Merlin Messaging not answerring or answers to emptiness

[domagix]

We have a merlin messaging 617A49 with 6 port card in it.
Suddenly today I went to check voicemail and the system answered but does nothing.
After that it was doing ring beeps.
Looking at the module I see the top of the 4 lights is Green, the bottom system light is off and the 6 port lights seem to be fishing around in groups.
like they are all lit, then 1,2 blink off on, then 5,6 blink off on, then 3,4 and so forth.

Is this a bad port card? bad 617A49 card?

If I replace the 6 port card is reprogramming needed?
If I replace the 617A49 what exactly needs to be reprogrammed?
If I swap about the 617A49 module do I have to renumber?

I have recent backups of the whole system but am not sure that backs up peoples voicemails and personal greetings.

I have no attempted to power cycle the unit yet because things are a bit heated right now. I have to wait till after hours.
thanks

 

[Telecomboy]

Reboot the phone system. Chances are with the lights as they are it should come back on.

 

[Telecomboy]

FYI, when powering it back up it will take 10 minutes for the voicemail to run through its cycle and start answering again.

 

[domagix]

I see some port lights are now off one is blinking...
It seems to keep changing around. one time I looked they were all green, so I dialed into the VM system and they started hunting again.
Our VM is 1144, I see calling group has ext 2000-2005 in group 1144. I was calling 2000 thru 2005 with it just ringing, then suddenly 2000 and 2001 were busy, now all 6 come up busy.

I have to wait a few hours to restart the system.
Any idea why this just happened? hard drive going bad on the 617A49 module?

 

[Telecomboy]

I'm not sure the exact cause: power outage, static shock, the fact that it is probably 15 years old, or even if someone bumped the system and knocked the module out slightly. I have seen it many times over the years. I would also re-seat the module when you power the system down. So, power the system down, pull the merlin messaging module out, put it back in making sure it has clicked in properly, and then power the system back up again.

 

[domagix]

Thanks.
I've been here since it got installed and never experienced this.
I was in there replacing something below them. These units are above my head and definitely did not get bumped.
I did open the cover yesterday afternoon and close it back up to check my admin cable, maybe that did it.
I've done that numerous times over the years. ah well, hopefully the reboot and reseat clears this up.
I purchased a backup from ebay anyway, simply because I have none!

 

[exsmogger]

It does sound like the hard drive is failing. A R1 would be long in the tooth if it still has the original hard drive.

Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[domagix]

where is the hard drive? the actual 6port R1 card? or on the merlin messaging module itself?
are the hard drives replaceable? I'm gunna assume its IDE. I have a few 80gb sitting around lol

 

[exsmogger]

It's a 2.5" IDE hard drive on the MM module. Yes, it's replaceable.

Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[domagix]

oh? any particular gb size needed? format?
thanks

 

[exsmogger]

I've used up to 40GB with no problems. Partition is FAT-16.

Brian Cox
Georgia Telephone

http://Georgia-Telephone.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/briancox1952

 

[domagix]

ah! ok its is a laptop IDE drive. you can just format it FAT16 and throw it in?
I could just grab one that spins up and mirror it to a larger one and expand the partions. acronis is a nice piece of software!

 

[domagix]

I just power cycled the system and the voicemail is working again.

I did note the big capacitor at the top is bulging. That is most likely needing to be replaced and may have caused the glitch. the rest of the board looks good. All our monitors here are over 5 years old which means I have replaced the Caps on their power supplies already. replaced a few caps on motherboards also.
I have 2 merlin messaging modules on the way for backups.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Log into the system administrator's mailbox, and select the option for backup and restore. Backup to the PCMCIA port license card, so that when you replace the module, you can restore from it. It will back up the automated attendants and their recordings, and the mailboxes, but NOT the mailbox recordings. (assuming the replacements are the same release).

 

[domagix]

Thanks
Just ran a backup. it said it could take up to 20 minutes so I walked away from the phone!
I came back a few minutes later and it was saying to hit *# to exit... I hope it didnt error.
How many backups can I do? i am sure it has not been backed up for a few years.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

A new backup will overwrite the old backup. Although it warns you it may take up to 20 minutes, I don't think I've ever waited more than 4 or 5 minutes

 

[domagix]

ok cool. Just did another backup and listened to it all complete fine.