?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?

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by David Goodwin
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.

“NVR” = “Non-Volatile RAM”?

[David Goodwin]

Post by David Goodwin
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.

?NVR? = ?Non-Volatile RAM??

I assume so, which is why I replaced the DS1287A - the markings on the
old one imply a manufacture date sometime in 1991 so its battery was
sure to be flat.

But a brand new one manuactured in 2023 from a reputable source doesn't
seem to have solved the problem.

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Post by David Goodwin

Post by David Goodwin
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.

?NVR? = ?Non-Volatile RAM??

I assume so, which is why I replaced the DS1287A - the markings on the
old one imply a manufacture date sometime in 1991 so its battery was
sure to be flat.

A write error would seem to indicate something more than a battery
problem, perhaps.

[Simon Clubley]

Post by David Goodwin

Post by David Goodwin
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.

?NVR? = ?Non-Volatile RAM??

I assume so, which is why I replaced the DS1287A - the markings on the
old one imply a manufacture date sometime in 1991 so its battery was
sure to be flat.
But a brand new one manuactured in 2023 from a reputable source doesn't
seem to have solved the problem.

Any signs of damaged circuit board traces or similar ?

After you replace a DS1287A, are there any initialisation steps which
need to be performed ?

Simon.

[David Goodwin]

Post by Simon Clubley

Post by David Goodwin

Post by David Goodwin
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.

?NVR? = ?Non-Volatile RAM??

I assume so, which is why I replaced the DS1287A - the markings on the
old one imply a manufacture date sometime in 1991 so its battery was
sure to be flat.
But a brand new one manuactured in 2023 from a reputable source doesn't
seem to have solved the problem.

Any signs of damaged circuit board traces or similar ?

Aside from being a little dusty it all looks fine.

Post by Simon Clubley
After you replace a DS1287A, are there any initialisation steps which
need to be performed ?

I'd wondered this but I can't find anything documented anywhere.

[Dave Froble]

Post by David Goodwin

Post by Simon Clubley

Post by David Goodwin

Post by David Goodwin
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.

?NVR? = ?Non-Volatile RAM??

I assume so, which is why I replaced the DS1287A - the markings on the
old one imply a manufacture date sometime in 1991 so its battery was
sure to be flat.
But a brand new one manuactured in 2023 from a reputable source doesn't
seem to have solved the problem.

Any signs of damaged circuit board traces or similar ?

Aside from being a little dusty it all looks fine.

Post by Simon Clubley
After you replace a DS1287A, are there any initialisation steps which
need to be performed ?

I'd wondered this but I can't find anything documented anywhere.

When I replaced a couple of the Dallas chips, I had no issues.

Now, this is a guess, but perhaps the write to the dallas chip may not happen
until one enters a valid date.

Also, with a dead dallas chip, I found that the VAXstation 4000 systems would
still pass startup self test.

Perhaps dust off the system, I use compressed air, pull the memory SIMMs, look
for a bad capacator, re-seat the memory and try again.