[Info-vax] testing VAXstations

[Martin Vorländer]

Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) <helbig at asclothestro.multivax.de> schrieb:
> Finally I have time to do some inventory, so I am testing old hardware
> (with the aim of knowing what works and what doesn't and deciding what I
> might pass on to a good home).  It's been a while since I've done
> anything with a VAX (about 10 years).  On a VAXstation 4000, I have the
> S3 switch set to UP.  I am using a terminal and cable which I normally
> use for an Alpha console (9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity,
> receive=transmit, 1 stop bit) so I am assuming that that is not the
> problem (IIRC VAXes, in contrast to Alphas, won't boot if they don't
> sense the console).  The cable is MMJ on both VAX (printer port) and VT.
>
> When I power the box on, all the LEDs light up, but stay lit.  From the
> old days, I remember flashing (and maybe some sounds) then some output
> on the console terminal.  Now, nothing. 

The LEDs indicate the self-test stage the machine is in. Starting at
all LEDs lit, they count down in hexadecimal. So, if they stay all lit,
the self-test doesn't start. COuld be the power supply not providing
enough Amps.

cu,
Martin