[Info-vax] Need imput on DS10 hardware failure

[David Froble]

tadamsmar wrote:
> I have a failed DS10.  I am not much of a hardware expert.
> 
> The fan run, but it does not seem to even start booting.  No console messsages at all. Also, the network lights don't blink during startup.  On a good DS10, the network lights blink once right after power-up even if there is no disks installed.
> 
> I think there must be something wrong with the motherboard (the network ports are on the motherboard).  But someone else suggested that the power supply might be bad.  But the power supply seems to be at least partly good because all the fans ran and all the disk spun up, the power light came on and the tape showed a blinking light sequence at power-up, and there is at least some power on the motherboard since the cpu fan runs.
> 
> I took a less important DS10 out of service to get the failed node out of service.  I switched in the disks from the failed system, so I know they work.
> 
> At this point, I have the remains of a DS10 with a bad motherboard or power supply, plus some older accumulated problems: (1) a noisy CPU fan that seems to have bad bearings (2) a broken power switch with a broken mount that has to be
> poked with a screwdriver and that pops out if it's mount if you poke too hard.
> 
> (Note that the noisy fan was a recent new problem on the system used for replacement so it did not contribute to the failure on the failed system.)
> 
> I have put in a request to buy a bare bones DS10. I plan to used the drives, cages, and memory from what I have left to get myself back to having everything
> working.
> 
> But, I will be left with the motherboard and power supply from the failed system, so they could be used for spare parts if I can figure out what is working on them.

Why don't you inquire at Island Computers?  I believe they have some 
repair and testing capability.  Perhaps they can identify and replace 
the failed component(s), installed a new fan, and whatever else is 
required to get they system back to 100%.

You'd have to be careful to compare the cost vs getting an IA-64 or 
other system.