NAM Seems to be dead

[tinkler]

After the big northeast blackout, our NAM seams to be dead.
When I cycle the power, the HD whirs for a few minutes and then the LED status display reads "00".

A couple of questions:
1. does anybody out there have a service manual and/or know what the status code "00" means?

2. Is there any way to further diagnose the problem? It seems the service people are more interested in selling us a new unit than fixing it.

We have already tried:
1. removed hard drive and booted using another pc. Machine came up okay, but was obviously unhappy when it could not find any of it's hardware

2. connecting a monitor using a PCI video card. This produced nothing, tried various dip-switch configurations (found on the internet), but it seems we need to be able to activate the "montior package" before the card will be recognized.

3. connected a null-modem cable to serial port A and tried to connect (9600-8-N-1) but the unit produced no output.


Any help/tips would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks,
Marc Tinkler

 

[PERRYPJ]

YOU DON'T HAVE A FLOPPY IN THE DRIVE DO YOU?

OLD ROLMEN WORKING ON NORTELS

 

[canadianwolf]

My NAM reads 00 when its running normally. I have an app mod 2 fibre, with monitor and network cards, and could only get the old non pci cards to work - my dip switch settings have only 2,3 and 8,9 off.

When the nam reads 00, can you access it using ftr 915? If not, have you tried ftr **xftest to check the feature codes in the ksu?

Does the nam play the 3 note happy tune (tones increasing in pitch 3 times) indicating its up and running? If you get this, its probably just the ksu doesnt see the nam using its feature codes - xftest will help you fix that.

You need to 'activate' the monitor card, once you have access using ftr 915, go into ACCESS Server by hitting theh ADMIN key, scroll next to G: Monitor Package, and for the life of me i can't right now remember the password, but its something like "monitorneeded" or "vgamonitor" if i can find it i'll let you know.

Cant help you with the serial, i've always used network connections...
post some more detailed info on what the unit does during the boot sequence, do the LED's flash different numbers as it tries to boot? does it beep at all? does the hard drive shut down after a while? what ksu? fibre or copper integration?

 

[canadianwolf]

BTW, my nam takes about 4 minutes for the 'happy notes' to be played indicating its up.

 

[tinkler]

- i think it's a mod 2. (I'm not sure how to tell)
- no floppy in the drive
- led's go through a series of hex digits on boot
- does not play "3 note" happy tone, only single beep on what i'm guessing is POST
- tried using **xftest, here's what i get:
F915: D5010201
(TEST) BACK NEXT
Please Wait
F915: INACTIVE
(OK) REMOVE

*() indicates what button I pressed


Thanks again...

 

[tinkler]

Oops, forgot to say it is a fibre connection.

Interestingly, when I remove the fibre cable, only one side
is illuminated. Is this normal?

 

[canadianwolf]

Yes its normal for only 1 side of the Fibre to be lit when you unplug it.

The monitor package password is svganeeded - for when you get the unit up and running...

Does the unit keep repeating the boot sequence, with the single beep, and the changing hex codes on the display? (stuck in some kind of loop) or does it complete the boot sequence but never completely come up?

Any strange smells of burnt material? you might also try re-seating the cards carefully. I'm not 100% sure also, but i think the monitor card needs to be the old ISA type.

If you pull the fibre cable off the nam, can you see red light coming from the nam? (dont look directly into it, get your finger close to see if you see red laser light on your fingers)

Have you checked from the KSU in maintenance to see if it sees the nam's ports?

 

[exsmogger]

We've been sent a couple of NAM repairs due to the recent blackout and they were both bad hard drives. 00 is normal during bootup, but it sounds like the NAM is halting because it can't find the files it needs, or the files have been damaged.

Brian Cox

http://www.jandjcommunications.com