[Info-vax] ?3C NVR WRTERR from my VAXstation 4000/60

[David Goodwin]

My VAXstation 4000 model 60 used to work mostly perfectly (the power 
switch has a bit of a mind of its own sometimes). Then I put it on a 
shelf for a few years.

Now I've got it off the shelf and its sadly no longer working. On power 
up, I just get "?3C NVR WRTERR" on the serial console.

If I hit halt, I also get "?? CRPT - Reenter bit clr" followed a few 
seconds later by "?3C NVR WRTERR". If I hit halt a whole bunch, 
sometimes I might see a "?? CRPT - Corrupt bit is set"

If I change the console to graphics, I don't get the "?3C NVR WRTERR" on 
the serial terminal, but I still get the "?? CRPT - Reenter bit clr" on 
halt. I'm not sure what, if anything, appears on the graphics console.

Whether the console is set to graphics or serial, the LED codes always 
settle on 1111 0100 or 0xF4 which is apparently "Initializing the 
console device".

I've tried replacing the old Dallas DS1287A with a brand new DS12887A 
but it hasn't changed the behaviour at all

Has anyone ever seen this before and know how to fix it?