[Info-vax] Personal Workstation 433 rescue guidance

[John Wallace]

On 14/06/2021 20:46, Larkin Nickle wrote:
>> What's your budget? Too far into this effort, and maybe acquiring an
>> AlphaServer DS10 or AlphaServer DS15 from elsewhere is cheaper, if you
>> really want Alpha and not AXPbox, etc.
>>
> 
> I do have some other (working) Alpha hardware, it'd just be nice to get this machine working too if possible.
> 
>> No beeps tends to mean a (partial) power supply failure, or a main
>> board failure, or a processor failure. Check the power supply voltage
>> setting, too—these didn't auto-sense, IIRC.
>>
>> http://sup.xenya.si/sup/info/digital/MDS/jun99/Cd2/PC/B30WWSMA.PDF
>>
>> These DEC boxes (DPWS, XP1000) are increasingly problematic in recent
>> years generally, due to corrosion, component failures, and plastic
>> parts shattering.
> 
> The power supply voltage setting is set properly, and the PSU is outputting the proper voltages on the proper pins - I checked that as well. I guess the most likely things are that I have a dead CPU or mobo indeed.
> 

The link Hoff provided appeared to be the Intel (not Alpha) version of 
the PWS Service Maintenance Manual.

Assuming that's not what you wanted, one flavour of a relevant Alpha 
version is findable as MIATASG.ZIP e.g. at

http://www.cilinder.be/docs/digitalpwsau/miatasg.zip
There are a few other relevant files in that directory too.

Download and unzip MIATASG.ZIP (it's a collection of html pages), then 
point your favourite browser at:

miatasg\dpws_aau\Service\Aaudpwssg.htm
which should be the
DIGITAL Personal Workstation System Reference and Maintenance Guide
a/au-Series

I've got a local copy squirreled away somewhere but not instantly 
available. (I've got an actual PWS squirreled away too, again not 
instantly available).

The same directory on cilinder.be also contains a PDF of the PWS a/au 
Series Installation and Setup Guide, which includes some basic 
troubleshooting info on what to do if the system appears lifeless at 
power on. Worth a look.

Good luck, have a lot of fun.