ANRITSU instrument boot up failed discuss(MS462X VNA)?

[ve2ulu]

I never use raw-bug command (i try but i never succes to boot with), but i have another mother board of ms4622 bricked to test with motorola raw-bug.

[whitebear]

The same format doesn't seem to work in the Raw-Bug interface, though, which only has access to the "w" and a couple of other single character commands.  Maybe some usage of the "m" command would do it?

Yes, using M command is the way to go. Type M xxxxxxxx (where xxxxxxxx is a start address, hex, zero padded to 8 characters), then write 32-bit data words, one by one, also hex, zero padded to 8 characters. Address will auto-increment.

If this is of any help, I've attached a ruby script that can be used to read / write BBRAM via Raw-Bug.

[ve7tnt]

I am trying to get an MS4622B VNA working and have been reading the postings.  VERY HELPFUL!!.  Going to open the unit up and replace battery(s) as a first step.
I do not have the two disk APP files and am wondering if anyone can help me on this?  Could not find anything on the Anritsu Site.
I downloaded a boot disk and the unit initially found the floppy and booted but asked for the APP disks.  It did this once but now appears dead in the water.  Supply voltages are all aok.
Sounds like I now have the same problems with the NVRAM issue.

Thanks!  Idea is to get it going and use if for Ham Radio related filter and antenna projects.

[ve2ulu]

You are lucky, your unit boot... when the BBram fail at all, the unit do nothing, is dead.
Dead but not dead dead... with good rom is possible to reload manualy the bbram.
I think the 2 disk are in one link in this tread...

I found...
http://bitsavers.org/test_equipment/anritsu/MS462xx/firmware/

ScorpApp_1.20_nonOpt24.zip    without option 24 (no memory extention board on cpu board)

[dr-chrisp]

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. I have a MS4623C which was dead when I bought it at auction, 6 years ago. I tried all sorts of investigation but didn't know about just how disastrous a backup battery failure is on this unit. So, a colleague showed me this forum a couple of weeks ago and today I got my unit running again, seems all fine! My steps were: download the binary file and program 162BUG V4.0 EPROM. Fit that in place of Anritsu EPROM - and wow, the processor is not dead after all. Then I used the Modify command to reprogram the whole BBRAM from one of the files available on this forum (bbram_matteo.bin). I decided to write a small Delphi application that automates the typing, and that allowed me to also poke the correct MAC address and IP addresses into the unit with checksum calculations. The Delphi application is available for anyone that cares to use it, here: http://www.cambridgerf.com/download/files/AnritsuMS462XXbbram.htm. After the BBRAM was re-written, I found that the instrument booted properly (with the original EPROM re-fitted), except that the serial number was showing as *INVALID*. So the final step was to use the System menu "1" and Monitor "6" option to read out the corresponding checksum when the serial number is *INVALID*, and use that to calculate what it should be when the real serial number is entered. That calculation is also included in the Delphi app. You will find that the installer bundles a Word document "The restoration of BBRam of Anritsu Scorpion VNAs.doc" as part of the install, based on "bbram-restoration.pdf" earlier in this thread, and that describes the steps in more detail. I hope that helps. Kind regards to all.

[ve2ulu]

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. I have a MS4623C which was dead when I bought it at auction, 6 years ago. I tried all sorts of investigation but didn't know about just how disastrous a backup battery failure is on this unit. So, a colleague showed me this forum a couple of weeks ago and today I got my unit running again, seems all fine! My steps were: download the binary file and program 162BUG V4.0 EPROM. Fit that in place of Anritsu EPROM - and wow, the processor is not dead after all. Then I used the Modify command to reprogram the whole BBRAM from one of the files available on this forum (bbram_matteo.bin). I decided to write a small Delphi application that automates the typing, and that allowed me to also poke the correct MAC address and IP addresses into the unit with checksum calculations. The Delphi application is available for anyone that cares to use it, here: http://www.cambridgerf.com/download/files/AnritsuMS462XXbbram.htm. After the BBRAM was re-written, I found that the instrument booted properly (with the original EPROM re-fitted), except that the serial number was showing as *INVALID*. So the final step was to use the System menu "1" and Monitor "6" option to read out the corresponding checksum when the serial number is *INVALID*, and use that to calculate what it should be when the real serial number is entered. That calculation is also included in the Delphi app. You will find that the installer bundles a Word document "The restoration of BBRam of Anritsu Scorpion VNAs.doc" as part of the install, based on "bbram-restoration.pdf" earlier in this thread, and that describes the steps in more detail. I hope that helps. Kind regards to all.

Very nice news! 

The link for download dont work!

[rplabs]

The link for download dont work!

Remove the . (dot) at the end.

[mrf245]

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. I have a MS4623C which was dead when I bought it at auction, 6 years ago. I tried all sorts of investigation but didn't know about just how disastrous a backup battery failure is on this unit. So, a colleague showed me this forum a couple of weeks ago and today I got my unit running again, seems all fine! My steps were: download the binary file and program 162BUG V4.0 EPROM. Fit that in place of Anritsu EPROM - and wow, the processor is not dead after all. Then I used the Modify command to reprogram the whole BBRAM from one of the files available on this forum (bbram_matteo.bin). I decided to write a small Delphi application that automates the typing, and that allowed me to also poke the correct MAC address and IP addresses into the unit with checksum calculations. The Delphi application is available for anyone that cares to use it, here: http://www.cambridgerf.com/download/files/AnritsuMS462XXbbram.htm. After the BBRAM was re-written, I found that the instrument booted properly (with the original EPROM re-fitted), except that the serial number was showing as *INVALID*. So the final step was to use the System menu "1" and Monitor "6" option to read out the corresponding checksum when the serial number is *INVALID*, and use that to calculate what it should be when the real serial number is entered. That calculation is also included in the Delphi app. You will find that the installer bundles a Word document "The restoration of BBRam of Anritsu Scorpion VNAs.doc" as part of the install, based on "bbram-restoration.pdf" earlier in this thread, and that describes the steps in more detail. I hope that helps. Kind regards to all.

Very cool!
I went through the previous post and knew that there was MVME-162 BUG firmware, but after reading some information, I consider that this firmware does not seem to be suitable for use on MS462X (at least I don't know exactly how to restore system settings by command). Modifying BBRAM directly doesn't seem like a perfect idea (for some VNAs it won't boot). Thanks for your work!

[ve2ulu]

The Delphi application is available for anyone that cares to use it, here: http://www.cambridgerf.com/download/files/AnritsuMS462XXbbram.htm

Thanks a lot for this.
I test 3 cpu board, all with bbram trouble, all have recover.
Is 1 hour to upload from my pc, but is work great.

Anyone have info on rfsource in this machine? i have 2 master and 2 second source with bad rf output.

[mbielman]

Are there instructions for using the Delphi app? The html link just has an exe file and when run I get an error.

[ve2ulu]

Are there instructions for using the Delphi app? The html link just has an exe file and when run I get an error.

I remove the dot at the end of the link in my reply.
The original reply have dot at the end and cause error in browser.

I open one rf source, is optional second rf source.
It's nightmare to open, rf shield gasket glue all together,  4x TO220 are screwed on one side and final rf amp are glue on other side, mostly impossible to split without some trick.
I unscrew four regulator with 90degree screw bit, after, i unscrew the final amp to the heatsink block.

[Aleuli]

I've scored a damaged MS4623B on Ebay. This thread made me confident to get it on "as is" condition.

First problem was the battery BBRAM issue of course, solved it thanks to info here. With the little caveat that I was unable to find a 27C040 at mouser or Digikey, so I used the SST39SF040 with some Kapton tape and micro soldering to solve the issue with pin 1 and pin 31 incompatibility.

The second problem was the -15V rail having -22V. This was caused by a choke inductor inside the power supply that choose dead by overheating. Fortunately, I had a similar donor power supply and after some fixing of burnt pcb traces everything went to normal.

Worked for a while and then a third problem did show on the error log: "0502 REFERENCE CHANNEL FAIL". I traced it to be de JR signal absent on the down conversion module. Checking MMICs voltages on the input and output found a bad one. Now waiting for the ERA4+ to arrive.

Meanwhile I found the LCD screen to be really dim.  While browsing for a CCFL to led conversion kit on ebay found this https://www.ebay.com/itm/134006180669 that claims 900 NITS and 1000:1 contrast! Bought 3 and will attempt to make them work on this and also on a E4406A and a CMU200 I also have.

I am really grateful to all that contributed to this thread.