Merlin Messaging

[mfoig]

I have a Merlin Messaging 3.0 8 port which I have to restart every few weeks as it "locks up" meaning the auto atendent stops answering calls and we cannot access voice mail.

Is there a way to find out what the problem is or how to resolve this problem?

 

[tdaugirdas]

In the Magix Messaging - unfortunately - there are no built-in tests for the hard drive and ports - like for the older Merlin Legend Mail and Merlin Mail. Most often, the problem is corrupt software/bad sectors on the hard drive - at least - in my experience. I would look into replacing the hard drive - and first backing everything up to a PC via the LAN interface. At least with the LAN interface - replacing a hard drive does not mean reprogramming everything from scratch!

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[mfoig]

Do you know a company that will come out and do this?

 

[merlinman]

What part of the country are you in?

 

[mfoig]

IRVINE, CA

 

[tdaugirdas]

You can buy a replacement drive and install it yourself - just a couple of screws involved. As for the drive itself - we carry replacements or you can check other vendors - just make sure you get the correct software load. The key is to plan it out and make a FULL back-up to a PC (configuration, announcements, menus, mailboxes and their contents, etc. via the LAN interface. You can use any laptop to do this with a crossover LAN cable. I assume you have the PC administration software - it should have come with the messaging module.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[mfoig]

do you know where I can find a new hard drive for our merlin messaging 3.0?

 

[merlinman]

As Tom said, his company carries a full line of replacement drives.

 

[mfoig]

i bought a new hard drive, installed, and continue to have the same problem that the messaging gets locked up and stops answering calls, so we have to reboot it, any suggestions?

 

[tdaugirdas]

You may have a defective messaging module - vs. a bad hard drive or maybe you received a bad replacement drive. Both possibilities are unusual- but it does happen. I assume all VM ports are rotary enabled and that you have functioning TTR's in sufficient number to handle your voicemail ports and any single-line phones in your system. Have you connected via the serial port using hyperterminal and looked through the voicemail system's error log? Maybe that would offer a clue as to what is wrong and why the system is "locking up". One other rare possibility (that has nothing to do with the voicemail) is that if you leave your PC/LAN connection to the voicemail "on" all the time or even a PC to processor Admin port connection "on" all the time - weird things start to happen.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[mfoig]

these are the error logs, any clues?
Message ss/pp Last Code
COMMAND BUFFER FULL 08/00 06/02 13:38:11 000E
SANITY INT NOT GENERATED 08/00 06/02 13:38:12 7802
INVALID SANITY RESPONSE 08/00 06/02 13:38:12 7804
COMMAND BUFFER FULL 08/00 06/02 13:38:12 000E
SANITY INT NOT GENERATED 08/00 06/02 13:38:13 7802
INVALID SANITY RESPONSE 08/00 06/02 13:38:13 7804
SANITY INT NOT GENERATED 09/00 06/02 13:38:18 7802
INVALID SANITY RESPONSE 09/00 06/02 13:38:18 7804
COMMAND BUFFER FULL 09/00 06/02 13:38:18 000E
SANITY INT NOT GENERATED 09/00 06/02 13:38:19 7802
INVALID SANITY RESPONSE 09/00 06/02 13:38:19 7804
COMMAND BUFFER FULL 09/00 06/02 13:38:19 000E
SANITY INT NOT GENERATED 09/00 06/02 13:38:20 7802
INVALID SANITY RESPONSE 09/00 06/02 13:38:20 7804
POOL BUSY 00/02 06/02 14:01:42 4C02
INVALID SLOT INTERRUPT 00/00 06/02 13:37:38 0010
INVALID SLOT INTERRUPT 00/00 06/02 13:37:38 0010
INVALID SLOT INTERRUPT 00/00 06/02 13:37:38 0010
UPLINK MESSAGE ERROR 01/15 06/02 13:37:39 840E

 

[tdaugirdas]

You sent the processor error log - not the voicemail error log. However - what modules are in slots 8 and 9?? That would be the 3rd and 4th slot (from the left) in the expansion carrier.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[mfoig]

412LSIDTDL 8, MM2.5 9, I didn't see where to get the error log in the voicemail MM administration software.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Well you are clearly getting lots of errors on that 412 TDL module and the Voicemail - modules 8 and 9 - so possible problems with both modules. To access the voicemail error log - you need to connect directly to the voicemail RS232 (serial) port using a Laptop PC and Hyperterminal software, configured as 8,N,1, Xon/Xoff at 1200 baud to be safe. Once connected, press enter and you will be prompted for a login name. Use "tech1000" as the login name. When promted for the password - use the voicemail's admin mailbox (extention 0) password. You will then see a menu scroll up, choose error logs. If you have lots of errors then first set Hyperterminal to capture text to a text file - you can then print it or scroll through it using WordPad.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[mfoig]

I checked the log, and no errors on the voicemail. Just on the Magix side I found the errors. I already changed the hard drive, so I'm at the point of wanting to buy a new voicemail but I'm not sure that would solve my issues, maybe its my port card or processor...any other suggestions on how I can find where the problem lies?

 

[tdaugirdas]

Well - you could check the error log again - to see how much the counts have gone up - for various modules- including the processor. Check all the error logs (last 99, permamnent and transient). You should get a first, last occurrence date and count of errors for each error type. The errors in the log posted may have occured during a system shut down and boot up. Unfortunately, if you reboot every week or so - you also wipe out some of those logs - so it is hard to see a clear history. Make sure when you reboot that you power down the system from left to right - and power up from right to left - waiting about 15 seconds between powering up each carrier. Also, check the software and firmware release on the messaging. If it is 2.5.3 vs. 2.5.4 - there were some problems with that older software load - which you could correct by buying the messaging R4 upgrade.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[BigWill]

What type of trunking are you using. I have found from experience that if you have loop start trunks that it is imperative that you go into SPM under "Lines and Trunks" "LS/TS Disc" "Disc", and make sure that is set to yes. By default it is set to no. Without this being set to yes the system doesn't look for your dialtone providers disconnect signal and it locks up "things". If you have a PRI than disregard this message.