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Conference mvblab::alphaserver_4100

Title:AlphaServer 4100
Moderator:MOVMON::DAVISS
Created:Tue Apr 16 1996
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:648
Total number of notes:3158

613.0. "PCI Parity error on shutdown/autoreboot ?" by KERNEL::ADAMS (Brian Adams CSC-Viables '833-3026) Tue May 20 1997 06:34

    
    I can't find any other topic referencing this, so I'll start a new one.
    
    Problem:
    
    Alphaserver 4000 AY714xxxxx (ie new system) runs perfectly OK apart 
    from one problem. If the customer runs shutdown and selects an
    automatic reboot, it fails 9 times in 10, with 
    
    	"I/O DETECTED PCI BUS PARITY ERROR"
    
    Customer then goes to the system and presses the RESET button. The 
    machine then boots normally. They have a setup, where the IT people 
    are in one location, and the system is in another location, and it is
    not always convenient to actually go to the console terminal to 
    shutdown the system.
    
    I asked them to try a shutdown/halt/boot sequence, and as yet they have
    not reported a problem with this sequence, so it looks like just the
    automatic reboot fails.
    
    This sounds to me like something being left over from an I/O operation,
    maybe leaving a bit set in a register, or similar, and then getting 
    found on the reboot.
    
    Has anyone else seen anything similar ???
    
    /Brian.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
613.1Need more info; something to try..HARMNY::CUMMINSWed May 21 1997 09:5729
    Haven't seen this at a customer site before this. Have only seen with
    certain select (older) PCI cards that were not PCI compliant with respect
    to parity. Example card is one of the original NCR cards. This is typically
    seen not just on a shutdown, so I'm at a loss for an explanation at this
    point.
    
    Will need more info to debug. Please post the following info:
    
      Which operating system? UNIX, I presume?
      P00>>> show version
      P00>>> show fru
      P00>>> show device
      P00>>> cat el                  # after shutdown
    
    Another thing to try, but it may require any VGA cards to be removed from
    the system, depending upon whether the PCI parity error is detected before
    VGA re-init or afterward (assuming a VGA is even present), would be the
    following..
    
      P00>>> info 4
      P00>>> info 5
      P00>>> info 8
    
    VGA re-init generates zillions of MCHKs, so any error frame state that
    could be viewed to learn more about the specifics of the PCI parity error
    would be overwritten with VGA re-init expected MCHK entry info should the
    parity error occur prior to the VGA re-init..
    
    BC
613.2Will get info requested.KERNEL::ADAMSBrian Adams CSC-Viables '833-3026Fri May 23 1997 11:0014
    
    Thanks for the reply Bill.
    
    We doubt that this system has any old PCI cards as it is only a few 
    weeks out of the Ayr plant. Serial no AY71411399
    
    The operating system is VMS 
    
    Customer has been asked to get the requested info and will E-mail it
    to me, so I can post it here next week.
    
    There is a VGA card in the system.
    
    /Brian/
613.3No customer info - yet.KERNEL::ADAMSBrian Adams CSC-Viables '833-3026Thu May 29 1997 05:449
    
    Just called my customer, as no E-Mail has arrived.
    
    He couldn't get downtime last weekend.
    
    Will post information as soon as I get it.
    
    /Brian/