austin86 wrote:
zip code
there are several in my area, not sure if it will make a difference: 59101, 59102, 59106, 59044
Well an update...
I finally got a copy of the SCSI/RAID controller drivers (IBM only allows sftp connections now and I never could get it to authenticate with my credentials.. ardent-tool.com is the bomb!) and got the RAID configuration utility to come up. It showed the RAID-5 in good health but the install was corrupt so it still wasn't booting. Then shortly after it suddenly just powered off, not shutdown, just off. This has "shutting-off" has continued, but shutting down even quicker (like a failing component).
I cleaned/checked the PSU and there doesn't seem to be any apparent issue, caps all visually look good and as the power levels are dead on and the front power indicator lights all show power is good I decided not to pull the pcb's and go further with testing the caps for now.
There seems to be some indication that the memory board isn't working correctly. I removed/cleaned/re-seated everything but no change. When first powered on the led at the end of the memory board socket on the main board comes on for 1-2 sec's then dimly flashes twice then stays off. This behavior is the same with the board in the second memory board socket also.
I've re-seated everything multiple times, alternately removed drives etc and nothing seems to get me past POST now. The main board appears to have been re-cap'd before I got it but it looks like decent work was done. The strange thing is the first day I started it up it ran all day, like 6-7 hours straight with zero issues (of this type). Then after pulling the boards for cleaning and inspection yesterday this problem began.
I'm inclined to think that the movement to these old dry boards must have lifted a pad somewhere or created a cold solder joint. I spent the past 1.5 hours with the boards under my microscope camera but the problem hasn't changed.
So sorry to say, it is not a functioning machine atm and I don't have any more time to give it until probably next fall (I have an annual farmers type schedule). I just wanted to update and not leave you hanging on this one.