PIMM shot? - Printable Version

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PIMM shot? - s0ke - 02-03-2024

Is my pimm done for?

Recently picked up a Fuel from @kshuff at a fantastic price. Replaced the psu (kuba + weblacky) who also replaced the monitoring chip on my V10. After troubleshooting I then purchased a new V10 as it seems the GFX was borked. But still having issues after replacing all the parts I thought would fix the issue. Seems like the CPU may be the problem.

Off:


On:


No issues when viewed from L1 but when I switch to attempt to view the PROM I see the following:



Is the PIMM done for?

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RE: PIMM shot? - weblacky - 02-03-2024

Hi,
FYI the "CPU0" label is generic to express the "running system" vs L1...it's not literally a CPU error. I've seen this before when the PROM doesn't boot for some reason or PROM output has been redirected. Your PIMM voltages look good, so I doubt it's literally the PIMM. It's the POST/BOOT processing stalling out. It calls the PROM output screen that is supposed to be there "001a01 CPU0" on all Fuels...when the PROM is just not running when expected.

Did the Front case LED change behavior?

There is no PROM until stage 2 startup, though running fans should only occur on stage two. Try the "reset button" idea I mentioned. Also try putting the serial cable for the PROM output on both external serial ports in case there is some form of output

I can tell you concretely that on problem Fuel mainboard I'm working on... PROM almost NEVER appears on the L1 connector using the Crt+t/d commands. It's always either hiding entirely or on one of the another external serial ports. On some I still haven't found it but luckily got past my issue into the graphical PROM by using reset button restarts in the cases of stopping due to snaphat battery failure and NVRAM reloads.

Refer to threads like this: https://gainos.org/~elf/sgi/nekonomicon/forum/users/JohnK/1.html

Same "error" you are getting yet it's only because the PROM output had been redirected! I swear the VAST majority of the Fuel mainboards I see don't have L1 PROM output. Also PROM output is very tricky, you MUST have the terminal software open and "off hook" BEFORE you turn on the fuel or often the Fuel doesn't see it had a terminal hooked and doesn't output anything for PROM serial output...happens so often to me I nearly pull my hair out about PROM issues where i cannot get the terminal "up".

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RE: PIMM shot? - s0ke - 02-03-2024

So everything seems ok when hooked to the L1 on the mainboard:



I attempted the reset but nothing changes.





But then hooking up to serial 1 I get nothing. I power on and still see nothing. Power off connect back to the L1 on the main board. Then do a power up again.




I have another serial adapter I will try. But all I see is junk when using serial 1/2 on the back. But I'm assuming the baud rate is the same.

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RE: PIMM shot? - weblacky - 02-03-2024

I've PMed you.

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"junk" on serial output is normally a good sign! It normally means it's trying to talk to you, but with different baud settings then what you've use on the terminal application. Try other baud settings starting at 9600 and keep going higher on the external serial port you saw junk on until things look normal.

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RE: PIMM shot? - s0ke - 02-03-2024

(02-03-2024, 01:56 AM)weblacky Wrote:  I've PMed you.

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"junk" on serial output is normally a good sign!  It normally means it's trying to talk to you, but with different baud settings then what you've use on the terminal application.  Try other baud settings starting at 9600 and keep going higher on the external serial port you saw junk on until things look normal.

Thanks weblacky! Helped me out with the POD. 


Good to go now. Much appreciated. 

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RE: PIMM shot? - weblacky - 02-03-2024

When you get things up I recommend you:

A. Set correct date & time and TZ (timezone) in L1 for future ease (Use commands TZ (PST, EST, DST) and DATE) in L1, find out by using help command on L1.

B. Do HINV at terminal and check RAM and all that (no odd sizes), verify CPU speed as well.

C. Use PROM terminal to set DATE for OS/SNAPHAT date and time, so OS install doesn't use erroneous install date.

D. Install Irix 6.5.30

E. Check the OS clock for correct date/time and then shutdown the system and pull wall power with rocker switch on your ATX mod PSU. Check if OS loses date and time. If it does, you need a new SNAPHAT (yellow chip to the right of the RAM slots), which are still made and you'll want the "bigger, beefer" version than the one it came with (longer life). They are still made and can be often purchased via Digikey or Mouser. Check back with us on that.

F. Afterwards contact me back for help on L1 firmware upgrading, jwhat made a great file archive for this and I can get it to you via Google drive share or something, make it so much easier to get the upgrades!

G Save the L1 env output from before and AFTER booting for your records in case of future issues.

H. Enjoy, it only gets better from here.

Cheers!

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RE: PIMM shot? - weblacky - 02-03-2024

For posterity the issue ended up being that the PROM console had moved and changed settings, as we have frequently find, to one of the external serial ports.  The "junk" that s0ke saw on one of the external serial ports was (as I had hoped) the PROM's attempt at serial communications, but at different settings.  I advised to hook back up to the external serial again and try 9600 and up on that port until the text looked normal.  Upon trying 9600 baud, s0ke said it all looked normal now and could see the booting PROM.  

What was then discovered is that the PROM was stopping at POD. It was unclear if it was stopping due to its own error or it was stopping due to a previous request for debug on the L1. Regardless a full reset was performed in PROM, which lost the ability to see PROM at the current port & settings, of course.

I directed that the null modem serial cable be reattached to the internal L1 serial port and that the PROM should now appear through that interface at normal 38,400 speed. That ended up being the case and now S0ke is at this point where both L1 and PROM come thought the L1 port using CRTL+t/d controls and it boots all the way into PROM, presenting the PROM options, show above.

DVI Monitor and peripheral hook up as well as OS loading and further firmware/settings are TBD at this point.

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RE: PIMM shot? - Raion - 02-03-2024

Please do not quote pyramid. If you're going to quote a post with a pyramid already part of it you need to remove all of the previous quotes out of it.

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RE: PIMM shot? - kshuff - 02-03-2024

Gee and I thought it was just a dead PS. Sorry s0ke, you didn't pull all your hair out, did you?

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RE: PIMM shot? - s0ke - 02-04-2024

Was worth the effort and extra parts for the price. Needs a new snaphat too. But it lives!

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