[cobalt-users] Dead NASRaq Revisited

["Darryl Hafermalz" <dhafermalz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Following up to a post from last week, I have a problem with a NASRaQ that
will not boot.  Upon power-up, the LCD is filled with nothing more than
blocks across the screen.

I can hear the disk drives communicating with the BIOS initially, and the
ethernet port is able to establish a link and appears to Tx/Rx.  I have
replaced the battery and tried another power supply with the same "death"
result.  As well, I have placed the disks in a PC that runs Linux and I am
able to mount all 3 partitions on each disk and access the files.

I am unable to establish a hyperterm connection via the serial port.  I have
validated the null modem cable by extablishing a boot up hyperterm console
with my Linux PC.  However, 9600,n81 nor 115200,n81 will establish a link
with the NASRaQ.  I can not determine if the serial port is online since the
LCD display is not providing any information.

I have dismissed the suggestion from another user that the BIOS is fried for
now.

Here are my questions:

Is the serial link established by the BIOS or the O/S kernel?  I am
surmising that perhaps my kernel is corrupt and that is the reason for my
perils.

Can I restore the O/S from the restore disk if I place the disk drives in
another device (ie. a PC)?  Are the disks required to be in a RAID
configuration?

Thanks for your help!

Darryl