Update: Alphastation 500/500 hardware crash

From: Ben.Swerts@ua.ac.be
Date: Mon Apr 15 2002 - 08:11:13 EDT


Hello all,

Here's an update to my problem (original message below). I got help from a
number of people (thanks Raman Kumar, sysadmin account, Selden E Ball Jr,
Shankat Riaz, Kevin Fleming and Cian O'Sullivan) and did the following
(with a reboot between each step):

- I disconnected everything except the videocard (don't have a terminal at
hand). This resulted in a black screen, no beeps
- I powercycled, connected the power to the root HD. This resulted in the
blue boot screen with a scrolling text. I think it read 'Processor
correctable error' and some more lines after it. I couldn't stop the
scrolling as the keyboard wasn't connected.
- I connected the keyboard + mouse. This resulted in the blinking of the 3
leds on the keyboard, accompanied by beeps. Got no image at all.
- I powercycled and disconnected the HD: I got no beeps + a black screen
- I connected the HD SCSI connector: no beeps, black screen, HD spin-up.

On other attempts (with different stuff connected) I got the blue screen
with a count to e9, e6 or e4. I once got continuous rebooting (blue
screen/video-bios screen/etc.)

I will try to reseat the CPU when I have the proper tools. I already
reseated the RAM before writing the list.

Thanks for the help this far, everyone.

        Ben

> Hello list members,
>
> I have got serious problems with one of our Alphastations 500/500.
> Here's what happened:
> - This morning my collague came in and found the workstation with a black
> screen, unresponsive to any action (mouse/keyboard/ping)
> - On reboot (hard reset) the blue screen came up, but only counted to 'e9'
> and stopped.
> - On second reboot (power cycle), nothing happens (black screen)
> - I open up the machine, give it a thorough (vacuum) cleaning and boot it
> after a power cycle: the blue screen is drawn, but only for 2/3 of the
> screen. It stops drawing in the middle of a line.
> - After a reboot it gives the black screen again.
> - After a power cycle and more cleaning it gives a partial blue screen
> again, but fewer lines than before.
>
> The harddisk always spins up, does some reading and then idles.
> I have no idea how to determine which part is failing. The machine is out of
> warranty, so I would like to ask you for help.
>
> Any hints would be kindly appreciated. Will be summarized of course.
>
>
> TIA,
>
> Ben
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
> Ben Swerts
> University of Antwerp - Dept. of Chemistry (C2.29)
> Universiteitsplein 1
> B-2610 Wilrijk email: ben.swerts@ua.ac.be
> Belgium tel: +32-3-820.23.57
> ---------------------------------------------------



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