ANRITSU instrument boot up failed discuss(MS462X VNA)?

[Kuan]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here.

I also had the MS4622B bootup problem due to BBRAM battery ran out.( front panel LEDs were all on, and the CPU halt LED(yellow) of CPU board was on.)

Does anyone so kind to tell me, the detaile steps to reprogam the BBRAM on CPU board after it install a new battery(time keeper)?


 

[mbielman]

Hello - also new here and just picked up an MS4622B that appears to have this problem. I contacted a fellow who has a fix for this but wants 500 EUR for the solution. A bit pricey for me at the moment. Really hoping someone here has a solution that doesn't cost a fortune.

My unit has not arrived yet so I am guessing about the problem but symptoms are identical. Have downloaded the files listed here so will try those 1st. No idea how to access this RAM when installed into the unit. (new battery on the way)

Thanks group! Hope we can lick this one.

Mark in Oregon

[mbielman]

Hello again. No activity for a while here. Hope this thread isn't dead yet.

Still in the same boat. Verified power supplies but nothing else new. Cannot find any info about using the serial port for this. Will try hooking a PC to it anyway - might get lucky but not expecting anything. Also considering removing the BBRAM chip (!) and use my programmer on it. Sounds ugly.

I find it hard to believe that no one here has an answer to this problem.

Cheers!

[djac]

The good news is, I'm getting my device working again. The bad news is that I haven't found a way to get the device up and running again with any means I can get at it. My starting point was the analysis of the boot loader code. But that didn't bring any success, because the code is 512KB and it would have taken far too much time to analyze.

So I contacted Michal. He is the one who offers a boot eprom for 500 Euro on Ebay. At first sight this seems to be a lot of money, but in my own experience it quickly puts it into perspective.

The task is divided into two parts. The first part is to get into the Boot Menu when the contents of the BBRam are destroyed. Here the Anritsu boot loader fails miserably. The second part is the restoration of the BBRam content. This is done with the help of the debugger and monitor, both part of the Anristu "Boot utility disk".

The first part is done by the boot eprom from Michal. For the second part you get a complete documentation. With both you reach your destination after about 1 hour. What remains is an ALC-Cal for which you need a power meter from HP, hp436/437 or one from Anritsu or Gigatronics.

That Michal is asking for money for this amount of work is understandable and I don't want to spoil his business by simply distributing his software and documentation here.

The attached PDF, however, summarizes my own knowledge about the restoration process and also hints on how to get further documentation from before.

Anritsu, on the other hand, can be completely forgotten, no help can be expected from there.

Greetings Dieter

[mbielman]

Thank you for this Dieter. I have been in contact with Michal also. And like you, considering paying for the ROM. At this point I see no other way and sounds worth the investment. Alternative is an expensive door stop. I have access to all kinds of test equipment so no problem there. Do you have any specs on the power sensor for this task? (frequency and power ranges)

regards,
Mark

PS - my unit does absolutely nothing when powered on. Yellow LED is ON which apparently indicated a halted uP. Does not try to read the floppy, etc. Hope this is all "normal"!

[djac]

compatible power meters:
Agilent EPM441 + E4412A
Anritsu ML2438A + Anritsu MA2442D
HP 437 + EP8481A or similar
Gigatronics 854x in hp437 emulation mode

The behaviour of your device is absolute normal, if the BBRam content is destroyed.

Dieter

[flj]

Hello,
I have similar problem on MS4624D.  I wanted to change the display (because the back light was dead) and at the same time to change both batteries.  Because the screen was blank and I was looking on external VGA monitor, I reformat the HDD instead of the floppy!  I lost everything.  After changing the batteries, the instrument can't boot.

HELP, Is someone can send me a boot file to boot from the floppy?

Thank you

[flj]

Hello,
I have similar problem on MS4624D.  I wanted to change the display (because the back light was dead) and at the same time to change both batteries.  Because the screen was blank and I was looking on external VGA monitor, I reformat the HDD instead of the floppy!  I lost everything.  After changing the batteries, the instrument can't boot.

HELP, Is someone can send me a boot file to boot from the floppy?

Thank you

[flj]

Thanx to imett, I have the boot file, mon and debug.

How do I restore the app file?

[flj]

Hello Dieter,
I get myself into a similar situation after changing the batteries..  I am missing a copy of the application file.  Can you share your app file?

Thank you

[djac]

Unfortunately it's not possible to attach a file longer then 1MB. So you should pm me your email address, so that I can send you the app file.
Regards Dieter

[mrf245]

Hello - also new here and just picked up an MS4622B that appears to have this problem. I contacted a fellow who has a fix for this but wants 500 EUR for the solution. A bit pricey for me at the moment. Really hoping someone here has a solution that doesn't cost a fortune.

My unit has not arrived yet so I am guessing about the problem but symptoms are identical. Have downloaded the files listed here so will try those 1st. No idea how to access this RAM when installed into the unit. (new battery on the way)

Thanks group! Hope we can lick this one.

Mark in Oregon

Hello
I consider the fastest way to solve BBRAM problem is ------- desolder your BBRAM, replace a new battery on RAM, put it in a programmer (most of prog can make it) and program a exist BBRAM file, than use soldering iron carefully fix it.
Now at least there're 2 kinds of BBRAM files,. See attach

[mbielman]

Yes! I considered this but I do not have very good tools for desoldering through-hole ICs. (manual solder sucker)

Mark

[mbielman]

Hello Dieter - Please see my PM about this.

thx

Mark

[mbielman]

Hello again. So I picked up the special boot ROM and my 4622B is alive!
However, I get the following errors via the self test:

0503-1 Test Channel Fail (-5.05)
0504-1 Test Gain Ranging Fail (-5.11)

Word has it that this is a CPU board problem. :-( No idea what to do about it.
What a bummer!

[TooManyHobbies]

I picked up a MS4623B with a bad power supply.  Once I get it working I may well have questions about bootup.  But first, the Astec LPQ253 power supply has 4 outputs and one is adjustable.  Can anyone tell me what the fourth output is supposed to be set to?  None of the manuals I have seen contain that level of detail.

[RFMWdude]

Can anyone tell me what the fourth output is supposed to be set to?  None of the manuals I have seen contain that level of detail.

The Service Manual mentions 4 voltages; see the attached diagram.
Is there information missing from this?

[TooManyHobbies]

The problem was that these voltages did not square with the rated output of the Astec power supply (no 6.5V source for example and the 5V source was indeed connected). Anritsu was helpful in pointing out that the factory PS was made by TDK so this is somebody's substitute.  I got the PS fixed, and now am in the same state as the folks above, voltages on backplane all correct, no LCD messages or backlight (no power to backlight), no serial messages, no VGA video.  The RAM backup battery was dead, but the RTC battery is at 2.8 volts which ought to be good enough.  The "CPU HALT" LED is on.
Do I assume the data in the RTC is corrupt or is there some way to read it out before I unplug the battery?

[TooManyHobbies]

Am trying to locate the MS4623B application files that are no longer on Anritsu's site. Do you know where I can find them?

[174929851]

Hello my friend mrf245,I have the same problem on my MS4622B,can you add my Wechat? The Wechat number is 13661332612. Deeply grateful 感激不尽！

[Dronhom]

I picked up a MS4623B with a bad power supply.  Once I get it working I may well have questions about bootup.  But first, the Astec LPQ253 power supply has 4 outputs and one is adjustable.  Can anyone tell me what the fourth output is supposed to be set to?  None of the manuals I have seen contain that level of detail.

My Scorpion has a TDK Lambda Sirius power supply. CSF250NM 6.75/12 15B 5/15E to be specific.
12V 10A output is not connected, and the 28V voltage is formed on the small board outside the power supply.

[Dronhom]

Hi everyone.
Is there any chance to get the modified EPRom now? I couldn't find the eBay seller who sold it previously as written here above and the Youtube seller (ms4623b@gmail.com) doesn't reply to my emails.

[VT7]

Hi!

I have gotten such a device and even with the recovery eeprom.
With it and some old floppies i could manage to boot it and restore the firmware and also the coot code.
suggestion: all batteries were dead, i had to replace them.
so CAL is gone.

i got into the Monitor-System with serial console and typed in the config (cnfg;m and so on...) and even set the time (SET ...).
now the machine tries to boot but hangs itself up at "Starting tasks..." and wont start further. I have waited >1h but nothing happens.

after that i tried to get any information about the error and read out the test results of the self test.. the section "QUIKBUS" fails.
But. no-where in the internet i find an explanation for this.. just nothing.

so i post it here:
the code comes from the serial interface.

Code: [Select]

Bug>menu

1) Continue System Start Up
2) Select Alternate Boot Device
3) Go to System Debugger
4) Initiate Service Call
5) Display System Test Errors
6) Dump Memory to Tape
Enter Menu #: 5
No Errors

1) Continue System Start Up
2) Select Alternate Boot Device
3) Go to System Debugger
4) Initiate Service Call
5) Display System Test Errors
6) Dump Memory to Tape
Enter Menu #: 1
RAM      QUIK: Quick Write/Read...................... Running --->       
RAM      ALTS: Alternating Ones/Zeroes............... Running --->       
RAM      PATS: Patterns.............................. Running --->       
RAM      ADR: Addressability......................... Running --->       
RAM      CODE: Code Execution/Copy................... Running --->       
RAM      PERM: Permutations.......................... Running --->       
RAM      RNDM: Random Data........................... Running --->       
RAM      BTOG: Bit Toggle............................ Running --->       
RAM      REF: Memory Refresh Test.................... Running --->       
SRAM     QUIK: Quick Write/Read...................... Running --->       
SRAM     ALTS: Alternating Ones/Zeroes............... Running --->       
SRAM     PATS: Patterns.............................. Running --->       
SRAM     ADR: Addressability......................... Running --->       
SRAM     CODE: Code Execution/Copy................... Running --->       
SRAM     PERM: Permutations.......................... Running --->       
SRAM     RNDM: Random Data........................... Running --->       
SRAM     BTOG: Bit Toggle............................ Running --->       
SRAM     REF: Memory Refresh Test.................... Running --->       
SRAMDISK QUIK: Quick Write/Read...................... Running --->       
SRAMDISK ALTS: Alternating Ones/Zeroes............... Running --->       
SRAMDISK PATS: Patterns.............................. Running --->       
SRAMDISK ADR: Addressability......................... Running --->       
SRAMDISK CODE: Code Execution/Copy................... Running --->       
SRAMDISK PERM: Permutations.......................... Running --->       
SRAMDISK RNDM: Random Data........................... Running --->       
SRAMDISK BTOG: Bit Toggle............................ Running --->       
SRAMDISK REF: Memory Refresh Test.................... Running --->       
QUIETBUS QUIK: Quick Write/Read...................... Running --->       
   Testing address range 80C10000-80C15FFC   
Exception: Access Fault (dspfault.c: unknown)
PC =FFAC4316 SR =2704
Format/Vector =7008
SSW =0085 Fault Address =80C10000 Effective Address =0000D1A4

maybe i can help out with other things or eprom images when my machine runs again.

[VT7]

i've tested further on. another thing that irritates me is that the RTC test of the BBRAM fails.
the test programm can not allocate enough RAM to start the RTC ADR test.

i have also made a log:

Code: [Select]

Diag>rtc
RTC      CLK: MK48T0x Real Time Clock................ Running ---> PASSED
RTC      RAM: MK48T0x Battery Backed Up RAM.......... Running ---> PASSED
RTC      ADR: MK48T0x RAM Addressing................. Running ---> FAILED

RTC/ADR Test Failure Data:
RAM allocate
memc.next=E000 memc.size=1FF8

i understand not enough of this system...

[m3vuv]

I have now contacted anritsu. The first answer is not very hopefully:

Hello Dieter,
Thank you for contacting Anritsu EMEA region customer technical support.
Would you like us to quote for sending the MS4622B VNA CPU board to our factory in the US for repair?
This is the only option available for replacing & programming the BBRAM due to the age of the instrument (manufactured 2002).

Best regards \ Mfg
XXX

I answered:

Hallo XXX,

I suppose that the costs for a repair in US would be far to high for such an old device. But please do so.

On the other hand I can do it by myself, if I get some information:

I have disassembled the boot eprom and know the locations where it tests the BBRam for integrity. To change the code would not be complicated.
The problem is the contents of the BBRam. Best would be to get a documentation what it should contain. But it would help to get an binary image from the BBRam of a correctly running MS462x or the default image what your engineers use, if they repair the device.

What I do not understand is, why there is in the service manual no procedure given to solve this problem. The only thing that is defective is the battery, clipped on the BBRam-Chip, that costs 5$. And the battery has a life time of 10 years, means beyond the usual life time of the device.

I cannot imagine, that Anritsu expects that their customers should send their analyzer every 10 years to the us-factory only for changing a battery. The restoring of the contents is just software, that any customer can do by itself, if he gets the appropriate information and tools.

I would be not very lucky to throw away a well running analyzer only because a battery has reached the end of it's life time.

Regards Dieter Jaeger


Let's see if they are willing to give real service to it's customers.

Regards Dieter

What did the assholes say to that?