Mystery Issues with Aging IP500v2 and How to Resolve

[marcberm]

My home phone system is an IP500v2 with a combo card @ 9.0, with a couple of analog trunks, an analog set, and several IP sets all using embedded voicemail.

Several months ago, the IPO began occasionally locking up (all phones go into discover, occupied trunk/analog ports on CC go solid red). A power cycle inevitably solves the problem temporarily, but it's happening more and more often, and today I noticed that a waiting new voicemail that was never listened to completely disappeared after a lockup and power cycle (that can't be normal, right?)

At first I wasn't sure if it was the chassis, or the combo card, or whether there was any good way to tell, but the disappearing voicemail makes me wonder about the state of the system SD card, which leads me into the next concern... The old version and all of my licensing still being legacy ADI keys tied to the SD card.

It's been many years now since I've worked on IPOs with any regularity. What are my options for successfully swapping the chassis and combo card, while maintaining my current version and old licensing?

Any ideas appreciated!



Marc Berman
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project Manager
Carousel Industries

 

[Nortel4Ever]

I would try using the same version of 9.0 Manager to first Recreate the card. If that doesn't clear up your issues then use 9.0 Manager to format and recreate the card.
Before formatting copy the license keys to Notepad so they can be re-entered. Also copy the config.cfg file to your desktop so that you can copy it back to the SD card after formatting to maintain all of your programming. Make sure you format the card using Manager and DO NOT do a Windows format.
To replace the card you would obviously not be able to migrate the licenses to a new card without first upgrading.

 

[marcberm]

Thank you Nortel4Ever! I went searching this morning and managed to dig up two spare System SD/FK's along with printouts of their respective license keys. Both appear to have Essential/Preferred R8+ and my currently running R9 config is pretty vanilla, so hopefully this opens up some recovery options if the current System SD is bad or going bad.

Marc Berman
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project Manager
Carousel Industries

 

[budbyrd]

Have you connected to it with Monitor??? Monitor will show recent alarm history when it first connects. What I have seen in the past is they will start getting brownout alarms when the power supply starts to die. That can lead to the system locking up and if it happens when it is writing to the SD card can cause other issues.

Dermis and feline can be divorced by manifold methods.*
*(Disclaimer for all advise given)--'Version Dependent'

 

[marcberm]

Good idea budbyrd... I don't know why but Monitor hadn't occurred to me for some reason (again it's been so long since I've worked on this stuff). Going to leave it running to see if I can capture any signs of the problem when it next locks up (seems an inevitability).

Marc Berman
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project Manager
Carousel Industries

 

[VinylDave]

That's got power supply written all over it.

 

[marcberm]

All this had me thinking power supply too, but the alarm list (which hasn't been checked often) shows about 1-4 brownout alarms per year for the majority of years between 2013 and 2023, though some years none. There were 2 in 2023 and none yet in 2024. Although I can't say whether the two 2023 dates corresponded to lockups, it has certainly locked up many more times and dates than than that, and only beginning last year. Nothing unusual in Monitor the last 24 hours, and no lockups during that time. I'll be curious to see what happens right before the next lockup if it indicates anything at all. Meanwhile, I managed to dig up two additional/spare System SD/FK's, along with printouts of their respective license keys from ADI around ~2013 (man, was I thinking ahead!), and both appear to have R8+ Essential/Preferred, so all is not necessarily lost if I end up having to replace the chassis and/or combo card.

Side questions in case I end up having to rebuild with replacement hardware and a selection from the spare SD/FK stash:
(1) Would "R8+" keys on a FK support R9, or would that require separate licensing that I obviously can't get via ADI anymore? I'm currently on 9, but the current FK also has an upgrade key for 9.0.
(2), will I need a new old stock chassis of a certain vintage in order to make old ADI licensing work in 2024, or would downgrading any old IP500v2 actually work?

Thanks everyone so much for the help!

Marc Berman
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project Manager
Carousel Industries

 

[marcberm]

It just locked up a short while ago. There was nothing in particular that seemed to precede it and no brownout or other alarms. Any particular items out of the myriad in Monitor that I ought to have ticked and be looking out for?

Marc Berman
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project Manager
Carousel Industries

 

[VinylDave]

quickest fix is to buy an ip500v2 chassis and switch the power supply. You then inherit the ip500v2 (i think they have a v2a now, not sure about power supply compatibility) but without working power supply, ready to move into at any stage. Gives you a bit of time to find the right partner to help you upgrade properly.

 

[biv343]

I had a customers system doing the same thing last year. Random lockups, occasional brownout alarms showing in sysmon. That system was sold in 2011, so it was around 12 years old. Swapped the control unit and all has been fine since.

 

[marcberm]

Appreciate everyone's help and suggestions.
This morning there was another lockup and this time it was preceded by a brownout alarm.
I'll be looking into swapping either just the power supply or the entire 500v2 chassis.
Otherwise I'm fairly confident I've got everything I need from a software and licensing standpoint to recover from a complete replacement of all hardware if necessary, including the System SD/FK.

Marc Berman
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project Manager
Carousel Industries

 

[budbyrd]

For me on this one the brown outs weren't consonant to every lock up but it did give me the clue it was a PS issue. You can replace the PS but the problem always seems to come back. Better off with a new chassis. You may need to get a refurb. Not sure how well the IP5002A plays with older hardware.

Dermis and feline can be divorced by manifold methods.*
*(Disclaimer for all advise given)--'Version Dependent'