Meridian Mail won't come up...

[MacMan11]

I have an Option 11 which as a result of power outage can no longer get to Meridian Mail. When I login to the PBX I get a stream of CSA001 9, date, 4 messages. This implies CSL 9 can't be brought up due to ESDI problem. I assume ESDI refers to Enhanced Serial Data interface. The system has amongst line and trunk cards an NTAK03 TDS/DTR card. Is this card used for ESDI to get to the mail? If not what is, the backplane? When I do an LD 37 and STAT I Get
TTY 0 : ENBL TTY 1 : ENBL TTY 2 : ENBL
TTY 8 : DSBL TTY 9 : DSBL
Where are TTY 8 and 9? On the Mail cards? And what is TTY 8 used for? So many questions.. Basically any attempts I make to get Mail going come down to ESDI 9 being the problem and I am just trying to determine which card to replace or reconfig in some way if it is not hardware, which would be a nice bonus. By the way the Mail LED comes up green if that is worth anything. I have also reseated cards. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MacMan11]

Now luv2ski what about a little assistance. Is there a definitive power up sequence for 2 cabs and card option mer mail?

 

[wdhb]

If it was me, I'd turn on the 2nd cab 1st, then cab 0. Wait until all the usual like PRA's etc have sorted themselves. I'd check this by stating everything, make sure all cards etc are functional. In LD48 set the aml link for acms, then I'd turn mail on, put my hands in my pocket & go for a walk round the block - say give it 15 minutes then check your aml status to see where it's at. If your not seeing anything by then I'd say your mail system is toast. Some of the issues you are likely to encounter when trying to restore mail from a tape, is one they sometimes just plain don't work. Another is knowoing whether it's a full or partial back-up. I admire your perseverance with this, but I think I'd give luv2ski a call & sit in while he fixed it.

 

[MacMan11]

Thanks wdhb. Well the final post on this is that again by powering up and NOT logging in for a considerable period of time (30-45 min.-I will be more precise in watching the next time a power up is necessitated) the mail came back up. If it is hardware, god only knows where. I realize the processor is not lightning fast but my god. So the earlier post about logging in too soon seems to be right on (at least for our Option 11). Of course this is difficult to do when you are anxious. It is strange to think that the simple task of logging in causes the mail link failure but what the heck. It would be interesting to watch a vendor fix this by powering up, having coffee, and after 30-45 minutes hand you a bill. I have learned during this mini-ordeal, and that is good. I pulled the mail hard drive, thoroughly tested it, and made an image backup on my beloved Macintosh, and that is good. And I have a few inexpensive spares courtesy of eBay (sorry luv2ski!). So thanks once again to those who read, and made suggestions. Onward and upward! Allow me to end this thread with a little quotation from the philosopher/mathematician Bertrand Russell.
"Even when all the experts agree, they may well be mistaken. "