[Info-vax] RX2600 replacing the motherboard and management board cells / batteries [INFO]

[Baldrick]

As I was struggling a little bit to do this I thought I'd share for the hobby owners among us and for posterity. Itanium / Integrity RX 2600.

Both use a lithium coin cell 3.3V type BR which is a slightly different chemical composition to the type CR cells, I believe the BR have a longer lifetime but the CR work just fine. Motherboard is sized 2330. Management board is sized 2032

The symptom of the motherboard cell failing is always needing the date and time. The symptom of the management board cell failing is it loses any network setting and boot preferences / roots.

The original motherboard cell is a BR 2330 which is not a standard stocked cell even in the CR variant, i.e. my local supplier CPC in Preston (UK) didn't stock it which was unusual. But eBay to the rescue and I found UK stocks. CR2330.

To access, remove the lid. Remove the memory and CPU airflow guides. Remove the CPU "push" fans in front of those guides.

Now you have a metal frame forming part of the CPU airflow guide and on one of the recess where the fan sits, there is a clip. You need to carefully left the "leg" over the post closest to the CPUs. Something hooked is ideal but I used needle nose pliers to pull the leg of the clip up and over the post. The metal guide sat on a securing post now is freed, and lifts out.

Under that sits the cell. As with all lithium cells only the correct size will properly sit in the holder. The clip was pretty tight and took a little levering to pop it out and replace.

refitting is the reverse of the above, put in the metal guide, taking care with the DVD cable, over its securing post, pop the leg of the clip back over, put back the fans and the memory and CPU airflow guides, again refitting the cables.

The management board, well if it remembers everything, MAKE A NOTE!!! because it will forget when you change it...

I have a victorinox cyber tool, and the "socket" part of it fits exactly over the screw securing posts. FIRSTLY very carefully using the provided 'handle', pull off the connector from the motherboard to the management board. Remove the two screw posts for the 25 pin "dongle". Then remove the two screws at the CPU end of the board. It should now be free so gently wiggle it out.

One the board is the coin cell holder for its cell / battery, again replace it, a CR 2032 which is much more standard and even cards of them stocked by my local pound shop! (approx $1.26 @ today's exchange rate/ any item not otherwise stickered) They don't even charge for carrier bags.

Refitting again is the reverse, make sure the board sits neatly, replace the screws and the screw posts for the 25 way connector. Then carefully reconnect the board to the motherboard, don't force it, just find how it fits then push firmly.

DONE! well almost. You need to connect to the serial port (MMJ to DB25 male works) or the dongle. You'll need to set up the name of the system, boot defaults and any remote IP etc.

When VMS boots for the first time it will need date and time, but from then on in, happy days!

(Technically its a lithium cell as a battery is comprised of multiple cells but this should allow internet search engines to find this.)