WinSPM - Circuit Pack Not Recognized???

[bryandj23]

I just upgraded my WinSPM to version 9. I really didn't have a problem with my old Version 4, but thought...what the hell, right?

Now when I log into my Magix system, I get an error saying that WinSPM cannot recognize circuit pack in slot 8, 9, 10, all the way through 17. Seems WinSPM is almost smart...there are no cards in slots 8 through 17. The error also states that Quick Access will not be available until this is resolved.

An old printout from last year of my system shows:

A Slot # 8: 016 ETR NO FW * Not Present *
A Serial Number Not Available

all the way through Slot 17. Is there any way to clear this out of the system?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.

Bryan Fulkersin
IT Director
MCI Insurance

 

[cvrbob]

do a board renumber, but first , check that you are not using those stations for phantom use on the 016 cards or you will lose the program , are they using them for phantom voice mail stations, or for account codes

 

[tdaugirdas]

My take is - your WinSPM gor corrupted somewhere along the line - maybe during the upgrade. If what cvrbob suggests doesn't work - you will have to uninstall WinSPM and reinstall it - the reupgrade it.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[dagwoodsystems]

ETR NO FW means that the board has lost it's firmware. That can happen when a firmware upgrade (using the PCMCIA System Software upgrade card) fails to upgrade an individual board properly. I've seen it happen a number of times with analog and ETR station boards.

If the "No Firmware" message was from an old printout as you say, then the story makes sense. Old versions of WinSPM don't care that you have a board with it's brains blown out, but the new version does.

Of course, this could be some weird anomaly of a WinSPM upgrade, but I really doubt it. Do a board renum as suggested, but then see if any of the stations on that card are actually working.

When you post back, please specifiy whether you did a switch software upgrade, or whether you simply updated your version of WinSPM.

 

[bryandj23]

That's just it - there aren't any boards in slots 8 through 17. These slots are empty. I just went and pulled the slot covers to confirm this.

In fact, we only have two merlin carrier boxes; which by my counting, is 12 total slots.

So why would WinSPM be detecting slots 13 through 17? Should I still do a board renum?

 

[tdaugirdas]

Try the board renumber. If it has no effect on WinSPM - remove and reinstall the program. Then try it. If it works - apply the R9 upgrade - and try it again. Hopefully it works. You may want to do the initial board renumber from WinSPM. I would do it twice - and see if your phantom boards disappear.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[bryandj23]

Thanks Tom.

I'll log in tonight from home, do a backup, then do the board renum. I'll post back here how I made out.

 

[dagwoodsystems]

Ahhh. It sounds like cvrbob was on to something. Perhaps you weren't aware of this, but you can "lie" to the PBX (we call it surrogate mode) and tell it that there are boards in a slot when there really aren't. You can then go to the next logical step and configure details on extensions that don't exist on those phantom boards.

This ability makes it easy for a tech to pre-program a box without having to go through the trouble of completely assembling the whole thing...a power supply and processor is all that's needed.

Anyway, you may need to revisit and kill any "phantom station" programming on that slot, then drill down from the Maintenence menu and assign NO BOARD to that slot. Any phantom station programming that exists may prevent the Board Renumber from making the card in the slot go away.

Any chance this is a used PBX? Or any other condition that would lead you to believe that there were boards throughout that second cabinet at one time?

This is just a suggestion in case a vanilla Board Renumber doesn't do the trick.

 

[bryandj23]

You know, come to think of it, the old version of WinSPM did show surrogate boards.

As far as I know, the system was purchased directly from Lucent, and people from Lucent came to originally program the system. It was here when I got here, so I'm not sure of its exact origin. I don't believe there were any boards ever in those extra slots. At least, there haven't been in the 5 years I've been here.

I will definately take a look at the programming. Thanks!

 

[cvrbob]

Dagwood , any time you do a board renumber you lose all the programed stations on a phantom board, I learned the hard way
had a auto dealership, that every one had a account code or phantom v-mail, using adjuncts & phantoms stations, used 3 phantom boards, went back a year later to add a new MLX board , wouldn't come up, so without thinking did a board renumber, MLX board came up, did what i needed to assign , acouple of hours later, had a sceaming customer, leason learned

 

[dagwoodsystems]

Wow. Weird thing is that I ran into a Magix in Woodland Hills, California where a board renumber would NOT kill the phantom cards.

Now this was almost four years ago...but if I remember correctly, there was VM coverage or something programmed that was heavily dependent on the LID or other existing station. I honestly don't remember that detail. What I DO remember is having to actually undo whatever stupid piece of programming that was in there, because the Board Renum just didn't cut the mustard.

Then again, I'm a weird guy and tend to attract all the weird PBXs out there.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Yeah - it sounds like to be "safe" - you need to run a "Print All" and make sure you have no "phantom" stuff being actively used in programming. I would check all of the mailboxes programmed in voicemail admin as well - to see if you have any of the extentions related to the "phantom" boards programmed. Only then, would I do the board renumber.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[bryandj23]

I do have a "Print All" sitting on my hard drive (it's where I've been getting the captures that I've been posting). Is there something in particular I should be looking for?

I can't express enough how much I appreciate the help. I'm slowly learning ...(hahah) Magix. (Now watch me pull a bunny out of a hat).

 

[tdaugirdas]

Look for any extention numbers from the non-existant boards being used in calling groups, etc. Also check voicemail boxes in voicemail admin to make sure no mailboxes in the phantom range are being used.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[bryandj23]

Thanks Tom...

Board Renum did the trick as far as removing those phantom cards. I'm sure everything in regards to programming is fine, but I'll go in a little bit early just to make sure. Doing another backup now.