Conference mvblab::sable

2560.0. "Console errors when installing sound card" by WASHDC::wcsp01.cop.dec.com::MOOREK () Fri Mar 21 1997 13:38

I have a customer that is trying to install a MediaTrix sound card called
AudioTrix (ISA) on a 2100A running Windows NT 3.51.  The 2100A is logging 
errors when the card is inserted.  Here is what the customer has sent me.  
Any insight would be appreciated.

================================

Kevin,
  I've gathered as much info as I can on errors that are being reported
on our DEC Alpha 2100A server which has the Audiotrix board installed. 
I don't have much to give you, but here's what I got:

a.  As I stated before when powering up, the console puts out the
following message to the screen display:

Corrupt IIC Error log on Module 0
Resetting error log number to zero

This error message only occurs when the Audiotrix card is physically
installed in the machine.  Other than this error, there is no indication
that the system is unhappy.  I can boot either Windows NT or UNIX.  The
only other problem that exists right now is that the System Time is
getting lost everytime I power down.  The NVRAM seems to lose it, and I
have to reset it prior to booting Windows NT.  Related problem ?

b.  When I run "show fru" from the SRM console I get this:

Slot_Option__Part #__Rev_______Serial #_____SDD_____TDD

0         IO         *!  0     BT000KH889    00               
4294967294  
2       CPU0          9      BT1102KH889  00                00

etc..........

*  Note that in the line for the IO slot, the asterisk (*) is actually
some goofy looking smiley face character.  

I also noticed that the SDD/TDD count did not change after restting the
machine and re-running "show fru",  so I don't know if that large number
for SDD/TDD has any value.

c.  When I run "show error", nothing unusual jumps out at me.

I don't know what to look at next.  I hope some of this info makes sense
to someone.    Denis at Mediatrix tech support suggested that I may not
have to make any config settings in the ECU for the Generic ISA config. 
That was the way it was setup originally, but that didn't seem to work
either.  I tried modifying the assigned IRQ value for the Generic ISA
config in the ECU to a value of seven ( based on Denis' suggestion), but
that seemed to have no effect.  I suppose it's possible that the
Audiotrix board is dead, but I have no way of figuring that out.  I've
been reading through mail traffic at the Alpha NT Source Web Site, and
have seen a couple instances where people claim they've had no problems
using this board on other DEC Alpha machines.   Do I need to look at
trying a different board ?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanx...

    Chances are that this card is stepping over some of the system
    restricted space. Unlike a PC, the Alphaservers have a series of
    addresses that are used for console drivers and onboard devices.
    If I was going to install one of this devices I would configure it for
    an address higher than 300h with an IRQ of 5, 10 or 15. But this is
    only my best guess. If we don't have any other information, there is
    nothing else we can do here. Try to get info from the system, like
    hardware config. Also take the card out, boot NT and using the NT
    DIAGNOSTIC icon write down all the address and IRQ presently used on
    the system. Then configure the card not to conflict with those
    addresses.
    
    
    Ozzie Perez
    

The IIC device is fixed at ISA address 530.  It is likely that this is 
conflicting with the sound card that also like to use address 530.

I maybe possible to move or disable this address on the sound card, it not, 
then you probably won't be able to ever configure the card.


						-Paul

Thanks.  I have forwarded some of the comments to the customer.  He was
successful (after many attempts) in getting the card to work on X86 system.
I'll post a reply with any results.

Kevin