Re: [cobalt-users] RAQ XTR SCSI card woes

[Greg Larkin <glarkin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Carrie,

Thanks for your reply - I appreciate it.  I'll see what the cobalt-dev list
has to say.

Just to let everyone else on the list know, I have figured some things out
regarding this particular XTR box.

On page 237 of the RAQ XTR manual, there is a rear panel diagram showing
the location of the serial ports.  What I have found is that on the box
here, the serial console port and the UPS serial port are exactly opposite
of what the diagram shows as their locations!

I figured this out by plugging in my null modem cable and using "cat >
/dev/ttyS0" and "cat > /dev/ttyS1" with various baud settings in Hyperterm
until I started seeing characters.  As soon as the console cable was
plugged into the right port, I started seeing boot messages. Finally!

For reference, the null modem cable I am using is a Belkin model
#F3B207-10.  I wish Cobalt tech support would add this information to their
knowledge base, alongside the null modem cable pinout diagram.

One other thing to note - I had called tech support a couple of times
because I was having problems getting an APC BackUPS 650 to work with the
LCD console "Configure UPS" procedure.  One time, I was told "Our UPS
daemon doesn't support APC because they use a proprietary format".  This is
simply false!

Once I had the UPS plugged into the proper serial port (i.e. not the one
that the manual shows!), I was able to start the UPS daemon successfully.
I had to poke around for a bit, but eventually found that the default
configuration of the daemon communicates with an APC SmartUPS!  And what do
you know - it can be changed to communicate with a BackUPS!  So I made a
couple of file modifications and now it appears that the XTR is recognizing
when the UPS is on battery/on power, etc.  Of course, now I have "hacked
the box" and tech support won't talk to me anymore! :)

Thanks,
Greg

At 10:20 AM 5/4/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Greg,
>I can't answer your questions but I *can* tell you that you might want
>to try your question over on the Cobalt-Developers list; I've got a
>feeling someone over there could help you out.
>
>As for the VA Linux system - depending on your needs, that might
>honestly be a better choice. Take a look through the archives here
>about the Cobalt 'patches' and 'updates' and how they affect
>production machines... the support and updates for Cobalts is much the
>same experience as you've had so far - they're there, but not
>supported, no one knows anything about them, they mess up the machine,
>and they're usually not complete when released.
>You sound like you really don't need the GUI, you might be better off
>with a different system and at the most, WebMin (free GUI) to help you
>do the menial stuff.
>Sorry, wish I could help more.
>
>CarrieB
>
>_______________________________________________
>cobalt-users mailing list
>cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To Subscribe or Unsubscribe, please go to:
>http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-users
>
>