sram
sramfill
lo[0] <1fffc/0> hi[10000] <1fffc/0>
stic
intr-dma
vdc
vdacsig
stamp
shade
fb
buff[*] <0/3>
utl/pattrns
snglstp[0] <0/1>
utl/mkcnfgtbl
utl/i890exc
md[f] <k/s> cd[*] <j/d> loc[r] <sys/rom> rn[e] <e/n>
i860/stic
i860/sticintr
i860/intrhost
i860/dma
type[r] <w/r> cnt[80} <1/80>
i860/fbfill
patt[ffffff] <0/ffffff> buff[*] <0/3>

There are a total of seventeen tests for the mid-3d graphics
module. The cnsltest script uses seven of them.
At times, a single test may be more useful than a script. One
such test is utl/pattrns 1. It displays the alignment patterns
that are used to adjust a monitor’s display. By using the 1
argument, striking any key will move the display from one
pattern to the next.
The detailed descriptions of all the base module, CPU, and
memory tests are described in detail in Appendix E. A
description of the TURBOchannel option tests can be found
in the TURBOchannel Maintenance Guide.

6–22 ROM-Based Console and Diagnostics

7
ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

This chapter discusses the following topics:
Troubleshooting techniques
On-line help
ULTRIX error logs
Generating error reports
Interpreting part one of the error report
Interpreting part two of the error report
Running the system exercisers
Exercising the file system and memory
Exercising peripherals
Exercising the network and communication systems

Troubleshooting Techniques
In this chapter we see how the ULTRIX error report formatter
(UERF) and the ULTRIX system exerciser utilities are used to
resolve problems of more subtle origins. These problems may
be intermittent and can involve hardware-software interaction.
The error reporter and system exercisers are best used in
pairs. First, analyze the reports UERF produces and develop a
hypothesis as to which subsystem has a problem. Then use the
system exerciser to generate activity on the suspect hardware
ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–1

subsystem. Any errors the exerciser induces will be recorded by
the ULTRIX error logging facility. UERF can again be used to
retrieve the failure information from the error log. It may be
necessary to repeat this procedure several times to narrow in
on the origin of the problem.
The material presented in this chapter assumes the reader has
a working knowledge of the ULTRIX operating system.

ULTRIX Error Logs
The ULTRIX operating system contains an error logging facility
that continuously monitors the status of the hardware. This
facility records significant events in a log file. Some events such
as, disk and Ethernet traffic, indicate operational status. Other
events, such as memory exceptions, indicate hardware failures.
The log file’s format has been optimized to enable the error
logger to record events and not degrade system performance.
As a result, it is difficult for people to decipher the file. The
ULTRIX error report formatter (UERF) utility reads the log file
and produces easily read reports.
The error logger records large amounts of data. Generally,
we are only interested in selected pieces of information. With
UERF, we can sort through the log file to filter out the specific
events in which we are interested.
Generating error reports
Error reports are produced by running the uerf program,
which is generally located in the /etc directory.
The report shown here contains the last memory error the
system encountered. It was generated by using the -R and -r
options. The following ULTRIX command was used to create
this report:
/etc/uerf -R -r101 | more

7–2 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

|----->
|
-----EVENT INFORMATION----|
|
EVENT CLASS
ERROR EVENT
P |
OS EVENT TYPE
101. MEMORY ERROR
A |
SEQUENCE NUMBER
5697
R |
OPERATING SYSTEM
ULTRIX 32
T |
OCCURED/LOGGED ON
Tue Oct 23 12:18:21 1990 EDT
|
OCCURED ON SYSTEM
nettot.nac.d
1 |
SYSTEM ID
x82012001 HW REV: x1
|
FW REV: x20
|
CPU TYPE: R3000A
|
PROCESSOR TYPE
DECSTATION XXXXX
|----->
|----->
|
-----UNIT INFORMATION----|
|
UNIT CLASS
MEMORY
|
UNIT TYPE
PMAX MEMORY
|
ERROR SYNDROME
MEMORY PARITY ERROR
|
|
-----MEMORY INFO----P |
A |
MEMREG
x56410000 HARD CNT 0.
R |
SOFT CNT 0.
T |
TRAN CNT 65.
|
DATA BIT IN ERROR
2 |
HIGH BYTE IN ERROR
|
MEMORY PARITY ERROR
|
SIMM # 5
|
PHYSICAL ADDR
x00849E0C
|
EPC
x0040CE0C
|
VIRTUAL ADDRESS x0040CE0C
|
|
-----ADDITIONAL INFO----|
|
CONTROLER NO.
1.
|
ERRS ON THIS ADDR
1.
|----->

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–3

On-line help
The ULTRIX man pages for UERF contain a brief overview of
the utility along with definitions of the various processing and
selection options available to generate reports. The following
ULTRIX command is used to display the man pages:
man uerf
In addition, the UERF program has a help option, -h. The
following ULTRIX command will display the help information
shown below:
/etc/uerf -h | more
UERF HELP
uerf

- Processes all events in the default input file

PROCESSING OPTIONS
-h
-f input_filename
-n
-H ascii_host_name
-R
-S
-t time_range
-o output_format
-x
-Z

- Displays the help screen.
- Processes events from the specified
input file.
- Processes events from kernal errorlog
buffer immediately.
- Processes events for the specified
hosts.
- Processes events from the errorlog
file in reverse order.
- Displays a summary of the selected
events.
- Processes events in a specified time
range.
- Formats the output in brief, full, or
terse.
- Excludes selected events (shown below)
from output.
- Displays the entry in hex format.

SELECTION OPTIONS - Events may be selected as follows:
-A adapter_list
-D disk_devices
-M mainframe_type
-O os_specific
-T tape_devices
-c class_of_events
-e error_types
-r record type
-s sequence number
***** For a detailed list of options see uerf (8) *****

7–4 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

ULTRIX error log event types
The information contained in Table 7-1 is a useful reference
when deciphering error reports.
These codes are also the parameters used with the UERF -r
option to generate reports for specific types of events.
Table 7-1. Event Types
Code

Event Type

100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
113
130
200
250
251
300
310
350

Machine check
Memory error
Disk error
Tape error
Device controller error
Adapter error
Bus error
Stray interrupt
Asynchronous write error
Exception or fault
CPU error and status information
Error and status register
Panic (bug check)
Informational ASCII message
Operational message
System startup message
Time change message
Diagnostic information

Interpreting part one of the error report
The first part of each ULTRIX error log contains the event
information. This includes the error type and the system
conditions in effect when the error occurred. The first part of
all error reports has the same basic format regardless of event
type.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–5

Sample error report
The error report on the next page was produced with the
following command:
Displays events in reverse order,
last event first, first event last.
----------------------------------|
|
Selects events with an ID
|
code of 300, system startup
|
--------------------------|
|
|
|
etc/uerf -R -r300 |more
|
^
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------Pipes output to the more
Program specification.
command for display.

The first part of all ULTRIX error logs is similar to this
example:
|----->
| ----- EVENT INFORMATION ----| EVENT CLASS
| OS EVENT TYPE
300.
P | SEQUENCE NUMBER
0.
A | OPERATING SYSTEM
R | OCCURRED/LOGGED ON
T | OCCURRED ON SYSTEM
| SYSTEM ID
x82020120
1 |
|
| PROCESSOR TYPE
|----->

OPERATIONAL EVENT
SYSTEM STARTUP
ULTRIX 32
Tue Oct 24 09:06:16 1989
GRANITE
HW REV: x20
FW REV: x1
CPU TYPE: R2000A/R3000
KN02/R3000

EVENT CLASS indicates the category of the error. The two
event class categories are operational events and error
events.
Operational events are changes in system operation
that are not errors.

7–6 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

Error events are actual errors in system operation.
OS EVENT TYPE describes the type of error or event recorded
in the log. Table 7-1 lists the operating system event types
and their codes.
SEQUENCE NUMBER indicates the order in which the system
logged the event.
OPERATING SYSTEM indicates the system’s version of
ULTRIX.
OCCURRED/LOGGED ON indicates when the error occurred.
OCCURRED ON SYSTEM indicates the individual system that
reported the error.
SYSTEM ID includes several listings:

The first number is the system ID.
HW REV indicates the system hardware revision number.
FW REV indicates the system firmware revision number.
CPU TYPE indicates the type of CPU used in the system.
PROCESSOR TYPE indicates the type of processor chip the
system uses.
Interpreting part two of the error report
The second part of each log provides specific information about
the error and its source. This is the information we focus on
when troubleshooting. The format of part two is specific to the
event type.
The next few pages contain error reports for several different
error types. An explanation is provided for each.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–7

Memory Error Report
************* ENTRY 1 *************************
----------- EVENT INFORMATION ---------------EVENT CLASS
ERROR EVENT
OS EVENT TYPE
101. MEMORY ERROR
SEQUENCE NUMBER
2.
OPERATING SYSTEM
ULTRIX 32
OCCURRED/LOGGED ON
Tue Jan 22 16:12:54 1991
OCCURRED ON SYSTEM
ft3
SYSTEM ID
x82030230
HW REV: x30
FW REV: x2
CPU TYPE: R2000A/R3000
PROCESSOR TYPE
KN02-BA
|----->
| -------------- UNIT INFORMATION ------------| UNIT CLASS
MEMORY
| UNIT TYPE
Undefined
x001C
| ERROR SYNDROME
memory parity error
P | -------------- KN02BA MEMORY REGISTERS ------A | MEM REG
xBE000002
HARD CNT 2.
R |
SOFT CNT 0.
T |
TRAN CNT 0.
|
DATA BIT IN ERROR
2 |
HIGH BYTE IN ERROR
|
MEMORY PARITY ERROR: HARD
|
D0-15 ON BANK # x2
| PHYSICAL ADDR
x010205F8
| EPC
x004255F8
| BAD VIRT ADR
x004255F8
|----->

Analyzing memory error report
The error log example on the previous page records a memory
parity error. Consult Appendix F for detailed information about
memory registers.
The following list describes the useful information found in the
memory error log on the preceding page. The last entry under
MEM REG in ENTRY 1 identifies which SIMM has failed.
The ERROR SYNDROME field indicates that this is a memory
parity error.

7–8 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

The MEM REG fields list details about the memory failure:
The CNT fields list the count of hard errors (errors that
recurred on both read and write operations), soft errors
(errors that recurred on read, but cleared on write),
and transient errors (errors that did not recur on read)
errors.
The DATA BIT IN ERROR statement indicates that a data
bit (rather than a parity bit) failed.
The BYTE IN ERROR can be either high or low.
The MEMORY PARITY ERROR field lists the type (hard, soft,
transient) of error for this entry.
BANK tells which SIMM failed. The 15 slots are
labeled 0 to 14 on both sides of the memory connectors.
To replace the bad SIMM, use the bank number to find
the correct slot.
The PHYSICAL ADDRESS field identifies the physical address
that was being read when the failure was detected. Because
the system uses DMA block read operations (more than one
word is read in a read operation), the parity error could
have occurred in any word in the block. This address points
to only the block being read, not necessarily to the bad
word.
ENTRY 2 occurring prior to a memory parity error indicates
that the memory parity error was detected by an I/O device
performing a DMA operation from memory.
Error and status register error logs
Error and status register error logs record nonmemory system
errors. The following examples show an error and a status
event: a CPU write timeout and a bus timeout. In both
examples the event type is PANIC. Therefore, the initial error
log is followed by a related error and status register error log.
Each example is followed by an analysis of the information in
the specific entry that is relevant to the error.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–9

Error and status register error log: Example 1
The first entry in the following example, labeled ENTRY 2,
records a CPU write timeout error. Because the event type
is PANIC, it is followed by a related log, labeled ENTRY 3, that
records the error and status register values at the time of the
error. See Appendix F for detailed information about memory
registers.
The useful information in ENTRY 2 and ENTRY 3 is as follows:
ENTRY 2 records the error.

The OS EVENT TYPE field indicates the PANIC type.
The PANIC MESSAGE field indicates that the error is a CPU
write timeout.
ENTRY 3 records the error and status register values at the
time of the CPU write timeout error.
The CAUSE register has no information because the write
timeout is an interrupt.
The BAD VIRT ADR register identifies the address of the
timeout.
The SIR register indicates that the system interrupt was a
CPU I/O write timeout.

7–10 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

**************** ENTRY 2. *****************
------ EVENT INFORMATION ----EVENT CLASS
ERROR EVENT
OS EVENT TYPE
200. PANIC
SEQUENCE NUMBER
2.
OPERATING SYSTEM
ULTRIX 32
OCCURRED/LOGGED ON
Tue Feb 26 06:38:28 1991 EST
OCCURRED ON SYSTEM
csselab1
SYSTEM ID
x82030230
HW REV: x30
FW REV: x2
CPU TYPE: R2000A/R3000
PROCESSOR TYPE
KN02-BA
PANIC MESSAGE
CPU write timeout
********************* ENTRY 3. *********************
------ EVENT INFORMATION ----EVENT CLASS
ERROR EVENT
OS EVENT TYPE
130. ERROR & STATUS REGS
SEQUENCE NUMBER
1.
OPERATING SYSTEM
ULTRIX 32
OCCURRED/LOGGED ON
Tue Feb 26 06:38:26 1991 EST
OCCURRED ON SYSTEM
csselab1
SYSTEM ID
x82030230
HW REV: x30
FW REV: x2
CPU TYPE: R2000A/R3000
PROCESSOR TYPE
KN02-BA
- ----- KN02BA REGISTERS ----CAUSE
x00002800
EXCEPTION CODE EXTERNAL INTERUPT
HW INTERRUPT 1 PENDING
HW INTERRUPT 3 PENDING
EPC
x801266FC
STATUS
xFFFFDC84
CURRENT INTERRUPT STATE DISABLED
CURRENT MODE KERNEL
PREVIOUS INTERUPT STATE ENABLED
PREVIOUS MODE KERNEL
OLD INTERUPT STATE DISABLED
OLD MODE KERNEL
HW INTERRUPT 0 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 1 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 2 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 4 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 5 ENABLED
D_CACHE ISOLATED FROM MEMORY
CACHE STATE SWITCHED
PARITY ZERO SET

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–11

BAD VIRT ADR
SP
SSR

SIR
SIRM

CACHE MISS SET
CACHE PARITY ERROR SET
TLB SHUTDOWN SET
BOOTSTRAP EXCEPTION VECTOR SET
x10000000
xFFFFDDA8
x50070F00
LANCE DMA DISABLE
SCSI DMA ENABLE
SCSI DMA WRITE TO MEMORY
COMM PORT 2 RECEIVE DMA DISABLE
COMM PORT 2 TRANSMIT DMA ENABLE
COMM PORT 1 RECEIVE DMA DISABLE
COMM PORT 1 TRANSMIT DMA ENABLE
x00001002
CPU I/O - WRITE TIMEOUT
x0000F204
SCSI INTERRUPT FROM 53C94 ENABLED

Error and status register error log: Example 2
The first entry in the following example, labeled ENTRY 7, is
a panic frame. It shows a bus timeout error (a read timeout).
Because the event type is PANIC, it is followed by a related
log, labeled ENTRY 8, that records the error and status register
values at the time of the error. See Appendix F for detailed
information about memory registers.
The useful information in ENTRY 7 and ENTRY 8 is as follows:
ENTRY 7 records the error.

The OS EVENT TYPE field indicates the PANIC type.
The PANIC MESSAGE field indicates that the error is a bus
timeout.
ENTRY 8 records the error and status register values at the
time of the bus timeout error.
The CAUSE register indicates a bus error during a data load
or store operation.
The BAD VIRT ADR register identifies the address of the
timeout.

7–12 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

******************* ENTRY 7. ************
------ EVENT INFORMATION ----EVENT CLASS
ERROR EVENT
OS EVENT TYPE
200. PANIC
SEQUENCE NUMBER
2.
OPERATING SYSTEM
ULTRIX 32
OCCURRED/LOGGED ON
Tue Feb 26 06:22:14 1991 EST
OCCURRED ON SYSTEM
csselab1
SYSTEM ID
x82030230 HW REV: x30
FW REV: x2
CPU TYPE: R2000A/R3000
PROCESSOR TYPE
KN02-BA
PANIC MESSAGE
bus timeout
*************** ENTRY 8. *****************
------ EVENT INFORMATION ----EVENT CLASS
ERROR EVENT
OS EVENT TYPE
130. ERROR & STATUS REGS
SEQUENCE NUMBER
1.
OPERATING SYSTEM
ULTRIX 32
OCCURRED/LOGGED ON
Tue Feb 26 06:22:12 1991 EST
OCCURRED ON SYSTEM
csselab1
SYSTEM ID
x82030230 HW REV: x30
FW REV: x2
CPU TYPE: R2000A/R3000
PROCESSOR TYPE
KN02-BA
------ KN02BA REGISTERS ----CAUSE
x0000081C
EXCEPTION CODE BUS ERR (DATA LOAD
_OR STORE)
HW INTERRUPT 1 PENDING
EPC
x8010E164
STATUS
x0000F204 CURRENT INTERRUPT STATE DISABLED
CURRENT MODE KERNEL
PREVIOUS INTERUPT STATE ENABLED
PREVIOUS MODE KERNEL
OLD INTERUPT STATE DISABLED
OLD MODE KERNEL
SW INTERRUPT 1 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 2 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 3 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 4 ENABLED
HW INTERRUPT 5 ENABLED
CACHE STATE NORMAL
BAD VIRT ADR
xB0000000
SP
xFFFFDDA8

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–13

SSR

SIR
SIRM

x50070F00
LANCE DMA DISABLE
SCSI DMA ENABLE
SCSI DMA WRITE TO MEMORY
COMM PORT 2 RECEIVE DMA DISABLE
COMM PORT 2 TRANSMIT DMA ENABLE
COMM PORT 1 RECEIVE DMA DISABLE
COMM PORT 1 TRANSMIT DMA ENABLE
x00000002
xFF0F13E0
TOY INTERRUPT ENABLED
SCC(0) SERIAL INTERRUPT ENABLED
SCC(1) SERIAL INTERRUPT ENABLED
ETHERNET INTERRUPT ENABLED
SCSI INTERRUPT FROM 53C94 ENABLED
LANCE DMA MEM READ ERR ENABLED
SCSI DMA MEM READ ERR ENABLED
SCSI DMA OVERRUN ERROR ENABLED
SCSI DMA INTERRUPT ENABLED
COMM PORT 2 RCV DMA OVERRUN ENABLED
COMM PORT 2 RCV HALF PAGE INTR ENABLED

System Exercisers
The ULTRIX operating system contains a set of commands
called exercisers. These exercisers reside in the /usr/field
directory. They allow you to exercise the entire system or a
specific subsystem.
The system exercisers test the following areas:
System memory and file systems
Peripherals
Network and communications systems
Note: The ULTRIX subset UDTEXER must be installed for the

exercisers to be present. To verify that UDTEXER is installed use the
setld -i command.

7–14 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

On-line help
For further information on the ULTRIX system exercisers, there
is a readmefirst file in the /usr/field directory. This file contains
instructions on running all of the available exercisers. You can
look at the file by typing
# more /usr/field/readmefirst

There are also help files for the exerciser. These help files can
be accessed by using the -h option in the exerciser command.
The following is an example of the help file for dskx:
# dskx -h
(dskx) - ULTRIX-32 Generic disk exerciser
Usage:
dskx [-h] [-ofile] [-t#] [-d#] -pdev#part or -cdev# or -rdev#
-h
(optional) Print this help message.
-ofile (optional) Save output diagnostics in file.
-d#
(optional) Print statisctics every # minutes.
-t#
(optional) Run time in minutes (default: run until
cntl-c).
-pdec#part
Exercise partition only, write/read.
-rdev#
Exercise random partitions, read only
-cdev#
Exercise random partitions, write/read.
dev# - Device name raw or buffered and number
(i.e. rhp0, ra3, rk1).
part - partition [a - h]
Examples:
dskx -t60 -cra1 &
(Exercise RA type disk, number 1, for 60 min. in background)
dskx -prhp0d
(Exercise raw HP type disk, number 0, partition d, run forever)
Note: The ULTRIX Guide to System Exercisers contains

additional reference material.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–15

Running the system exercisers
To run any exerciser you must be logged in as superuser and
/usr/field must be your current directory. Type the following:
% su
password:
# cd /usr/field

You can run the exercisers two ways; you can run a script
containing several exercisers or you can run a specific exerciser
individually.
Running several exercisers at once

To run more than one exerciser at the same time, use the
syscript command.
# syscript

Syscript will prompt you for the exercisers you wish to run,
and for how long you wish to run them. The syscript command
then executes the individual exercisers and creates a file called
testsuite. You can reexecute the commands in testsuite by
entering:
# sh testsuite
Running individual exercisers

Individual exercisers are grouped into three categories:
File systems and memory
Peripherals
Network and communications systems
Exercising the file system and memory
This section describes how to test local file systems, system
memory, and shared memory.

7–16 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

Exercising local file systems

Use the fsx command to exercise the file systems locally. The
fsx command exercises the specified file system by initiating
multiple processes, each of which creates, writes, closes, opens,
reads, validates, and unlinks a test file of random data. The
format of the fsx command is:
fsx -h -ofile -pn -fpath -tmin
-h

Prints the help message for the fsx command.

-ofile

Saves the output diagnostics in file.

-pn

Specifies the number(n) of processes you want fsx
to initiate. The maximum is 250, the default is 20.

-fpath

Specifies the pathname of the directory of the
file system to test. The default is /usr/field.

-tmin

Specifies how many minutes you want fsx to run.

The following is an example of the fsx command:
# fsx -p5 -f/usr -t60 &

This example starts 5 processes and tests the /usr file system
for 60 minutes in the background.
Exercising the system memory

Use the memx command to exercise system memory. The memx
command exercises the system memory by initiating multiple
processes. The memx command runs ones and zeros, zeros and
ones, and random data patterns in the allocated memory being
tested. The format of the memx command is:
memx -h -ofile -s -mn -px -tmin
-h

Prints the help message for the memx command.

-ofile

Saves the output diagnostics in file.

-s

Disables automatic invocation of shmx.

-mn

Specifies the amount of memory in bytes to test.
The default is total memory divided by 20.

-px

Specifies the number of processes to initiate.
The maximum allowed is 20 which is also the default.

-tmin

Specifies how many minutes you want memx to run.
ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–17

The following is an example of the memx command:
# memx -s -m4095 -p5 -t60 &

This example disables the shared memory exerciser, tests 4095
bytes of memory, starts 5 processes and runs for 60 minutes in
the background.
Exercising shared memory

Use shmx to exercise shared memory. The shmx command
spawns a background process called shmxb, and together shmx
and shmxb exercise the shared memory segments. They take
turns writing and reading each other’s data in the segments.
The format of the shmx command is:
shmx -h -ofile -ti - mj -sk -v
-h

Prints the help message for the shmx command.

-ofile

Saves diagnostic output in file.

-ti

Indicates the run time in minutes (i).

-mj

Specifies the memory segment size in bytes (j)
to be tested.

-sk

Specifies the number of memory segments (k).
The maximum and default is 6.

-v

Uses the fork system call instead of the vfork
system call to spawn shmxb.

The following is an example of the shmx command:
# shmx -t180 -m100000 -s3 &

This example runs for 180 minutes, tests 100,000 bytes on three
memory segments, and runs in the background.
Exercising peripherals
This sections describes the system exercisers you use to test
disk drives, tape drives, and line printers.

7–18 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

Exercising disk drives

Use dskx to exercise disk drives. The dskx command exercises
specified partitions and file systems on the designated disk.
The format of the the dskx command is:
Note: The -p and -c options destroy data on the device you are

testing. Use extreme caution when using either of these options.
dskx -h -ofile -pdevpart -cdev -rdev -tmin -dn
-h

Prints the help message for the dskx command.

-ofile

Saves output diagnostics in file.

-pdevpart

Performs random seeks, writes and reads
on the specified partition (part) of the
device (dev). Next it validates the random
data and block sizes. You cannot test the
c partition because the test would corrupt
the bad block information.

-cdev

Performs random seeks, writes, and reads on
all partitions of the specified device
(dev) except the c partition. Partition c
is not tested because the test would corrupt
the bad block information.

-rdev

Performs random seeks and reads on all
partitions of the device (dev) except
partition c. The -r option is safe to use
on any disk because it will not overwrite data.

-tmin

Indicates the run time in minutes.

-dn

Specifies, in minutes, how often you want
the dskx command to print diagnostics to the
terminal. The default is to print diagnostics
upon completion of the exercise.

The following is an example of the dskx command:
# dskx -rrz0 -t20 -d5 &

This example runs on rz0 for 20 minutes, and diagnostic
information is displayed on the terminal every 5 minutes. This
example also runs in the background.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–19

Exercising tape drives

There are two tape drive exercisers, mtx and tapex. Both
exercisers write, read, and validate random data on a tape
device from the BOT to EOT. Tapex performs additional tests,
for example, positioning tests for records and files.
The mtx tape drive exerciser

The format of the mtx command is:
mtx -h -ofile -rn -fn -sdev# -ldev# -vdev# -adev# -tmin
-h

Prints help message for the mtx command.

-ofile

Saves diagnostic output in file.

-rn

Specifies record length in bytes.
value is 10240.

-fn

Specifies the length of the file in numbers
of records.

-sdev#

Performs a short record test that writes,
reads, and validates 512-byte records on
device (dev). The dev# variable is the raw
device name and number, such as rmt0h.

-ldev#

Performs a long record test that writes,
reads, and validates 10240-byte records on
device (dev). The dev# variable is the raw
device name and number, such as rmt0h.

-vdev#

Performs a variable record length test
that writes, reads, and validates random
record lengths from 512 to 20280 bytes
on device (dev). The dev# variable is the
raw device name and number, such as rmt0h.

-adev#

Performs short, long, and variable record
length tests on device (dev). The dev#
variable is the raw device name and number,
such as rmt0h.

-tmin

Specifies how many minutes you want mtx to
test the tape drive.

Default

The following is an example of the mtx command:
# mtx -r20480 -lrmt0h -t60 &

7–20 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

This example writes 20,480 byte records to rmt0h for 60
minutes and runs in the background.
The tapex tape drive exerciser

The format of the tapex command is:
tapex -options -parameters

Some tapex options cause specific tests to be performed, for
example, an end-of-media test. Other options modify the tests,
for example, by enabling caching. The tapex options are as
follows:
Like all ULTRIX commands the tapex options are case sensitive:

-a

Performance measurement test.

-b

Continuous read/write test.

-c

Enables caching on the device.

-C

Disables caching on TMSCP devices.

-d

Tests ability to append the media.

-e

End-of-media test.

-E

Runs an extensive series of tests in sequential order.

-f

Specifies the name of the device special file
that corresponds to the tape unit being tested.

-F

File-positioning tests.

-G

File-positioning tests on already-written tape.

-g

Random record-size tests.

-h

Display a help message describing tapex.

-i

Interactive mode.

-j

Write phase of the tape-transportability tests.

-k

Read phase of the tape-transportability tests.

-L

Media loader test.

-l

End-of-file test.

-m

Displays tape contents.

-N

Disables the usage of n-buffered I/O on tests
that support it’s usage.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–21

-o

Sends output to the specified file name.

-p

Runs both the record-positioning and
file-positioning tests.

-q

Command timeout test.

-r

Record-size test.

-R

Record-positioning test.

-s

Record-size behavior test.

-S

Single record size test.

-T

Copies output to standard output.

-v

Verbose mode.

-V

Very verbose mode.

-w

Opens the tape as read-only.

-Z

Initializes the read buffer to the
nonzero value of 0130.

The following is an example of the tapex command:
# tapex -f /dev/rmt0h -E -o tapex.out

This example runs an extensive test in sequential order on
/dev/rmt0h and sends the results to tapex.out.
Exercising the network and communication systems
This section describes how to test the following network and
communication systems:
TCP/IP
Terminal communications
Exercising the TCP/IP network

Use the netx command to exercise the TCP/IP network. The
netx command sets up a stream socket connection with netx
acting as the client and the miscd utility acting as the server in
the TCP/IP internet domain. Using the connection, netx writes
random data to the miscd server. The server loops the data
back to netx, and then the data is read and verified against the
original data. The format of the netx command is:

7–22 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

netx -h -pn nodename -tmin
-h

Prints the help message for the netx command.

-pn

Specifies the port number to use in the
internet domain. The variable n must be
less than 32768.

nodename The name of the remote or local system host
running the server.
-tmin

Specifies how many minutes you want netx
to run.

The following is an example of the netx command:
# netx tinker -t60 &

This example runs a test on node tinker for 60 minutes and is
running in the background.
Exercising the terminal communications

Use the cmx command to exercise the terminal communications
system. The cmx command writes, reads, and validates random
data and packet lengths on the communications line or lines
specified. The format of the cmx command is:
cmx -h -ofile -tmin -l line-1 line-2 line-n...
-h

Prints help message for the cmx command.

-ofile

Saves output diagnostics in file.

-tmin

Specifies how many minutes you want cmx to run.

-l line...

Specifies the line or lines you want to test.

Note: You must have a loopback connector on the line you wish to

test.

The following is an example of the cmx command:
# cmx -l 00 -t45 &

This example runs a test on tty00 for 45 minutes and runs in
the background.

ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

7–23

Exercising line printers

Use the lpx command to exercise line printers. The lpx
command exercises the line printers by printing a rolling
character pattern repeatedly to the device. The format of the
lpx command is:
lpx -h -ofile -pn -ddev -tmin
-h

Prints the help message for the lpx command.

-ofile

Saves diagnostics output to file.

-pn

Specifies the pause period in n minutes.

-ddev

Specifies the line printer you want to test.

-tmin

Specifies how many minutes you want lpx
to exercise the line printer.

The following is an example of the lpx command:
# lpx -t60 -dlp1 &

This example runs a test on lp1 for 60 minutes; it runs in the
background.

7–24 ULTRIX Error Reporter and System Exerciser

8
Obtaining a Crash Dump
This chapter discusses the following topics:
Verifying the system is hung
Crashing the system
Creating a dump file
Setting the haltaction Environmental Variables

Obtaining a Crash Dump

8–1

Troubleshooting Techniques
This chapter discusses how to force a crash dump on a hung
system. This enables you to capture the state information
contained in memory. A dump provides a snapshot of memory
just prior to the system crashing or hanging. The dump can be
used to reconstruct what transpired in the system during this
period of time.
It is important that the contents of memory be saved so that
they are available for analysis if needed. The state information
is useful in determining why a system crashed or hung. Once
the system is rebooted all state information is lost.
Analyzing a crash dump requires an in-depth knowledge of both
the operating system and the hardware. This is usually done
by a support engineer. Analysis of the dump is not covered in
this manual.
The material presented in this chapter assumes the reader has
a working knowledge of the ULTRIX operating system.

Verifying the system is hung
A wedged software application can exhibit the same symptoms
as a hung system, so it is important to determine whether
the software applications are hung or whether the entire
system is hung. One good way to make this determination is to
successfully perform any of the tasks listed below:
Pop up another window.
Log in from an attached terminal (if one is connected)
rlogin or dlogin from another system on the network.
"Ping" the system from the network (use the ULTRIX ping
command described in the man pages).

8–2 Obtaining a Crash Dump

If any of these tasks complete successfully, you have
demonstrated that the system can execute commands. In
this case contact the system manager and have the software
application restarted.
If these tasks are unsuccessful in executing, it is a good
indication that the system is not capable of executing
instructions and is in a hung state. In this case you should
crash the system and create a dump file.

Crashing the system
Before placing the contents of memory in a dump file, enter
the hardware console mode by abruptly halting the system.
The system will then transfer control of the processor from
the operating system to the ROM based console program. The
console program runs out of ROM, not system memory. This
enables the CPU to process instructions while not modifying
contents of system memory.
To force the system to halt, simultaneously depress Ctrl, Alt
and Return keys on the LK501 key board attached to the
SERIAL.bus. The system will then display the >> prompt.
There are times when it will not be possible to halt the system.
If any of the system hardware is in a hung condition, then the
halt directive will not be processed.
When the Ctrl, Alt and Return keys are depressed, a
halt packet is sent over the SERIAL.bus to the dedicated
SERIAL.bus controller chip on the system module. This
dedicated processor in turn toggles an interrupt line that
attaches directly to the CPU. The CPU then services the
interrupt and jumps to an address that executes the console
program stored in ROM.

Obtaining a Crash Dump

8–3

Creating a dump file
Once in console mode a dump file can be generated by issuing
the >>go 0x80030008 command. It will take approximately 2
minutes to generate the dump file.
The >>go command causes the system to execute a program
located at address 0x80030008 in the portion of memory that
contains the kernel. The dump file will be placed in the file
system you specified when the kernel was built.
The default dump file’s path specification is /usr/adm/crash.
The file has the potential to be as large as the physical memory
installed in the machine. However, the routines that create
the dump have been optimized to only capture the significant
portions of memory. In practice, the dump file is significantly
smaller then that of physical memory.
Note: It is a good practice to run the thorough power up self-test

script with the >>pst-t command before rebooting the system. This
will help insure that a hardware problem did not cause the system to
hang.

Setting the haltaction Environmental Variables
When troubleshooting a system with a chronic hang or
crash problem, it is good practice to set the haltaction
environmental variable to h by issuing the >>set haltaction
h command.
This will prevent the system from automatically rebooting
itself, thereby preserving the contents of memory.
A machine who’s haltaction is set to r or b will try to boot
or run the powerup self-test after it crashes. To stop this from
happening and preserve memory quickly type Ctrl-C . This will
cause the console’s boot and self-test programs to abort. You
will then be returned to the >> prompt.

8–4 Obtaining a Crash Dump

9
Procedural Flow Charts
This chapter contains the following procedural flow charts:
Troubleshooting when the monitor has no display
Troubleshooting a missing SCSI device
Troubleshooting a missing TURBOchannel option
Troubleshooting missing memory SIMMs
Troubleshooting a missing SERIAL.bus device
This chapter documents troubleshooting procedures that are
used when a system has no display on the video console, and
when specific components installed in the system do not show
up in the configuration.

No Display at Power-Up
When a system has no video console display you cannot run
diagnostics and interpret error codes. In these instances it is
necessary to follow the steps outlined in Figure 9-1.

Procedural Flow Charts

9–1

Start

Are the system and monitor
Power Supply LEDs On?

Troubleshoot the system and
monitor power supply.

yes

yes
Is the LED flashing continuously?

Remove SIMMs and retest
to determine if base memory
or SIMMs are faulty

no
Does the flashing LED indicate that
the graphics monitor has been selected
for the console?

yes

Unplug the keyboard from the
SERIAL.bus and set up an
alternate console terminal

no
Plug a terminal into the RS232 port,

Does the console prompt appear on
the terminal?

Replace the CPU daughter card

yes
From the prompt run the console
diagnostics

yes
Is there any display on the terminal
no

END

Replace the system module

Figure 9-1. Troubleshooting When the Monitor Has No Display

9–2 Procedural Flow Charts

Missing SCSI Device
Frequently, problems occur on the SCSI bus that cannot
be isolated with diagnostics. Drives must appear in the
configuration before they can be accessed and tested. Figure 9-2
outlines the steps used to troubleshoot this class of SCSI bus
problem.

Procedural Flow Charts

9–3

Start

yes

Is there only one device
missing?

Note the addresses of all devices that
appear on the bus. Then remove
everything from the bus except the device
that is not seen.

Remove all but one device.

Replace the device

Does this one device
show up?

yes

Does the device show up?

Replace the scsi cable.
Then the system module.

yes

Give the device a
unique address.

yes

Does the address of the drive match
that of a drive that was removed ealrier?

Start adding other devices to the
SCSI bus one at a time.

Do any devices fail to show up
after all devices have been put
back on the bus?

no
END

yes

Replace the cable between the
last device seen and the first
device that disappeared.

Do any devices fail to show up
after all devices have been put
back on the bus?
yes
Continue to try different cable and
device combinations until you find
one in which everything is seen on
the bus.

Figure 9-2. Troubleshooting a Missing SCSI Device

9–4 Procedural Flow Charts

Missing TURBOchannel Option
TURBOchannel options, like SCSI modules, must appear in the
configuration before they can be accessed and tested. Figure 9-3
explains how to troubleshoot a missing TURBOchannel option.

Procedural Flow Charts

9–5

Start

Move the option board
that is not seen in the
configuration to another
Turbochannel slot.

Does the option appear
in the new slot?

Replace the option.

yes

Replace the system
module.

Figure 9-3. Troubleshooting a Missing TURBOchannel Option
.

9–6 Procedural Flow Charts

Missing Memory SIMMs
There are times when memory physically installed in the
system does not appear in the configuration. This can be
caused by improper seating or by a faulty memory module.
Such problems can degrade system performance. Figure 9-4
shows how to determine which memory SIMMs are faulty.

Procedural Flow Charts

9–7

Start

Reseat the SIMMs in
the missing memory
bank.

no
END

Is memory still missing?
yes

Rotate the memory SIMMs
between the two banks.

Is the memory still missing
in the same socket?

Replace the memory SIMMs one
at a time until that memory bank
appears in the configuration.

yes

Replace the system module.

Figure 9-4. Troubleshooting Missing Memory SIMMs

9–8 Procedural Flow Charts

END

Missing SERIAL.bus Device
A faulty or missing SERIAL.bus keyboard can prevent the
system from displaying messages on the video console. Before
you open the system and replace any modules, follow the steps
outlined in Figure 9-5.

Procedural Flow Charts

9–9

Start

Does the diagnostic
LED produce one long
flash followed by two
short flashes?

Refer to troubleshooting a
system with no display.

yes
Reseat the SERIAL.bus
cable, both on the system
and keyboard end.

Does test information
appear on the console
video?

yes

END

Replace the LK501
keyboard.

Does test information
appear on the console
video?

yes

END

Figure 9-5. Troubleshooting a Missing SERIAL.bus Device

9–10 Procedural Flow Charts

Part III
Removing and Replacing FRUs

10
Base System Hardware
This chapter describes
How to avoid electrostatic damage when handling
components
How to remove and install the system unit cover
How to install and remove terminators and loopback
connectors

Base System Hardware 10–1

Using the Antistatic Kit
The Digital antistatic kit contains the equipment needed to
handle static-sensitive electronic components safely.
Use the antistatic kit and handle static-sensitive components as
follows:
1.
2.

Connect the antistatic mat to the system chassis.
Place the antistatic wrist strap around your wrist and
attach the other end of the strap to the snap-on fastener on
the antistatic mat.
Place static-sensitive components on the antistatic mat
when you put them down.
Wrist strap

Antistatic mat

Snap-on fastener
WSMXM009

Figure 10-1. Using the antistatic kit

10–2 Base System Hardware

Removing and Installing the System Unit Cover
To Remove the System Unit Cover
1.

Remove the two screws that fasten the system unit cover
to the rear panel of the system unit chassis, as shown in
Figure 10-2.
Screws

Leverage point

Leverage point
WSMXM071

Figure 10-2. System unit cover
2.

Pressing down on the two black leverage points on the
back of the system unit, and at the same time pressing up
against the edge of the cover, lift the back end of the cover
about 6 inches.
If you need to exert more pressure to lift the cover, use the
system tool provided for that purpose.

Insert the tool into one of the two small holes just beneath
the edge of the cover on the back of the system unit. Lift
up on the tool until the cover loosens. Insert the tool into
the other hole and repeat the procedure.
When the tabs are loose in their slots in the front of the
cover, lift the cover up and away from the system unit.

Note: Do not stand the cover on its face. The paint is easily
scratched.

Base System Hardware 10–3

To Install the System Unit Cover
1.

2.
3.
4.

Make sure all cables are safely within the enclosure before
installing the cover. Cables can be easily scratched if
caught by the cover.
Tilt the cover so the back is about 15 centimeters (6 inches)
higher than the front.
Insert the tabs on the front edge of the cover into the slots
that run along the front edge of the system unit.
Lower the cover into place and replace the screws that hold
it.

10–4 Base System Hardware

Installing and Removing a Serial Line Adapter
Use the serial line adapter (12-33190-01) to connect a modified
modular jack (MMJ) cable connector from a serial device to the
D-connector of the system’s RS-232 serial communications port.
The serial line adapter is also called the comm-line-to-MMJ
adapter.
To install a serial line adapter
Press the keyed serial line adapter onto the serial connector
and tighten the two screws.
To remove a serial line adapter
Loosen the two screws that hold the adapter to the serial
connector, and pull the adapter off of the serial connector.

1
0

Serial line adapter
Serial
communications
connector

Screws
WSMXM010

Figure 10-3. Serial line adapter

Base System Hardware 10–5

Installing and Removing a SCSI Controller Terminator
A SCSI controller terminator (12-33626-01) must be installed
on the connector of any SCSI controller that has no external
device connected to it.
To Install a SCSI Controller Terminator
Firmly press the keyed terminator onto the SCSI connector.
To Remove a SCSI Controller Terminator
Grip the loop on the SCSI controller terminator and pull the
terminator off of the SCSI connector.
Base system SCSI connector

SCSI icon

SCSI terminator

WSMXM011

Figure 10-4. SCSI controller terminator

10–6 Base System Hardware

Installing and Removing a SCSI Chain Terminator
The last SCSI drive in a chain requires a SCSI chain terminator
(12-30552-01) on its output (right) connector.
To Install a SCSI Chain Terminator
1.

Firmly press the daisy chain terminator onto the unused
connector on the drive at the end of the chain. It fits when
the widest part of the connector is on top.
Press the wire latches on the SCSI connector onto the SCSI
terminator.

To Remove a SCSI Chain Terminator
Push the wire latches away from the terminator and pull it off
of the SCSI connector.

SCSI chain terminator

Wire latch

SCSI drive
WSMXM012

Figure 10-5. SCSI chain terminator

Base System Hardware 10–7

Installing and Removing a ThickWire Ethernet Loopback
Connector
The ThickWire Ethernet loopback connector (12-22196-02) must
be installed for certain Ethernet controller (base system or
TURBOchannel option) tests.
To Install a ThickWire Ethernet Loopback Connector
Firmly press the keyed loopback connector onto the ThickWire
Ethernet connector. Press the sliding lock on the system unit
connector toward the connector to hold the terminator firmly in
place.
To Remove a ThickWire Ethernet Loopback Connector
Unlock the sliding lock then firmly grip the ThickWire loopback
connector and pull it away from the ThickWire connector.

1
0

Base system
ThickWire Ethernet
connector

Sliding lock

WSMXM013

Figure 10-6. ThickWire Ethernet loopback connector

10–8 Base System Hardware

ThickWire loopback
connector

Installing and Removing a Serial Line Loopback Connector
The serial line loopback connector (12-25083-01) must be
installed if you want to perform certain serial controller tests.
The serial line loopback connector is also called the modified
modular jack (MMJ) loopback connector.
To Install a Serial Line Loopback Connector
Firmly press the keyed connector onto the serial line connector.
To Remove a Serial Line Loopback Connector
Firmly grip the serial line loopback connector and pull it away
from the serial line connector.

1
0

Serial line loop back
connector
Serial line
connector

WSMXM014

Figure 10-7. Serial line loopback connector

Base System Hardware 10–9

11
Storage Devices
This chapter discusses the storage drives used with the
Personal DECstation/DECsystem. It covers the following topics:
SCSI requirements for storage devices
Which internal drives can be installed in the Personal
DECstation/DECsystem enclosure
How to remove and install internal drives and associated
hardware
How to set the SCSI ID on internally mounted drives

Storage Devices 11–1

SCSI Requirements
For the system to work properly, SCSI drives must be connected
to base system or TURBOchannel option SCSI controllers
according to the following guidelines.
The base system SCSI controller has a built-in terminator.
It is not necessary to install a terminator on the internal
SCSI connector.
If no external drives are installed, the external connector
on any SCSI controller must be terminated with a SCSI
controller terminator (12-33626-01).
A SCSI controller can accommodate up to seven drives
linked together in a daisy chain.
On the base system SCSI controller, the optional
internal hard disk drive counts as the first drive.
Six more external drives can be connected to that
controller.
If there is no internal drive, seven external drives can
be connected to that controller.
TURBOchannel option modules can support up to seven
external drives in a daisy chain attached to each SCSI
option module connector on the back of the system
unit.
Each drive enclosure has two SCSI connectors, except for
the TURBOchannel extender (TCE) box, which has only
one.
The second connector of the last drive in a chain, must
contain the SCSI daisy chain terminator that came with
the drive. The TCE box has its own internal terminator
and must always be the last box in a chain.
Each drive in a daisy chain must have a unique SCSI ID
from 0 to 6.
The SCSI controller always has SCSI ID 7.
The length of an internal and external cables connecting
the drives in any one chain must not exceed 6 meters (236
inches). See Table 11-1.

11–2 Storage Devices

As a rule of thumb, a SCSI chain should consist of no more
than three external expansion boxes supplied by Digital,
regardless of the number of drives each box contains.
Additionally, the overall total of seven drives per SCSI
connector must not be exceeded.

SCSI Cable Lengths
Use the cable lengths in Table 11-1 to compute the total SCSI
cable length for any combination of expansion boxes supplied by
Digital.
The combined length of all internal and external cables
connecting the drives in a given SCSI chain must not exceed 6
meters (236 inches).
Table 11-1. SCSI Cable Lengths
Cable length
Cable or box

Base system SCSI controller and internal
cable
BA40 storage expansion box internal cable
BA42 storage expansion box internal cable
RRD40 optical compact disk drive internal
cable
TLZ04 tape drive internal cable
50-pin to 50-pin box-to-box external cable
50-pin to 50-pin system-unit-to-expansionbox external cable

36
79
7

14
31
3

97
66
96

38
26
38

Storage Devices 11–3

Internal Drives
Two drives can be present within the Personal DECstation
/DECsystem unit enclosure.
One 2.88-megabyte RX26 floppy disk drive can be installed
in the floppy disk mounting bracket in the right front
corner of the enclosure.
Insert and remove floppy disks in the drive through the
opening in the front panel of the system unit.
Note: The internal floppy disk drive is not a SCSI device.

One 426-megabyte RZ25 hard disk drive can be installed on
the floor of the system unit chassis between the floppy disk
mounting bracket and the power supply. The internal hard
disk drive is a SCSI device.
For information about troubleshooting the internal drives, see
Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 of this guide.

11–4 Storage Devices

FDI connector
SCSI connector
(internal)

Power supply

Internal drive

power cable

Hard disk drive

Floppy disk drive
WSMXM029

Figure 11-1. Internal drives

Storage Devices 11–5

Removing and Installing an Internal Floppy Disk Drive
One RX26 floppy disk drive (RX26-AA) can be installed in the
floppy disk mounting bracket in the right front corner of the
enclosure as shown in Figure 11-3. The FDI cable (17-02221-02)
connects the floppy disk drive to the FDI connector on the base
system module. The internal drive power cable (17-03357-01)
conducts DC power to the floppy disk drive from the internal
drive power connector on the base system module.
To remove a floppy disk drive
1.

2.
3.

Release the sliding latch that fastens the floppy disk
mounting bracket to the system unit chassis. See
Figure 11-2.
This enables the bracket to move around for access to the
connectors and to the screws that hold the drive in the
mounting bracket. See Figure 11-3.
Disconnect the FDI and power cables from the floppy disk
drive and from the base system module.
Remove the four screws that fasten the shield and drive
assembly in the mounting bracket. Remove the shield and
drive assembly from the bracket.
Slide the drive out of the front of the shield.

To install a floppy disk drive
1.

If necessary, remove the four screws that hold the shield in
the floppy disk mounting bracket. Remove the shield from
the bracket.
Position the floppy disk drive in front of the shield. The top
of the drive is a plain metal surface, and the bottom is a
printed circuit board. The top of the shield is a plain metal
surface, and the bottom is a perforated metal surface. The
front of the shield is flanged, and the rear is a simple metal
edge.
Slide the drive into the shield. Make sure the four screw
holes in the shield are aligned with the four screw holes in
the drive.

11–6 Storage Devices

5.
6.

Release the sliding latch that fastens the floppy disk
mounting bracket to the system unit chassis. This enables
the bracket to move around for access when installing the
connectors and screws.
Place the shield and drive assembly in the bracket and
fasten it in place with the four screws.
Connect the FDI cable to the drive and to the FDI connector
on the base system module. Connect the internal drive
power cable to the drive and to the drive power connector
on the base system module.
Refasten the sliding latch that fastens the floppy disk
mounting bracket to the floor of the system unit chassis.

Storage Devices 11–7

Power cable

FDI connector
FDI cable

Back view

FCC shield

Screws (4)

Floppy
disk drive

Floppy disk
mounting bracket

Front view
LJ-02976-TI0

Figure 11-2. Floppy disk drive

11–8 Storage Devices

FCC shield
Floppy disk drive

Floppy disk
mounting bracket

Power
cable
FDI cable

Screws (4)

FDI connector
LJ-02984-TI0

Figure 11-3. Floppy disk drive

Storage Devices 11–9

Removing and Installing a Floppy Disk Mounting Bracket
The floppy disk mounting bracket assembly (70-28359-02) holds
the floppy disk drive in place within the system unit enclosure.
The bracket is mounted near the front right corner of the
system unit chassis. It is held in place by two tabs that are
inserted into slots in the system unit chassis and one sliding
latch that locks the bracket into place.
To remove a floppy disk mounting bracket
1.
2.
3.

Release the sliding latch that fastens the bracket assembly
to the floor of the system unit chassis.
If a floppy disk drive is in the floppy disk mounting bracket,
disconnect the cables from the drive.
Tilt the bracket assembly away from the power supply,
allowing it to pivot around the tabs in the slots. When the
tabs are free, lift the bracket assembly up and out of the
system unit chassis.

To install a floppy disk mounting bracket
1.

2.
3.

Position the floppy disk drive mounting bracket over the
system unit chassis with the two tabs pointed down into
the slots in the chassis. Slide the tabs into the slots.
Lower the bracket assembly to the floor of the chassis.
Engage the sliding latch to fasten the bracket assembly in
place.

11–10 Storage Devices

Removing and Installing a Floppy Port Cover
The floppy port cover (74-46387-01) fills the opening in the front
panel of the system unit cover when no internal floppy disk
drive is installed.
To remove the floppy port cover

Reach inside the system unit and press out on the floppy port
cover until you can remove it from the front panel.
To install a floppy port cover

Press the cover into the opening in the front panel of the system
unit until it snaps into place.

d i g
i t a
l

DECstatio

n 5000/25

WSMXM032

Figure 11-4. Floppy port cover

Storage Devices 11–11

Removing and Installing an Internal Hard Disk Drive
One hard disk drive can be installed in the system unit
enclosure as shown in Figure 11-5. The following drive types
can be installed internally:
RZ23L (RZ23L-FN)
RZ24 (RZ24-FN)
RZ25 (RZ25-EP)
RZ26 (RZ26-EP)
SCSI drives of other types are installed externally. For
information about externally mounted SCSI drives, refer to
the TURBOchannel Maintenance Guide.
The internal hard disk drive is installed in front of the base
system module next to the power supply. The internal SCSI
cable (17-01626-05) connects the hard disk drive to the internal
SCSI connector on the base system module. The internal drive
power cable (17-03357-01) conducts DC power to the hard disk
drive from the internal drive power connector on the base
system module.
To remove an internal hard disk drive
1.
2.
3.

Disconnect the SCSI and power cables from the system
module.
Release the sliding latch that fastens the drive to the
chassis.
Tilt the drive assembly toward the power supply, allowing
it to pivot around the tabs in the slots. When the tabs are
free, lift the drive assembly up and out of the system unit
chassis.
Disconnect the SCSI and power cables that are attached to
the drive.

11–12 Storage Devices

To install an internal hard disk drive
1.

2.
3.

4.
5.
6.

Make sure the drive has the correct SCSI ID. To find the
SCSI ID for a specific drive, see the discussion of that drive
in ‘‘ID Settings for Internal Drives’’ section of this guide.
Connect the internal SCSI cable and internal power cable
to the drive.
Position the drive assembly over the system unit chassis
with the two tabs pointed down into the slots in the chassis.
Slide the tabs into the slots.
Lower the drive assembly to the floor of the chassis.
Engage the sliding latch to fasten the drive assembly in
place.
Connect the SCSI and power cables to the system module.
Be sure to keep the pull tab on the SCSI cable connector
away from the SCSI connector on the system module when
you connect the SCSI cable.
Sliding latch

Tabs
Latch pin

WSMXM033

Figure 11-5. Removing and installing an internally mounted hard disk
drive

Storage Devices 11–13

ID Settings for Internal Drives
This section describes ID settings for the internal drives the
system supports. Labels on top of the drives identify the drives.
The system supports the internally mounted drives listed in
Table 11-2:
Table 11-2. Internal Drive ID Settings
Drive

Default SCSI ID

RZ23L half-height hard disk drive
RZ24 hard disk drive
RZ25 hard disk drive
RZ26 hard disk drive
RX26 floppy drive

2
2
2
2
N/A*

* The RX26 floppy drive is not a SCSI device. However, it has a preset drive select
number of 0.

11–14 Storage Devices

Setting SCSI IDs
To set the SCSI ID of the three hard disk drives available for
installation inside the Personal DECstation/DECsystem, use a
row of small pins and jumper blocks. Set the ID by moving the
jumpers to different positions on the pins.
Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ23L hard disk drive
Identification label

Power connector

SCSI connector
WSMXM035

Figure 11-6. RZ23L half-height hard disk drive

The SCSI jumpers are on the underside of the RZ23L drive.
Position the jumpers as shown in Figure 11-7 to set the SCSI
ID.

Storage Devices 11–15

SCSI ID 0

SCSI ID 3

SCSI ID 1

SCSI ID 4

E1
E2

SCSI ID 5

SCSI ID 2

E1
E2

SCSI ID 6

SCSI ID pins

RZ23L drive
WSMXM034

Figure 11-7. RZ23L SCSI ID jumper settings

11–16 Storage Devices

Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ24 hard disk drive
Identification label

Power
connector

SCSI connector
WSMXM036

Figure 11-8. RZ24 hard disk drive

The SCSI jumpers are on the underside of the RZ24 drive.
Position the blocks as shown in Figure 11-9 to set the SCSI ID.

Storage Devices 11–17

SCSI ID 0

SCSI ID 4

SCSI ID 1

SCSI ID 5

SCSI ID 2

SCSI ID 6

SCSI ID 3

SCSI ID pins

RZ24 drive

WSMXM037

Figure 11-9. RZ24 drive SCSI ID jumper settings

11–18 Storage Devices

Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ24L hard disk drive

A0 A1

SCSI
Settings: 0

4
A0 A1

A0 A1

1
A0 A1

2
A0 A1

7
A0 A1

Figure 11-10. RZ24L hard disk drive

MLO-008748
LJ-02990-TI0

Storage Devices 11–19

Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ25 hard disk drive
Identification label

Power
connector
SCSI
connector
WSMXM038

Figure 11-11. RZ25 hard disk drive

The RZ25 drive has SCSI ID pins in two locations, on the front
and on the side of the drive. The side pins are hidden during
use, and visible only when the drive is removed from its metal
enclosure. Use jumpers on either the front pins or the side pins,
but not on both.
Figure 11-12 shows the drive with jumpers on the front pins.
Figure 11-13 shows the drive removed from its metal enclosure
so the jumpers on the side pins are visible. Note that in both
illustrations there is a jumper on the fourth pair of pins from
the left. This jumper is required whether the front or side pins
are used for SCSI ID.
Note: The front and side settings are different.

The two figures also show jumper settings for the front and side
pins. Note that the front and side settings are different. If you
use the front pins, be sure that there are no jumpers on the
side pins. If you use the side pins, be sure that the only jumper
on the front pins is the one on the fourth pair.

11–20 Storage Devices

SCSI ID 3

SCSI ID 0

SCSI ID 4

SCSI ID 1

SCSI ID 5

SCSI ID 2

SCSI ID 6

Front SCSI ID pins
LJ-02960-TI0

Figure 11-12. RZ25 drive front SCSI ID jumper settings

Storage Devices 11–21

SCSI ID 3

SCSI ID 0

SCSI ID 4

SCSI ID 1

SCSI ID 5

SCSI ID 2

SCSI ID 6

RZ25 drive

Side SCSI ID pins

Figure 11-13. RZ25 drive side SCSI ID jumper settings

11–22 Storage Devices

LJ-02961-TI0

Setting the SCSI ID on an RZ26 hard disk drive

SCSI
connector

Power
connector

Front view

Back view

LJ-02980-TI0

Figure 11-14. RZ26 hard disk drive front and back view

Storage Devices 11–23

2
0 1

SCSI
Address
Settings: 0

7
MLO-008537
LJ-02979-TI0

Figure 11-15. RZ26 hard disk drive

11–24 Storage Devices

Setting the SCSI ID on an TLZ06 tape drive

O
F
F

1
O
F
F

O
F
F

SCSI
Settings: 0

MLO-009212
LJ-02989-TI0

Figure 11-16. TLZ06 cassette tape drive

Storage Devices 11–25

Setting the drive select switch on an RX26 floppy disk drive

The drive select switch on an RX26 floppy disk drive must be
set to 0.
Indentification label

2 6

6 8

8 9

9 6

6 6

6 7

FDI connector
Drive select switch

Power connector

WSMXM070

Figure 11-17. RX26 floppy disk drive

To set the drive select switch,
1.
2.

Remove the drive from its mounting and from its perforated
floppy drive shield.
The drive select switch is toward the rear. Small numbers
are printed on the green surface next to the switch. Move
the switch to select the number.

11–26 Storage Devices

For Further Information
For information about individual SCSI drives, refer to the
documentation for the specific drives and for the expansion
boxes that contain those drives.
For information about TURBOchannel SCSI controller
option modules, refer to the TURBOchannel Option Module
Maintenance Guide.
For information about the SCSI drive terminator, see ‘‘Installing
and Removing a SCSI Drive Terminator’’ in Chapter 12 of this
guide.
For information about the SCSI controller terminator, see
‘‘Installing and Removing a SCSI Controller Terminator’’ in
Chapter 12 of this guide.
For information about troubleshooting the SCSI controllers and
drives, see Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 of this guide.

Storage Devices 11–27

12
CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory
This chapter describes how to remove and install the following
field-replaceable units (FRUs):
The CPU module
Memory modules
TURBOchannel option modules
ESAR chips
The base system module
The power supply
Caution: Always power down equipment before working on

equipment.

Always follow antistatic procedures when handling electronic
components. See ‘‘Using the Antistatic Kit’’ in Chapter 10 of this
guide.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–1

Removing and Replacing a CPU Module
The CPU module shown in Figure 12-1, uses the MIPS
Technologies, Inc R3000A central processing unit (CPU) and
R3010 floating point unit (FPU), mounted on the same chip.
The CPU uses a 64-kilobyte instruction cache and a 64-kilobyte
write-through data cache.
The CPU module shown in Figure 12-2 uses a R4000 Family
MIPS Technologies, Inc. central processing unit. This CPU is
functionally similar to the R3000, but has support for secondary
caching system as well as a 50 MHz clock speed giving the
R4000 increased performance over the R3000A. Additionally,
the ASIC chip has incorporated a large scale integration design
optimizing the interface controlling logic onto a single chip.
The CPU module is replaceable. You can also upgrade to a
faster CPU module. The Personal DECstation/DECsystem
supports the CPU modules described in Table 12-1.
Table 12-1. CPU Modules
CPU type

FRU number

Customer order number

20-megahertz R3000

54-20615-01
54-21337-01
54-20615-02
54-21337-02
54-21331-01
54-21874-01

KN02-BC

25-megahertz R3000
33-megahertz R3000
50-megahertz R4000

KN02-CC
KN02-DA
KN04-AA

1 These are the newer plastic (as opposed to ceramic) parts; they are functionally
equivalent to the earlier variety.

Some CPU modules are similar in appearance. Look on the
module for the adhesive label displaying the part number suffix
(01 or 02) for help in identifying modules.

12–2 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Mounting post
holes (3)

-x

xx
xx
x
xx

Part number label

Connector
WSMXM019

Figure 12-1. R3000 CPU module

MLO-010159
LJ-02971-TI0

Figure 12-2. R4000 CPU module

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–3

To determine which type of module is installed without opening
the workstation, run the CPU type test. At the console prompt
(>>), type
t 3/misc/cpu-type
and press Return. The CPU type is identified by one of the
following messages:
For the 20-megahertz
module
For the 25-megahertz
module
For the 33-megahertz
module
For the 50-megahertz
module

3/misc/cpu-type’s code: NDX-90A
3/misc/cpu-type’s code: NDX-96A
3/misc/cpu-type’s code: NDX-102A
3/misc/cpu-type’s code: NDX-64A

12–4 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

To Remove a CPU Module
1.
2.

Follow all recommended anti-static procedures prior to
handling the CPU module.
Use your fingers or the PC Removal Tool (74-46254-01)
to squeeze each mounting post lock that fastens the CPU
module to the base system module as shown in Figure 12-3.
Then lift the corner of the CPU module board slightly to
free it from the lock.
Directly below the heat sink is a fastener which requires
needle-nose pliers to removed the CPU from the fastener.
When the board is free of all locks, grip it by the edges
at both ends of the connector and lift it up and out of the
connector. If necessary, gently rock the module to loosen it.

Caution: Do not touch the CPU module heat sinks. The heat sinks

are fragile and break easily. If the system was recently powered
down, they can also be extremely hot.

To Install a CPU Module
1.

2.
3.
4.

Position the CPU module so its connector is aligned over
the CPU module connector on the base system module.
Align the holes in the CPU module over the mounting posts
on the base system module.
Press the CPU module connector into the base system
module connector.
Press the hole in each corner of the CPU module onto the
corresponding mounting post lock.
Install product conversion label (36-15946-XX) on the top
of the base system enclosure, placing the label near the
back edge of the cover, centered between the two sides.
This label indicates an upgrade was done from a KN02 to
a KN04 type CPU card. All upgraded systems should have
this label, if it is missing, then put a label on it.

Note: The product conversion label and the PC Removal Tool are
included in the R4000 CPU Module Upgrade Kit.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–5

Standoff
Tool
Do not touch the CPU
module heat sinks.

Lock

Mounting posts

Lift the CPU module
straight out of the connector.

LJ-02988-TI0

Figure 12-3. Removing and installing a CPU module

12–6 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Removing and Installing Memory Modules
The base system module memory connectors hold one or two
pairs of 2-megabyte or 8-megabyte single in-line memory
modules (SIMMs).
Stand behind the system unit to remove and install memory
modules.
Reach down in front of the memory modules to release
the latches on the front of the connectors with your
fingers, not your thumbs.
Use the directional references (front, back, left, right)
in these instructions.
Pairs of memory modules must be removed starting with
those in the connectors nearest the front of the system unit.
Memory modules must be installed starting with the pair of
connectors nearest the back of the system unit.
Each pair of connectors is identified by a slot number
etched on the edge of the base system module. The
connector pair nearest the back of the system unit has
slot number 0, and the connector pair nearest the front has
slot number 1.
The memory modules installed in a system must be all
2-megabyte or all 8-megabyte modules. Never combine
2-megabyte and 8-megabyte memory modules in the same
system.

Identifying Memory Modules
Table 12-2 shows how to identify the two 2-megabyte modules
from each other and the 8-megabyte module.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–7

Table 12-2. Identifying Memory Modules
Customer
Order No.

Module Part
No.

Size

MS01-AA

57-30735-02

2MB

MS01-CA

57-34320-01

8MB

MS01L-AB

54-21213-011

2MB

1 The 54-21213-01 (MS01L-AB) memory module can be used interchangeably with the
57-30735-02 (MS01-AA) module and can be used with the DECstation 5000 Model
100 as well as the Personal DECstation but cannot be used with either the 2100 or
3100 models because of base system hardware incompatibility.

Note: Do not confuse the 50-xxxxx-xx etch number with

the module part number which is either a 54-xxxxx-xx or
57-xxxxx-xx class number.

Figure 12-4 and Figure 12-5 show how to identify the earlier
2MB module versus the 8MB module.
On the 2-megabyte module, the etch part number (not the
module part number) is in the center of the top edge of the
back of the module.
On the 8-megabyte module, the etch part number is on the
top left corner on the front of the module.
Memory Slot Numbers and Address Ranges
Figure 12-6 shows the memory module slot numbers. These
slot numbers are used to identify the memory modules in test
commands and error messages.
Table 12-3 shows the address range for each memory module
slot and the baseboard RAM. When a memory error occurs,
the error message contains the address of the error. You can
identify the bad memory module by the address.

12–8 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Table 12-3. RAM address ranges
Memory Slot

2-Megabyte Module
Address Ranges

8-Megabyte Module
Address Ranges

0
1
Baseboard RAM

0x00000000 to 0x003FFFFF
0x00400000 to 0x007FFFFF
0x00800000 to 0x00F00000

0x00000000 to 0x007FFFFF
0x00800000 to 0x00FFFFFF
0x01000000 to 0x01800000

Front view

2-Mbyte SIMM:
Etch part number
in the center

XX-XX

XXXXX

Notch

Back view
WSMXM021

Figure 12-4. Identifying 2-megabyte memory modules

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–9

8-Mbyte SIMM:
Etch part number
at the end farthest
from the notch

XX-XX

XXX-X

Notch

Front view

Back view
WSMXM022

Figure 12-5. Identifying 8-megabyte memory modules

12–10 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

CPU module

Memory
module

slot

numbers

Low bank memory slots
High bank memory slots
WSMXM023

Figure 12-6. Memory module slot numbers

To Remove a Memory Module
1.

Use the slot numbers printed beside the memory module
connectors to identify the pair of connectors that hold the
memory modules you want to replace.
If you have bank information from an error message, use
the bank information to identify the individual memory
module of the pair as follows:
The slot nearer the power supply is the low memory
bank, identified in error messages by the designator
D0-15.
The slot farther from the power supply is the high
memory bank, identified in error messages by the
designator D16-31.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–11

Reach down in front of the memory module and release
the spring clips on the front of the connector with your
fingers as shown in Figure 12-7. Tilt the module toward
the front of the system unit. Lift the memory module
up and out of the connector.
Repeat this procedure to remove each memory module.
Caution: There is not enough room to remove a memory module
unless it is at the front of the line. Remove any memory modules
between the module you are replacing and the front of the system unit
first.

WSMXM024

Figure 12-7. Removing a memory module

12–12 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

To Install a Memory Module
1.
2.

4.
5.

Always install memory modules starting with slot 0 or
lowest-numbered vacant slot.
Position the memory module so the notched end is away
from the power supply. Align the lower edge of the memory
module over the connector as shown in Figure 12-8.
Tilt the top of the memory module toward the front of the
system unit and push the connector down into the connector
on the base system module.
Rotate the memory module to the vertical position, causing
the spring clips to snap into place.
Repeat the procedure to install each memory module.
Remember these modules must be installed in pairs.

Run the cnfg 3 test to verify that the memory is there. If the
power-up self-test reports a home memory error, see Chapter 5
of this guide.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–13

WSMXM025

Figure 12-8. Installing a memory module

12–14 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Removing and Installing TURBOchannel Option Modules
Caution: Always follow antistatic procedures when handling option
modules. Always power down equipment before servicing.

To Remove an Option Module
1.
2.

Disconnect any cables that are connected to the rear of the
option module.
If you are replacing an Ethernet option module, remove
the ESAR chip from the old module. See ‘‘Ethernet Option
Module ESAR Chip’’ section of this guide and ‘‘To Remove
and Install a Base System ESAR Chip’’ section of this
guide.
Note: Save the ESAR chip for installation on the new Ethernet
option module.

Using the system tool, remove the screws that hold the
option module to the standoffs and the screws that hold the
option module to the back of the system unit as shown in
Figure 12-9.
Grip the option module board by the edges at both ends of
the connector and lift the board up and out of the connector.
If necessary, gently rock the module to loosen it.

To Install an Option Module
1.
2.

3.
4.

If the rear panel opening for the option module is covered
by a blank plate, remove the two screws and then the plate.
Position the option module so its external connector is in
the appropriate opening on the back of the system unit and
its internal connector is aligned over the corresponding
TURBOchannel option module connector on the base
system module.
Firmly press the option module internal connector down
into the base system module connector.
Insert and tighten the screws that fasten the module to
the back of the system unit and the screws that fasten the
module to the standoffs.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–15

If you are replacing an Ethernet option module, install
the ESAR chip from the old module. See ‘‘To Remove and
Install a Base System ESAR Chip’’ section of this guide.
Insert the chip so the notch on the top of the chip is toward
the back of the system unit.
Option module
Standoff screw

external connector
TURBOchannel
option module

Option module
internal connector

Back panel
screw

Option module
standoff
(one of four)

WSMXM027

Figure 12-9. Removing and installing a TURBOchannel option module

12–16 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Ethernet Option Module ESAR Chip
Every ThickWire Ethernet TURBOchannel option module has
an Ethernet Station Address ROM (ESAR) chip (23-365A1-00),
which provides the Ethernet address of the Ethernet controller.
When you install a new Ethernet option module, remove the
ESAR chip from the original base option module and install it
on the new one so the workstation will have the same address
on the network.
The base system module also has an ESAR chip. See ‘‘To
Remove and Install a Base System ESAR Chip’’ section of this
guide.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–17

The notched end of the ESAR
chip is toward the back of the
system unit.
Look for the word ENET
on the chip.

cD
EC
84

EN
ET

D
S
770
LM 59 9
2
90
14 6CP
Z
36
5A W
1

AD
RS

ESAR connector

ESAR chip

WSMXM028

Figure 12-10. Option module ESAR chip

12–18 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Base System ESAR Chip
Caution: Always follow antistatic procedures when handling the
electronic components.

The base system module contains an Ethernet station address
register (ESAR) chip (23-365A1-00), which provides the
Ethernet address of the base system Ethernet controller.
When you install a new base system module, remove the ESAR
chip from the old base system module and install it on the new
one so that the workstation will have the same address on the
network. Every ThickWire Ethernet TURBOchannel option
module (PMAD-AB) also has an ESAR chip. (See ‘‘Ethernet
Option Module ESAR Chip’’ section of this guide.)
If you use the ESAR chip from the new board, inform the
system manager.
To Remove the Base System ESAR Chip
1.

2.
3.

If a TURBOchannel option module is installed in slot 1,
remove it. See ‘‘Removing and Installing TURBOchannel
Option Modules’’ section of this guide.
Locate the ESAR chip, shown in Figure 12-11
Gently pry the ESAR chip up and out of its socket.

To Install the Base System ESAR Chip
1.

Position the chip as shown in Figure 12-11. Make sure the
notched end of the chip is away from the power supply and
each pin is over a hole in the ESAR chip socket.
Press the chip pins into the ESAR socket. Be careful not to
bend the pins.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–19

Notch must face away
from power supply

ESAR chip

ENE
c D
DS77
EC 84
T
9 92ADRS
LM05
9014
CP
ZW
365A
1

ESAR connector

Look for the word
ENET on the chip

WSMXM018

Figure 12-11. Base system ESAR chip

12–20 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

Removing and Installing the Base System Module
The base system module (54-21325-01) provides basic system
functions. The base system module features that are significant
to the field maintenance process are listed here and shown in
Figure 12-12.
One CPU module connector
Eight megabytes of 32-bit parity random access memory
(RAM) resident on the system module
Four connectors for up to 32 megabytes of additional RAM
One on-board 1024 x 768, 8-plane, 72-hertz color frame
buffer video controller
One SERIAL.bus interface for keyboard and mouse
One floppy disk interface (FDI) controller for an internally
mounted 3.5-inch floppy disk drive (such as the RX26)
One small computer system interface (SCSI) controller for
up to seven drives
One synchronous/asynchronous RS232 serial communications port with full modem control
One ThickWire Ethernet controller with an Ethernet
station address register (ESAR) chip
Two connectors for TURBOchannel option modules
One clear-NVR connector
Diagnostic ROM

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–21

Metal gasket

ESAR chip

TURBOchannel option

CPU module slot

module slots (2)
Clear-NVR
connector

System module
power connector
Drive power connector
SIMM connectors (4)
Internal SCSI connector

FDI connector
Internal SCSI connector
WSMXM015

Figure 12-12. Base system module

12–22 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

To Remove the Base System Module
To remove the base system module, you must first remove the
following from the system unit:
The system unit cover (See Chapter 10.)
The CPU module (See Chapter 11.)
All memory modules (See Chapter 11.)
Any TURBOchannel option modules (See Chapter 11.)
The internal hard disk drive, if there is one (See
Chapter 11.)
The ESAR chip on the base system module (See the
description earlier in this chapter.)
Then remove the system module.
1.
2.

3.
4.

Disconnect the system module power cord from the system
module.
Unscrew the following fasteners to release the base system
module from the system unit chassis:
Seven screws
Four CPU module standoffs
Four TURBOchannel option module standoffs
Slide the system module toward the front of the system unit
just enough to clear the retaining post (see Figure 12-13.)
Lift the base system module up and away from the chassis.
Caution: Be careful not to damage the base system module

gasket.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–23

Retaining post
Slot

Gasket

WSMXM016

Figure 12-13. Removing and installing the base system module

12–24 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

To Install the Base System Module
1.
2.

Position the system module over the chassis so the metal
gasket is up and toward the rear of the chassis.
Hold the module against the rear panel of the chassis,
compressing the metal gasket. Align the holes in the
module over the mounting posts on the chassis. Reinstall
the fasteners removed earlier:
Seven screws
Four CPU module standoffs
Four TURBOchannel option module standoffs

Then reinstall the following:
The ESAR chip
The internal floppy disk drive, if there is one
The internal hard disk drive, if there is one
Any TURBOchannel option modules
All memory modules
The CPU module
The system unit cover
Connect the system module power cord

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–25

Installing and Removing the Power Supply
The power supply (H7817-AA) provides 113 watts of DC
power to the system unit. The back panel of the power supply
contains the on/off switch, the main power connector, and the
convenience outlet. The power supply fan draws air through
the system unit enclosure, cooling all components.
The green LED on the front of the power supply is visible
through the translucent Digital logo panel on the front panel of
the system unit cover. This status indicator is not a standard
DCOK LED; it is used solely as a status indicator. This LED
turns on only when the power supply is operating correctly.
Service of the power supply in the field consists of removing
and replacing the entire unit.
To Remove the Power Supply
1.

Disconnect the main and accessory power cables from the
AC power connectors. Disconnect the system module power
cord from the connector on the base system module as
shown in Figure 12-14.
Remove the screw that fastens the power supply to the floor
of the system unit chassis and the screw that fastens the
power supply to the rear panel of the system unit chassis.
Slide the power supply toward the front of the system unit
just enough to clear the rear panel. Raise the rear of the
power supply, allowing it to rotate toward the vertical until
the tab at the front of the power supply is free in the slot in
the floor of the system unit chassis.
Lift the power supply up and out of the system unit chassis.

12–26 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

To Install the Power Supply
1.
2.

4.
5.

Make sure the system unit power switch is off. (Press the 0
on the switch.)
With the rear of the power supply raised, slide the tab on
the front of the power supply down into the slot in the floor
of the system unit chassis. Lower the rear of the power
supply and slide it backward so the rear panel of the power
supply is positioned in the opening in the rear panel of the
system unit chassis.
Install the screw that fastens the power supply to the floor
of the system unit chassis and the screw that fastens the
power supply to the rear panel of the system unit chassis.
Connect the system module power cord to the connector on
the base system module.
Install the system unit cover.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–27

On/off switch
Main power connector

System module
power cord

System unit-to-monitor
power connector

Main power cord

Power supply
LED (green)

Power supply

Screw

WSMXM026

Figure 12-14. Power supply

12–28 CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory

For Further Information
For information about identifying failed FRUs, see Chapters 4,
5, 6, and 9.
For complete information about console commands, see
Appendix D.
For information about troubleshooting external drives, SCSI
controllers, Ethernet controllers, and TURBOchannel option
modules, refer to the TURBOchannel Maintenance Guide.

CPU, TURBOchannel Options, and Memory 12–29

13
Keyboard and Pointing Devices
The Personal DECstation/DECsystem supports the following
input devices.
One keyboard
One mouse
When the system is configured as a server, the user input and
output devices are a terminal with a keyboard connected to the
serial communications port.

Keyboard and Pointing Devices 13–1

Keyboard
The system supports the LK501 low-profile SERIAL.bus
keyboard.
The keyboard is connected to the SERIAL.bus connector on the
rear panel of the system unit by means of the keyboard cable.
Connect the mouse cable to one of the connectors recessed in
the rear edge of the keyboard and the keyboard cable to the
other connector. The two connectors are identical; either cable
can be connected to either connector.

LK501 keyboard
WSMXM040

Figure 13-1. Keyboards

13–2 Keyboard and Pointing Devices

Mouse
The system supports the VSXXX-BB Figure 13-2 and the
VSXXX-GB mouse Figure 13-3.
The mouse connects to the keyboard and the keyboard connects
to the SERIAL.bus connector on the rear panel of the system
unit by means of the keyboard cable.

WSMXM041

Figure 13-2. VSXXX-BB Mouse

Figure 13-3. VSXXX-GB Mouse

LJ-02977-TI0

Keyboard and Pointing Devices 13–3

Removing and Installing the Input Devices
You can remove and replace the keyboard and mouse without
resetting the system; that is, you can ‘‘hotswap’’ it.
To Disconnect the Keyboard and Mouse
1.

Pinch the two tabs that hold the mouse cable connector on
the keyboard connector. Pull the mouse cable connector out
of the keyboard connector.
Pinch the two tabs that hold the keyboard cable connector
in its connector on the keyboard. Pull the keyboard cable
connector out of the keyboard connector.
Pinch the two tabs that hold the keyboard cable connector
in the SERIAL.bus connector on the rear panel of the
system unit. Pull the keyboard cable connector out of the
SERIAL.bus connector.

To Install the Keyboard and Mouse
1.

Push the keyboard cable connector straight into the
SERIAL.bus connector on the rear panel of the system
unit until the cable connector clicks into place. It fits only
one way.
Push the cable connector straight into either of the
connectors recessed in the rear edge of the keyboard until
the cable connector clicks into place. It fits only one way.
Push the mouse cable connector straight into either of the
connectors recessed in the rear edge of the keyboard until
the cable connector clicks into place. It fits only one way.

13–4 Keyboard and Pointing Devices

Mouse connector
on keyboard

WSMXM042

Figure 13-4. Removing and installing a keyboard and mouse

Keyboard and Pointing Devices 13–5

Part IV
Appendices

A
Equipment Specifications
This appendix lists the physical specifications, operating
conditions, and nonoperating conditions for the following
equipment:
Personal DECstation 5000
VRC16 monitor
VRM17 monitor
LK501 keyboard
VSXXX-BB mouse
RZ23L hard disk drive
RZ24L hard disk drive
RZ25 hard disk drive
RZ26 hard disk drive
TLZ06 cassette tape
RX26 floppy diskette drive

Equipment Specifications A–1

Personal DECstation 5000 System Unit Equipment
Specifications
Table A-1. System Unit Description
Weight
Height
Width
Depth
Input voltage
Input current
Power
– Frequency
– Heat dissipation

6.80 to 9.50 kg (15.00 to 21.00 lb)
9.14 cm (3.60 in)
40.64 cm (16.00 in)
43.18 cm (17.00 in)
Auto adjust 100–120 Vac or 220–240 Vac
1.6 A at 100–120 Vac
0.8 A at 220–240 Vac
50 to 60 Hz
123 watts, maximum

Table A-2. System Unit Operating Conditions
Temperature range1
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Minimum dew-point temperature
Altitude

10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F)
11°C (52°F) per hour, maximum
10% to 90%, noncondensing
28°C (82°F)
2°C (36°F)
2,400 m (8,000 ft) maximum

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

A–2 Equipment Specifications

Table A-3. System Unit Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
5% to 95%, noncondensing
46°C (115°F), packaged
4,900 m (16,000 ft) maximum

Table A-4. Acoustics—Preliminary Declared Values per ISO 9296 and ISO 7779
LWAd

LpAm (operator position)

Idle
4.5 bels
36 dBA
Operating
4.5 bels
36 dBA
(Current values for specific configurations are available from Digital representatives.)

Equipment Specifications A–3

VRC16 Monitor Equipment Specifications
Table A-5. VRC16 Monitor Description
Weight
Height
Width
Depth
External controls, switches, and
indicators

Swivel range
Tilt range
Cathode-ray tube (CRT)

Display characteristics

Video input
– Termination
– Amplitude

Horizontal rate timing
– Active video
– Back porch

25 kg (55.00 lb) maximum
43.18 cm (17 in)
41.15 cm (16.2 in)
43.43 cm (17.1 in)
Brightness
Contrast
Power switch
Power indicator
User interface
90°
5° to 15°
432 mm (17 in) diagonal
INVAR shadow-mask, black matrix screen
0.26 mm maximum triad pitch
90° deflection angle
3 color
Silica antiglare treatment, purity shielding,
dynamic focus correction
1024 by 768 pixels and 1280 by 1024 pixels
Maximum brightness no less than 30
footlamberts (fl)

75 ohms 2%
Red: 0.714 Vpp 2%
Green (with sync): 1.0 Vpp 10%
Blue: 0.714 Vpp 2%
Monitor syncs automatically to 66 hz (mode 1)
or 72 hz (mode 2)
13.653 s
1.813 s

(continued on next page)

A–4 Equipment Specifications

Table A-5 (Cont.). VRC16 Monitor Description
– Blanking interval
– Frequency
– Front porch
– Horizontal period
– Sync pulse
Vertical rate timing
– Active video
– Blanking interval
– Frequency
– Front porch
– Sync pulse
– Vertical period
Power
– ac input voltage
– Frequency
– Power consumption

4.0533 s (416 pixels)
56.476 kHz
0.32 s
17.707 s
1.920 s

13.599 ms
0.673 ms
70.069 Hz
0.053 ms
0.106 ms
14.272 ms
100-120 or 220-240 Vac
47 to 63 Hz
150 watts maximum

Table A-6. VRC16 Monitor Operating Conditions
Temperature range 1
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Minimum dew-point temperature
Altitude

10°C to 35°C (50° to 95°F)
10% or less to 95%
32°C ( 89°F)
2°C (36°F)
10,000 ft maximum

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-7. VRC16 Monitor Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
90% to 95%
66°C (98°F) packaged
12,780 m (50,000 ft) maximum

Equipment Specifications A–5

VRM17 Monitor Equipment Specifications
Table A-8. VRM17 Monitor Description
Weight
Height
Width
Depth
External controls, switches, and
indicators

81.57 kg (37 lb)
41.91 cm (16.50 in)
40.64 cm (16.0 in)
37.47 cm (14.75 in)
Brightness
Contrast
Power switch
Power indicator
High scan/low scan switch

Cathode-ray tube (CRT)

483 mm (431.8mm (17 in)) diagonal
Monochrome
high efficiency type phosphor
1280 pixels by 1024 lines (high scan) or
1024 pixels by 768 lines (low scan)
Picture size 295 by 236 mm (high scan) or
300 by 225mm (low scan)
Maximum brightness no less than footlamberts
(fl)

Display characteristics

Video input
– Termination
– Amplitude
– Refresh rate

Horizontal rate timing
– Active video time
– Back porch
– Blanking interval
– Frequency
– Front porch

75 ohms 2% BNC
1.0 Vpp composite video
72 Hz
Factory or field service configurable

9.7853 s (high scan) and 13.7691 s (low scan)
1.7124 s (high scan) and 1.7211 s (low scan)
3.1802 s (high scan) and 3.6574 s (low scan)
77.1273 kHz (high scan) and 57.384 kHz
(low scan)
0.2446 s (high scan) and 0.2151 s (low scan)

(continued on next page)

A–6 Equipment Specifications

Table A-8 (Cont.). VRM17 Monitor Description
– Horizontal period
– Pixels displayed
– Sync pulse
Vertical rate timing
– Back porch

12.9579 s (high scan) and 17.4265 s
(low scan)
1280 (high scan) and 1024 (low scan)
1.2232 s (high scan) and 1.7211 s (low scan)

– Vertical frequency

0.427864 ms (high scan) and 0.3834 ms
(low scan)
0.505658 ms (high scan) and 0.5054 ms
(low scan)
0.038897 ms (high scan) and 0.0174 ms
(low scan)
1024 (high scan) and 76 (low scan)
13.7842 s (high scan) and 13.8889 s
(low scan)
0.038897 s (high scan) and 0.1046 s
(low scan)
72.5562 Hz (high scan) and 72.033 Hz (low scan)

Power
– ac input
– Frequency
– Power consumption

88 to 264 volts
47 to 63 Hz
75 watts

– Blanking interval
– Front porch
– Lines displayed
– Vertical period
– Vertical sync pulse

Equipment Specifications A–7

Table A-9. VRM17 Monitor Operating Conditions
Temperature range 1
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Minimum dew-point temperature
Altitude

10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F)
11° (20°F) per hour maximum
10% to 90% noncondensing
28°C (82°F)
2°C (36°F)
2400 m (8000 ft) maximum

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-10. VRM17 Monitor Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

A–8 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
95% to noncondensing
46°C (115°F) packaged
4900 m (16000 ft) maximum

LK501-AA Keyboard Equipment Specifications
Table A-11. LK501-AA Keyboard Description
Weight
Height
Width
Depth
Number of keys
Number of indicators
Language variations
Cable
Baud rate
Electrical interface
Power consumption
Power input
Volume control
Keystroke timing

1.16 kg (2.56 lb)
4.76 cm (1.88 in)
47.80 cm (19.00 in)
19.20 cm (7.56 in)
108
2 status LEDs
15
Software selectable (keycaps required)
1.8 m (6 ft) uncoiled length
4-pin mmj connector at one end
4800
EIA RS 423
2.0 watts maximum
12 V 6% at 350 ma
8 levels, plus off
20 ms minimum

Equipment Specifications A–9

Table A-12. LK501-AA Keyboard Operating Conditions
Temperature range 1
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Minimum dew-point temperature
Altitude

10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F)
10% to 90% noncondensing
32°C (90°F)
15°C (60°F)
2,400 m (8,000 ft) maximum

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-13. LK501-AA Keyboard Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

A–10 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
10% to 95%, noncondensing
52°C (126°F), packaged
4,900 m (16,000 ft) maximum

VSXXX-BB Mouse Equipment Specifications
Table A-14. VSXXX-BB Mouse Description
Weight
Height
Diameter
Buttons
Cable length
Accuracy

Baud rate
Data format
Electrical interfaces
Operating modes
Resolution
Tracking speed
Tracking rate

0.82 kg (0.37 lb)
39.9 mm (1.57 in)
88.9 mm (3.50 in)
3
1.5 m (5 ft) shielded, 6 conductors and terminals
in a 7-pin micro-DIN-type connector (male)
3% 0 to 24.5 cm (0 to 10 in) per second in any
direction
15% 24.5 to 49 cm (10 to 20 in) per second in
any direction
30% 49 to 73.5 cm (20 to 30 in) per second in
any direction
4800
Delta binary
Serial.bus
Incremental or polling
79 counts per cm (200 counts per in)
73.5 cm (30 in) per second
In incremental mode: 55 reports per second
In polling mode: up to 95 reports per second

Equipment Specifications A–11

Table A-15. VSXXX-BB Mouse Operating Conditions
Temperature range 1
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Minimum dew-point temperature
Altitude

10°C to 35°C (50°F to 95°F)
10% to 90% noncondensing
28°C (82°F)
2°C (36°F)
2,400 m (8,000 ft) maximum

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-16. VSXXX-BB Mouse Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

A–12 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C (40°F to 151°F)
5% to 95% noncondensing
46°C (115°F) packaged
4,900 m (16,000 ft) maximum

RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications
Table A-17. RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description
Internal drive
Weight
Height
Width
Depth
Capacity
– Bytes per drive
– Blocks per drive
– Block size
Data transfer rate
– Bus asynchronous mode
– Bus synchronous mode
– To and from media
Seek time

Average latency
Interface

0.54 kg (1.20 lb)
2.54 cm (1.00 in)
10.16 cm (4.00 in)
14.61 cm (5.75 in)
121.65 MB
237,588
512 bytes
3.0 MB per second
4.0 MB per second
1.5 MB per second
8 ms track-to-track
19 ms average
35 ms maximum
8.8 ms
SCSI

Equipment Specifications A–13

Table A-18. RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions
Temperature range1
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Minimum dew-point temperature
Altitude

10°C to 55°C (50°F to 128°F)
11°C (20°F per hour, maximum
8% to 80% noncondensing
26°C (78°F)
2°C (36°F)
300 to 4600 m ( 1000 to 15,000 ft)

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-19. RZ23L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

A–14 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
20°C (36°F) per hour, maximum
8% to 95% packaged, noncondensing
46°C (115°F) packaged
300 to 12,200 m ( 1,000 to 40,000 ft)

RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications
Table A-20. RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description
Internal drive
– Weight
– Height
– Width
– Depth
Capacity
– Bytes per drive
– Blocks per drive
– Block size
Data transfer rate
– Bus asynchronous mode
– Bus synchronous mode
– To and from media
Seek time

Average latency
Interface

0.77 kg (1.70 lb)
4.14 cm (1.63 in)
10.16 cm (4.00 in)
14.61 cm (5.75 in)
245.4M
479,350
512 bytes
3.0 MB per second
4.0 MB per second
1.5 MB per second
5 ms track-to-track
16 ms average
35 ms maximum
8.3 ms
SCSI

Equipment Specifications A–15

Table A-21. RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions
Temperature range1
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

10°C to 55°C (50°F to 131°F)
11°C (20°F) per hour, maximum
8% to 80% noncondensing
26°C (78°F)
300 to 4600 m ( 1000 to 15,000 ft)

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-22. RZ24L SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

A–16 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
8% to 95% packaged, noncondensing
46°C (115°F) packaged
300 m to 12,200 m ( 1,000 ft to 40,000 ft)

RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications
Table A-23. RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description
Internal drive
– Weight
– Height
– Width
– Depth
Capacity
– Bytes per drive
– Blocks per drive
– Block size
Data transfer rate
– Bus asynchronous mode
– Bus synchronous mode
– To and from media
Seek time

Average latency
Interface

0.82 kg (1.8 lb)
4.14 cm (1.63 in)
10.16 cm (4.00 in)
14.61 cm (5.75 in)
426 MB
832,527
512 bytes
3.0 MB per second
4.0 MB per second
2.1–3.2 MB per second
2.5 ms track-to-track
14 ms average
26 ms maximum
6.8 ms
SCSI

Equipment Specifications A–17

Table A-24. RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions
Temperature range1
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

10°C to 55°C (50°F to 131°F)
11°C (20°F) per hour, maximum
8% to 80% noncondensing
26°C (78°F)
300 to 3050 m ( 1000 to 10,000 ft)

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft) increase in
altitude.

Table A-25. RZ25 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

A–18 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
20°C (36°F) per hour, maximum
8% to 95% packaged, noncondensing
46°C (115°F) packaged
300 m to 12,200 m ( 1,000 ft to 40,000 ft)

RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Equipment Specifications
Table A-26. RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Description
Internal drive
– Weight
– Height
– Width
– Depth
Capacity
– Bytes per drive
– Bytes per surface
– Bytes per track
– Buffer size
Data transfer rate
– To and from media
Seek time
– Track-to-track
– Average
Average latency
Rotational speed

0.9 kg (1.9 lb)
4.13 cm (1.625 in)
10.2 cm (4.00 in)
14.6 cm (5.75 in)
1050 M
75M
29,640
512 KB
2.6 MB per second
1ms
10 ms
5.6 ms
5363 rpm

Equipment Specifications A–19

Table A-27. RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Operating Conditions
Ambient temperature
Relative humidity

10°C to 50°C (50°F to 122°F)
10% to 90% noncondensing

Table A-28. RZ26 SCSI Hard Disk Drive Nonoperating Conditions
Ambient temperature
Relative humidity

A–20 Equipment Specifications

40°C to 66°C ( 40°F to 151°F)
8% to 95% packaged, noncondensing

TLZ06 Cassette Tape Drive Equipment Specifications
Table A-29. TLZ06 Cassette Tape Drive Description
Dimensions
– Weight
– Height
– Width
– Depth
Capacity
– Per drive
– Per drive
– Per surface
– Blocks per drive

2.2 kg (4.7 lb)
4.1 cm (1.6 in)
14.6 cm (5.75 in)
30.00 cm (12.00 in)
1.2
320 MB, approximate DC6320 cartridge
525 MB, approximate DC6525 cartridge
2.48 MB
649,040

Table A-30. TLZ06 Cassettes
Cassette

Size

Capacity

TLZ06-CA

4mm x 90m

2 or 4 GB

Table A-31. TLZ06 Cassettte Tape Drive Operating Conditions
Operating temperature
Operating humidity
Altitude

10°C to 40°C (50°F to 104°F)
20% to 80% noncondensing
0 m to 4572 m (0 to 15,000 ft)

Table A-32. TLZ06 Cassette Tape Drive Nonoperating Conditions
Nonoperating temperature
Relative humidity
Altitude

40°C to 70°C (40°F to 158°F)
5% to 95% noncondensing
0 m to 15,240 m (0 to 50,000 ft)

Equipment Specifications A–21

RX26 Diskette Drive Equipment Specifications
Table A-33. RX26 Diskette Drive Description
Weight

Height

Width

Depth

425 g
(0.94 lb)

25.4 mm
(1.00 in)

101.6 mm
(4.00 in)

150.0 mm
(5.91 in)

Table A-34. RX26 Diskette Disk Drive Specifications (formatted)
Number of cyclinders
Number of heads
Track density
Diskette size
Recording surfaces per diskette
MFM data bit rate
Sectors per track

Capacity
– Bytes per drive
– Bytes per track
– Bytes per track

Data transfer rate

Seek time
Average latency
Operating power
Standby power

A–22 Equipment Specifications

80
2
135 tracks per inch
8.89 cm (3.50 in)
2
250, 500, 1000 kHz
9 double density
18 high density
36 extra density
2.88 KB
737,280 double density
1,474,560 high density
2,949,120 extra density
4608 double density
9216 high density
18,432 extra density
250 Kbits per second double density
500 Kbits per second high density
1000 Kbits per second extra density
3 ms minimum
15 ms average
100 ms
1.25 watts (read/write)
4.60 watts (seeking)
0.30 watts

Table A-35. RX26 Diskette Drive Operating Conditions
Temperature range1
Temperature change rate
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

°5C to 50°C (40°F to 122°F)
11°C (20°F) per hour, maximum
8% to 80%, noncondensing
25.6°C (78°F)
-300 to 3050 m (-1000 to 10,000 ft) maximum

1 Reduce maximum temperature by 1.8°C for each 1,000 meter (1.0°F for each 1,000 ft.) increase
in altitude.

Table A-36. RX26 Diskette Drive Nonoperating Conditions
Temperature range
Relative humidity
Maximum wet-bulb temperature
Altitude

-40°C to 66°C (-40°F to 151°F))
5% to 95%, noncondensing
46°C (115°F), packaged
-300 to 12,200 m (-1000 to 40,000 ft) maximum

Equipment Specifications A–23

B
Part Numbers
This appendix lists the following part numbers for the Personal
DECstation 5000:
Basic system components
SCSI and floppy disk hardware
Input devices
Cables
Connectors, adapters, and terminators
Miscellaneous hardware
Software documentation
Hardware documentation

Part Numbers B–1

Basic System Components
Table B-1. Basic System Components
Item

FRU Number

Customer Order Number

System module
CPU module only, 20-MHz
CPU module only, 25-MHz
Power supply assembly
Memory module (SIMM),
2Mb, single
Memory modules, 4Mb pair,
(two 2Mb SIMMs)
Memory module (SIMM),
8Mb, single
Memory modules, 16Mb pair,
(two 8Mb SIMMs)
System unit cover
System unit chassis

54-21325-01
54-20615-01
54-20615-02
H7817-AA
57-30735-02
54-21213-01
—

PMBA-AB
KN02-BC
KN02-CC
H7817-AA
—

57-34320-01

MS01-AA
MS01L-AA
—

—

MS01-CA

70-28353-02
74-44241-02

—
—

1 The 54-21213-01 (MS01L-AA) memory module can be used interchangeably with

the 57-30735-02 (MS01-AA) memory module and can be used with the DECstation
5000 Model 100 as well as the Personal DECstation but cannot be used with either
the 2100 or 3100 models because of base system hardware incompatibility.

B–2 Part Numbers

SCSI and Floppy Disk Hardware
Table B-2. SCSI and Floppy Disk Hardware
Item

Part Number

Customer Order Number

SCSI controller option
module
SCSI system-unit-toexpansion-box cable
SCSI controller terminator
SCSI chain terminator
SCSI disk bracket kit
Internal SCSI cable
RZ23L half-height hard disk
drive
RZ24L hard disk drive
RZ24 hard disk drive PCB
RZ25 hard disk drive
RZ26 hard disk drive
Internal drive power cable
Floppy disk mounting bracket
Floppy disk drive shield
FDI cable
Floppy port plug
RX26 diskette drive
RX26 diskette drive unit

54-19876-01

PMAZ-AB

17-02641-01

BC09D-03

12-33626-01
12-30552-01
—
17-01626-05
RZ23L-E

—
—
RZ2X-FN

RZ24L-E
29-28144-01
RZ25-E
RZ26-E
17-03357-01
74-45823-01
74-46395-01
17-02221-02
74-46387-01
—
RX26-AA

RZ24L-FL
—
RZ25-EP
RZ26-EP
—
—
—
—
—
RX26-FC
—

RZ23L-FL

Part Numbers B–3

Monitors
Table B-3. Monitors
Item

Customer Order Number

VRC16, 16-inch color monitor, 120/240 volts,
Northern Hemisphere
VRC16, 16-inch color monitor, 120/240 volts,
Southern Hemisphere
VRM17, 17-inch gray-scale monitor, 120/240
volts, Northern Hemisphere
VRM17, 17-inch gray-scale monitor, 120/240
volts, Southern Hemisphere

VRC16-HA
VRC16-H4
VRM17-HA
VRM17-H4

Input Devices
Table B-4. Input Devices
Item

Customer Order Number

Keyboard, extended
Mouse
Mouse

LK501
VSXXX-BB
VSXXX-GB

B–4 Part Numbers

Cables and Cords
Table B-5. Cables and Cords
Item

Part Number

Customer Order Number

Monitor-to-system-unit power
cable (U.S.)
Monitor-to-system-unit power
cable (Europe)
System unit or expansion box
power cord
SCSI expansion-box-toexpansion-box cable
Serial line cable
SCSI system-unit-toexpansion-box cable
ThickWire transceiver cable
ThinWire cable, 12-ft
Video cable, color
Video cable, grayscale
Video cable, monochrome

17-00442-25

BN19P-1K

17-00365-19

BN19A-2C

17-00606-10

BN19P-K

17-01351-04

BC19J-1E

17-00811-02
17-02641-01

BC16E-10
BC09D-03

17-01321-01
17-01241-12
17-02906-01
17-02878-01
17-03054-01

BNE4C-02
BC16M-12
BC29G-09
BC09M-10
—

Miscellaneous Hardware
Table B-6. Miscellaneous Hardware
Item

FRU Number

Blank bezel insert
TURBOchannel cover
CPU standoff post
CPU standoff rivet
Disposable grounding wrist strap
Light pipe
Medallions

74-46387-01
74-41143-05
12-35477-01
12-35477-02
12-36175-01
74-44244-01
74-41856-13/-15

Part Numbers B–5

Connectors, Adapters, and Terminators
Table B-7. Connectors, Adapters, and Terminators
Item

FRU No.

Customer Order No.

MMJ loopback connector
ThickWire loopback connector
SCSI controller terminator
SCSI chain terminator
ThinWire T-connector
ThinWire terminators
Clear-NVR jumper
Comm-line-to-MMJ adapter
Comm modem loopback
ThinWire LAN assembly kit
DESTA ThickWire-toThinWire Ethernet adapter
Twisted pair (10baseT)
adapter

12-25083-01
12-22196-02
12-33626-01
12-30552-01
12-25869-01
12-26318-01
12-14314-00
12-33190-01
29-24795-00
22-00112-01
70-22781-02

12-25083-01
12-22196-02
—
12-30552-01
H8223-00
—
12-14314-00
—
29-24795-00
BC16T-12
DESTA-BA

—

H3350-AA

B–6 Part Numbers

Hardware Documentation
Table B-8. Hardware Documentation
Item

Customer Order Number

Personal DECstation 5000 User
Documentation Kit
Personal DECstation 5000 Basic Hardware
Installation Guide
Personal DECstation 5000 User’s Guide
Personal DECstation 5000 Reference Card
Personal DECstation 5000 Maintenance
Guide
Personal DECstation Pocket Service Guide
TURBOchannel Option User’s Guide
TURBOchannel Maintenance Guide
TURBOchannel Extender Maintenance
Guide

EK-PM300-DK-001
EK-PM30A-IN-001
EK-PM30E-RB-001
EK-PM30B-RG
EK-PM30F-MG
EK-PM30G-PG
EK-TCOUG-TC
EK-TRBOC-MG
EK-PM32X-MG

Part Numbers B–7

Software Documentation
Table B-9. Software Documentation
Item

Customer Order Number

ULTRIX Workstation Media (TK50) and
Documentation Kit
ULTRIX Workstation Media (CD-ROM) and
Documentation Kit
ULTRIX Workstation (OLD) On-line
Documentation and Media Kit (on CDROM )
DECnet ULTRIX/RISC Media (TK50) and
Documentation Kit
DEC C for ULTRIX/RISC (TK50)
ULTRIX Guide to the Error Logger
Technical Summary for RISC Processors
Documentation Overview for RISC
Processors

QA-VV1AA-H5
QA-VV1AA-H8
QA-VV1AL-H8
QA-YT9AA-H5
QA-YSJAA-H5
AE-ME95B-TE
AA-MM35A-TE
AA-MM05A-TE

Table B-10. Miscellaneous TURBOchannel options
Item

FRU Number

Customer Order Number

SCSI controller option
module
Thickwire ethernet option
module
FDDI interface module
TCE option module

54-19876-01

PMAZ-AB

54-19874-01

PMAD-AA

DEFZA-AA
54-20623-01

DEFZA-AA
—

B–8 Part Numbers

Table B-11. TURBOchannel Frame buffer options
Item

FRU Number

Customer Order Number

Mono frame buffer, 72Hz,
(MX)
Color frame buffer, 60Hz,
(CX)
Smart frame buffer,(HX),
1280X1024, 72Hz*,
1280X1024, 66Hz
Smart frame buffer,(HX),
1280X1024, 72Hz*,
1024X864, 60Hz
Smart frame buffer,(HX),
1280X1024, 72Hz*,
1024X768, 72Hz

54-20609-01

PMAG-AA

54-19815-01

PMAG-BA

54-21143-01

PMAGB-BA

54-21143-02

PMAGB-BC

54-21143-03

PMAGB-BE

Note: (* The default setting for all Smart frame buffers is 1280X1024

at 72Hz)

Part Numbers B–9

Table B-12. TURBOchannel Graphic accelerator options
Item

FRU Number

Customer Order Number

2D graphics accelerator,
66Hz, (PX)
True color frame buffer, 66Hz,
(TX)
True color frame buffer, 66Hz,
(TX)
True color frame buffer
picture-in-picture (PIP) board
Lo 3D graphics accelerator,
66Hz, (PXG)
Lo 3D graphics accelerator,
72Hz, (PXG+)
Lo 3D graphics accelerator,
66Hz, (PXG+)
Mid 3D graphics accelerator,
66Hz, (PXG)
Mid 3D graphics accelerator
with z-buffer, 72Hz, (PXG+)
Mid 3D graphics accelerator
with z-buffer, 66Hz, (PXG+)
Hi 3D graphics accelerator,
66Hz, (PXG turbo)
Hi 3D graphics accelerator,
72Hz, (PXG turbo+)
8 bit Z-buffer option for all lo
and mid 3D
16 bit Z-buffer option for all
lo and mid 3D
8 plane video memory for all
2Da and 3D modules

54-20314-01

PMAG-CA

30-35790-01

PMAG-JA

30-35790-02

PMAGB-JA

B–10 Part Numbers

30-35788-01
54-20185-01

PMAG-DA

54-20185-03

PMAGB-DA

54-20185-04

PMAGB-DC

54-20185-02

PMAG-EA

54-20185-05

PMAGB-EA

54-20185-06

PMAGB-EC

54-20114-01

PMAG-FA

54-20114-02

PMAGB-FA

54-20410-AA

—

54-20352-AA

—

54-20116-AA

—

C
Connector Pin Assignments
This appendix lists pin assignments for the following connector:
SCSI
EIA RS232
ThickWire Ethernet
Power supply
ISDN
Sound
SERIAL.bus
Modem loopback
Ethernet loopback

Connector Pin Assignments C–1

SCSI Connector Pin Assignments
Table C-1. SCSI Connector Pin Assignments
Pin

Signal

50
48
46
44
42
40
38
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2

I/O
REQ
C/D
SEL
MSG
RST
ACK
BSY
GND
ATN
GND
RSVD
TERMPWR
RSVD
GND
GND
PARITY
DATA<7>
DATA<6>
DATA<5>
DATA<4>
DATA<3>
DATA<2>
DATA<1>
DATA<0>

49
47
45
43
41
39
37
35
33
31
29
27
25
23
21
19
17
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
1

GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
RSVD
NC
RSVD
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND

C–2 Connector Pin Assignments

ThickWire Ethernet Connector Pin Assignments
Table C-2. ThickWire Ethernet Connector Pin Assignments
Pin

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Source

XCVR
KNO2
XCVR
XCVR

XCVR
KNO2
XCVR
KNO2

Signal

Description

ACOL+
ATX+
GND
ARX+
GND
CTL+
GND
ACOL–
ATX–
GND
ARX–
+12V
GND
CTL–

Shield
Collision presence
Transmission
Ground
Reception
Power return
Control output
Ground
Collision presence
Transmission
Ground
Reception
Power
Ground
Control output

Connector Pin Assignments C–3

EIA RS232 Communications Connectors Pin Assignments
Table C-3. EIA RS232 Communications Connectors Pin Assignments

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21

Signal

CCITT1

EIA2

Description

DCE

GND
TxD
RxD
RTS
CTS
DSR
GND
CD

101
103
104
105
106
107
102
109

AB
BA
BB
CA
CB
CC
AB
CF

DCE

SPDMI

112

DCE

TxClock 114

DCE

RxClock 115

DTE

DTR

Protective ground
Transmitted data
Received data
Request to send
Clear to send
Data set ready
Signal ground
Carrier detect
Unconnected
Unconnected
Unconnected
Speed mode indicator
Unconnected
Unconnected
Transmit signal element timing
Unconnected
Receive signal element timing
Unconnected
Unconnected
Data terminal ready
Unconnected

Source

DTE3
DCE4
DTE
DCE
DCE

108.2

1 Comite Consultatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique, an international consultative

committee that sets international communications standards.
2 Electronic Industries Association.

3 Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) refers to signals whose source in the Personal DECstation.
4 Data Communications Equipment (DCE) refers to signals whose source is a peripheral, like a

modem or a printer, that is attached to the system.

(continued on next page)

C–4 Connector Pin Assignments

Table C-3 (Cont.). EIA RS232 Communications Connectors Pin Assignments
Pin

Source

Signal

CCITT1

EIA2

Description

22
23
24
25

DCE
DTE

RI
DSRS

125
111

CE
CH

Ring indicator
Data signal rate select
Unconnected
Unconnected

1 Comite Consultatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique, an international consultative

committee that sets international communications standards.
2 Electronic Industries Association.

Connector Pin Assignments C–5

Power Supply Pin Assignments
Table C-4. Power Supply Pin Assignments
Pin

Signal

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Speaker [1]
DCOK
+5.1V
GND
+5.1V
GND
+12.1V
Speaker [2]
System-OK LED
GND
+5.1V
GND
+5.1V
GND

C–6 Connector Pin Assignments

ISDN Connector Pin Assignments
The external ISDN connector is an 8-wire modular jack (RJ45).
Pins 1, 2, 7, and 8 are not used. A four wire cable with two
twisted pairs would be connected from this jack to an ISDN NT
or PAXB card for ISDN voice and data connections. Table C-5
shows a pinout for the ISDN connector.

Table C-5. ISDN Connector
Pin

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Signal

Function

LOUT1
LIN1
LIN2
LOUT2

No connection
No connection
Line output (-)
Line input (-)
Line input (+)
Line output (+)
No connection
No connection

Connector Pin Assignments C–7

SERIAL.bus
The SERIAL.bus uses a four-pin shielded MOLEX SEMCONN
or AMP SDL modular type connector. The MOLEX version will
be unkeyed. The AMP version will have key ‘‘D’’. This provides
compatibility between the AMP and MOLEX part.
Data and power for the SERIAL.bus are transferred over low
capacitance four-wire shielded cable. The four conductors are
used for GND, SDA, SCL, and +12V (pins 1-4 respectively).
Capacitance of the SCL and SDA conductors shall be less
than 70pF/m (capacitance between one conductor and other
conductors connected to shield). The S.b connector is located
at the rear of the system enclosure and mounts to the base
system module. The following table shows the pinout for the
SERIAL.bus.

Table C-6. SERIAL.bus Pin Assignments
Pin

Signal

Function

1
2
3
4

GND
SDA
SCL
+12V

Ground
Serial data
Serial clock
+12 Volts

C–8 Connector Pin Assignments

Sound Connector
A four-wire modular jack is provided for connection to an
external telephone handset or headset. Note that a telephone
should not be connected to this jack. The connection is intended
for the external speaker and microphone that are contained in
the headset. The headset or handset are connected to the sound
jack with a four-wire cable with two twisted pairs. Table C-7
shows the pinout for the sound jack.

Table C-7. Sound Connector
Pin

Signal

Function

1
2
3
4

Audio In 1
Audio Out 1
Audio Out 2
Audio In 2

Audio input
Audio output (+)
Audio output (-)
Audio input ground

Connector Pin Assignments C–9

Loopback Connector Pin Assignments
Table C-8. Summary of Loopback Connectors
Function

Communications
loopback connector
ThickWire loopback
connector
ThinWire T-connector
ThinWire terminator

Standard/
Unique

Part Number

Option Number

Standard

12-15336-13

H3200

Standard

12-22196-02

Standard
Standard

12-25869-01
12-26318-01

H8223
H8225

Table C-9. Ethernet Loopback Connector Pin Assignments, Part #1222196-02
From
Pin No.

Signal

To
Pin No.

Signal

Description

P6-3
P6-10
P6-13

TRA+
TRA–
PWR

P6-5
P6-12
P6-6

REC+
REC–
RET

Through capacitor
Through capacitor
Through resistor and LED

C–10 Connector Pin Assignments

Table C-10. Modem Loopback Connector Pin Assignments, Part #1215336-13, Option #H3200
From
Pin No.

Signal

To
Pin No.

Signal

P4-2
P4-4
P4-6
P4-12
P4-18
P4-18
P4-18

TX2
RTS2
DSR2
SPDMI2
LLPBK2
LLPBK2
LLPBK2

P4-3
P4-5
P4-20
P4-23
P4-8
P4-22
P4-25

RX2
CTS2
DTR2
DSRS2
CI2
RI2
TMI2

Connector Pin Assignments C–11

D
Console Commands

This appendix discusses the following topics:
The rules for entering console commands
The terms used in this discussion of console commands
The command format and the function of each console
command
The console command error messages

Console Commands D–1

Entering Console Commands
This section describes the conventions to follow when you enter
console commands.
Rules for entering console commands
You can use console commands when the system monitor
displays the >> or R> prompt. When the system displays the
R> prompt, you can use only the boot and passwd commands
until you enter the console command password.
Follow these rules when you type console commands:
Type uppercase and lowercase letters exactly as they
appear in command lines. The system treats uppercase and
lowercase letters as different input.
Press Return after you type a command.
Enter numbers as follows:
Enter decimal values as a string of decimal digits with
no leading zeros (for example, 123).
Enter octal values as a string of octal digits with a
leading zero (for example, 0177).
Enter hexadecimal values as a string of hexadecimal
digits preceded by 0x (for example, 0x3ff).
When reading or writing to memory, enter data as bytes,
halfwords, or words. Because a word is 4 bytes, successive
addresses referenced by a word are successive multiples
of 4. For example, the address following 0x80000004 is
0x80000008. An error occurs if you specify an address that
is not on a boundary for the data size you are using.
The following key combinations have an immediate effect
when the system is in console mode:
Ctrl-s freezes the screen display.
Ctrl-q releases a frozen screen display.
Ctrl-c aborts a command.
Ctrl-u erases a partially typed command line.

D–2 Console Commands

Conventions used in this chapter
Letters in boldface type, like this, are to be typed exactly
as they appear.
Letters in italic type, like this, are variables that you
replace with actual values.
Arguments enclosed in square brackets ([ ]) are optional.
Ellipses (...) follow an argument that can be repeated.
A vertical bar ( | ) separates choices. You can think of the
bar as a symbol meaning or.
Parentheses enclose a group of values from which you must
select one value. For example, -(b | h | w) means enter -b
or -h or -w.
Some terms used in this chapter
Controller—A hardware device that directs the operation
and communication between devices or other controllers. Each
controller in the system has a unique controller ID number.
Script—A collection of console commands that run in a set
order. Test scripts, which are collections of individual tests
and may also contain other test scripts, are commonly used for
troubleshooting the system.
Slot—The physical location of a module or modules.
TURBOchannel option modules occupy slots 0 and 1.
The base system occupies slot 3. Base system hardware
includes the system module, CPU module, and memory
modules. The system module contains the base system
SCSI and Ethernet controllers, as well as SERIAL.bus,
base system video, and ISDN.

Console Commands D–3

Introduction to the Command Reference
The console commands are used to test the following hardware:
System module
CPU module
Memory modules
Ethernet controllers
SCSI controllers
SERIAL.bus
Base system video controller
ISDN
Color frame buffer graphics modules
2D graphics accelerator modules
3D graphics modules
Console commands in the command reference following this
section appear in the order in which they appear in the system
console command Help menu.
For information about console commands used by TURBOchannel
options not on this list, refer to the TURBOchannel
Maintenance Guide.

D–4 Console Commands

Console command format summary
Here are the console commands and their formats displayed in
the Help menu that appears when you enter:
?[cmd]
boot [[-z #] [-n] #/path [ARG...]]
cat SCRPT
cnfg [#]
d [-bhw] [-S #] RNG val
e [-bhwcdoux] [-S #] RNG
erl [-c]
go [ADR]
init [#] [-m] [ARG...]
ls [#]
passwd [-c] [-s]
printenv [EVN]
restart
script SCRPT
setenv EVN STR
sh [-belvS] [SCRPT] [ARG..]
t [-l] #/STR [ARG..]
unsetenv EVN

The following sections describes the console commands in
detail. Note that the command descriptions do not always use
the format that appears in the Help menu.
(Table D-1 lists each console command and its function.)

Console Commands D–5

Table D-1. Console Command Functions
Command

Function

?
boot
cat
cnfg
d
e
erl
go
init
ls
passwd
printenv
restart

Displays a list of console commands and formats
Boots the system
Displays the contents of a script
Displays system configuration information
Deposits data into memory
Examines memory contents
Displays the error message log
Transfers control to a specific address
Resets the system
Displays the scripts and other files that are in a module
Sets and clears the console password
Prints environment variables
Attempts to restart the operating system software that is specified in
the restart block
Creates a temporary script of console commands
Sets an environment variable
Runs a script
Runs a test
Runs a comprehensive test script that checks the system hardware
Removes an environment variable

script
setenv
sh
t
test
unsetenv

D–6 Console Commands

? Command
Use the ? command to display a list of available console
commands and their formats. The ? command format is
? [cmd]
To display the format for all available console commands,
omit the optional cmd parameter.
To display the format for a single command, replace the
optional cmd parameter with the name of the command for
which you want a command format display.

Console Commands D–7

boot Command
Use the boot command to boot the system software. The boot
command format is
boot [-z seconds] [-n] [bootpath] [-a] [args...]
Include the optional -z seconds parameter to have the
system wait before starting the bootstrap operation.
Replace seconds with the number of seconds the system
should wait before the bootstrap operation starts.
Include the optional -n parameter to have the boot
command load, but not execute, the specified file.
Replace the optional bootpath parameter with the
specification for the file you are using to boot. The file
specification form depends on the type of boot device you
use.
To boot from Ethernet, use the file specification form
slot_number/protocol[/file].
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the Ethernet
controller you are using to boot. The protocol parameter
represents the name of the network protocol that performs
the boot operation.
Replace protocol with either mop or tftp. The optional file
parameter represents a specific file that you use to boot.
For example, to use the protocol named mop to boot from
the base system Ethernet, which uses slot number 3, type
boot 3/mop and press Return.
To boot from a drive, use the file specification form
slot_number/rz | tzscsi_id/file_name.
Replace slot_number with the SCSI controller slot number.
Use the rz | tz parameter to specify the type of drive that
performs the boot operation.
Specify rz to boot from a hard disk or compact disc drive.
Specify tz to boot from a tape drive.

D–8 Console Commands

Replace scsi_id with the SCSI ID for the drive you are
using to boot.
Replace file_name with the name of the specific file you
want to boot.
For example, to boot the file named vmunix in multi-user
mode from a hard disk drive with SCSI ID 1 that is on the
SCSI bus connected to the base system SCSI controller in
slot 3, type
boot 3/rz1/vmunix -a
and press Return.
To boot the file called vmunix from a tape drive that has
SCSI ID 2 and is on the SCSI bus connected to a SCSI
controller in option slot 1, type
boot 1/tz2/vmunix
and press Return.
The -a argument is used to perform a multi-user boot
operation. If you omit the -a argument, the system
performs a single-user boot.
The -mg argument is used when booting a multiscreen
configuration. If you omit the -mg argument, a system
with multiple graphics controllers installed will use
only a single graphics controller. The system will then
use the controller installed in the TURBOchannel slot
with the lowest number.
To perform a multiuser boot on a multiscreen
configuration type
boot 3/rz2/vmunix -a -mg
and press Return.

Console Commands D–9

Important information about the boot command
If you include no bootpath in the boot command, the system
uses the boot environment variable as the string for the
command.
If you include any additional arguments, you must type
the entire string in the boot command. The system ignores
the boot environment variable whenever you specify any
arguments in the boot command.
If you use any spaces or tabs in the boot environment
variable, you must surround the entire value with double
quotation marks. For example, to set the boot environment
variable to use the mop protocol to perform a multiuser
boot from the base system Ethernet controller in slot 3,
type
setenv boot ‘‘3/mop -a’’
and press Return.
For details about the boot command parameters for a given
TURBOchannel option module, refer to the documentation
for that module.

D–10 Console Commands

cat Command
Use the cat command to display the contents of a script. The
cat command format is
cat slot_number/script_name
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the module
that has the contents you want to display.
Replace script_name with the name of the script for which
you want to display the contents.
For example, to display the individual self-tests contained in
the mem-m test script in the base system, type
cat 3/test-mem-m
and press Return.
The following list of the individual tests that are in the testmem-m test script then appears on the monitor:
>>cat 3/test-mem-m
t ${#}/mem/select
t ${#}/misc/wbpart
t ${#}/mem 0 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 1 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 2 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 3 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 4 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 5 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 6 0 55555555 -q
t ${#}/mem 7 0 55555555 -q

Console Commands D–11

cnfg Command
Use the cnfg command to display hardware configuration
information. The cnfg command format is
cnfg [slot_number]
To display general system configuration information, type
the cnfg command without the slot_number parameter.
To display detailed configuration information for an
individual module, replace the optional slot_number
parameter with the slot number of the module for which
you want a configuration display.
General System Configuration Displays
The following sample general system configuration display is for
a system with optional Ethernet and SCSI modules installed:
>>cnfg
3:
KN04

DEC

V1.0a TCF0

1:
0:

DEC
DEC

T5.2A TCF0
T5.2E TCF0

PMAD-AA
PMAZ-AA

( 8 MB)
(DV -- d=8)
(Sb: devs = 2)
(FDI: 0)
(enet: 08-00-2b-24-34-77)
(SCSI = 7)
(enet: 08-00-2b-0f-43-31)
(SCSI = 7)

Lines that begin with 0 or 1 describe the modules, if any, that
are in the option slots.
The number that begins the line is the module slot number.
The second term is the module name.
The third term is the module vendor.
The fourth term is the firmware version of the module.
The fifth term is the type of firmware that is in the module
ROM chip.

D–12 Console Commands

The messages in parentheses in the rightmost column of
the configuration display provide additional information
about each module. The meaning of each message depends
on the type of module being described.
For the system module, the six lines in this column
describe base system hardware. The first line lists
the amount of memory in the system. The second line
lists the type of base video controller as well as the
number of bits in the pixel depth. The third line lists
the SERIAL.bus and the number of devices attached.
The fourth line lists the Floppy Disk Interface and the
number of devices installed. The fifth line lists the
address for the base system Ethernet controller. The
sixth line lists the ID number of the base system SCSI
controller.
For TURBOchannel Ethernet controllers, the
information in parentheses is the Ethernet station
address.
For TURBOchannel SCSI controllers, the information
in parentheses is the SCSI ID for the SCSI controller.
For graphics modules, the first part of the message in
parentheses identifies the type of graphics module in
the system, as follows:
CX indicates that the module is a color frame buffer
graphics module.
PX indicates that the module is a 2D graphics
accelerator module.
DX indicates that the module is a low 3D graphics
module.
EX indicates that the module is a mid 3D graphics
module.
FX indicates that the module is a high 3D graphics
module.
HX indicates that the module is a smart frame buffer
graphics module.
TX indicates that the module is a true color frame
buffer graphics module.

Console Commands D–13

The second part of the message has the form where
# is the number of bits that make up the pixel depth.
The third part of the message is displayed only when a
z-buffer option is installed on a 3D graphics accelerator
module. This part of the message has the form z=24.
Individual Configuration Displays
Individual configuration displays begin with a line identical
to the one that describes the module in the general system
configuration display.
Base system configuration displays
To obtain a base system configuration display, type
cnfg 3
and press Return.
The following is a sample configuration display for the base
system configuration:
3:

KN04

DEC

V1.0a

TCF0

( 8 MB)
(DV -- d=8)
(Sb: devs = 2)
Name
Rev.
Vendor
=================================
LK501-AA
AX1.3
DEC
VSXXX-BB
AX1.2
DEC
(FDI: 1)
(enet: 08-00-2b-24-34-77)
(SCSI = 7)
--------------------------------------------------------DEV
PID
VID
REV
SCSI DEV
==== ====================== =========== ===== ========
rz1
RZ23
(C) DEC
DEC
0A18 DIR
cache: I( 8 KB), D( 8 KB), S(1024 KB);
processor revision (3.0)
mem( B): a0000000:a07fffff ( 8 MB)

D–14 Console Commands

Scache line (32 bytes)

Notice that the display begins with the same information as
used to describe the module in the general system configuration
display discussed earlier in this section. The rest of the display
shows details of the devices and memory installed in the base
slot. This example shows one device.
The following list describes the information provided about the
base system devices
DEV lists the general category of the drive and its SCSI
ID.
rz indicates that the drive is a hard disk or optical
compact disc drive.
tz indicates that the drive is a tape drive.
The number at the end of the DEV entry is the drive
SCSI ID.
PID lists the product ID for some types of drives.
The term on the left indicates the specific drive type.
The term on the right indicates the product manufacturer.
VID lists the drive vendor.
REV lists the firmware revision number for the drive.
SCSI DEV further describes the drive type.
DIR, which represents a direct access drive, appears in
entries for hard disk drives.
SEQ, which represents a sequential access drive,
appears in entries for tape drives.
CD-ROM appears in entries for optical compact disc
drives.
dcache is data cache size, icache is instruction cache
size.
The following list describes the information about base system
memory, which appears in the last line of this display.
Memory slot number. Base system memory is identified
with a B, shown in parentheses that follow mem.

Console Commands D–15

Address range. This varies depending on which optional
memory modules are installed.
Amount of base system memory in the slot. This is always
8 megabytes.
Ethernet controller configuration displays
To display an Ethernet controller option module
configuration, type
cnfg slot_number
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the Ethernet
controller option module.
To see the base system Ethernet controller configuration,
display the base system configuration display, type
cnfg 3
and press Return. The base system Ethernet controller
configuration is displayed with the other base system
configuration information.
The following is a sample Ethernet controller configuration
display for an Ethernet controller option module in slot 1:
1:

PMAD-AA

DEC

V5.2a

TCF0

(enet: 08-00-2b-0c-e0-d1)

The Ethernet controller configuration display has the same
meaning as the Ethernet controller description in the general
system configuration display.
SCSI controller displays
To display a SCSI controller option module configuration,
type
cnfg slot_number
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the SCSI
controller option module.

D–16 Console Commands

To see the base system SCSI controller configuration, type
cnfg 3
and press Return. The base system SCSI controller
configuration is displayed with the other base system
configuration information.
The following is a sample configuration display for a SCSI
controller in slot 1 that supports two hard disk drives, one
optical compact disc drive, and one tape drive:
1:

PMAZ-AA

DEC
V5.2a
TCF0
(SCSI = 7)
-------------------------------------------DEV
PID
VID
REV
SCSI DEV
==== ============== ====== ===== ========
rz0
RZ55
(C) DEC DEC
0700
DIR
rz1
RZ56
(C) DEC DEC
0200
DIR
rz4
RRD40 (c) DEC DEC
0700
CD-ROM
tz5
SEQ

In the SCSI configuration display, the first line has the same
meaning as the SCSI description in the general system
configuration display. For an explanation of this first line,
see ‘‘General System Configuration Displays’’ on page D-12.
Lines following the first line describe drives on the SCSI bus.
DEV lists the general category of the drive and its SCSI
ID.
rz indicates that the drive is a hard disk or optical
compact disc drive.
tz indicates that the drive is a tape drive.
The number at the end is the drive SCSI ID.
PID lists the product ID for some types of drives.
The term on the left indicates the specific drive type.
The term on the right indicates the product manufacturer.
VID lists the drive vendor.
REV lists the firmware revision number for the drive.

Console Commands D–17

SCSI DEV further describes the drive type.
DIR, which represents a direct access drive, appears in
entries for hard disk drives.
SEQ, which represents a sequential access drive,
appears in entries for tape drives.
CD-ROM appears in entries for optical compact disc
drives.
3D graphics module configuration displays
To obtain a 3D graphics module configuration display, type
cnfg slot_number
Replace slot_number with the slot number for the 3D graphics
module. Then press Return.
The following is a sample configuration display for a low 3D
graphics module in option slot 1:
1:

PMAG-DA

DEC

V5.2a

TCF0

(DA: PXG -- D=8, z=24)

The leftmost column lists the low 3D graphics module slot
number.
PMAG-DA is the part identifier for low and mid 3D
graphics modules. High 3D graphics module displays
list PMAG-FA as the part identifier.
Digital is the module manufacturer.
The fourth column lists the firmware version that each
module contains.
The fifth column lists the firmware type in each module.
The phrase in the rightmost column indicates the 3D
graphics module type and the number of VSIMMs and
z-buffer modules on the base graphics module.
The left part of the phrase identifies the type of
graphics module in the system.
DA: PXG indicates that the module is a low 3D graphics
module.

D–18 Console Commands

EA: PXG indicates that the module is a mid 3D
graphics module.
PXG_T indicates that the module is a high 3D graphics
module.
The right part of the phrase describes the VSIMM and
z-buffer modules. The value after D= is the number
of planes available for color generation. The value
after z= is the number of bits available in the z-buffer
modules.
If the last phrase in the 3D cnfg display is (ERR: invld
cnfgtbl) or ends with question marks (???), there

is a problem in the graphics module hardware. Refer
to the TURBOchannel Extender Maintenance Guide to
troubleshoot the 3D graphics module.
Color frame buffer graphics module configuration displays
To obtain an optional color frame buffer graphics module
configuration display, type
cnfg slot_number
Replace slot_number with the slot number for the optional
color frame buffer graphics module for which you want a
configuration display and press Return.
The following is a sample color frame buffer graphics module
configuration display for a color frame buffer graphics module
in slot 0:
0:

PMAG-BA

DEC

V5.2a

TCF0

(CX -- d=8)

The color frame buffer graphics module configuration display
has the same meaning as the color frame buffer graphics
module description in the general system configuration display.
For an explanation of the color frame buffer graphics module
configuration display, see ‘‘General System Configuration
Displays’’ on page D-12.

Console Commands D–19

2D graphics accelerator module configuration displays
To obtain a 2D graphics accelerator module configuration
display, type
cnfg slot_number
Replace slot_number with the slot number for the 2D graphics
accelerator module for which you want a configuration display
and press Return.
The following is a sample configuration display for a 2D
graphics accelerator module in option slot 1:
1:

PMAG-CA

DEC

V5.2a

TCF0

(PX -- D=8)

The 2D graphics accelerator module display has the same
meaning as the 2D graphics accelerator module description in
the general configuration display. For an explanation of the 2D
graphics accelerator module configuration display, see ‘‘General
System Configuration Displays’’ on page D-12.

D–20 Console Commands

d Command
Use the d command to deposit values in memory. The d
command format is
d [-(b | h | w)] [-S count] rng
Use one of the optional parameters -(b | h | w) to specify
whether to deposit the contents as bytes, halfwords, or
words.
Specify -b to deposit the contents as bytes.
Specify -h to deposit the contents as halfwords.
Specify -w to deposit the contents as words.
Include the optional -Scount parameter to store the same
value more than once. Replace count with the number of
times you want the value to be stored.

Console Commands D–21

Use the rng parameter to set the range of addresses across
which the values are stored.
To deposit values at a single address, replace rng with
that address.
To deposit a number of values across a range of
addresses, replace rng with the address range. Use the
form
address_low :address_high
to define the range. Replace address_low with the
starting address for storing values and replace address_
high with the ending address for storing values.
To deposit values at a series of addresses, replace rng
with the starting address and the number of successive
addresses at which you want to store values. Use the
form
address_low#count
to specify the addresses where you store values.
Replace address_low with the starting address for
storing values. Replace count with the number of
values you want to store.
To specify more than one address range, separate the
range specifications with commas. Leave no spaces
between the range specifications.

D–22 Console Commands

e Command
Use the e command to examine the contents of a specific
address. The e command format is
e [-b | h | w] [-c] [-d] [-o] [-u] [-x] [-S count] rng
Use the optional parameter (-b | h | w) to specify whether
to examine the contents as bytes, halfwords, or words.
Specify -b to examine the contents as bytes.
Specify -h to examine the contents as halfwords.
Specify -w to examine the contents as words.
Specify -c to display the data as ASCII characters.
Specify -d to display the data in decimal format.
Specify -o to display the contents in octal format.
Specify -u to display the contents in unsigned decimal
format.
Specify -x to display the contents in hexadecimal format.
Include the optional -S count parameter to have the
command repeatedly fetch the value but display the value
only once. When you type this parameter, replace count
with the number of times you want to fetch the value.

Console Commands D–23

Use the rng parameter to specify the range of addresses
you want to examine.
To examine values at a single address, replace rng with
that address.
To examine values at a range of addresses, replace rng
with the address range. Use the form
address_low :address_high
to define the range. Replace address_low with the
starting address for storing values and replace address_
high with the ending address for storing values.
To examine values at a series of addresses, replace rng
with the starting address and the number of successive
addresses you want to examine. Use the form
address_low#count
to specify the addresses where you store values.
Replace address_low with the starting address for
storing values. Replace count with the number of
addresses at which you want to store values.
To specify more than one address range, separate each
range specification with commas. Leave no spaces
between the ranges.

D–24 Console Commands

erl Command
Use the erl command to display or clear the log of the errors
that occurred since the most recent power-up or reset operation.
The erl command format is
erl [-c]
To display the current error message log, use the erl
command without the -c option.
To clear the error message log, include the -c option. When
the error log buffer is full, no more messages are added
until the buffer has been cleared by the erl -c command.

go Command
Use the go command to transfer system control to a specific
system address. The go command format is
go [address]
To transfer system control to the address specified in the
last boot -n command, type the go command without the
address parameter. If you omit the address parameter, and
if no previous boot -n command has been issued, the system
ignores the go command.
To transfer system control to the contents of a specific
address, include the address parameter. Replace the
address parameter with the address to which you want to
transfer control.

Console Commands D–25

init Command
Use the init command to initialize module hardware. The init
command format is
init [slot_number] [-m]
To initialize the entire system, specify the init command
with no additional arguments.
To initialize an individual module, replace the optional
slot_number parameter with the slot number of the module
you want to initialize.
If you perform an init operation on the system module (slot
3), include the optional -m parameter to zero all memory
modules in the system module.

D–26 Console Commands

ls Command
Use the ls command to list the scripts and other objects that
are in system ROM. The ls command format is
ls [slot_number]
To display a list of scripts or other objects that are available
in an individual module, replace the optional slot_number
parameter with the slot number of the module that contains the
files you want to display.
The following sample display is a portion of the ls display for
the base system in slot 2:
>>ls 2
28 1 cnfg -> code
28 1 boot -> code
24 1 rst-q -> rst
24 1 rst-t -> rst
28 1 rst-m ->powerup
32 1 test-ni-m -> test-ni-t
28 1 init -> code
304 1 powerup
44 1 reset
36 1 halt-r
28 1 halt-b
192 1 pst-m
272 1 pst-q
196 1 pst-t
96 1 tech
156 1 test

The third column of the display lists the names of the scripts
and other objects in the module ROM in the specified slot.

Console Commands D–27

passwd Command
Use the passwd command to enter, set, or clear a password.
The passwd command format is
passwd [-c] [-s]
If the console prompt is R>, you can use only the boot and
passwd commands until you enter the correct password.
To enter an existing password, type the passwd command
without any additional parameters. At the pwd: prompt, enter
the password. Then press Return.
After you enter the correct password, or if the system does not
require a password, the system displays the console prompt >>.
You can use all console commands whenever the console prompt
is >>.
To clear an existing password, include the -c parameter
when you type the passwd command. First use the passwd
command to enter the existing password. After the console
prompt >> appears, type
passwd -c
and press Return. The system then removes the password
requirement.
To set a new password, include the -s parameter. Enter the
new password at the pwd: prompt. When the pwd: prompt
appears a second time, type the password again. If the two
password entries match, the system sets the new value as
the password.
The password must have at least 6 and no more than
32 characters. The system is case sensitive and treats
uppercase and lowercase letters as different characters.

D–28 Console Commands

printenv Command
Use the printenv command to display the list of environment
variables. The printenv command format is
printenv [variable]
To display the entire environment variable table, omit the
optional variable parameter.
To display an individual environment variable, replace
variable with the name of the environment variable you
want to display.

restart Command
Use the restart command to restart the system software. For
the restart operation to succeed, the operating system software
must have a restart block set up in memory. The restart
command format is
restart

Console Commands D–29

script Command
Use the script command to create a temporary set of console
commands that run in an order you specify. The script
command format is
script name
Replace name with the name you are giving the script. Then
press Return.
After you press Return, type the commands you want to include
in the script. Press Return after each command you type.
Commands can be t or sh commands. Enter one command per
line. When you finish typing the commands you are including,
press Ctrl-d or press Return twice to complete the script.
To run the script, use the sh command described later in this
appendix. When you run the script, the commands execute
in the order in which you entered them when you created the
script.
Note: Only one custom script can be stored. When another script is

created the first script is overwritten. The custom script is volatile
and it will go away when the system is powered off.

D–30 Console Commands

setenv Command
Use the setenv command to change an environment variable.
Table D-2 lists the standard environment variables. When you
change a standard environment variable (except osconsole,
enet, and #), the system stores the new value in NVR and uses
it until you use the setenv command to change it again or reset
the NVR with the clear-NVR jumper. The setenv command
format is
setenv variable value
When you type the setenv command,
Replace variable with the name of the environment variable
you want to set.
Replace value with the new value you want to assign to the
environment variable. Note that, if the new value contains
blank spaces or tabs, you must use double quotation marks
at the beginning and end of the value.
Table D-2 lists environment variables that appear in the
environment variable display.

Console Commands D–31

Table D-2. Standard Environment Variables for the Personal DECstation
5000
Environment
Variable

boot
console

Description

Sets the default boot path. Refer to ‘‘boot Command’’ on
page D-8 and ‘‘unsetenv Command’’ on page D-39.
Selects the system console.
Set the console variable to s to enable the terminal
connected to the comm connector as the active console.
(If no keyboard is attached to the base system
SERIAL.bus connector, this terminal is enabled even
if you do not set the variable to s.)
With the keyboard attached to the base system
SERIAL.bus connector, set the console variable to
a value other than s to enable the terminal connected
to the graphics module in the TURBOchannel slot
with the lowest number.

EPAWS

Specifies how the system responds when a diagnostic test
finds an error.
Set the EPAWS variable to EPAWS to cause the
system to pause when a diagnostic test finds an error.
Press any key to cause the system to continue testing.
If the EPAWS variable is set to any value other than
EPAWS, the system does not pause when an error
occurs.

enet

Contains the address of the base system Ethernet
interface. Although the environment variable display
includes the enet address, you cannot set this variable.
The system does it automatically.
(continued on next page)

D–32 Console Commands

Table D-2 (Cont.). Standard Environment Variables for the Personal
DECstation 5000
Environment
Variable

Description

haltaction

Specifies how the system responds if it halts.
Set the haltaction variable to b to cause the console
to boot after the console performs the appropriate
initialization and self-tests.
Set the haltaction variable to h to cause the console to
halt and attempt no other action.
Set the haltaction variable to r to cause the console
to restart and then attempt to boot if the restart
operation fails.

Sets how the screen scrolls lines of text.
Set the more variable to 0 to have text scroll to the
end before stopping.
Set the more variable to a number other than 0 to
have scrolling pause after that number of lines has
been displayed.

osconsole

testaction

Contains the slot numbers of the console drivers. If a
TTY driver from slot x serves as the console, osconsole
is set to x. If a CRT driver from slot y and a kbd driver
from slot z serve as the console, osconsole is set to y,z.
Although the environment variable display includes the
osconsole setting, you cannot set this variable. The system
automatically sets the osconsole value.
Specifies the type of power-up self-test that the system
runs.
Specify q to run a quick test when the power-up
self-test runs.
Specify t to specify a thorough test when the power-up
self-test runs.
(continued on next page)

Console Commands D–33

Table D-2 (Cont.). Standard Environment Variables for the Personal
DECstation 5000
Environment
Variable

D–34 Console Commands

Description

Specifies the slot number of the module that contains the
current script. If no script is active, the system specifies
the base system module, which uses slot number 3.
Although the environment variable display includes the #
setting, you cannot set this variable.

sh Command
Use the sh command to run a script. The sh command format
is
sh [-b] [-e] [-l] [-v] [-S] [slot_number/script] [arg...]
Include the optional -b parameter to execute the script
directly, instead of through a subshell.
Include the optional -e parameter to stop the script if an
error occurs.
Include the optional -l parameter to have the script loop
until you press Ctrl-c.
Include the optional -v parameter to echo the script to the
console as the test runs.
Include the optional -S parameter to suppress any error
messages if the script is not found.
Include the optional slot_number/script parameter to run a
specific script.
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the
module that has the script you want to run.
Replace script with the name of the script you want to
run.
The use of any additional arguments depends on the script
you specified in the sh command.
If you have no optional arguments, you can also run a script by
typing
slot_number/script.
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the module
that contains the script you want to run.
Replace script with the name of the script you want to run.
For example, to run the thorough power-up self test script for a
SCSI controller and drives in slot 1, type
sh 1/pst-t
and press Return.

Console Commands D–35

t Command
Use the t command to run individual tests. The t command
format is
t [-l] slot_number/test_name [arg...]
Include the optional -l parameter to have the test loop until
you press Ctrl-c or reset the system.
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the module
you want to test.
Replace test_name with the name of the individual test you
want to run.
Uses for additional arguments depend on the test you are
running. For an explanation of the additional arguments
used in individual tests, refer to Appendix E .
To display the name and format of all individual tests for a
module, type
t slot_number/?
Replace slot_number with the slot number of the module for
which you want to display tests, and press Return.

test Command
Use the test command to run a thorough test of all system
hardware. The test command format is
test

D–36 Console Commands

unsetenv Command
Use the unsetenv command to remove an environment variable.
The unsetenv command removes a standard environment
variable (except osconsole, enet, and #) during the current
session only. When the system is reset, reinitialized, or powered
up, the values of the standard environment variables revert to
their previously set values. Table D-2 under ‘‘setenv command’’
earlier in this appendix lists the standard environment values.
The unsetenv command format is
unsetenv variable
When you type the unsetenv command, replace variable with
the name of the environment variable that you want to remove.
To clear the boot environment variable, use setenv boot, not
unsetenv boot.
Note: Environment variables stored in NVR can be only temporarily

unset.

Console Commands D–37

Console Command Error Messages
Table D-3 lists the error messages console commands might
return.
Table D-3. Console Command Error Messages
Error Message

Meaning

?EV:ev_name

The specified environment variable does not
exist.
The specified environment variable value is
invalid.
An I/O device has reported an error.
slot_number represents the I/O device slot
number, and device represents an additional
message about the error.
The module in the slot represented by
slot_number does not recognize the device
represented by device.
The module in the slot represented by
slot_number contains an early version of
firmware. The ROM chip must be upgraded.
The system did not find the script that was
to be run.
The name specified in the script command
is not a valid script name.
A console command contained a syntax
error. The usage parameter lists the correct
syntax.
A console command contained a syntax
error. The error parameter lists the
incorrect portion of the command.
A test failed. slot_number represents the
slot number of the module that reported the
error, and test represents the name of the
failed test.
Test not found. The test name was probably
typed incorrectly.

?EVV:value
?IO:slot_number/device

?IO:slot_number/device
?PDE3:slot_number
?SNF:script
?TXT:
?STX:usage
?STX:error
?TFL:slot_number/ test

?TNF:

D–38 Console Commands

E
Base System Test Commands and
Messages
This appendix describes the following diagnostic commands and
messages:
Base system Ethernet controller tests
Base system ISDN controller tests
Base system SCSI controller and drives tests
Base system video controller tests
CPU module tests
Desktop bus (SERIAL.bus) tests
EEPROM memory tests
Floppy disk interface (FDI) tests
Free-running counter tests
Initial power-up tests
Manufacturing test
Memory module tests
Real-time clock tests
Serial communication chip (SCC) tests

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–1

Locating Individual Tests in This Appendix
This appendix lists the individual base system module tests in
alphabetical order. Table E-1 lists the individual tests grouped
by the function that they test.
Table E-1. Base system module tests and utilities
Test or Utility

Base system Ethernet
controller tests
Collision test
Cyclic redundancy code
(CRC) test
Display MOP counters
utility
Ethernet-DMA registers
test
Ethernet-DMA transfer
test
Ethernet station address
ROM (ESAR) test
External loopback test
Internal loopback test
Interrupt request (IRQ)
test
Multicast test
Promiscuous mode test
Registers test
Base system ISDN
controller tests
ISDN audio test
ISDN baseline test
ISDN peripheral port

Command

t 3/ni/cllsn
t 3/ni/crc
t 3/ni/ctrs
t 3/ni/dma1
t 3/ni/dma2
t 3/ni/esar
t 3/ni/ext-lb
t 3/ni/int-lb
t 3/ni/int
t 3/ni/m-cst
t 3/ni/promisc
t 3/ni/regs

t 3/isdn/audio [duration]
t 3/isdn/base [dump]
t 3/isdn/dma [iterations]
(continued on next page)

E–2 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-1 (Cont.). Base system module tests and utilities
Test or Utility

Command

Base system SCSI
controller and drives
tests
SCSI controller test
SCSI send diagnostics test
SCSI target test

t 3/scsi/cntl
t 3/scsi/sdiag target_id [d] [u] [s]
t 3/scsi/target target_id [w] [l #]

Base system video
controller tests
ASCII font test
Cursor memory test
Print E’s
Frame buffer test
Print H’s
Initialize video chip
Patterns test
Color palette test

t 3/crt/ascii
t 3/crt/cursmem
t 3/crt/e
t 3/crt/fb
t 3/crt/h
t 3/crt/init
t 3/crt/patterns [snglstp]
t 3/crt/vdac

CPU module tests
Cache data test
Cache fill test
Cache isolate test
Cache reload test
Cache segment test
CPU-type utility
Floating-point unit test
Translation lookaside
buffer (TLB) probe test
TLB registers test
Secondary cache test
(R4000 only)

t 3/cache/data [(I | D)] [address]
t 3/cache/fill [(I | D)] [address]
t 3/cache/isol [(I | D)]
t 3/cache/reload [(I | D)] [address]
t 3/cache/seg [(I | D)] [address]
t 3/misc/cpu-type
t 3/fpu
t 3/tlb/prb
t 3/tlb/reg [pattrn]
t 3/scache/data parameters
(continued on next page)

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–3

Table E-1 (Cont.). Base system module tests and utilities
Test or Utility

Command

Desktop bus (SERIAL.bus)
tests
Device capabilities test
t 3/ab/caps [dev_adrs]
Controller test
t 3/ab/cntl [display]
Counters test
t 3/ab/ctrs [clear]
Display next message
t 3/ab/nm [dev_adrs]
EEPROM memory tests
EEPROM contents display
EEPROM reinitialization
EEPROM signature data
check
EEPROM read/write
/modify
Floppy disk interface
(FDI) tests
DOR access test
Floppy controller test
Floppy media read test
Reset controller test
DOR access subtest
Write/read floppy media
Free-running counter
tests
Free-running counter
interval
Free-running counter
increment

t 3/epm/dump
t 3/epm/init
t 3/epm/sign
t 3/epm/write

t 3/fdi/dor
t 3/fdi/exfdc
t 3/fdi/read [report]
t 3/fdi/reset [extensive]
t 3/fdi/t
t 3/fdi/wrtrd [extensive] [report]

t 3/fctr/intvl
t 3/fctr/run

(continued on next page)

E–4 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-1 (Cont.). Base system module tests and utilities
Test or Utility

Command

Manufacturing use only
tests
DIAGDN bit test
Trace tool

t 3/mfg/done
t 3/ab/t

Memory module tests
Floating 1/0 memory test
Memory module test
RAM address select lines
test
Partial write test
Zero memory utility
Real-time clock tests
Nonvolatile RAM (NVR)
test
Real-time clock period test
Real-time clock register
test
Real-time test
Serial communication
chip (SCC) tests
Serial communication chip
(SCC) access test
SCC DMA test
SCC interrupts test
SCC I/O test
SCC pins test
SCC transmit and receive
test

t 3/mem/float10 [addr]
t 3/mem [board] [thrshld] [pattrn]
t 3/mem/select
t 3/misc/wbpart
t 3/mem/init

t 3/rtc/nvr [pattern]
t 3/rtc/period
t 3/rtc/regs
t 3/rtc/time

t 3/scc/access
t 3/scc/dma [(I | E)] [bd] [par] [bits]
t 3/scc/int
t 3/scc/io [(I | E)]
t 3/scc/pins [loopback] [pause]
t 3/scc/tx-rx [(I | E)] [baud] [par] [bits]

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–5

Tests
The following entries explain the commands, parameters, and
error messages for each base system module test. The tests are
presented in alphabetical order.

ab/caps—Desktop Bus Device Capabilities Test
This test causes attached valid Ab devices to be queried and
displayed. To run the test, type
t 3/ab/caps [dev_adrs]
and press Return.
Replace the dev_adrs parameter with a device’s address
to query and display that device only. Use the hh, 0xhh,
or 0Xhh hexidecimal format to specify the address. The
default value for dev_adrs, a, causes all attached valid Ab
devices to be queried and displayed.
Desktop bus device capabilities test error messages
Desktop bus device capabilities test error messages have the
form
?TFL: 3/ab/caps (code: address)
?TFL: 3/ab/caps indicates that the test reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies the portion of the
test that failed.
address represents the address of the device returning the
error.

Table E-2 lists codes used in test error messages.
Table E-2. Desktop Bus Device Capabilties Test Error Codes and
Descriptions
Error Code

Description

CapString Request transmission error
(continued on next page)

E–6 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-2 (Cont.). Desktop Bus Device Capabilties Test Error Codes and
Descriptions
Error Code

Description

2
3

Operation timed out
Requested data not transmitted

ab/cntl—Desktop Bus Controller Test.
This test verifies that the desktop bus controller chip is
accessible and resets properly. To run the test, type
t 3/ab/ctrl [display]
and press Return.
The default value for the display parameter, n, causes the reset
string not to be displayed. Replace display with d to display
the bytes of the reset string returned by the Sb controller in
numeric format. Replace display with a to display the bytes in
both numeric and ASCII format.

ab/ctrs—Desktop Bus Counters Test
The desktop-bus counters test displays or clears counters
related to desktop bus configuration events and errors, desktop
bus driver events and errors, and desktop bus controller errors.
Use it to further characterize known DTi errors, not to detect
DTi errors. Unusually high controller counts may indicate
failure modes. To run the desktop-bus counters test, type
t 3/ab/ctrs [clear]
and press Return.
The default value for the clear parameter, d, displays counters.
Using c for clear clears the counters. The counters must be
cleared to be reset; they are never reset automatically.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–7

Desktop bus counters test error message
The desktop bus counters test error message
?TFL: 3/ab/ctrs (1:invld param xxxxx)

indicates that the parameter xxxxx is invalid.

ab/nm—Display Next Message Test
This test queries and displays the next Ab message from
attached valid Ab devices. Query and display continues until
you enter Cntrl-C at the console input device. To run the test,
type
t 3/ab/nm [dev_adrs]
and press Return.
The default value for the optional dev_adrs parameter, a, causes
all attached valid Ab devices to be queried and displayed.
Replace dev_adrs with the parameter value of a device’s
address to query and display that device only. Use the hh,
0xhh, or 0Xhh hexidecimal format.

ab/t—Desktop Bus Tables Verification Tool
This test performs a subset of the ab/cntl test. It can be used in
manufacturing mode only.

cache/data—Cache Data Test
The cache data test writes data patterns to the cache and then
reads them. To run the cache data test, type
t 3/cache/data [(I | D)] [address]
and press Return.
For the optional cache parameter, specify I to test the
instruction cache or D to test the data cache. D is the
default value.

E–8 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Replace the optional address parameter with a specific
cache address where you want the test to start. The default
address is 80050000. Note that using address requires
familiarity with the firmware specifications.
Cache data test error messages
Cache data test error messages have the form
?TFL:3 /cache/data (code: [address=actual, sb expected])
?TFL 3/cache/data indicates that the cache data test

reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
The optional address=actual, sb expected phrase
indicates the expected and actual values in the cache.
address represents the address where the error
message occurred.
actual represents the actual value at that address.
expected represents the expected value for that
address.
Table E-3 lists codes used in cache data test error messages.
Table E-3. Cache Data Test Error Codes
Error Code

Description

1
2
3
4
5

Error occurred writing data pattern to cache RAM.
Cache parity error occurred while test was reading floating 1.
Error occurred when test read data pattern in cache.
Cache parity error occurred while test was reading floating 0.
Error occurred when test wrote address complement to cache
RAM.
Cache parity data error occurred.
Error occurred reading address complement.
Cache address read caused a parity error.

6
7
8

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–9

cache/fill—Cache Fill Test
The cache fill test writes rotating data patterns to memory in
spans that are twice the size of the cache and then reads the
patterns. To run the cache fill test, type
t 3/cache/fill [(I | D)] [address]
and press Return.
For the optional cache parameter, specify I to test the
instruction cache or D to test the data cache. D is the
default value.
Replace the optional address parameter with a specific
cache address where you want the test to start. The default
address is 80050000. Note that using address requires
familiarity with the firmware specifications.
Cache fill test error messages
Cache fill test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/cache/fill (description)
?TFL 3/cache/fill indicates that the cache fill test

reported an error.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.
Table E-4 lists descriptions used in cache fill test error
messages.
Table E-4. Cache Fill Test Error Descriptions
Error Description

Meaning

(PE)

Unexpected parity error occurred.
(continued on next page)

E–10 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-4 (Cont.). Cache Fill Test Error Descriptions
Error Description

Meaning

(address = actual, sb
expected)

Data pattern read reported a miscompare.

address represents the address where
the miscompare occurred.
actual represents the actual value at
that address.

expected represents the expected value
for that address.

(PE @ address (C))
Parity error occurred.

The address parameter lists the address
where the error occurred.

cache/isol—Cache Isolate Test
The cache isolate test isolates data patterns to the cache and
then reads and compares them. To run the cache isolate test,
type
t 3/cache/isol [(I | D)]
and press Return.
For the optional cache parameter, specify I to test the
instruction cache or D to test the data cache. D is the default
value.
Cache isolate test error messages
Cache isolate test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/cache/isol (code: [address=actual, sb expected])
?TFL 3/cache/isol indicates that the cache isolate test
reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–11

The optional phrase address= actual, sb expected
indicates the actual and expected values at the address
where the error occurred.
address represents the address where the error
occurred.
actual represents the actual value at that address.
expected represents the expected value at that
address.
Table E-5 lists error codes used in cache isolate test error
messages.
Table E-5. Cache Isolate Test Error Codes
Error Code

Description

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Reading 00000000 pattern resulted in a cache parity error.
Reading 00000000 pattern resulted in a cache miss error.
Reading 00000000 pattern returned a data miscompare.
Reading 55555555 pattern resulted in a cache parity error.
Reading 55555555 pattern resulted a cache miss error.
Reading 55555555 pattern resulted in a data miscompare.
Reading AAAAAAAA pattern resulted in a cache parity error.
Reading AAAAAAAA pattern resulted in a cache miss error.
Reading AAAAAAAA pattern resulted in a data miscompare.
Reading data address pattern resulted in a cache parity error.
Reading data address pattern resulted in a parity error.
Reading data address pattern returned a miscompare error.

cache/reload—Cache Reload Test
The cache reload test writes rotating-parity data patterns to
memory and then reads the patterns. To run the cache reload
test, type
t 3/cache/reload [(I | D)] [address]

E–12 Base System Test Commands and Messages

and press Return.
For the optional cache parameter, specify I to test the
instruction cache or D to test the data cache. D is the
default value.
Replace the optional address parameter with a specific
cache address where you want the test to start. The default
address is 80050000. Note that using address requires
familiarity with the firmware specifications.
Cache reload test error messages
Cache reload test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/cache/reload (description)
?TFL 3/cache/reload indicates that the cache reload test

reported an error.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.

Table E-6 lists descriptions used in cache reload test error
messages.
Table E-6. Cache Reload Test Error Descriptions
Error Description

Meaning

(PE)
(address= actual, sb
expected)

Unexpected parity error occurred.
Reading a data pattern reported a miscompare.

address represents the address where
the miscompare occurred.
actual represents the actual value at
that address.

expected represents the expected value
for that address.

(PE @ address (C))

Parity error occurred. The address parameter
lists the address where the error occurred.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–13

cache/seg—Cache Segment Test
The cache segment test checks individual cache segments. To
run the cache segment test, type
t 3/cache/seg [(I | D)] [address]
and press Return.
For the optional cache parameter, specify I to test the
instruction cache or D to test the data cache. D is the
default value.
Replace the optional address parameter with a specific
cache address where you want the test to start. The default
address is 80050000. Note that using address requires
familiarity with the firmware specifications.
Cache segment test error messages
Cache segment test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/cache/seg (code : description)
?TFL 3/cache/seg indicates that the cache segment test
reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-7 describes error codes and descriptions used in cache
segment test error messages. In all cases, the address value
given in the description is the actual value at a given address.
The correct value follows.

E–14 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-7. Cache Segment Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

(1: address=xxxxxxxx,
sb yyyyyyyy)
(2: address= xxxxxxxx,
sb yyyyyyyy)
(3: address =xxxxxxxx,
sb yyyyyyyy)
4: address =xxxxxxxx,
sb yyyyyyyy

Error occurred when the system tried to read the cache
contents.
Error occurred when the system tried to read the
memory contents.
Error occurred when the system performed a read and
write operation on the uncached memory.
Cache data was inconsistent.

scache/data - Secondary Cache Test
This test run patterns through secondary cache RAM. To run
the scache data test, type
t 3/scache/data
and press Return.
The secondary cache is implemented on the daughter-card as
11 16-bit wide static RAMs. This 176 (11 times 16) wire Scache
interface is divided-up as follows:
25 Tag wires
07 Tag ECC wires
128 Data wires
16 Data ECC wires
Scache Error
Any error reported by the scache/data test indicate a fault
in the secondary cache RAMs or in the interconnect between
the R4000 and the secondary cache. Errors reported by this
diagnostic could also be due to errors in reading or writing
the memory; in-order to eliminate this possibility, first run the
memory diagnostics.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–15

crt/ascii—ASCII Font Test.
This test prints numerals and lowercase and uppercase
characters. To run the test, type
t 3/crt/ascii
and press Return.

crt/cursmem—Cursor Memory Test
This test performs a write and read/verify of the 512 locations
of the cursor memory. To run the test, type
t 3/crt/cursmem
and press Return.
Cursor memory test error messages
The cursur memory test error message
?TFL: 3/crt/cursmem (code: (Col_Pal_Exp = expected
Col_Pal_Act = actual))

indicates that a mismatch has been detected when the value of
code is 1 or 2.
?TFL: 3/crt/cursmem indicates that the test reported an

error.

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
expected represents the expected value.
actual represents the value actually found.

crt/e—‘E’ Test
This test prints a screenful of ‘E’. To run the test, type
t 3/crt/e
and press Return.

E–16 Base System Test Commands and Messages

crt/fb—Frame Buffer Test
The test performs a write/read test on the frame buffer. To run
the test, type
t 3/crt/fb
and press Return.
Frame buffer test error messages
Frame buffer test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/crt/fb (code: address expected actual)
?TFL: 3/crt/fb indicates the test reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
Address represents the address where the mismatch
occurred.
Expected represents the correct value at the address.
Actual represents the actual value at the address.

Table E-8 lists codes used in frame buffer test error messages.
Table E-8. Frame Buffer Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code

Description

1
2

Data mismatch.
Address line stuck at fault.

crt/h—‘H’ Test
This test prints a screenful of ‘H’. To run the test, type
t 3/crt/h
and press Return.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–17

crt/init—Chip Initialization Test
This test clears the frame buffer and initializes the Inmos G332
chip. To run the test, type
t 3/crt/init
and press Return.

crt/patterns—Screen Patterns Test
This test displays various patterns on the screen: a radix
wheel, boxes, a grid, a grid with a circle, and vertical color bars.
To run the test, type
t 3/crt/patterns [snglstp]
and press Return.
Replace the snglstp parameter with 1 if you want to
use a keystroke to move from pattern to patterns. The
default value for snglstp, 0, causes the patterns to cycle
automatically.

crt/vdac—Vdac/Color Palette Test
This test performs a write and read/verify to the 256 locations
of the color palette. To run the test, type
t 3/crt/vdac
and press Return.
Vdac/color palette test error message
The Vdac/color palette test error message
?TFL: 3/crt/vdac (1: (Col_Pal_Exp = expected Col_Pal_Act
= actual))

indicates that a mismatch has been detected. expected
represents the expected value. actual represents the value
actually found.

E–18 Base System Test Commands and Messages

epm/dump—EEPROM Contents Display Test
This test displays the contents of EEPROM memory as hex
bytes, 16 bytes per line, each line preceeded by its starting
offset within the EEPROM. To run the test, type
t 3/epm/dump
and press Return.

epm/init—EEPROM Reinitialization Test
This test reinitializes the EEPROM. It can be used in
manufacture only.

epm/sign—EEPROM Signature Data Check Test
This test checks the EEPROM for valid ASCII signature data.
To run the test, type
t 3/epm/sign
and press Return.
EEPROM signature data check error messages
EEPROM signature data check error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/epm/sign (code:description)
?TFL: 3/epm/sign indicates that the test reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.

Table E-9 lists codes used in EEPROM signature data check
test error messages.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–19

Table E-9. EEPROM Signature Data Check Test Error Descriptions
Error Code

Description

1
2
3

EEPROM not initialized
EEPROM checksum failure
EEPROM checksum failure

epm/write—EEPROM Read/Modify/Write Test
This test saves the original contents of the EEPROM,
writes complementary data into the EEPROM, verifies the
complemented data as written, restores the original data, and
verifies it. It can be used in manufacturing mode only.

fctr/intvl—Free-running Counter Interval Test
This test enables the RTC period interrupt and verifies that the
number of free-running counter increments corresponds to the
programmed interval between RTC interrupts. To run the test,
type
t 3/fctr/intvl
and press Return
Free-running counter interval test error messages
Free-running counter interval test error messages have the
form
?TFL:3/fctr/intvl (code:description)
?TFL: 3/fctl/intvl indicates that the test reported an

error.

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.

E–20 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-10 lists codes used in free-running counter interval test
error messages.
Table E-10. Free-running Counter Interval Test Error Descriptions
Error Code

Description

1
2
3
4
5

UIP (update-in-progress) bit set for too long.
Interrupt pending there when shouldn’t be.
Timed out waiting for interrupt.
The free-running counter is fast (relative to real-time clock).
The free-running counter is slow (relative to real-time clock).

fctr/run—Free-Running Counter Increment Test
This test verifies that at least one increment of the free-running
counter occurs within an arbitrary, predetermined number of
instructions. To run the test, type
t 3/fctr/run
and press Return.
Free-running counter increment test error message
The free-running counter increment test error message
?TFL: 3/fctr/run (1:fctr no inc)

indicates that the free-running counter is not incrementing.

fdi/dor—Floppy DOR Register Test
This test verifies access to the DOR register (the only general
read/write register) in the 82077 floppy controller chip. To run
the test, type
t 3/fdi/dor
and press Return.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–21

Floppy DOR register test error messages
Floppy DOR register test error messages have the form
?TFL:3/fdi/dor (code:description: sb expected, is
actual)
?TFL: 3/fctl/intvl indicates that the test reported an

error.

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.
expected represents the expected register data.
actual represents the register data actually found.

Table E-11 lists codes used in floppy DOR register test error
messages.
Table E-11. Floppy DOR Register Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

22:rst not clr

Controller reset condition could not be
cleared.
DOR register failed floating 1 write/read
test.
DOR register failed floating 0 write/read
test.

101:DOR float 1
101:DOR float 0

fdi/exfdc—Exercise Floppy Disk Controller Test
This test verifies the programmability and functionality of the
Floppy Disk Controller. To run the test, type
t 3/fdi/exfdc
and press Return.

E–22 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Exercise floppy disk controller test error messages
Exercise floppy disk controller test error messages have the
form
?TFL: 3/fdi/exfdc (code: description)
?TFL: 3/fdi/exfdc indicates that the exercise floppy disk
controller test reported a problem.
code represents a number that identifies the type of failure
that occurred.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-12 lists error codes and descriptions used in exercise
floppy disk controller test error messages.
Table E-12. Exercise Floppy Disk Controller Test Error Codes and
Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

22:rst not clr
23:DOR not clr
24:DSR not clr
25:DOR rst slf-clr
26:no clr DOR rst
121:DOR init fail
122:Cfg parms not set

Controller reset could not be cleared.
DOR was not cleared by hardware reset.
DSR was not cleared by hardware reset.
Controller DOR reset cleared itself.
Controller DOR reset could not be cleared.
Could not initialize controller DOR register.
Controller configuration parameters were
not properly set.
Hardware reset failed to reset configuration
parameters.
DOR reset failed to reset configuration
parameters.
DSR reset failed to reset configuration
parameters.

124:Cfg parms not
reset (hardware)
125:Cfg parms not
reset (DOR)
126:Cfg parms not
reset (DSR)

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–23

fdi/read—Floppy Media Read Test
This test attempts a one-sector read from cylinder 0, head 0,
sector 1 of the inserted media. To run the test, type
t 3/fdi/read [report]
and press Return.
Replace the report parameter with r to report when test
failure is caused by the absence of a drive or media in
the drive. The default value for report, q, does not report
failures of this kind.
Floppy media read test error messages
Floppy media read test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/fdi/read (code:description)
?TFL: 3/fdi/read indicates that the floppy media read test
reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.

Table E-13 lists codes used in floppy media read test error
messages.
Table E-13. Floppy Media Read Test Error Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2:inv arg
74:no drive
75:no media

Invalid argument specified.
There is no floppy drive attached.
Media missing or drive not latched.

fdi/reset—Reset Floppy Disk Interface Test
This test verifies the ability to reset the controller chip in the
Floppy Disk Interface. To run the test, type
t 3/fdi/reset [extensive]

E–24 Base System Test Commands and Messages

and press Return.
Replace the extensive parameter with x to verify that
aspects of controller chip functionality, such as expected
register values during and after the reset occur as expected.
The default value for extensive, d, causes a simple reset of
the controller.
Reset floppy disk interface test error messages
Reset floppy disk interface test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/fdi/reset (code:description)
?TFL: 3/fdi/reset indicates that the reset floppy disk

interface test reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.
Table E-14 lists codes used in reset floppy disk interface test
error messages.
Table E-14. Reset Floppy Disk Interface Test Error Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2: inv arg
22:rst not clr
23:DOR not clr
24:DSR not clr
25:DOR rst slf-clr
26:no clr DOR rst

Invalid argument specified.
Controller reset could not be cleared.
DOR was not cleared by hardware reset.
DSR was not cleared by hardware reset.
Controller DOR reset cleared itself.
Controller DOR reset could not be cleared.

fdi/t—DOR Subtest
This subtest of the fdi/dor test also verifies the presence of the
FDI controller chip. To run the test, type
t 3/fdi/t
and press Return.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–25

fdi/wrtrd—Write/Read Floppy Media Test
This test writes a block, reads a block, and compares the data.
To run the test, type
t 3/fdi/wrtrd [extensive] [report]
and press Return.
Replace the optional parameter extensive with x for full,
sector-by-sector media coverage to be performed. With the
default value, d, the test uses only the first and last sector
of each track. With an extra density floppy, extensive mode
takes about 18 times as long to complete.
Replace the optional parameter report with r to report when
test failure is caused by the absence of a drive or media in
the drive. The default value for report, q, does not report
failures of this kind.
To test a floppy disk, insert it, formatted, before you begin
testing. If an RX23 drive is installed, you must set the
environment variable fdrive to RX23. Otherwise you will
produce a media absent/drive door open error even if a floppy
is correctly inserted. Also, with an RX23 drive, extra density
diskettes can be used only in double density format.
Write/read floppy media test error messages
Write/read floppy media test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/fdi/wrtrd (code:description)
?TFL: 3/fdi/wrtrd indicates that the test reported an

error.

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents an additional message that
describes the error.

Table E-15 lists codes used in floppy media read test error
messages.

E–26 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-15. Write/Read Floppy Media Test Error Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2: inv arg
74:no drive
151:data miscompare:
block is actual, sb
expected

Invalid argument specified.
There is no floppy drive attached.
Data verification failed. block is specified
by track, head, sector, and block numbers.
actual represents the actual value found
at block. expected represents the value
expected at block.

fpu—Floating-Point Unit (FPU) Test
The floating-point unit (FPU) test uses the FPU to perform
simple arithmetic and compares the result to known values. To
run the FPU test, type
t 3/fpu
and press Return.
FPU test error messages
FPU test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/fpu (code)
?TFL 3/fpu indicates that the FPU test reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.

Table E-16 lists error codes used in FPU test error messages.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–27

Table E-16. FPU Test Error Codes
Error Code

Meaning

1
2
3
4
5

Values did not match. Value should be 00000000.
Values did not match. Value should be 55555555.
Values did not match. Value should be AAAAAAAA.
Values did not match. Value should be FFFFFFFF.
Least-significant bit failed when the system was converting
doubleword to word (CVT D. W.)
Most-significant bit failed when the system was converting
doubleword to word (CVT D. W.)
Double miscompare occurred: n+n-n!=n
Double miscompare occurred: n+n= =n
Convert float-double. Value should be 55555555.
FPU CSR double error occurred.
Single miscompare occurred. n+n-n!=n
Single miscompare occurred. n+n= =n
Convert float-double. Value should be 55555555.
FPU CSR single error occurred. Value should be 00000000.
Single division failed. Value should be 00005555.
Single multiplication failed.
Double multiplication failed.
Double division failed.
Conversion error occurred. Pattern readback did not match.
FPU did not trap on overflow exception.
Didn’t get FPU interrupt.

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
21
22

isdn/audio—ISDN Controller Audio Test
This test verifies that the Am79C30A ISDN controller Main
Audio Processor’s (MAP) tone generator can be operated, with
the sound thus generated coming out of the on-board speaker.
To run the test, type
t 3/isdn/audio [duration]
and press Return.

E–28 Base System Test Commands and Messages

The default value for the duration parameter, s, produces a tone
of one-second duration at about 1333 Hz. The value l produces
a longer tone of varying frequency.

isdn/base—ISDN Baseline Test
This test verifies that the Am79C30A ISDN controller can be
accessed, that it can be taken out of RESET properly, and that
it is possible to write and read its internal (indirect) MUX
registers. To run the test, type
t 3/isdn/base [dump]
and press Return.
The default value for the dump parameter, n, runs the test
without displaying test data. The value d displays a formatted
register dump of the entire controller chip.
ISDN baseline test error messages
ISDN baseline test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/isdn/base (code:description)
?TFL: 3/isdn/base indicates that the test reported an

error.

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-17 lists codes used in test error messages.
Table E-17. ISDN Baseline Test Error Descriptions
Error Code

Description

1
2
3

SSR_ISDN_RESET not set; ssr_value = XXXX
MUX_MR1 not zero; mcr1 = XXXX
MUX_MR2 not zero; mcr2 = XXXX
(continued on next page)

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–29

Table E-17 (Cont.). ISDN Baseline Test Error Descriptions
Error Code

Description

4
5
6
7
8

MUX_MR3 not zero; mcr3 = XXXX
MUX_MR4 not zero; mcr4 = XXXX
MUX_MCR1 to be XXXX, was XXXX
MUX_MCR2 to be XXXX, was XXXX
MUX_MCR3 to be XXXX, was XXXX

isdn/dma—ISDN Controller Peripheral Port Test
The test drives the DMA pathway into and out of the
Am79C30A ISDN chip. To run the test, type
t 3/isdn/dma [iterations]
and press Return.
The default value for the iterations parameter is 10. Replace
iterations with another number to run the test another number
of times.
ISDN controller peripheral port test error message
The ISDN controller peripheral port test error message
?TFL: 3/isdn/dma (1:ISDN DMA fail on pass N; N data, N DMA
errors)

indicates failure on pass N of the test with N DMA errors.

mem/float10—Floating 1/0 Memory Test
The floating 1/0 memory test writes floating 1 and floating 0
across one location in RAM. To run the floating 1/0 memory
test, type
t 3/mem/float10 [addr]
and press Return.
Replace the optional addr parameter with a specific address
at which you want to start writing 1s. The default address is
A0100000.
E–30 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Floating 1/0 memory test error messages
The floating 1/0 memory test error message
?TFL: 3/mem/float10 (Err= N)

indicates that the test failed. N represents the number of errors
the memory module reported.

mem—Memory Module Test
The memory module test performs a full pattern test on an
entire memory module. To run the memory module test, type
t 3/mem [board] [thrshld] [pattern]
and press Return.
Use the board parameter to specify which memory module
you want to test.
To test one memory module pair, specify the slot
number of the memory module pair you want to test.
The default memory module slot number is 0.
To test all memory modules, specify an asterisk (*).
Replace the optional thrshld parameter with the number of
single-bit errors the test allows before the test fails.
Replace the optional pattern parameter with a specific
pattern you want to use in the test.
Memory module test error messages
There are two types of memory test error messages: parity
error messages and compare error messages.
Parity error messages have the form
?TFL:3/mem (PER, cause=xxxxxxxx, DBE=yyyyyyyy, Bank n,
side byte)
?TFL 3/mem PER indicates that the memory test reported a

parity error.
The cause parameter is the value in the cause register.
The DBE parameter is the value at the data bus error
address.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–31

The Bank parameter is the slot number of the memory
module that reported the error.
side indicates which module in the pair reported the error.
If side is D16-31, the problem module is the one farthest
from the power supply. If side is D0-15, the problem
module is the one nearest the power supply.
byte represents the byte in which the error occurred.
Compare error messages have the form
?TFL:3/mem (@ address=actual, expected)
?TFL 3/mem indicates that the memory test reported a
compare error.
The address parameter is the address at which the error
occurred.
actual represents the value at that address.
expected represents the expected value at that address.

mem/init—Zero Memory Utility
The zero memory utility floods memory with zeros as fast as
possible. To run the zero memory test, type
t 3/mem/init
and press Return.
The zero memory utility returns no error codes.

mem/select—RAM Select Lines Test
The RAM select lines test checks for RAM select line faults by
performing a read and write operation on one location in each
memory module. To run the RAM select lines test, type
t 3/mem/select
and press Return.

E–32 Base System Test Commands and Messages

RAM select lines test error messages
In the RAM select lines test error message
?TFL: 3/mem/select (address=actual, sb expected)
?TFL: 3/mem/select indicates that the RAM select lines

test reported an error.
address represents the memory address where the error
occurred.
actual represents the actual value at the listed address.
expected represents what the correct value at the listed
address should be.

mfg/done—DIAGDN Bit Test
This test sets the DIAGDN bit in the system CSR. It is used in
manufacturing mode only.

misc/cpu-type—CPU-Type Utility
The CPU-type utility displays a message that identifies the
CPU type. To run the CPU-type utility, type
t 3/misc/cpu-type
and press Return.
CPU-type utility message
The CPU-type utility message has the form
3/misc/cpu-type’s code: NDX-type
type represents a code that indicates the type of CPU

module in the system. Refer to ‘‘CPU Module’’ in
Chapter 12 to determine the CPU type indicated by a
specific type value.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–33

misc/wbpart—Partial Write Test
The partial write test writes to a specific memory address and
then checks whether the written values are correct. To run the
partial write test, type
t 3/misc/wbpart
and press Return.
Partial write test error messages
Partial write test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/misc/wbpart (code)
?TFL 3/misc/wbpart indicates that the partial write test
reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.

Table E-18 lists error codes used in partial write test error
messages.
Table E-18. Partial Write Test Error Codes
Error Code

Meaning

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Pattern that was read showed mismatch on word access.
Byte 0 failed partial byte write.
Byte 1 failed partial byte write.
Byte 2 failed partial byte write.
Byte 3 failed partial byte write.
Halfword 0 failed partial halfword write.
Halfword 1 failed partial halfword write.

ni/cllsn—Collision Test
The collision test checks Ethernet collision detect circuitry by
forcing a collision on transmission. To run the collision test,
type
t 3/ni/cllsn

E–34 Base System Test Commands and Messages

and press Return.
Collision test error messages
Collision test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/cllsn (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/cllsn indicates that the collision test reported
a problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-19 lists error codes and descriptions used in collision
test error messages.
Table E-19. Collision Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

3: cllsn not dtctd

Ethernet controller chip failed to detect an
Ethernet collision.
Ethernet controller chip transmission failed.
Ethernet controller chip failed to initialize.

4: xmt [x]
6: LANCE-init [x]

ni/common—Common Diagnostic Utilities
The Ethernet tests use a common set of diagnostic utilities
that are run by Ethernet controller tests. You cannot run these
diagnostic utilities by themselves.
Common diagnostic utility error messages
Common diagnostic utility error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/test_name (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/test_name indicates that test_name reported
an error. (test_name represents the name of the test in

which the diagnostic utility detected an error.)
code represents a number that identifies which utility
generated the error message.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–35

description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-20 lists error codes and descriptions used in common
diagnostic utility error messages.
Table E-20. Common Diagnostic Utility Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

700: Invld param frmt
[xxxxx]
901: err hltng LANCE
902: LANCE-init
timeout
903: LANCE-start
timeout
904: err initiating
LANCE
905: LANCE-stop
timeout
906: err initiating
LANCE

Parameter was not in a valid format. The xxxxx value
represents the parameter that had an invalid format.
STOP bit did not halt the Ethernet controller chip.
Timeout occurred when the system tried to initialize
the Ethernet controller chip.
Timeout occurred waiting for the Ethernet controller
chip to start.
Utility could not initialize the Ethernet controller chip.
Timeout occurred in the Ethernet controller chip.
I/O system failure occurred during Ethernet controller
chip initialization.

ni/crc—Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) Test
The cyclic redundancy code (CRC) test checks the Ethernet
CRC verification and bad CRC detection abilities. To run the
CRC test, type
t 3/ni/crc
and press Return.
CRC test error messages
CRC test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/crc (code: description [x])
?TFL: 3/ni/crc indicates that the CRC test reported a

problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
E–36 Base System Test Commands and Messages

description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
x represents a pass or fail code returned by one of the
utilities that the test uses.

Table E-21 lists error codes and descriptions used in CRC test
error messages.
Table E-21. CRC Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2: LANCE-init [x]

System could not initialize the Ethernet
controller chip.
Error occurred during packet transmission.
Ethernet chip incorrectly flagged a good
CRC as bad.
Error occurred receiving a packet.
Error occurred when the test attempted to
initialize the Ethernet controller chip.
Error occurred transmitting data packet.
Ethernet chip did not detect a bad CRC in
an incoming packet.
Error occurred in packet receive operation.

3: xmt [x]
5: fls CRC err
6: rcv [x]
7: LANCE-init [x]
8: xmt [x]
10: bad CRC not dtctd
11: rcv [x]

ni/ctrs—Display MOP Counters Utility
The display MOP counters utility displays the current MOP
counters for the base system Ethernet controller. To run the
MOP counters utility, type
t 3/ni/ctrs
and press Return.
The display MOP counters utility produces no error messages.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–37

ni/dma1—Ethernet-Direct Memory Access (DMA) Registers
Test
The Ethernet-direct memory access (DMA) registers test checks
the Ethernet-DMA control and error registers. The test then
checks the ability of the system to detect a DMA error. To run
the Ethernet-DMA registers test, type
t 3/ni/dma1
and press Return.
Ethernet-DMA registers test error messages
Ethernet-DMA registers test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/dma1 (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/dma1 indicates that the Ethernet-DMA

registers test reported a problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
Table E-22 lists error codes and descriptions used in EthenetDMA registers test error messages.
Table E-22. Ethernet-DMA Registers Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

LDP register values matched when they should
not. The w parameter is the value that was written
to the LDP register. The r parameter is the value
that was read from the LDP register.
2: LIOS wrt/rd [w=xxxxxxxx LANCE I/O Slot register values matched when
r=yyyyyyyy]
they should not. The w parameter is the value that
was written to the LANCE I/O Slot register. The
r parameter is the value that was read from the
LANCE I/O Slot register.

1: LDP wrt/rd [w=xxxxxxxx
r=yyyyyyyy]

(continued on next page)

E–38 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-22 (Cont.). Ethernet-DMA Registers Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

3: LANCE select

LANCE I/O Slot register failed to select the
LANCE.
LANCE I/O Slot register failed to deselect the
LANCE.
Ethernet controller chip initialization failed.
Timeout occurred waiting for the LANCE
initialization to finish.
Page boundary error was not recorded in the MER
register.
LANCE memory error bit was not set in the SIR
register.
Timeout occurred waiting for LANCE to start.

4: LANCE deselect
5: err initiating LANCE
6: LANCE-init timeout
7: MER
8: SIR
9: LANCE-start timeout

ni/dma2—Ethernet-Direct Memory Access (DMA) Transfer
Test
The Ethernet-direct memory access (DMA) transfer test checks
Ethernet DMA operation. To run the Ethernet-DMA transfer
test, type
t 3/ni/dma2
and press Return.
Ethernet-DMA transfer test error messages
Ethernet-DMA transfer test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/dma2 (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/dma2 indicates that the Ethernet-DMA transfer

test reported a problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–39

Table E-23 lists error codes and descriptions used in EthenetDMA transfer test error messages.
Table E-23. Ethernet-DMA Registers Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

Ethernet controller chip initialization
failed. xxxxxxxx represents a code that
describes the LANCE failure.
Ethernet controller chip transmission
failed. xxxxxxxx represents a code that
describes the transmission failure. The
sz parameter is the packet size. The
ptrn parameter is the pattern the test
tried to transmit.
Ethernet controller chip receive
operation failed. xxxxxxxx represents
a code that describes the receive failure.
The sz parameter is the packet size.
The ptrn parameter is the pattern the
test tried to receive.
DMA error occurred after a packet was
received.
DMA error occurred when the test began.
DMA error occurred after a packet was
transmitted.

3: xmt [xxxxxxxx]
sz=yyyy ptrn=AA

4: rcv [xxxxxxxx]
sz=yyyy ptrn=AA

8: LANCE-DMA
9: LANCE-DMA
10: LANCE-DMA

ni/esar—Ethernet Station Address ROM (ESAR) Test
The Ethernet station address ROM (ESAR) test checks the
ESAR on the Ethernet controller. To run the ESAR test, type
t 3/ni/esar
and press Return.

E–40 Base System Test Commands and Messages

ESAR test error messages
ESAR test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/esar (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/esar indicates that the ESAR test reported a
problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-24 lists error codes and descriptions used in ESAR test
error messages.
Table E-24. ESAR Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2: ESAR[0-5] = 0’s
3: ESAR[0] = brdcstsdrs
5: checksum
7: rvrs cpy !=
8: frwrd cpy !=
9: ESAR[24-28] !=FF
10: ESAR[25-29] !=00
11: ESAR[26-30] =55
12: ESAR[27-31] !=AA

First 6 bytes of the ESAR were 000000.
ESAR contained broadcast address.
ESAR checksum verification failed.
Reverse copy mismatch occurred.
Forward copy mismatch occurred.
Test pattern FF mismatch occurred.
Test pattern 00 mismatch occurred.
Test pattern 55 mismatch occurred.
Test pattern AA mismatch occurred.

ni/ext-lb—External Loopback Test
The external loopback test checks the Ethernet controller and
its connection to the network. If it fails, it may also indicate a
bad connection between the NI controller and the network.
Before you run this test on the base system Ethernet controller,
install a ThickWire loopback connector on the Ethernet
controller. To run the external loopback test, type
t 3/ni/ext-lb

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–41

and press Return.
External loopback test error messages
External loopback test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/ext-lb (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/ext-lb indicates that the external loopback

test reported a problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
Table E-25 lists error codes and descriptions used in external
loopback test error messages.
Table E-25. External Loopback Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

LANCE initialization failed. xxxxxxxx
represents a code that describes the
LANCE failure.
LANCE initialization failed. xxxxxxxx,
yyyyyyyy represents a code that
describes the LANCE failure. zzzzz
represents a code that describes the
likely cause of the failure.
System did not receive packet.
xxxxxxxx, yyyyyyyy represents a code
that describes the receive failure.
Transmitted packet was not received.
Diagnostic logic error!

3: xmit [xxxxxxxx,
yyyyyyyy] zzzzz

4: rcv [xxxxxxxx,
yyyyyyyy]
6: pkt-data !=
7:

ni/int—Interrupt Request (IRQ) Test
The interrupt request (IRQ) test checks whether the Ethernet
controller can generate an interrupt to the R3000A chip. To run
the IRQ test, type
t 3/ni/int

E–42 Base System Test Commands and Messages

and press Return.
IRQ test error messages
IRQ test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/int (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/int indicates that the IRQ test reported a
problem.
code represents a number that identifies the type of failure
that occurred.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-26 lists error codes and descriptions used in IRQ test
error messages.
Table E-26. IRQ Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: int pndng
2: init LANCE err = x

Pending interrupt was invalid.
Error occurred when the system tried to initialize the
Ethernet controller chip.
System generated no interrupt on packet transmission.

4: intr err xmt-stat=x

ni/int-lb—Internal Loopback Test
The internal loopback test sends and receives data packets
to and from Ethernet in internal loopback mode. To run the
internal loopback test, type
t 3/ni/int-lb
and press Return.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–43

Internal loopback test error messages
Internal loopback test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/int-lb (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/int-lb indicates that the internal loopback

test reported a problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
Table E-27 lists the error codes and error descriptions used in
internal loopback test error messages.
Table E-27. Internal Loopback Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: rd ESAR err

The system could not access the Ethernet station
address ROM.
Error occurred initializing the Ethernet controller
chip. xxxxxxxx represents a code that describes the
transmission failure.
System did not transmit packet. xxxxxxxx
represents a code that describes the transmission
failure. The sz parameter is the size of the packet.
The ptrn parameter is the pattern that was in the
packet.
System did not receive packet. xxxxxxxx represents
a code that describes the failure. The sz parameter
is the size of the packet. The ptrn parameter is the
pattern that was in the packet.
Packets received and packets sent had different
sizes.
Data received and data sent did not match.
Received CRC was incorrect.
Data looks OK, but DMA errors left.

2: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

3: xmt [xxxxxxxx] sz=yyyy
ptrn=zz

4: rcv [xxxxxxxx] sz=yyyy
ptrn=zz

5: rcvd size=x, xptd=x
6: pkt-data !=
7
8: LANCE-IO sys err

E–44 Base System Test Commands and Messages

ni/m-cst—Multicast Test
The multicast test checks the Ethernet ability to filter multicast
packets. To run the multicast test, type
t 3/ni/m-cst
and press Return.
Multicast test error messages
Multicast test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/m-cst (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/m-cst indicates that the multicast test reported
a problem.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-28 lists the error codes and descriptions used in
multicast test error messages.
Table E-28. Multicast Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: rd ESAR err

Error occurred reading Ethernet station address
ROM.
System failed to initialize the Ethernet controller
chip. xxxxxxxx represents a code that describes
the initialization failure.
Ethernet controller failed to send packet. xxxxxxxx
represents a code that describes the transmission
failure.
Ethernet controller received a multicast packet
when multicast function was disabled.

2: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

3: xmt [xxxxxxxx]

5: rcvd invld m-cst

(continued on next page)

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–45

Table E-28 (Cont.). Multicast Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

6: rcv [xxxxxxxx]

Meaning

Packet receive routine reported an error.

xxxxxxxx represents a code that describes the

7: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

8: xmt [xxxxxxxx]

9: rcv [xxxxxxxx]

receive error.
Error occurred when the system tried to initialize
the Ethernet chip. xxxxxxxx represents a code
that describes the initialization error.
Ethernet controller failed to transmit packet.
xxxxxxxx represents a code that describes the
transmission error.
Ethernet did not receive expected packet. xxxxxxxx
represents a code that describes the receive error.

ni/promisc—Promiscuous Mode Test
The promiscuous mode test checks that the Ethernet controller
can receive packets in promiscuous mode. To run the
promiscuous mode test, type
t 3/ni/promisc
and press Return.
Promiscuous mode test error messages
Promiscuous mode test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/promisc (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/promisc indicates that the promiscuous mode
test reported a problem.
code represents a number that identifies the type of failure
that occurred.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-29 lists error codes and descriptions used in
promiscuous mode test error messages.

E–46 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-29. Promiscuous Mode Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

2: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

Ethernet controller initialization failed. xxxxxxxx
represents a code that describes the initialization
failure.
Packet transmission failed. xxxxxxxx represents
a code that describes the transmission failure.
An inappropriate packet was received in
nonpromiscuous mode.
Packet receive routine failed.
System failed to initialize Ethernet controller in
promiscuous mode. xxxxxxxx represents a code
that describes the initialization failure.
Packet transmission failed. xxxxxxxx represents
a code that describes the transmission failure.
Ethernet did not receive the expected packet while
in promiscuous mode. xxxxxxxx represents a
code that describes the receive failure.

3: xmt [xxxxxxxx]
5: rcvd invld adrs
6: rcv [xxxxxxxx]
7: LANCE-init [xxxxxxxx]

8: xmt [xxxxxxxx]
9: rcv [xxxxxxxx]

ni/regs—Registers Test
The registers test performs a read and write operation on the
Ethernet registers. To run the registers test, type
t 3/ni/regs
and press Return.
Registers test error messages
Registers test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/regs (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/regs indicates that the registers test reported

a problem.
code represents some number that identifies which portion
of the test failed.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–47

description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
The CSR[n] parameter, where n represents the number
of a specific CSR register, indicates the actual value in
the CSR register.
The xpctd parameter indicates the expected value for
the same CSR register.

Table E-30 lists error codes and descriptions used in registers
test error messages.
Table E-30. Registers Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: CSR[n]=x - xpctd 0

Write and read operation to Ethernet CSR[n]
failed. The n represents the number of the CSR
involved in the failure.
Writing and reading 0xFFFE failed on CSR 1.
xxxx represents the actual value in CSR 1.
Writing and reading 0x00FF failed on CSR 2.
xxxx represents the actual value in CSR 2.
Bit leak from CSR2 to CSR1 occurred. xxxx
represents the actual value in CSR[1].
Bit leak from CSR1 to CSR2 occurred. xxxx
represents the actual value in CSR[2].
Immediate write and read failure occurred.

3: CSR[1]=xxxx - xpctd
0xFFFE
4: CSR[2]=xxxx - xpctd
00FF
5: CSR[1]=xxxx - bit lk
frm CSR[2]
6: CSR[2]= xxxx - bit lk
frm CSR[1]
7: immediate write/read
flr

ni/setup—LANCE Setup Utilities.
Several error messages are defined in the LANCE-setup utility
routines. The test name displayed with them will actually
differ from what is in the following documentation. The test
name displayed will be that of the LANCE-test that called the
utility routine.)

E–48 Base System Test Commands and Messages

LANCE-setup utilities error messages
LANCE-setup utilities error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/ni/test_name (code: description)
?TFL: 3/ni/test_name indicates that test_name reported
an error. (test_name represents the name of the test in

which the diagnostic utility detected an error.)
code represents a number that identifies which utility
generated the error message.
description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-31 lists error codes and descriptions used in LANCEsetup utilities error messages.
Table E-31. LANCE-setup utilities error codes and Descriptions
Error Code

Parameter and Meaning

700:
xxxxx

Listed parameter not in a valid numeric format. xxxxx represents the
parameter that had an invalid format.

rtc/nvr—Nonvolatile RAM (NVR) Test
The nonvolatile RAM (NVR) test checks the system module
nonvolatile RAM. To run the NVR test, type
t 3/rtc/nvr [pattern]
and press Return.
When you type the NVR test command, replace the optional
pattern parameter with a specific pattern that you want to use
in the test. The default pattern is 55.
NVR test error messages
NVR test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/rtc/nvr (code: address=actual, sb expected)
?TFL 3/rtc/nvr indicates that the NVR test read an

incorrect pattern from the NVR.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–49

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
address represents the address at which the error occurred.
actual represents the value at that address.
expected represents the expected value at that address.

rtc/period—Real-Time Clock (RTC) Period Test
The real-time clock (RTC) period test checks the RTC periodic
interrupt operation. To run the RTC period test, type
t 3/rtc/period
and press Return.
RTC period test error messages
RTC period test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/rtc/period/ (code)
?TFL 3/rtc/period indicates that the RTC period test
reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.

Table E-32 lists error codes used in RTC period test error
messages.
Table E-32. RTC Period Test Error Codes
Error Code

Meaning

1
2

Update-in-progress (UIP) bit remained set past allotted time.
Real-time clock interrupt was pending when it should not have
been.
Allowed time ran out while waiting for interrupt.

E–50 Base System Test Commands and Messages

rtc/regs—Real-Time Clock Registers Test
The real-time clock registers test checks the real-time clock
(RTC) registers. To run the real-time clock registers test, type
t 3/rtc/regs
and press Return.
Real-time clock registers test error messages
Real-time clock register test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/rtc/regs (code: description)
?TFL 3/rtc/regs indicates that the real-time clock register
test reported an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.

Table E-33 lists error codes and descriptions used in real-time
clock register test error messages.
Table E-33. Real-Time Clock Register Test Error Codess
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1
2: register=actual,
sb expected

UIP bit remained set past allotted time.
The test failed to write pattern correctly.
The register value is the actual value in
the named register followed by the expected
value.

rtc/time—Real-Time Test
The real-time test checks times generated by the real-time clock
against hard-coded time values. To run the real-time test, type
t 3/rtc/time
and press Return.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–51

Real-time test error messages
Real-time test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/rtc/time (code)
?TFL 3/rtc/time indicates that the real-time test reported

an error.
code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
Table E-34 lists error codes used in real-time test error
messages.
Table E-34. Real-Time Test Error Codes
Error Code

Meaning

1
2

UIP bit remained set past allotted time.
Real-time clock interrupt was pending when it should not have
been.
Allowed time ran out while waiting for interrupt.
Allowed time ran out while waiting for second interrupt.
UIP bit remained set past second allotted time.
Real-time clock seconds were not set to 0 on wraparound.
Real-time clock minutes were not set to 0.
Real-time clock hours were not set to 0.
Real-time clock day-of-the-week was not set to 1.
Real-time clock date was not set to 1.
Real-time clock month was not set to 1.
Real-time clock year was not set to 0.

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
13

scc/access—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Access Test
The serial communication chip (SCC) access test checks
whether the system can perform a read and write operation on
the SCC. To run the SCC access test, type
t 3/scc/access
and press Return.

E–52 Base System Test Commands and Messages

SCC access test error message
The SCC access test error message is
?TFL: 3/scc/access (1: reg-N: actual=0xXX xpctd=0xYY)

This message indicates that the read and write operation on
the SCC failed.
N represents the number of the register that failed the test.

The actual value XX is the value in that register.
The expected value YY is the expected value for that
register.

scc/dma—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Direct Memory
Access (DMA) Test
The serial communication chip (SCC) direct memory access
(DMA) test checks the ability of the serial communication and
IO-ASIC chips to perform a DMA operation. To run the SCC
DMA test, type
t 3/scc/dma [(I | E)] [bd] [par] [bits]
and press Return.
For the optional loopback parameter, specify I to run an
internal loopback or E to run an external loopback. I is the
default value.
Replace bd with the baud rate at which you want the test
to run. You can specify one of the following baud rates:
300
4800
1200
9600
2400
19200

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–53

The default baud rate is 9600.
Replace the optional par parameter with a value that
specifies the type of parity that the test uses.
Specify none to use no parity. none is the default
value.
Specify odd to use odd parity.
Specify even to use even parity.
Replace the optional bits parameter with a value that
specifies the number of bits per characters that the test
uses.
Specify 8 to use eight bits per character. 8 is the
default value.
Specify 7 to use seven bits per character.
Specify 6 to use six bits per character.
Specify 5 to use five bits per character.
Caution: If a console device is connected to the SCC line, this test

may cause garbage characters to print on the screen. It may cause
unpredictable behavior to other devices attached to the SCC line.

SCC DMA test error messages
SCC DMA test error message have the form
?TFL: 3/scc/dma (code:N SIR_xptd= xxxxxxxx SIR=yyyyyyyy
SSR=zzzzzzzz)
?TFL: 3/scc/dma indicates that the SCC DMA test reported

an error.
code represents a number that identifies which part of the
test failed.
The SIR_xpted value xxxxxxxx is the expected value for the
system interrupt register.
The SIR value yyyyyyyy is the actual value in the system
interrupt register.
The SSR value zzzzzzzz is the value in the system status
register.

E–54 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-35 discusses the codes used in SCC DMA test error
messages.
Table E-35. SCC DMA Test Error Codes
Error Code

Meaning

1
2
3
4

SIR values are invalid.
Miscompare occurred during DMA read and write operation.
Overrun occurred in the receive buffer.
Interrupt signal was not sent to the system.

scc/int—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Interrupts Test
The serial communication chip (SCC) interrupts test checks the
ability of the SCC to perform internal, external, and countdown
interrupts. To run the SCC interrupts test, type
t 3/scc/int
and press Return.
SCC interrupts test error messages
SCC interrupts test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/scc/int (code: RR0=xx RR3=yy SIR=zzzzzzzz)
? (TFL: 3/scc/int) indicates that the SCC interrupts test

reported an error.
code represents a number that indicates which portion of
the test reported the error.
If the number is an odd number, the bits to set the
interrupt on were invalid.
If the number is an even number, the bits to set the
interrupt off were invalid.
The RR0 value xx is the contents of the SCC read register 0.
The RR3 value yy is the contents of the SCC read register 3.
The SIR value zzzzzzzz is the contents of the system
interrupt register.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–55

scc/io—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) I/O Test
The serial communication chip (SCC) I/O test checks the ability
of the SCC to perform an I/O operation on the serial line. To
run the SCC I/O test, type
t 3/scc/io [(I | E)]
and press Return.
When you type the SCC I/O test command,
For the optional loopback parameter, specify I to run an
internal loopback or E to run an external loopback. I is the
default value.
Caution: If a console device is connected to the SCC line, this test

may cause garbage characters to print out on the screen. It may
cause unpredicatable behavior to other devices attached to the SCC
line.

SCC I/O test error messages
SCC I/O test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/scc/io (code: description)
?TFL: 3/scc/io indicates that the SCC I/O test reported an

error.

code represents a number that identifies which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-36 lists error codes and descriptions used in SCC I/O
test error messages.

E–56 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-36. SCC I/O Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: tx bfr not empty.
status=xx

System could not write a single character
because the transmit buffer was not empty.
The status value is the contents of read
register 0.
CHAR AVAIL signal not received when
the system was expecting a character. The
status value is the contents of read register
0.
The character that was received was
different than the transmitted character.
The xx represents the transmitted value.
The yy represents the received value. The
status value is the contents of read register
0.

2: char not rcvd.
status=x

3: expctd=xx, rcvd=yy,
status=zz

scc/pins—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Pins Test
The serial communication chip (SCC) pins test checks the
control pins on the communications connectors. To run the SCC
pins test, type
t 3/scc/pins [loopback] [pause]
and press Return.
Replace the optional loopback parameter with a value that
specifies the loopback hardware that you attach to the
communications connector being tested.
Specify 29-24795-00 if you attach a 29-24795 loopback
connector. 29-24795-00 is the default type of loopback
connector.
Specify H8571 if you attach an H8571 loopback
connector.
Specify hm if you attach an hm loopback connector.
Specify H3200 if you attach an H3200 loopback
connector.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–57

Replace the optional pause parameter with P to insert a
15-second pause in the test. The default value, N, runs the
test with no pause.
Caution: If a console device is connected to the SCC line, this test

may cause garbage characters to print out on the screen. It may
cause unpredicatable behavior to other devices attached to the SCC
line.

Table E-37 lists the specific pin pairs that each loopback tests.
Table E-37. Pin Pairs Tested by Individual Loopback Connectors
Loopback
connector

29-24795

H3200

H8571-A

hm (H8571-A)

Pins pair tested

Meaning

4-5
23-6-8

RTS to CTS
SS to DSR and CD
6-23 failure implies 6 broken.
8-23 failure implies 8 broken.
6-23 8-23 failure implies 23 broken.
DTR to RTI
RTS to CTS
DSR to DTR
SI to SS
RTS to CTS
DTR to DSR & CD
6-20 failure implies 6 broken.
8-20 failure implies 8 broken.
6-20 8-20 failure implies 20 broken.
RTS to CTS

20-22
4-5
6-20
12-23
4-5
20-6-8

4-5

SCC pins test error messages
SCC pins test error message have the form
?TFL: 3/scc/pins (code: description)
?TFL: 3/scc/pins indicates that the SCC pins test reported

an error.

E–58 Base System Test Commands and Messages

description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-38 lists error codes and descriptions used in SCC pins
test error messages.
Table E-38. SCC Pins Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: (Invld) param
[xxxxx]

The number used in the test command to
specify the loopback was invalid. xxxxx
represents the first two characters of the
invalid value that was specified.
Test failed to generate the expected SCC
status bits. The Strtup R value is the
number of SCC register that contains the
status bits. The xptd value is the expected
status bits. The actl value is the actual
status bits. pins represents the pin pairs
for which the test was set up.
Pins failed to respond properly. xxxxx
represents the numbers of one or more pin
pairs that failed the test.

2: Strtup R-xx xptd=yy
actl=zz |pins|

scc/tx-rx—Serial Communication Chip (SCC) Transmit and
Receive Test
The serial communication chip (SCC) transmit and receive
test checks the ability of the SCC to transmit and receive
information. To run the SCC transmit and receive test, type
t 3/scc/tx-rx [(I | E)] [bd] [par] [bits]
and press Return.
For the optional loopback parameter, specify I to run an
internal loopback or E to run an external loopback. I is the
default value.
Replace the optional bd parameter with a value that
specifies the baud rate at which the test runs. You can
specify one of these baud rates:

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–59

300
4800
1200
9600
2400
19200
The default baud rate is 9600.
Replace the optional par parameter with a value that
specifies the type of parity that the test uses.
Specify none to use no parity. none is the default
value.
Specify odd to use odd parity.
Specify even to use even parity.
Replace the optional bits parameter with a value that
specifies the number of bits per characters that the test
uses.
Specify 8 to use eight bits per character. 8 is the
default value.
Specify 7 to use seven bits per character.
Specify 6 to use six bits per character.
Specify 5 to use five bits per character.
Caution: If a console device is connected to the SCC line, this test

may cause garbage characters to print out on the screen. It may
cause unpredicatable behavior to other devices attached to the SCC
line.

SCC transmit and receive test error messages
SCC transmit and receive test error message have the form
?TFL: 3/scc/tx-rx (code: description)
?TFL: 3/scc/tx-rx indicates that the SCC transmit and
receive test failed.
code represents a number that indicates which portion of
the test failed.

E–60 Base System Test Commands and Messages

description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-39 lists the error codes and descriptions used in SCC
transmit and receive error messages.
Table E-39. SCC Transmit and Receive Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: tx bfr not empty.
status=xx

System could not write a single character
because the transmit buffer was not empty.
The status value is the contents of SCC
read register 0.
CHAR AVAIL signal not received when
the system was expecting a character. The
status value is the contents of SCC read
register 0.
The character that was received was
different from the transmitted character.
The xx represents the transmitted value.
The yy represents the received value. The
status value is the contents of SCC read
register 0.
Receiving character in FIFO reported an
error. The errs value is the associated input
character FIFO error bits.

2: char not rcvd.
status=xx

3: expctd=xx, rcvd=yy,
status=zz

4: Rx err. errs=xx

scsi/cntl—SCSI Controller Test
The SCSI controller test checks SCSI controller operation. To
run the SCSI controller test, type
t 3/scsi/cntl
and press Return.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–61

SCSI controller test error messages
SCSI controller test error messages have the form
? TFL: 3/scsi/cntl (code: description)
?TFL 3/scsi/cntl indicates that the SCSI controller test

failed.
code represents a number that indicates which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
Table E-40 lists error descriptions used in SCSI controller test
error messages.
Table E-40. SCSI Controller Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: rd cnfg

Values written to and read from configuration register did not match.
First in, first out (FIFO) load and FIFO
flags did not match.
Write and read operation on TCL register
reported a mismatch.
Command was illegal and did not generate
an interrupt.
Controller cannot clear internal interrupt
register.
Mismatch occurred when reading the write
/read configuration register.

2: fifo flg
3: cnt xfr
4: illg cmd
5: int reg
6: rd cnfg

scsi/sdiag—SCSI Send Diagnostics Test
The SCSI send diagnostics test runs the self-test for an
individual SCSI device. You can specify whether the test
alters drive parameters and includes a write operation. To run
the SCSI send diagnostics test, type
t 3/scsi/sdiag target_id [d] [u] [s]

E–62 Base System Test Commands and Messages

and press Return.
Replace target_id with the SCSI ID of the device you want
to test. The ID can be 0 through 7. The default ID is 0.
Include the optional d and u parameters to specify the
conditions that those parameters set for the specific drive
you are testing. Note that the result of including d and u
depends on the specific drive. To determine the effect of
including d and u, refer to the service guide for the drive
that you want to test.
Include the optional s parameter to suppress the error
message display.
SCSI send diagnostics test error messages
SCSI send diagnostic test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/sdiag (code: description)
?TFL 3/scsi/sdiag indicates that the SCSI send

diagnostics test reported an error.
code represents a number that indicates which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
Table E-41 lists error codes and descriptions used in SCSI send
diagnostics test error messages.
Table E-41. SCSI Send Diagnostics Test Error Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1: dev ol
2: dev ol
3: sdiag

Test could not bring the unit on line.
Test could not bring the unit on line.
Device failed the send diagnostics test.

scsi/target—SCSI Target Test
The SCSI target test performs a read test on a specific SCSI
device. If you include the optional write parameter, the test
also performs a write test. To run the SCSI target test, type

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–63

t 3/scsi/target target_id [w] [l #]
and press Return.
Replace the target_id parameter with the SCSI ID of the
device you want to test. The ID can be 0 through 7. The
default ID is 0.
Specify the optional w parameter to include a write
operation in the SCSI target test.
Specify the optional l parameter to have the test repeat up
to 9 times. If you include the l parameter, replace # with
the number of times you want the test to repeat.
Caution: This test can destroy existing data if run with the w option.

The test writes over existing data at random.

SCSI target test error messages
SCSI target test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/scsi/target (code: description)
?TFL 3/scsi/target indicates that the SCSI target test

reported an error.
code represents a number that indicates which portion of
the test failed.
description represents additional information that
describes the failure.
Table E-42 lists error codes and descriptions used in SCSI
target test error messages.

E–64 Base System Test Commands and Messages

Table E-42. SCSI Target Test Error Codes and Descriptions
Error Code and Description

Meaning

1:( dev ol) N

Test could not bring the device on line. N
represents the SCSI ID of the device that
could not be brought on line.
Command entered from the keyboard
aborted the test. N represents the SCSI
ID of the device being tested.
Test cannot perform write operation. Device
is a read-only device. N represents the SCSI
ID of the device specified in the test.
Test does not test on the specified device.
N represents the SCSI ID of the device
specified in the test.
Read capacity command failed. N represents
the SCSI ID of the device that could not be
brought on line.
Write operation failed. N represents the
SCSI ID of the device that failed.
Read operation failed. N represents the
SCSI ID of the device that failed.
Write and read values did not match.
N represents the SCSI ID of the device
involved in the miscompare.
Write file mark failed. N represents the
SCSI ID of the device being tested.
Write operation failed. N represents the
SCSI ID of the device that failed.
Write file mark failed. N represents the
SCSI ID of the device being tested.
Space (-2) operation failed. N represents
the SCSI ID of the device involved in the
failure.
Space (1) operation failed. N represents
the SCSI ID of the device involved in the
failure.
Read operation failed. N represents the
SCSI ID of the device being tested.
Write and read values did not match.
N represents the SCSI ID of the device
involved in the miscompare.

2: ( tst nocomp) N

3: (ro dev) N

4: (dev type) N

6: (rdCap) N

7: (rzWr) N
8: (rzRd) N
9: (cmp) N

10: (wrFlMrk) N
11: (tzWr) N
12: (wrFlMrk) N
13: (spc) N

14: (spc) N

15: (tzRd) N
16: (cmp) N

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–65

tlb/prb—Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) Probe Test
The translation lookaside buffer (TLB) probe test checks
whether all TLB registers respond to an address match
operation. To run the TLB probe test, type
t 3/tlb/prb
and press Return.
TLB probe test error messages
The TLB probe test error message is
?TFL: 3/tlb/prb (match(0, N)=actual, sb expected)
?TFL: 3/tlb/prb (match(0, N)) indicates that the value
at address 0 did not match the value at the address
represented by N.
actual represents the actual value found at the address
represented by N.
expected represents the expected value at the address
represented by N.

tlb/reg—Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) Registers Test
The translation lookaside buffer (TLB) registers test performs a
read and write operation on the TLB. To run the TLB registers
test, type
t 3/tlb/reg [pattrn]
and press Return.
Replace the optional pattrn parameter with the pattern you
want to use for the read and write operation. The default
pattern is 55555555.
TLB registers test error messages
TLB registers test error messages have the form
?TFL: 3/tlb/regs (description)
?TFL 3/tlb/regs indicates that the TLB registers test

reported an error.

E–66 Base System Test Commands and Messages

description represents additional information that
describes the error.

Table E-43 lists descriptions used in TLB registers test error
messages.
Table E-43. TLB Registers Test Error Descriptions
Description

Meaning

tlblo [N]= actual, sb
expected

Pattern in TLB LO register was not the
expected pattern. N represents the number
of the register with the incorrect value. The
actual and expected values follow.
Pattern in TLB HI register was not the
expected pattern. N represents the number
of the register with the incorrect value. The
actual and expected values in the register
follow.

tlbhi [N]= actual, sb
expected

Diagnostic LED Codes
The system completes a series of tests and other functions
whenever you turn on the system power. If the system halts at
one of these functions, the diagnostic LED displays a code that
indicates where in the power-up sequence the system halted.
Table E-44 lists the diagnostic LED codes and what they
indicate about the power-up sequence.

Base System Test Commands and Messages E–67

Table E-44. Power-Up LED Codes
LED Code

Meaning

Two short flashes

Power is on. System firmware has begun
execution. Instructions can be fetched from
the system ROM. The system processor can
execute instructions.
Power-up self test in progress.
Some failure that could not be isolated was
detected during power-up self test
Test of REX-required memory failed.
kbd/crt selected as the firmware console
devices.
tty connected to the RS232 port has been
selected as the firmware console device.
Firmware test sequence has been completed.

Off for less than 30 seconds
Off for more than 30 seconds
Long flashes
One long flash followed by
one short flash
One long flash followed by
two short flashes
Steadily on

E–68 Base System Test Commands and Messages

F
CPU and System Registers
This appendix describes the following registers:
CPU cause of last exception
CPU exception program counter
CPU status
CPU bad virtual address
System support
System interrupt
System interrupt mask
Memory error
Memory size
Error address
MB register

CPU and System Registers F–1

This appendix describes the CPU and system registers. The
CPU and system registers contain information that can be
useful when troubleshooting.
There are two types of registers: R3000A CPU registers
and Model 25 system registers. The system automatically
displays R3000A CPU register information on the screen when
exceptions occur. Use the e command in console mode to access
Model 25 system registers.

CPU Registers
CPU Registers for R3000A Module
Table F-1 lists the R3000A CPU registers.
Table F-1. R3000A CPU Registers
Register

Description

Cause
EPC
Status
BadVAddr

Cause of last exception
Exception program counter
Status register
Bad virtual address (read only)

When an exception occurs, the system automatically displays
R3000A register information in one of two formats.
The first format is as follows:
?TFL #/test-name (CUX, cause= xxxxxxxx) [KN02-BA]
?TFL #/test-name (UEX, cause= xxxxxxxx) [KN02-BA]

where
# = Slot number of the option being tested
test-name = Test being run
cause = Cause register

F–2 CPU and System Registers

The second format is as follows:
? PC: 0x451<vtr=nrml>
? CR: 0x810<ce=0,ip4,exc=AdEL>
? SR: 0x30080000<cu1,cu0,cm,ipl=8>
? VA: 0x0x451
? ER: i0x100003f0
? MER: 0x2000

where
PC = Address of the exception instruction
CR = Cause register
SR = Status register
VA = Virtual address of the exception
ER = Error address register
MER = Memory error register

Refer to Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 for detailed troubleshooting
information.
CPU Registers for R4000 Only

Table F-2. R4000 CPU Registers
Register

Description

Cause
EPC
Status
BadVAddr
Error EPC
Config

Cause of last exception
Exception program counter
Status register
Bad virtual address (read only)
Error Exception program counter
Configuration register

Cause Register R3000 Only
The cause register is a 32-bit read/write register that describes
the nature of the last exception. A 4-bit exception code indicates
the cause of the exception, and the remaining fields contain
detail information relevant to the handling of certain types of
exceptions.

CPU and System Registers F–3

The branch delay (BD) bit indicates whether the EPC was
adjusted to point at the branch instruction that precedes
the next restartable instruction. For a coprocessor unusable
exception, the coprocessor error (CE) field indicates the
coprocessor unit number referenced by the instructions that
caused the exception.
The interrupt pending (IP) field indicates which external,
internal, coprocessor, and software interrupts are pending.

You can write to 1  0 to set or reset software interrupts. The

remaining bits, 7  2 , are read only and represent external,
internal, or coprocessor interrupts.
The number and assignment of the IP bits are implementation
dependent. R3000A processors have six external interrupts,
where IP5 is used for the MIPS floating-point coprocessor
interrupt. IP2 is normally used for system bus (I/O) interrupts.
The cause register has the following format:

31
30
29 28 27
16
+-----+-----+------+----------------------------------+
| BD | 0 | CE |
0
|
+-----+-----+------+----------------------------------+
1
1
2
12
15
8 7
6 5
2 1
0
+---------------------------+------+------------+-----+
|
IP
| 0
| ExcCode
| 0 |
+---------------------------+------+------------+-----+
8
2
4
2

BD indicates whether the last exception occurred during
execution in a branch delay slot (0 = normal, 1 = delay slot).
CE indicates the coprocessor unit number reference when a
coprocessor unusable exception occurs.
IP indicates whether an interrupt is pending.
ExcCode is the exception code field. The exception code
field is coded as shown in Table F-3.

F–4 CPU and System Registers

0 is unused (ignored on write, zero when read).
Table F-3. Exception Codes R3000
Number

Mnemonic

Description

0
1
2

Int
Mod
TLBL

3
4

TLBS
AdEL

5
6
7

AdES
IBE
DBE

8
9
10
11
12
13–31

Sys
Bp
RI
CpU
OV

Interrupt
TLB modification exception
TLB miss exception (load or instruction
fetch)
TLB miss exception (store)
Address error exception (load or instruction
fetch)
Address error exception (store)
Bus error exception (instruction fetch)
Bus error exception (data reference: load or
store)
Syscall exception
Breakpoint exception
Reserved instruction exception
Coprocessor unusable exception
Arithmetic overflow exception
Reserved

Cause Register R4000 Only
The R4000 Cause register for the most part is the same
as the R3000 register. The R3000 uses a 4-bit exception
code (ExcCode) while the R4000 uses a 5-bit exception code
(ExcCode). There is also some new exception codes. Table F-4
list the exception code and a description of each code.

CPU and System Registers F–5

Table F-4. Exception Codes R4000
Number

Mnemonic

Description

0
1
2

Int
Mod
TLBL

3
4

TLBS
AdEL

5
6
7

AdES
IBE
DBE

8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16-22
23
24-30
31

Sys
Bp
RI
CpU
OV
Tr
VCEI
FPE
WATCH
VCED

F–6 CPU and System Registers

Exception Program Counter (EPC) Register R3000 and R4000
The EPC register in the R3000 and R4000 indicates the virtual
address at which the most recent exception occurred. This
register is a 32-bit read-only register that contains an address
at which instruction processing can resume after an exception
is serviced. For synchronous exceptions, the EPC register
contains the virtual address of the instruction that was the
direct cause of the exception. When that instruction is in a
branch delay slot, the EPC register contains the virtual address
of the immediately preceding branch or jump instruction.
If the exception is caused by recoverable, temporary conditions
(such as a TLB miss), the EPC register contains a virtual
address at the instruction that caused the exception. Thus,
after correcting the conditions, the EPC registers contains a
point at which execution can be legitimately resumed. The EPC
register has the following format:
31
0
+-----------------------------------------------------+
|
EPC
|
+-----------------------------------------------------+
32

EPC is the exception program counter.

CPU and System Registers F–7

Status Register R3000 Only
The status register (SR) is a 32-bit read/write register that
contains the kernel/user mode, interrupt enable, and diagnostic
state of the processor. The SR contains a three-level stack
(current, previous, and old) of the kernel/user (KU) bit and
the interrupt enable (IE) bit. The stack is pushed when each
exception is taken. The stack is popped by the restore from
exception (RFE) instruction. These bits can also be directly
read or written.
The status register has the following format:
31
28 27
16
+------------------------------+----------------------+
|
CU
|
DS
|
+------------------------------+----------------------+
18
12
15
8 7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
+------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|
IM
| 0 | KUo | IEo | KUp | IEp | KUc | IEc |
+------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
8
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

The coprocessor usability (CU) field is a 4-bit field that
individually controls the usability of each of the four
coprocessor unit numbers (1 = usable, 0 = unusable).
Coprocessor zero is always usable in kernel mode,
regardless of the setting of the CU0 bit.
The diagnostic status (DS) field is an implementationdependent 12-bit diagnostic status field that is used for
self-testing and checking of the cache and virtual memory
system. See ‘‘Diagnostic status’’ on page E-8 for a detailed
description of the DS field.
The interrupt mask field (IM) is an 8-bit field that controls
the enabling of each of eight external interrupt conditions.
It controls the enabling of each of the external, internal,
coprocessor, and software interrupts (0 = disable, 1 =
enable). If interrupts are enabled, an external interrupt
occurs when corresponding bits are set in both the interrupt
mask field of the SR and the interrupt pending (IP) field
of the cause register. The actual width of this register is

F–8 CPU and System Registers

machine dependent. For a description of the IP field, see
‘‘Cause Register R3000 Only’’ on page E-4.
KUo is the old kernel/user mode (0 = kernel, 1 = user).
IEo is the old interrupt enable setting (0 = disable, 1 =
enable).
KUp is the previous kernel/user mode (0 = kernel, 1 = user).
IEp is the previous interrupt enable setting (0 = disable, 1
= enable).
KUc is the current kernel/user mode (0 = kernel, 1 = user).
IEc is the current interrupt enable setting (0 = disable, 1 =
enable).
Diagnostic status
The diagnostic facilities depend on the characteristics of the
cache and virtual memory system of the implementation.
Therefore, the layout of the diagnostic status field is
implementation dependent. The diagnostic status field is
normally used for diagnostic code, and in certain cases,
for operating system diagnostic facilities (such as reporting
parity errors). On some machines it is used for relatively rare
operations, such as flushing caches. Normally, this field should
be set to 0 by operating system code.
The diagnostic status bits are BEV, TS, PE, CM PZ, SwC,
and IsC. This set of bits provides a complete fault detection
capability but is not intended to provide extensive fault
diagnosis.
The SwC bit controls the switching of control signals for
instructions and data caches associated with the processor.
When the bit is changed, cache control signals are altered so
that instruction and data caches are effectively interchanged.
The processor must be executing from an uncached region and
must not be executing loads or stores near the time of cache
switching.

CPU and System Registers F–9

The IsC bit, when set, effectively isolates the cache currently
being used as the data cache from the rest of the memory
system, making cache diagnostics possible. The selection of
the data cache depends on the state of the SwC bit. When
the IsC bit is set, store operations affect only the cache (main
memory writes are inhibited), and load operations return the
data at the addressed location in the cache, whether a cache
miss occurs (main memory reads are inhibited). Uncached data
references are not generally useful with IsC set. Uncached
store operations affect neither the cache nor the main memory
system, and uncached load operations return the data at the
addressed location in the cache. IsC affects only data reference;
instruction fetches are not affected. This bit can also be used
by operating system code to flush caches without causing
associated main memory accesses.
The PZ bit, when set, causes 0 to replace the normal outgoing
parity bits that are generated on a store instruction, covering
both cache data and tags. This permits the writing of incorrect
parity bits in the caches and the checking of each parity tree
individually within the cache diagnostics.
The CM bit, when the cache is isolated, indicates whether the
most recent data cache load resulted in a cache miss. This bit
is used by cache test programs to verify the proper functioning
of the cache tag and parity bits.
The PE bit indicates whether a cache parity error occurred. It
is set on a cache parity error and reset by writing 1 to this bit.
Writing a 0 to this bit does not affect its value. This bit is used
to log cache parity errors in software; otherwise, recovery from
them is completely transparent. Within cache diagnostics, the
PE bit is used to verify proper functioning of the cache parity
bits and the cache parity trees.
The TS bit is read only and indicates that the TLB has shut
down due to attempts to access several entries in the TLB
simultaneously. This mechanism protects the TLB from
hardware failures in the event of catastrophic software misuse
of the TLB. When the TLB is in this state, all translations and
PROBE accesses are inhibited and have undefined effects. This
state can be cleared only by a reset operation.

F–10 CPU and System Registers

The bootstrap exception vectors (BEV) bit, when set, relocates
the UTLB miss exception vector to an address of 0xbfc00100
and the general exception vector to 0xbfc00180.
The format of the diagnostic status field is
27
23 22
21
20
19
18
17
16
+-----------------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+
|
0
| BEV | TS | PE | CM | PZ | SwC | IsC |
+-----------------+-----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

BEV controls the location of UTLB miss and general
exception vectors (0 = normal, 1 = bootstrap).
TS indicates that TLB shut down occurred.
PE indicates that a cache parity error occurred. This bit
can be cleared by writing 1 to this bit position.
CM indicates whether a data cache miss occurred while the
system was in cache test mode (0 = hit, 1 = miss).
PZ controls the zeroing of cache parity bits (0 = normal, 1 =
parity forced to zero).
SwC controls the switching of the data and instruction
caches (0 = normal, 1 = switched).
IsC controls isolation of the cache (0 = normal, 1 = cache
isolated).
0 is unused (ignored on write, zero when read).
Status Register R4000 Only
The status register (SR) is a 32-bit read/write register that
contains the kernel/user mode, interrupt enable, and diagnostic
state of the processor. The SR contains the kernel, user,
supervisor, error level, exception level, and the interrupt enable
(IE) bit. These bits can also be directly read or written.
The status register has the following format:
31
28 27 26 25 24
16
+---------+---+---+---+----------------------------------+
|
CU
|RP |FR |RE |
DS
|
+---------+---+---+---+----------------------------------+
4
1 1
1
9

CPU and System Registers F–11

15
8 7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
+------------+----+----+-----+-------+-----+-----+----+
|
IM
| KX | SX | UX | KSU | ERL | EXL | IE |
+------------+----+----+-----+-------+-----+-----+----+
8
1
1
1
2
1
1
1

The (CU) coprocessor usability field is a 4-bit field that
individually controls the usability of each of the four
coprocessor unit numbers (1 = usable, 0 = unusable).
Coprocessor zero is always usable in kernel mode,
regardless of the setting of the CU0 bit.
The (RP) reduce power enables reduced-power operation by
reducing the internal clock frequency.
The (FR) floating-point register enables additional floatingpoint registers (0-16 registers; 1-32 registers).
The (RE) reverse endian when set reverse byte orientation
in User mode.
The (DS) diagnostic status field is an implementationdependent 9-bit diagnostic status field that is used for
self-testing and checking of the cache and virtual memory
system. See ‘‘Diagnostic Status Field’’ for a detailed
description of the DS field.
The interrupt mask field (IM) is an 8-bit field that controls
the eight external, interrupt, coprocessor, and software
interrupts (0 = disable, 1 = enable). If interrupts are
enabled, an external interrupt occurs when corresponding
bits are set in both the interrupt mask field of the SR and
the interrupt pending (IP) field of the cause register.
The (KX) enables 64-bit addressing in Kernel mode.
The (SX) enables 64-bit addressing and operations in
supervisor mode.
The (UX) enables 64-bit addressing and operations in user
mode.
The (KSU) Mode (10-User, 01_supervisor, 00-Kernel)
The (ERL) Error level (0-normal, 1-error)
The (EXL) Exception level (0-normal, 1-exception)
The (IE) Interrupt Enable (0-disable, 1-enable)

F–12 CPU and System Registers

Diagnostic Status Field

following format:

The Diagnostic Status field has the

24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16
+----+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+
| 0 | BEV |TS|SR|0 |CH|CE|DE|
+----+-----+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2
1
1 1 1 1 1 1

The following Table F-5 describes the Diagnostic Status Fields:
Table F-5. Diagnostic Status Fields
Field

Description

BEV

Controls the location of TLB refill and general exception
vectors. (0 -> normal; 1 -> bootstrap)
TLB shutdown has occurred (read-only)
A soft reset has occurred
"Hit" (tag match and valid state) or "miss" indication for
last CACHE Hit Invalidate, Hit Write Back Invalidate, Hit
Write Back, Hit Set Virtual, or Create Dirty Exclusion for a
secondary cache.
Contents of the ECC register are used to set or modify the
check bits of the caches when CE equals 1.
Specifies that cache parity or ECC errors are not to cause
exceptions
Reserved. Must be written as zeroes, returns zeroes when
read

TS
SR
CH

CE
DE
0

BadVAddr Register R3000 and R4000
The bad virtual address (BadVAddr) register in the R3000 and
R4000 is a 32-bit read-only register that contains the most
recently translated virtual address for which a translation error
occurred. The bad virtual address register has the following
format:
+------------------------------------------------------+
|
BadVAddr
|
+------------------------------------------------------+

BadVAddr is the bad virtual address.

CPU and System Registers F–13

Error Exception Program Counter (Error EPC) R4000 Only
The Error EPC register is similar to the EPC register, but it
is used on ECC and parity error exceptions. It is also used to
store the PC on Reset, Soft Reset and NMI exceptions. The
address may be either:
the virtual address of the instruction that caused the
exception, or
the virtual address of the immediately preceding branch or
jump instruction when that address is in a branch delay
slot.
There is no branch delay slot indication for the ErrorEPC
register. The ErrorEPC register has the following format.
31
0
+--------------------------------------------------------+
|
ErrorEPC
|
+--------------------------------------------------------+
32

Configuration Register R4000 Only
The Configuration Register (Config) specifies various
configuration options selected on R4000 processors. Some
configuration options, as defined by Config bits 31...6, are set
by the hardware during reset, and are included in this register
as read-only status for software. Other configuration options
are read/write (defined by Config bits 5..0) and controlled
by software; on reset these fields are undefined. The Config
register has the following format:
31
12 11 9 8 6 5 4
3 2
0
+----------------------------------+----+----+--+--+--+----+
|
Hardware Parameters
| IC | DC |IB|DB|CU| K0 |
+----------------------------------+----+----+--+--+--+----+
3
3
1
1 1
3

F–14 CPU and System Registers

Bits 31..12 indicate the setting of hardware parameters
which are loaded from the serial ROM on the daughter card.
For more information on these bits refer to the MIPS R4000
Microprocessor User’s Manual.

Table F-6. Config Registers
Field/Bit
Name

IC
DC
IB
DB
CU

Description

Primary ICache Size (ICache size = 2 12+IC bytes)
Primary DCache Size (DCache size = 2 12+DC bytes)
Primary ICache block size (1 -> 32 bytes; 0 ->16 bytes)
Primary DCache line size (1 -> 32 bytes; 0 ->16 bytes)
Update on Store Conditional (0 -> Store Conditional uses
coherency algorithm specified by TLB; 1 -> SC uses cacheable
coherent update on write)
kesg0 coherency algorithm (2 -> uncached, 3 -> cached, non
coherent)

CPU and System Registers F–15

System Registers
Data Buffers 3 to 0
The data buffers general-purpose 32-bit read-write registers
used by the I/O control ASIC. For test purposes, these registers
can be read and written. Any DMA or access to a peripheral
device can overwrite these registers. To ensure proper testing,
disable all DMA engines.
Table F-7 lists the system registers.
Table F-7. System Registers
Register

Console Address

Description

SSR
SIR
Mask
MER
MSR
EAR

0xBC040100
0xBC040110
0xBC040120
0xAC400000
0xAC800000
0xAE000004

System support register
System interrupt register
System interrupt mask register
Memory error register
Memory size register
Error address register

Use the e command to examine the contents of a model 25
system register from the console. Enter the e command in the
following format:
e [options] [console_address]
See Appendix C, ‘‘Console Commands,’’ for information about
the formats and options used with the e command and the other
console commands.

F–16 CPU and System Registers

System Support Register (SSR)
The SSR can be both read from and written to. Bits <31:16>
are used inside the I/O control ASIC. Bits <15:0> generate
signals visible outside the I/O control ASIC.
Table F-8. System Support Register 0xBC040100
Bits

Access

Description

31
30
29
28
27:23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14:13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4:1
0

R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W

Communication port transmit DMA enable (1=enable, 0=disable)
Communication port receive DMA enable (1=enable, 0=disable)
Desktop bus transmit DMA enable (1=enable, 0=disable)
Desktop bus receive DMA enable (1=enable, 0=disable)
Reserved
Floppy DMA direction, 0 = transmit (read from memory)
Floppy DMA enable
ISDN transmit DMA enable
ISDN receive DMA enable
SCSI DMA direction, 0 = transmit (read from memory)
SCSI DMA enable (1=enable, 0=disable)
LANCE DMA enable (1=enable, 0=disable)
DIAGDN (diagnostic flag)
Reserved
ISDN reset (active low)
SCC reset (active low)
RTC reset (active low)
53C94 SCSI controller reset (SCSI active low)
LANCE reset (Ethernet active low)
Floppy reset (active low)
VDAC reset (active low)
Desktop reset (active high)
Reserved
LEDs

CPU and System Registers F–17

This bit when set to 1 enables the communication port
transmit DMA to SCC-B.
SSR<31>

This bit when set to 1 enables the communication port
receive DMA from SCC-B.

SSR<30>

SSR<29> This bit when set to 1 enables the desktop bus
transmit DMA.
SSR<28>

DMA.

This bit when set to 1 enables the desktop bus receive

SSR<27:23>

Reserved, should be set to 0s.

Establishes the Floppy DMA direction. Setting this bit
to 1 causes the DMA to move data from memory to the floppy.
A 0 reverses this direction.
SSR<22>

Setting this bit enables the floppy DMA. If this bit is
not set to 1, floppy DMA will not advance.

SSR<21>

Setting this bit enables the ISDN transmit DMA.
If this bit is not set to 1, the ISDN transmit DMA will not
advance.
SSR<20>

SSR<19> Setting this bit enables the ISDN receive DMA. If this
bit is not set to a 1, the ISDN receive DMA will not advance.

This bit, set to 0 on power up or reset, determines
the direction of the SCSI DMA transfer. If the bit is a 0 then
memory data will be supplied to the 53C94 upon demand from
the address specified by the SCSI DMA pointer. If set to a 1,
data bursts of 2 words supplied from the 53C94 are written to
memory.
SSR<18>

SSR<17>

ables it.

This bit when set to a 1 enables SCSI DMA; 0 dis-

SSR<16> This bit when set to a 1 enables LANCE DMA so the
Ethernet can begin functioning.

F–18 CPU and System Registers

This bit is driven to the DIAGDN jumper on
the base board and may be used as a trigger for debug purposes.

SSR<15>DIAGDN
SSR<14:13>

This bit is reserved.

When this bit is cleared to a 0, the 79c30 ISDN chip is
reset. Because this is the power up state, this bit must be set
prior to use of the ISDN or sound subsystem.
SSR<12>

SSR<11> This signal may be read and written. The SCC UART
is placed in a hard reset state when this bit is 0. This bit is
cleared to 0 at power up/reset, resetting the 85c30.

This bit may be read and written. The time-of-year
controller is placed in a hard reset state when this bit is 0.
This bit is cleared to 0 at power up/reset, resetting the TOY.
When reset the TOY loses neither its date nor its 50 bytes of
permanent store.
SSR<10>

SSR<9> This bit may be read and written. The 53C94 SCSI
controller is placed in a hard reset state when this bit is 0. This
bit is cleared to 0 at power up/reset, resetting the 53C94.
SSR<8> This bit may be read and written. The LANCE is
placed in a hard reset state when this bit is 0. This bit is
cleared to 0 at power up/reset, resetting the LANCE.

This bit may be read and written. The floppy is placed
in a hard reset state when this bit is 0. This bit is cleared to 0
at power up/reset, resetting the floppy controller.
SSR<7>

SSR<6> This bit may be read and written. The video subsystem
is placed in a hard reset state when this bit is 0. This bit is
cleared to 0 at power up/reset, resetting the video.
SSR<5> This bit may be read and written. The desktop bus
is placed in a hard reset state when this bit is 1. This bit is
cleared to 0 at power up/reset. To reset the DTB this bit must
be written to a 1.

CPU and System Registers F–19

SSR<4:1>

These bits are reserved.

SSR<0>LED This LED is visible at the front of the machine.
LED = 1 indicates that the led is on.

System Interrupt Register (SIR)
The SIR consists of two sections. Bits <31:16> are set by the
DMA engine for sundry DMA conditions. These bits are always
set by the system and can be cleared by writing 0 to them.
Writing 1 has no effect. These bits are cleared to 0 during
system power up or reset.
Bits <15:0> reflect the status of specific system devices and are
read only. A few of these are not usually used as interrupts
and should be masked. These bits may or may not be reset to
0 during system power up reset, depending on the state of the
interrupting device.

F–20 CPU and System Registers

Table F-9. System Interrupt Register 0xBC040110
Bits

Access

Description

31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/WOC
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R/W0C
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R

Communication port transmit page end interrupt
Communication port transmit DMA memory read error
Communication port receive half page interrupt
Communication port receive DMA page overrun
Desktop bus transmit page end interrupt
Desktop bus transmit DMA memory read error
Desktop bus receive half page interrupt
Desktop bus receive DMA overrun
Floppy DMA error
ISDN DMA transmit buffer pointer loaded interrupt
ISDN DMA receive buffer pointer loaded interrupt
ISDN DMA memory read or overrun error (both directions)
SCSI DMA interrupt (DMA buffer pointer loaded)
SCSI DMA overrun error
SCSI DMA memory read error
LANCE DMA memory read error
Floppy interrupt
NVR mode jumper
Power on reset
TURBOchannel option 0 interrupt
ISDN interrupt
NRMOD manufacturing mode jumper
SCSI interrupt from 53C94 SCSI controller
Ethernet interrupt
Floppy HDSTATUS
Serial interupt
TURBOchannel option 1 interrupt
Floppy XDSTATUS
Video frame interrupt
NOT video frame interrupt
(continued on next page)

CPU and System Registers F–21

Table F-9 (Cont.). System Interrupt Register 0xBC040110
Bits

Access

Description

1
0

R
R

Desktop transmit interrupt
Desktop receive interrupt

This interrupt is generated by the communication port
transmit DMA logic. The DMA transmitter, when enabled,
transmits bytes until the pointer reaches a 4-Kbyte page
boundary. At this point it stops DMA and interrupts the
processor. DMA is disabled whenever this bit is set. To restart,
you must clear this bit by writing a 0; writing a 1 has no effect.
SIR<31>

SIR<30> When a parity error, page crossing error, or maximum
transfer length error occurs during a communication transmit
port DMA, this bit is set and the DMA is disabled. The DMA
pointer will contain the error address. Check the memory
sections for more information. To restart, software must clear
this bit by writing a 0; writing a 1 has no effect.

When the receive DMA pointer associated with the
communications port reaches a half page (2K) boundary, this
bit is set. Software must disable DMA, then load a new pointer
and restart DMA without being interrupted. This bit may be
cleared by writing a 0; writing a 1 has no effect. The setting of
this bit is informational only and does not stop the DMA.
SIR<29>

When the receive DMA pointer associated with the
communication port reaches a page boundary, this bit is set
and the DMA disabled. To restart, you must clear this bit by
writing a 0; writing a 1 has no effect. Note that bit <29> is set
whenever this bit is set.
SIR<28>

SIR<27> This interrupt is generated by the desktop bus
transmit DMA logic. The DMA transmitter, (when enabled),
transmits bytes until the pointer reaches a 4K page boundary.
At this point it stops DMA and interrupts the processor. DMA
is disabled whenever this bit is set. To restart , this bit must be
cleared by writing a 0; writing a 1 has no effect.

F–22 CPU and System Registers

SIR<26> When a parity error, page-crossing error, or maximum
transfer length error occurs during a desktop bus DMA, this
bit is set and the DMA is disabled. The DMA pointer will
contain the error address. Check the memory sections for more
information. To restart, software must clear this bit by writing
a 0; writing a 1 has no effect.

When the receive DMA pointer associated with the
desktop bus reaches a half page (2K) boundary, this bit is
set. Software must disable DMA, then load a new pointer
and restart DMA without being interrupted. This bit may be
cleared by writing a 0; writing a 1 has no effect. The setting of
this bit is informational only and does not stop the DMA.
SIR<25>

When the receive DMA pointer associated with the
Desktop Bus reaches a page boundary, this bit is set and the
DMA disabled. To restart, you must clear this bit by writing a
0; writing a 1 has no effect. Note that bit <25> is set whenever
this bit is set.
SIR<24>

When a parity error, page crossing error, or maximum
transfer length error occurs during a floppy DMA, this bit is set
and the DMA is disabled. The DMA pointer will contain the
error address. Check the memory sections for more information.
To restart, software must clear this bit by writing a 0; writing a
1 has no effect.
SIR<23>

This bit is set when the ISDN transmit buffer pointer
is loaded into the ISDN transmit pointer at the end of a page.
The software will have to refill the buffer pointer or the DMA
will halt when the last page is transmitted.
SIR22>

This bit is set when the ISDN receive buffer pointer is
loaded into the ISDN receive pointer at the end of a page. The
software will have to refill the buffer pointer or the DMA will
halt when the last page is filled.
SIR<21>

CPU and System Registers F–23

SIR<20> This bit is set when the ISDN transmit or receive
DMA detects a memory parity error or a page-crossing error, or
if either pointer is exhausted and the buffer pointer is empty.
When this bit is set, both transmit and receive DMAs are
halted. Software must examine both pointers and the MER to
determine the actual cause of the error. In some cases, this
may not be possible. Either the ISDN receive pointer or the
transmit pointer will contain the address in error. The MER
will have further error information. The software will have to
write this bit to a 1 before restarting the DMA or no progress
will be made.
SIR<19> This interrupt is set whenever the SCSI DMA buffer
pointer associated with the SCSI port is loaded into the SCSI
DMA pointer register. Software will use this interrupt to load
a new buffer pointer into the SCSI buffer pointer register. This
interrupt is cleared by writing a 0 to it.

This bit is set when the SCSI buffer pointer is not
reloaded soon enough. It indicates an overrun condition as the
data buffer space is exhausted. DMA is disabled when this bit
is set. It may be cleared by writing a 0 to it.
SIR<18>

SIR<17> This bit is set when the SCSI DMA encounters a
memory read error while doing DMA. DMA is disabled when
this bit is set. It may be cleared by writing a 0 to it.
SIR<16> This bit is set to 1 when the LANCE DMA encounters
a memory read error, disabling DMA. The LANCE will then
time out, interrupting the processor to handle the problem.
The address of the error will be visible in the LPR. It may be
cleared by writing a 0 to it; writing 1s to it has no effect.

This bit is set to 1 when the floppy controller generates
an interrupt.

SIR<15>

SIR<14>UNSCUR When an external jumper is installed, this bit
is set and the contents of the NV RAM in the TOY are set to
default system values by software. Any password that had been
saved is gone.

F–24 CPU and System Registers

This bit is not set after a power-on reset. It will be set
after a reset from the desktop bus.

SIR<13>

This bit reflects the state of the TURBOchannel slot 0
interrupt. A 1 indicates an interrupting condition.
SIR<12>

SIR<11>

ISDN interrupt.

SIR<10>NRMOD This bit reflects the state of the manufacturing
jumper on the module. When the jumper is absent, NRMMOD
is 0 and the console should perform its normal power-up/reset
tests and boot. When the jumper is installed, NRMMOD is 1
and the console should execute manufacturing tests.
SIR<9> This follows the state of the interrupt from the 53C94
chip. This interrupt indicates that the transfer is complete.
SIR<8>

This follows the state of the interrupt from the LANCE.

SIR<7>Floppy HDSTATUS This signal along with SIR<4> follows
the state of the floppy density ID bits. SIR<7> SIR<4> = 00
(Low density 1 Mbyte). SIR<7> SIR<4> = 10 (High density
2 Mbytes). SIR<7> SIR<4> = 01 (Extra density 4 Mbytes).
SIR<7> SIR<4> = 11 (Drive is not attached).

This interrupt is generated by the SCC that controls
the serial port.

SIR<6>

This bit reflects the state of the TURBOchannel slot 1
interrupt. A 1 indicates an interrupting condition.
SIR<5>

SIR<4>Floppy XDSTATUS This signal along with SIR<4> follows
the state of the floppy density ID bits. SIR<7> SIR<4> = 00
(Low density 1 Mbyte). SIR<7> SIR<4> = 10 (High density
2 Mbytes). SIR<7> SIR<4> = 01 (Extra density 4 Mbytes).
SIR<7> SIR<4> = 11 (Drive is not attached).
SIR<3>

Video interrupt.

SIR<2>

Inverted version of video interrupt.

CPU and System Registers F–25

SIR<1> Desktop bus transmit interrupt asserts when the ODB
transmit byte register is empty.

Desktop receive interrupt asserts when the ODB receive
register is full.
SIR<0>

System Interrupt Mask Register
Table F-10. System Interrupt Mask Register 0xBC040120
Bits

Access

Description

31:0

R/W

Interrupt mask

These bits, if 0, mask the corresponding interrupt
observable in the SIR. Bit <0> masks SIR<0>, bit <1> masks
SIR<1>, and so on. The mask does not prevent an interrupt
from showing up in the SIR; it merely keeps the CPU from
being interrupted. The interrupt mask is set to 0s on power up,
masking all interrupts. Software must set to 1 those interrupts
that it wants enabled.
<31:0>

Memory Error Register (MER)
The MER stores error information so that a bad memory card
can be identified and replaced. Byte masks on writes to this
register have no effect. The entire register is always written as
a word.
This register is visible in memory space and differs from all
other system registers in one respect. It is read from and
written to via DMA accesses rather than I/O accesses. Options
using the DMA feature of the TURBOchannel can read the
MER and obtain some error information.

F–26 CPU and System Registers

Table F-11. Memory Error Register 0xAC400000
Bits

Access

Description

31:28
27
26:17
16
15
14
13:12
11:8
7:0

R/W
R/W

Reserved
INTR (10ms/1ms Interrupt)
Reserved
Page boundary error
Transfer length error
PARDIS memory error disable
Reserved
Last byte error
Reserved

R/W
R/W
R/W
R/W

MER<31:28>

These bits are reserved.

MER<27> This bit is set every 1ms or 10ms and is intended
as a periodic interrupt. When the interrupt is serviced, this
interrupt may be cleared by writing this bit to a 0. This
interrupt is connected to SIR<12> and is intended to be used
for ACE compliance.
MER<16> This bit is set when any memory access crosses a
2-Kbyte boundary.
MER<15> This bit is set when any memory access exceeds 128
words in length.
MER<14> PARDIS disables parity errors when written to 1.
This register disables loading of MER<11:8>.
MER<13:12>

These bits are reserved.

This field indicates which byte or bytes had a
parity error during a memory read. When set to 1, MER<11>
indicates that memory data byte <31:24> is in error, MER<10>
corresponds to memory data byte <23:16>, and so on. These
bits are set on any memory access where an error occurred
and remain set until they are cleared by writing them to 0.
MER<14> disables loading this register via memory error.
MER<11:8>

CPU and System Registers F–27

These bits are reserved.

MER<7:0>

Memory Size Register (MSR)
The MSR supplies memory configuration information. This
should be set prior to a memory access (if possible).
Table F-12. Memory Size Register 0xAC800000
Bits

31:27
26
25
24:21
20
19:17
16:14
13
12:0

Access

Reserved
INTREN
MS10EN
PFORCE
MABEN
LASTBANK
Reserved
Size
Reserved

R/W

MSR<31:27>

Description

These bits are reserved.

Setting this bit causes the memory subsystem
to generate a periodic interrupt, setting the INTR bit. When
INTREN is a 0 no interrupt will be generated.
MSR<26>INTREN

MSR<25>MS10EN Setting this bit to a 1 sets the period of the
interrupt to 10ms. If the bit is 0, then the interrupt period is
1ms.

This field is used to force parity errors.
If PFORCE<0> is set any subsequent memory read accesses
will cause a TURBOchannel parity error on byte 0. Setting
PFORCE<1> (MSR<22>) will force a parity error on byte 1 etc.
MSR<24:21>PFORCE

MABEN enables the A side addresses to the
video frame buffer independant of the SIZE bit. This bit should
be set to a 1.
MSR<20>MABEN

F–28 CPU and System Registers

LASTBANK places the 8 Mbytes of
baseboard RAM at a particular location. When set to 0x1,
0x2, 0x3 the baseboard memory starts at bank 0, bank 1 or
bank 2 respectively. For example if a SIMM is placed in bank
1 then the baseboard memory should be placed at bank 2
(LASTBANK=0x2). This field is reset to 0 on power up.
MSR<19:17>LASTBANK

MSR<16:14>

These bits are reserved.

SIZE is set to a 0 when reset causing the use of
4-Mbyte banks. If SIZE is set to a 1 the memory can utilize
16-Mbyte banks. Different sized memory SIMMs when mixed
in a system will not provide optimal storage space.
MSR<13>

MSR<12:0>

These bits are reserved.

Error Address Register (EAR)
The EAR is a 32-bit register containing a 27-bit word address.
Bits <31:29> and <1:0> are zero.
The error address register is set by a memory read parity error,
a transfer length or page-crossing error, or an I/O slot read or
write timeout.
During either of the above cycles, the error address register
is written with the address being referenced. For a cached
memory read parity error, this address is the start-of-block
address, that is, four-word aligned; otherwise, it is the word
address.
The register may be read at any time. CPU writes to this
register are ignored. There is no way of checking the validity of
this register. Its contents are overwritten each time there is a
parity error or a TURBOchannel timeout.

CPU and System Registers F–29

Index
A
Adapter, serial line, 10–5
Addresses
memory, 12–11
Antistatic kit, 10–2

B
BadVAddr register, F–13
Base system
Ethernet controller, 12–21
Base system module, 12–21
clear-NVR connector, 12–21
CPU module, 12–2
CPU module connector, 12–21
diagnostic ROM, 12–21
ESAR chip, 12–19, 12–21
install, 12–25
keyboard-mouse connector, 12–21
memory modules, 12–7
option module connectors, 12–21
power connectors, 12–21
RAM, 12–21
remove, 12–23
SCSI controller, 12–21
serial port (RS-232), 12–21
SIMM connectors, 12–21
TURBOCHANNEL option module
connectors, 12–21

Base system module tests, E–5
Basic hardware, 1–4

C
Clear-NVR jumper, 1–11
Commands
boot, D–8
cat, D–11
cnfg, D–12
d, D–21
e, D–23
erl, D–25
go, D–25
init, D–26
passwd, D–28
printenv, D–29
restart, D–29
script, D–30
setenv, D–31
sh, D–35
t, D–36
test, D–36
uerf, 7–1
unsetenv, D–37
xxx, D–7
Commands:
ls, D–27

Index–1

Comm-line-to-MMJ adapter (see serial
line adapter), 10–5
Connector pin assignments, C–1 to C–9
Connectors, 1–8, 1–9
CPU module, 1–9
Ethernet, 1–8
external, 1–8
internal, 1–9
keyboard-mouse, 1–8
power, 1–9
external, 1–8
RS-232, 1–8
SCSI, 1–8, 1–9
serial communications (see
Connectors, RS-232), 1–8
SIMM, 1–9
TURBOchannel option module, 1–9
external, 1–8
Console commands
key combinations, D–2
Console Commands, D–1
Control key combinations, D–2
Controls and indicators, 1–7
Conventions used in the manual, xxiv
CPU module, 2–1, 12–2
CPU registers, F–2
CPU-type utility, E–33

D
Data buffers, F–16
Diagnostic LED, 1–7
Diagnostic LED codes, E–67
Drives
internal, 11–4

E
equipment specifications, A–1
LK501-AA keyboard, A–9
RX26 diskette drive, A–21
RZ23L hard disk drive, A–13
RZ24L hard disk drive, A–15
RZ25 hard disk drive, A–17
RZ26 hard disk drive, A–19

Index–2

equipment specifications (cont’d)
system unit, A–2
TLZ06 cassette tape drive, A–21
VRC16 monitor, A–4
VRM17 monitor, A–6, A–8
VSXXX-BB mouse, A–11
Error address register, F–29
Error and status register error logs, 7–9
Error logs, 7–1
error and status register, 7–9
event types, 7–4
format, 7–1
memory, 7–7
Error messages
console command;, D–38
ESAR chip, 12–17, 12–19
base system, 12–19
option module, 12–17
Ethernet
base system ESAR chip, 12–19
option module ESAR chip, 12–17
Ethernet loopback connector, 10–8
?EV, D–38
?EVV;, D–38
Exception program counter register,
F–7

F
Floppy disk drive, 11–6
Floppy disk drive shield, 11–6
Floppy disk mounting bracket, 11–10

H
Halt button, 1–7
Hardware
basic, 1–4
configurations, 1–2

I
Indicator light, 1–7
Individual tests, E–1

Input devices, 13–1
mouse, 13–3
tablet, 13–3
Input devices: keyboard, 13–2
Internal drives, 11–4
cables, 11–4
connectors, 11–4
floppy disk drive, 11–6
hard disk drive, 11–12
?IO, D–38

K
Keyboard, 2–3, 13–2, B–4

L
LED
status indicator, 12–26
Loopback connector
Ethernet, 10–8
serial line, 10–9
ThickWire, 10–8

M
Memory
address ranges, 12–11
slots, 12–11
Memory addresses, 12–11
Memory error logs, 7–7
Memory error register, F–26
Memory modules, 12–7
address ranges, 12–11
in cnfg displays, D–15
remove and install, 12–11
Memory size register, F–28
Memory slot numbers, 12–11
Memory slots, 12–7
MMJ loopback connector (see serial line
loopback connector), 10–9
Monitors, 2–2
Mouse, 2–3, 13–3, B–4

Multiscreen, 2–2
mxm, 12–21

O
On/off switch, 1–7
Option module
ESAR chip, 12–17
Option modules
remove and install, 12–15
Options, 2–1

P
Part numbers, B–1
adapters, B–5
basic system components, B–2
bezels, B–5
cables, B–4
connectors, B–5
cords, B–4
Ethernet, B–4, B–5
Floppy disk hardware, B–3
hardware documentation, B–6
input devices, B–4
internal drives, B–3
keyboard, B–4
major FRUs, B–2
monitors, B–4
mouse, B–4
power supply, B–2
SCSI, B–4, B–5
SCSI hardware, B–3
small hardware, B–5
software documentation, B–8
standoffs, B–5
system module, B–2
system unit chassis, B–2
system unit cover, B–2
terminators, B–5
?PDE3;, D–38
Pin assignments
Ethernet loopback connector, Part
#12-22196-02, C–10
I/O cover SCSI cable, C–2

Index–3

Pin assignments (cont’d)
modem loopback connector, Part#1215336-13, Option #H3200, C–10
printer/communications connector,
C–4
printer/console loopback connector,
C–6
SERIAL.bus, C–8
Sound Connector Pin Assignments,
C–9
summary of loopback connections,
C–10
ThickWire Ethernet connector, C–3
Power, 1–7
Power supply, 12–26

R
Registers, F–2
BadVAddr, F–13
cause, F–3
CPU, F–2
data buffers, F–16
EAR, F–29
(EPC), F–7
ER, F–26
error address, F–29
exception program counter, F–7
memory error, F–26
memory size, F–28
MSR, F–28
SIR, F–20
SSR, F–17
status, F–8
system, F–15
system interrupt, F–20
system interrupt mask, F–26
system support, F–17
xxxx, F–20
RX26 floppy disk drive, 11–26
RZ23L hard disk drive, 11–15
RZ24 hard disk drive, 11–17
RZ24L hard disk drive, 11–19

Index–4

RZ25 hard disk drive, 11–20
RZ26 hard disk drive, 11–23

S
SCSI
cable lengths, 11–3
cables, 2–4
controllers, 2–4
drives, 2–4
external, 2–4
internal, 2–4
SCSI chain terminator, 10–7
SCSI controller terminator, 10–6
Serial line adapter, 10–5
Serial line loopback connector, 10–9
SIMM addresses, 12–11
SIMMs, 12–7
remove and install, 12–11
Slot numbers
memory, 12–11
?SNF, D–38
Speaker, 12–26
Staticsensitive materials, 10–2
Status register, F–8
?STF, D–38
?STX, D–38
System Boot ROM switch, 1–12
System interrupt mask register, F–26
System interrupt register, F–20
System module, 12–21
System support register, F–17
System unit cover, 10–3

T
Tablet, 13–3, B–4
Terminal, 2–2
Terminator
SCSI chain, 10–7
SCSI controller, 10–6
Test
diagnostics, E–62

Tests
ab/caps, E–6
ab/cntl, E–7
ab/ctrs, E–7
ab/nm, E–8
ab/t, E–8
base system module, E–5
cache/data, E–8
cache/fill, E–9
cache/isol, E–11
cache isolate, E–11
cache/reload, E–12
cache/seg, E–13
collision, E–34
common diagnostic utilities, E–35
crt/ascii, E–15
crt/cursmem, E–16
crt/e, E–16
crt/fb, E–16
crt/h, E–17
crt/init, E–17
crt/patterns, E–18
crt/vdac, E–18
cyclic redundancy code (CRC), E–36
desktop bus controller, E–7
desktop bus tables verification tool,
E–8
display next message, E–8
DMA registers, E–37
DMA transfer, E–39
epm/dump, E–18
epm/init, E–20
epm/sign, E–19
epm/write, E–20
ESAR, E–40
Ethernet DMA registers, E–37
Ethernet DMA transfer, E–39
Ethernet station address ROM
(ESAR), E–40
external loopback, E–41
fctr/intvl, E–20
fctr/run, E–21
fdi/dor, E–21
fdi/exfdc, E–22

Tests (cont’d)
fdi/read, E–23
fdi/reset, E–24
fdi/t, E–25
fdi/wrtrd, E–25
floating 1/0 memory, E–30
floating-point unit, E–27
fpu, E–27
internal loopback, E–43
interrupt request (IRQ), E–42
IRQ, E–42
isdn/audio, E–28
isdn/base, E–29
ISDN baseline, E–29
isdn/dma, E–30
LANCE, E–35
LANCE setup utilities, E–48
mem, E–31
mem/float10, E–30
mem/init, E–32
memory module, E–31
mem/select, E–32
mfg/done, E–33
misc/cpu-type, E–33
misc/wbpart, E–33
multicast, E–44
ni/cllsn, E–34
ni/common, E–35
ni/crc, E–36
ni/dma1, E–37
ni/dma2, E–39
ni/esar, E–40
ni/ext-lb, E–41
ni/int, E–42
ni/int-lb, E–43
ni/m-cst, E–44
ni/promisc, E–46
ni/regs, E–47
ni/setup, E–48
nonvolatile RAM (NVR), E–49
NVR, E–49
partial write, E–33
promiscuous mode, E–46
RAM select lines, E–32

Index–5

Tests (cont’d)
real time, E–51
real-time clock (RTC) period, E–50
real-time clock (RTC) registers, E–50
registers, E–47
rtc/nvr, E–49
rtc/period, E–50
RTC period, E–50
RTC registers, E–50
rtc/regs, E–50
rtc/time, E–51
scache/data, E–15
scc/access, E–52
SCC access, E–52
SCC direct memory access, E–53
scc/dma, E–53
scc/int, E–55
SCC interrupts, E–55
scc/io, E–55
SCC i/o, E–55
scc/pins, E–57
SCC pins, E–57
SCC transmit-receive, E–59
scc/tx-rx, E–59
scsi/cntl, E–61
SCSI controller, E–61
scsi/sdiag, E–62
SCSI send diagnostics, E–62
scsi/target, E–63
SCSI target, E–63
serial communication chip (SCC)
direct memory access, E–53
serial communication chip (SCC)
interrupts, E–55
serial communication chip (SCC) i/o,
E–55
serial communication chip (SCC) pins,
E–57
serial communication chip (SCC)
transmit-receive, E–59
serial communications chip (SCC)
access, E–52
tlb/prb, E–66
TLB probe, E–66

Index–6

Tests (cont’d)
tlb/reg, E–66
TLB registers, E–66
translation lookaside buffer (TLB)
probe, E–66
translation lookaside buffers (TLB)
registers, E–66
zero memory, E–32
Tests:
ASCII font, E–15
cache segment, E–13
chip initialization, E–17
cursor memory, E–16
desktop bus counters, E–7
desktop bus device capabilities, E–6
DIAGDN bit, E–33
’E’, E–16
EEPROM contents display, E–18
EEPROM read/modify/write, E–20
EEPROM reinitialization, E–20
EEPROM signature data check, E–19
exercise floppy disk controller, E–22
floppy disk debug tools, E–25
floppy DOR register test, E–21
floppy media read test, E–23
frame buffer, E–16
free-running counter increment,
E–21
free-running counter interval, E–20
‘H’, E–17
ISDN controller audio, E–28
ISDN controller peripheral port,
E–30
reset floppy disk interface, E–24
scache data, E–15
screen patterns, E–18
vdac/color palette, E–18
write/read floppy media, E–25
Tests:individual, E–1
?TFL, D–38
ThickWire loopback connector, 10–8
TLZ06 cassette tape drive, 11–25

?TNF, D–38
TURBOchannel option modules, 2–4
remove and install, 12–15
?TXT, D–38

U
ULTRIX error logs, 7–1
Utilities
display MOP counters, E–37
ni/ctrs, E–37

Index–7