HiNote VP Troubleshooting Guide
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DEC's service quick reference guides for the HiNote VP 550/575 and 700 series organise troubleshooting by symptom, then give the Phoenix BIOS test points and error messages; the user's guides add the battery questions. DEC supported repair to module level only, by exchanging field-replaceable units such as the CPU card, keyboard, hard disk module and the complete shell.[1][2][3]
Dead notebook
[edit | edit source]| On battery | On AC power |
|---|---|
| The notebook may be in suspend: press Suspend/Resume. The battery may be loose (remove and refit it), flat (connect the AC adapter or fit a charged pack) or in need of forming. The system may have hung: press the reset button on the back, then power on again. | Check the outlet and that the adapter plug is fully home. If neither the notebook's power LED nor the LED on the adapter lights, replace the adapter. Press Suspend/Resume and the reset button. If all of these are good, suspect the notebook's internal power circuit. |
[2] The reset button on the VP 700 is on the back, between the serial and parallel connectors.[2] If no indicator lights and the hard disk is silent, DEC takes the notebook to be getting no power at all.[2]
Start-up failures
[edit | edit source]- Starts POST on battery, then shuts down: the battery is critically low, the system may have hung after a screen saver (press reset), or the memory or LCD connections or system board power circuit are at fault.[2]
- Power on, no display: suspend mode, a hang, memory or LCD connections, or the system board power circuit.[2]
- Power on, error code or message on screen: usually a keyboard, memory or hard disk failure; look the message up below.[2]
- "CMOS checksum error" at start-up: the CMOS battery has run down after the notebook was left off for more than a year. Press F2, set the date and time, load defaults, save, and leave the notebook on the AC adapter for 24 hours. See HiNote VP Battery Replacement.[4]
- "System battery is dead - Replace and run SETUP": the CMOS clock battery has failed.[5]
BIOS messages and test points
[edit | edit source]The Phoenix BIOS writes a test-point code to I/O port 80h at the start of each POST routine. A card that displays port 80h shows the last test begun if the machine hangs. On a terminal error the BIOS sounds a beep code and tries to show the code on screen.[6]
| Port 80h code | Beeps | Test |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2-2-3 | BIOS ROM checksum |
| 20 | 3-1-1 | DRAM refresh |
| 22 | 3-1-3 | 8742 keyboard controller |
| 2C | 3-4-1 | 512K base address lines |
| 2E | 3-4-3 | 512K base memory |
| 46 | 2-1-2-3 | ROM copyright notice |
| 58 | 2-2-3-1 | Unexpected interrupts |
| Message | Meaning given by DEC |
|---|---|
| Fixed Disk 0 Failure, Fixed Disk Controller Failure | Disk not working or not configured; check the disk is properly attached and the disk type in setup |
| Keyboard controller error | The keyboard controller failed its test; the keyboard or controller may need replacing |
| Keyboard error nn | A stuck key, with its scan code |
| Operating system not found | No operating system on A: or C:; check both are identified correctly in setup |
| Previous POST did not complete successfully | POST loads defaults and offers setup; if wrong values caused the failure and are not corrected, the next boot will probably fail too |
| Real time clock error | The real-time clock failed its test; may need board repair |
| System battery is dead | CMOS clock battery dead; replace it and run setup |
Display, keyboard and drives
[edit | edit source]| Symptom | Checks |
|---|---|
| No LCD picture, lines on the LCD, backlight but no picture, or garbled characters | LCD cable seated at the motherboard; LCD power cable seated at the inverter; then replace the panel. Garbled characters with correct display settings point to the video chip, which means a new motherboard |
| No external CRT picture, wrong colours or unstable picture | CRT output enabled; monitor powered; cable and port pins; display settings supported by the monitor; try another monitor |
| Keys do nothing, give wrong characters or repeat | Language setting (COUNTRY.SYS); keyboard cable damaged by bending or not seated; replace the keyboard; replace the keyboard controller BIOS chip |
| External keyboard or PS/2 mouse fails | Mini-DIN connection; clean the trackball and sensors; try another device; test the keyboard circuit |
| Hard disk not found, will not read or write | BIOS settings; disk connection; try the disk in another VP 700; if it works there, the controller on the motherboard is suspect |
Battery problems
[edit | edit source]- Short run time with a NiMH battery: DEC attributes it to memory effect and prescribes forming the battery.[7]
- Odd readings on the battery gauge in the LCD status panel: the battery probably needs forming.[7]
- Repeated beeping: low battery. Save work and connect the adapter or fit a charged pack.[7]
See HiNote VP Battery Replacement.
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- HiNote VP
- HiNote VP General Maintenance
- HiNote VP Battery Replacement
- HiNote VP Documentation
- HiNote Ultra Troubleshooting Guide
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Digital Equipment Corporation, DIGITAL HiNote VP 550-575 Series Service Quick Reference Guide, ER-PD1WF-SR.A01, October 1997, preface (File:Digital HiNote VP 550-575 Series Service Quick Reference Guide (ER-PD1WF-SR.A01).pdf).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Digital Equipment Corporation, DIGITAL HiNote VP 700 Series Service Quick Reference Guide, ER-PJ1WW-SR.A01, December 1997, chapter 4, troubleshooting tips and symptom tables, pp. 4-2 to 4-13 (File:Digital HiNote VP 700 Series Service Quick Reference Guide (ER-PJ1WW-SR.A01).pdf).
- ↑ DEC, ER-PD1WF-SR.A01, appendix A, FRU list.
- ↑ DEC, ER-PJ1WW-SR.A01, chapter 3, p. 3-1, note on the CMOS battery.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 DEC, ER-PD1WF-SR.A01, chapter 4, BIOS messages, pp. 4-21 to 4-24.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 DEC, ER-PD1WF-SR.A01, chapter 4, check points and error messages and Phoenix BIOS test points, pp. 4-14 to 4-20.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Digital Equipment Corporation, Digital HiNote VP 500 Series User's Guide, ER-PD1WF-UA.A01, March 1997, troubleshooting questions and answers (File:Digital HiNote VP 500 Series User's Guide (ER-PD1WF-UA.A01).pdf).