Products > Test Equipment
IFR 2393A no boot
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cozidinho:
I have an IFR 2393A that I rescued from being recycled (I was at the right location at the right time, pure luck). Of course it was too good to be true and when I plugged the mains, it basically didn't go past a blue boot screen showing "IFR Copyright 1992-1998". I connected the serial port to another computer by means of a null modem adapter and I was presented with this screen:
--- Code: ---Memory Size Function OK
Time of Day Function OK
System Services OK
Main RAM to.. 000D3FFF OK
System Segment at......D399
Rom checksum OK
IFR Systems function online
Extended Ram Not Found.
288K Parameter RAM found
IEEE-488 interface: working store at D390:0000
SPI serial bus: online: working store: D38F:0000
LPT Function OK
Keyboard Function OK
SysVue segment at D37C:0000
Last fatal error code: FFFFFFFF
Annabooks AT BiosKit
Modified by IFR Systems, Inc. under license. 07/21/97
Booting System:
Loading IFR BIOS extensions...
Moving stack to top of free RAM
Loading applications
No ROM application found: executing monitor
SysVue Copyright (c) FOSCO 1988, 1989 - All Rights Reserved.
SysVue [01] >
--- End code ---
After some online research in this and other groups, I found that maybe an EEPROM somewhere or the Flash (PCMCIA card) could be corrupted. If I remove the PCMCIA card the screen doesn't show any output at all, but it goes into the console. So I reckon maybe the PCMCIA card is still readable. I really don't have any means to read the PCMCIA nowadays.
The RTC seems to have held well as it shows the current time/date.
It would be very nice if someone could provide some insight here.
cozidinho:
Ok, I know something more now. I have dumped the BIOS - which is in two EPROMs in an even/odd arrangement. The ROM BIOS in itself seems to be fine.
The flash PCMCIA, judging by the strings contained on it, has the video board driver, which seems to be loaded correctly - ANX VGA Video board GSP programmer V4.13 16 Jul 1998 16:39:13 - however the main program is not loaded as it should - ANX main program V1.0 Thu 20 Aug 1998 10:19:17.
So, at the prompt I started making questions, not too complicated...
--- Quote ---SysVue [01] >DIR
----------------------------Load module directory-----------------------------
ANX VGA Video board GSP programmer V4.13 16 Jul 1998 16:39:13
Module address: 00800000 Size 0000E6A9 Type 02 Format 02
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bad header at 0080E800
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- End quote ---
I suppose it finds something unexpected after the first module being loaded. Could the programs be OK, are moved into the RAM before being loaded, but the RAM or the RAM addressing circuitry be not so good?
I find nothing out of the ordinary with the board.
cozidinho:
If anyone is in similar position and wants to ping me so we can share some insights, feel free to do it.
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