[Bjoern]

Hi there,

I've got the job to restart an ONYX2 deskside system that was powered off for 3-4 years. It is part of an old train cabinet simulation system that we got for free, the ONYX2 renders a 3D graphics model of the virtual world where you drive through by the train simulation. The system runs as single node. We've got other 3 ONYX2 systems for spare parts.

We already had to replace the Graphics BaseIO Panel module due a power DC failure that was reported. After that the system was starting up, but there was no graphics output on the monitor. Thanks to this forum I found the workaround to use the serial console.

We also replaced the io4 module from the mentioned other systems, but that failure remains.

------------------

The console shows the following log after power on:
It shows two errors.

IP27 PROM SGI Version 5.18  built 12:02:44 PM May 22, 1997
Master testing hub interrupts
Testing/Initializing memory
CPU A testing secondary cache (4 MB)
Discovering local IO ...
Using console at /hw/module/1/slot/io1
Running serial_dma diag (Bridge base = 0x920000000f000000  PCI dev = 2)
Local IO discover DONE.
Running Hub Chip BTE test.
BTE0 completed.
BTE1 completed.
Checking Local Link Connection.
Discovering CrayLink connectivity
Local hub CrayLink is down.
*** Local network link down
Discovered 1 objects (1 hubs, 0 routers)
Waiting for peers to complete discovery.
No other nodes present; becoming global master
Global master is /hw/module/1/slot/n1
Loading BASEIO prom
Transferring contents of BASEIO PROM to memory
Uncompressing segment BASEIO prom
Jumping to entry point 0xa800000001c00140
 
DONE
 
BASEIO PROM Monitor SGI Version 6.36  built 10:22:34 AM Sep  9, 1999 (BE64)
2 CPUs on 1 nodes found.
Installing PROM Device drivers ............
Installing Graphics Console...
Checking out EEPROM
address = 87ff00, limit = 87ff30
EEPROM state = 2
 
Walking SCSI Adapter 0 (/hw/module/1/slot/io1), (pci id 0)
1+ 2+ 3+ 4- 5- 6+ 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- = 4 device(s)
 
 
Walking SCSI Adapter 1 (/hw/module/1/slot/io1), (pci id 1)
1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- = 0 device(s)
 
Initializing PROM Device drivers ..........            DONE
Cannot open /hw/module/1/slot/io4/ge14_4 for output
Cannot open /dev/graphics/textport for output
Checking hardware inventory ...............              DONE
 
**** System Configuration and Diagnostics Summary ****
CONFIG:
        No. of NODEs enabled    = 1
        No. of NODEs disabled  = 0
        No. of CPUs enabled    = 2
        No. of CPUs disabled    = 0
        Mem enabled            = 768 MB
        Mem disabled            = 0 MB
        No. of RTRs enabled    = 0
        No. of RTRs disabled    = 0
 
DIAG RESULTS:
        ALL DIAGS PASSED.
**** End System Configuration and Diagnostics Summary ****
 
------------------
 
The printenv output:
AutoLoad=Yes
dbgtty=/dev/tty/ioc30
root=dks0d1s0
nonstop=0
rbaud=19200
SystemPartition=dksc(0,1,8)
OSLoadPartition=dksc(0,1,0)
OSLoader=sash
OSLoadFilename=unix
TimeZone=PST8PDT
console=g
oldConsolePath=/hw/module/1/slot/io1
gConsoleIn=default
gConsoleOut=default
diskless=0
scsihostid=00
ProbeAllScsi=n
RestorePartEnv=y
dbaud=9600
volume=80
sgilogo=y
netaddr=192.0.90.226
cpufreq=195
ConsolePath=/hw/module/1/slot/io1
gfx=dead
NoAutoLoad=CONSOLE OPEN FAILED.
ConsoleOut=/dev/tty/ioc30
ConsoleIn=/dev/tty/ioc30
 
I tried to change the console path to /hw/module/1/slot/io4 (as described in https://forums.irixnet.org/thread-2855.html) but without success.
 
------------------

Output of hinv-v -m:
IP27 Node Board, Module 1, Slot n1
    ASIC HUB Rev 3, 97.5 MHz, (nasid 0)
    Processor A: 195 MHz R10000, Rev 2.6, 4M  secondary cache, (cpu 0)
      R10000FPC  Rev 0
    Processor B: 195 MHz R10000, Rev 2.6, 4M  secondary cache, (cpu 1)
      R10000FPC  Rev 0
    Memory on board, 768 MBytes (Standard)
      Bank 0, 128 MBytes (Standard) <-- (Physical Bank 0)
      Bank 1, 128 MBytes (Standard)
      Bank 2, 128 MBytes (Standard)
      Bank 3, 128 MBytes (Standard)
      Bank 4, 128 MBytes (Standard)
      Bank 5, 128 MBytes (Standard)
PCI_XIO IO Board, Module 1, Slot io2
    ASIC BRIDGE Rev 3, (widget 11)
    adapter ID (Vendor 11b0 Device 4750), (pci id 1)
BASEIO IO Board, Module 1, Slot io1
    ASIC BRIDGE Rev 4, (widget 15)
    adapter PCI-SCSI Rev 5, (pci id 0)
        peripheral SCSI DISK, ID 1, SGI IBM  DCHS04Y
        peripheral SCSI TAPE, ID 2, ARCHIVE Python 01931-XXX
        peripheral SCSI DISK, ID 3, QUANTUM ATLAS_V__9_SCA
        peripheral SCSI CDROM, ID 6, TOSHIBA CD-ROM XM-5401TA
    adapter PCI-SCSI Rev 5, (pci id 1)
    adapter IOC3 Rev 1, (pci id 2)
        controller multi function SuperIO
        controller Ethernet Rev 1
    adapter IOC3 Rev 1, (pci id 6)
        controller multi function SuperIO
        controller Keyboard/Mouse
        controller Parallel Port
    adapter RAD , (pci id 7)
ASIC XBOW Rev 2, on midplane of Module 1
KONA Graphics Board, Module 1, Slot io4
 
------------------

Output of hinv -mvvv:
location: /hw/module/1/slot/n1
Part:  ;Name:MODULEID;Serial:K0005877;Revision:
;Group:ff;Capability:ffffffff;Variety:ff;Laser:000000574201;Part:013-1839-
001;Name:4P1GS_MPLN;Serial:DBE489;Revision:C;Group:ff;Capability:ffffffff;Variety:ff;Laser:
0000000e4af8;Part:030-0733-
003;Name:IP27;Serial:DAM254;Revision:G;Group:ff;Capability:ffffffff;Variety:ff;Laser:000000
0d34da;
 
location: /hw/module/1/slot/io4
 
 
location: /hw/module/1/slot/io2
Part:030-1062-
002;Name:PCI_XIO;Serial:DWD386;Revision:D;Group:ff;Capability:ffffffff;Variety:ff;Laser:000
00012f05f;
 
location: /hw/module/1/slot/io1
Part:030-0734-
002;Name:BASEIO;Serial:HLV328;Revision:N;Group:ff;Capability:ffffffff;Variety:ff;Laser:0000
00392202;Part:030-0880-
003;Name:MIO;Serial:HKZ685;Revision:G;Group:ff;Capability:ffffffff;Variety:ff;Laser:0000003
91502;

There are no futher details shown for io4, but maybe this is normal.

Any help is welcome :-)!

[weblacky]

We do have a few members that specialize in the stuff so hopefully they'll jump on board for you, this is very interesting and thanks for bringing it to us as we love hearing about these kind of systems.

This thread sounds like the closest to what you may be experiencing: https://forums.irixnet.org/thread-306-po...ml#pid2610

Could you put a little bit more information? For example when you say there's no graphics does the monitor/projector initialize or does it go to sleep?  Do these other spare Onyx2 machines run and were they ever configured to run the simulator hardware?  Or are these just parts machines that never functioned or were never the driving system? 

Have you tried the IO4 graphics module from the simulation system on any of the other spare Onyx2 systems to confirm working condition?

On the thread you mention this popped up: https://forums.irixnet.org/thread-2855-p...l#pid20032. It reminds people that the graphics board retains its settings in non-volatile memory from the last configuration it was run with. If you're just pulling boards from spare systems but those systems were never cloned or set up to run the simulator these settings may in fact be wrong for your simulator displays/projectors.  Given what the link I posted at the start of this thread said a simulator may be using projectors and therefore use a very odd resolution that has to be custom set.  You may find VFO file that indicate that.  The swapped boards wouldn't know about this unless they were set up ahead of time as part of the spare parts audit.

That's why I asked how your displays react. Do they react like they're getting no signal or do they start their backlit but just show a black screen? Or do they immediately go into sleep mode or some form of blinking indicator? 

But given your inventory shows the graphics system is recognized and you don't see an error about a driver mismatch from one version of the chipset to another so I'm thinking that a blank screen is simply an unsupported resolution and that resetting those parameters would likely be the answer.  Especially if you pulled a graphics card from a spare Ony2 that was never configured to run the simulator and just installed it in the simulators system and expected it to display properly. Reprogramming the graphics settings would need to be done.

[Bjoern]

I'm glad to hear that there are members that potentially can help.
Thanks for your information.

The connected monitor (CRT) is the one that the system was running the last time. It goes to sleep mode when ONYX2 is booting up. We tried it with an INDIGO system and it works.

At the begin I tried to start the system with the originally mounted IO4 module, later I tried with one of the replacements. In both cases the logs are the same.

The spare parts were never be used in that system as far as I know.

I already read the mentioned thread https://forums.irixnet.org/thread-306-po...ml#pid2610 before my post. The command 'find /usr/gfx | grep vfo' fails because gfx is not operable.

I will test the commands from https://wiki.preterhuman.net/InfiniteRea...M_Commands to get more information.

[jan-jaap]

Hey,

"gfx=dead" may sound alarming, but what it really says is "graphics console unusable" and then it'll go to serial console. It will also say this if the keyboard and mouse are not plugged in. The Onyx2 has space for two sets of keyboards / mice. Are you sure you've got a set plugged into the correct port (underneath the serial port labeled "console") ?
See: https://techpubs.jurassic.nl/library/man...ml#id44099

The diagnostics for the graphics are called 'irsaudit' (/usr/diags/IR/bin/irsaudit). You need to run them from the serial console because they will shut down the graphics console in the process.

[Bjoern]

Thanks,

The mouse and keyboard are connected well (below console). Output during startup:
Initializing PROM Device drivers .......... DONE
Cannot open /hw/module/1/slot/io4/ge14_4 for output
Cannot open /dev/graphics/textport for output
Checking hardware inventory ............... DONE

Output when mouse and keyboard are connected to the wrong connectors:
Initializing PROM Device drivers .......... DONE
Cannot connect to keyboard -- check the cable.
Cannot open /dev/input/ioc3pckm0 for input
Cannot connect to keyboard -- check the cable.
Cannot open /dev/input/ioc3pckm0 for input
Checking hardware inventory ............... DONE

---

I tried to read the graphics engine EEPROM:

./ireeprom -i
==== Pipe 0 ====
WARNING: IR0: Pipe hung: no TBUS or ARM activity.

WARNING: IR0: context deact timed out for currentrn 0xc0000000013b7c48
WARNING: IR0: Fatal error. bdata = 0xa800000000989800 death_reason = 2

Graphics FIFO depth is 0 words.
Killed



./ireeprom -r -p 0
error: datafile not specified
Usage: ireeprom [-wrivh] [-p pipenum] [-f datafile]
-w: Write EEPROM from file
-r: Read EEPROM into file
-e: Erase EEPROM
-c: Erase EEPROM video combination
-v: Verify contents of EEPROM
-i: Print EEPROM information
-F: Forcibly load older revision
-h: Print this help message
-p <pipenum> : Specify pipe number
-f <datafile>: Specify datafile

---

My attempt to clear the configuration:

./ireeprom -c
==== Pipe 0 ====
graphics not responding... trying again
graphics not responding... trying again
graphics not responding...loading ucode
ucode load complete...
Cannot communicate with graphics board

---

There is a sysprobe error in the output of /usr/diags/IR/bin/irsaudit

REV Rev:2.0 Mon Feb 3 21:42:19 PST 1997 sherwood on borg
CMDL ./irsaudit
TEST reset Reset
RSLT reset PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT xgid PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT xgregs PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT xgram PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT xgerr PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT hh_reg PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT ha_reg PASS
...(removed lines)
RSLT jtaginit PASS
...
RSLT mbox PASS
TEST sysprobe JTAG System Probe
TRCE GE14 board has 4 GE11s.
TRCE BEF has 4MB of memory.
TRCE RM/TM #0 not detected via JTAG.
TRCE RM# 1 is an RM7/TM7 combination.
TRCE TM7 #1 has 64MB (1Mx16 parts) of texture memory.
TRCE RM/TM #2 not detected via JTAG.
TRCE RM/TM #3 not detected via JTAG.
INFO One RM board, but not in slot #0.
DIAG Is there a physical board in slot #0? If so, check its
DIAG JTAG interface.
TRCE DG has 2 VOC configuration.
TRCE DG has 32K colormap RAMs.
TRCE DG has no external gamma/deep colormap RAM.
RSLT sysprobe FAIL System probe failed.
INFO Maximum error count (1) reached
META ITERATION=1 PASSES NON-PASSES
META reset 1 0
META xgid 1 0
META xgregs 1 0
META xgram 1 0
META xgerr 1 0
META hh_reg 1 0
META ha_reg 1 0
META jtaginit 1 0
META mbox 1 0
META sysprobe 0 1
META TOTAL 9 1
CODE SUM No hardware errors detected
CODE BSUM 0R 0Y 10G PNGE-???:SN-??? (??)
CODE BSUM 0R 0Y 1G PNDG-???:SN-??? (??)
TRCE Sending crashlog to availmon... (Use +nolog to avoid this.)

[jan-jaap]

Hi,

I see two things:

WARNING: IR0:  Pipe hung:  no TBUS or ARM activity.
...
INFO                One RM board, but not in slot #0.

The GE14 board doesn't seem to respond. Also, the deskside Onyx2 can have two RM boards, but you have only one and it's in the wrong slot.

Here's an example of an Onyx2 with one RM in the correct slot: http://www.sgistuff.net/hardware/systems...k-2200.jpg
To the left of the DG there's a blank where the second RM goes, to it's left the first RM.

I don't know if a missing RM can make the GE board go unresponsive. I have my doubts. If you put the RM in the correct slot and it still doesn't respond, you may have to replace the GE board. You'll need US size hex (inbus) keys, 7/64" I believe, to undo the compression connector screws hiding under that cover on the GE board. When I got my first Onyx2 I think I got them from a motorcycle shop.

Don't touch the compression connector pads themselves, that can damage them beyond repair.

[Bjoern]

Two RM boards were mounted, so I decided to switch them to identify the one with bad connectivity, but now the system stays at 'Initializing PROM Device drivers .......... DONE':

Console output:
...
BASEIO PROM Monitor SGI Version 6.36 built 10:22:34 AM Sep 9, 1999 (BE64)
2 CPUs on 1 nodes found.
Installing PROM Device drivers ............
Installing Graphics Console...

Walking SCSI Adapter 0 (/hw/module/1/slot/io1), (pci id 0)
1+ 2+ 3+ 4- 5- 6+ 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- = 4 device(s)


Walking SCSI Adapter 1 (/hw/module/1/slot/io1), (pci id 1)
1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- = 0 device(s)

Initializing PROM Device drivers .......... DONE

---

Yeah, the graphics display is up and running!!!

I forgot to plug the monitor at the moment I wrote that the system hangs ;-), it runs.

Thank you so much!