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DigiTest shows empty expansion chassis
Configuration
· Quadra 650 with 68040 processor at 33 MHz · OS 7.6.1 · 888 I/O Audio Interface, Digidesign 13-slot Nubus Expansion Chassis containing (from left to right looking from front): 1. disk I/O 2. farm card 3. farm card 4. farm card 5. samplecell II · all connected with 5-node TDM ribbon. · Pro Tools version v4.0.1 with OMS v2.3.8 & StudioVision Fat v4.2.3 · Amount of RAM installed 88 MB · Peripherals Opcode Studio 5LX MIDI interface using both modem and printer ports, · Drives: APS SCSI CD-RW CRD-R800S drive and Apple 2110-Q 2GB SCSI are daisy-chained to Mac. Seagate ST32550N 2GB SCSI (named Disk 2090) is connected to the Disk I/O card. Problem: While trying to install a MacProteus and Kensington trackball, I seem to have broken my PTIII. When I try to run ProTools, I get the message: “Digidesign hardware is either not installed or in use by another application.” When I run DigiTest, I see the graphics for an empty expansion chassis. DigiTest says all slots are empty except the EC interface in Q650 slot E which passed all tests. During bootup, when the extension icons are revealed, first I get the expansion chassis icon on the far lower left. And then the Digidesign extension icon shows up, but doesn’t show a drive symbol like it used to. The disk I/O drive (Disk 2090) doesn’t mount nor appear on the finder desktop like it used to. Troubleshooting (part 1): The only other time I have seen this symptom was when I unwisely changed 2 things at once: 1) I changed the last 4 slot ID switches to 1-8, A-D, like the Quadra 900/950 configuration on the E.C. lid label (I don’t remember the previous ID’s on the last 4 slots. They seemed random). 2) I put a Mac Proteus in (new) slot C Then DigiTest showed an empty expansion chassis. After I removed the MacProteus things went back to normal but I wonder if I made the system unstable because a couple of weeks later while trying to install a trackball, it wouldn’t boot up anymore. I had to do a clean system install and then ran into my Pro Tools hardware fault message when reinstalling v4.0.1. I changed the 9th slot ID to “D” as shown on the inside of the E.C. lid for Quadra 700. I turned it on, and saw lights lit up solid on all but farm cards. The farm cards were just intermittent. Nothing was connected to the E.C. I connected both Q650 and E.C. with their lids removed. Disk I/O had 3 green LED’s lit up. SCII had one red LED. DigiTest says all slots are empty except the EC interface in Q650 slot E which passed all tests. To recap, here’s the history of E.C. ID slot settings (b, c, and d didn’t work): a. 12345678XXXX (this worked, but I didn’t document the last 4 slots so they’re unknown) b. 12345678ABCD (per E.C. lid label for Q900/950 & per DigiTest graphic for Q650) c. 12345678DBCD (per E.C. lid label for Q700) d. 12345678DBCE (to avoid duplicating slot ID “D”) Troubleshooting (part 2): I chose 3 cards to move over to Q650 chassis. Results: 4 green LEDs on Disk I/O, but DigiTest said the DSP Farm cards need to be in lower slots than SCII cards. DigiTest Test All results: SCII (slot C) passed, DSP farm (slot D) passed, Disk I/O (slot E) failed test 120. I swapped the DSP Farm and the SDII. I got the message that Disk I/O cards should be placed in lower slots than SCII cards. DigiTest Test All results: DSP farm (slot C) failed test 135, SCII (slot D) passed, Disk I/O (slot E) failed test 120 I rearranged cards again. I got no error message. DigiTest Test All results: Disk I/O (slot C) failed test 120, DSP farm (slot D) failed test 135, SCII (slot E) passed. Pro Tools starts up now, but projects won’t playback. I reversed the TDM ribbon and got the same results. Conclusions: At first I suspected that I had mis-set the slot ID’s in the E.C. But now that I see errors on my main 3 cards when installed on the Mac motherboard, I’m afraid I damaged them when making them cohabit with the MacProteus in the E.C. Or maybe I hurt the Q650 motherboard, but MIDI sequencing and other functions still work fine. I wish I knew what it means to fail DigiTests 120 and 135. I also wish I knew the correct ID slot settings for using a Nubus expansion chassis with a Quadra 650. Can anyone help me diagnose my problem(s)? I have 2 more desperate ideas: try to put all cards back into E.C., but put E.C. interface card in the slots D or C of Q650 rather than E. If that doesn’t work, revert back to my 442 I/O and the old version of PT & DAE. It’s sad to go from 16 tracks to 4, but better than nothing. Thanks very very much for any help you can offer. Bruce Parsons |
#2
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Re: DigiTest shows empty expansion chassis
I forgot to say, one of the first things I tried was to disconnect the 2-gig drive (Disk 2090) from the Disk I/O card and connect it directly to the Q650. It mounted fine and all files were visible. Thanks again, Bruce
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#3
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Re: DigiTest shows empty expansion chassis
I remember having my NuVerb cards disappear when I installed a Radius Precision Color card in my 8100 / Expansion Chassis way so long ago.
I don't have any of that stuff anymore so I can't give any tech advise other than to try a total system rebuild/reinstall. |
#4
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Re: DigiTest shows empty expansion chassis
Thanks for slogging through my long message. I appreciate your advice.
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#5
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Re: DigiTest shows empty expansion chassis
My thanks to milesofwire. After a clean install of system 7.6.1 and restoring PT v3.2, I finally got back to hardware. Once Q650 proved it could handle the SCII in slot E, I had confidence in the Q650 again. I turned my attention to the ECI ribbon cable. I disconnected and examined both ends. I disassembled and reassembled the end that mates with ECI card in Mac because insulation looked scratched. It probably didn't help that I was inserting ribbon connector backwards into ECI card. The little nib and notch go toward the outboard side of Quadra, so I felt pretty stupid. Then I found 2 bent pins touching each other in the ECI card connector which probably explains why DigiTest couldn't see it.
Then Digitest could see all 5 cards in expansion chassis. I guess the slot settings weren't that critical, because I left them in 12345678BCDE, even though DigiTest showed 12345678ABCD. PTv3.2 has been fine for a couple of weeks. After all this trauma, I'm amazed that Digidesign created such a complex distributed system that still works after about 17 years and has survived my abuse. It sure "takes a licking and keeps on ticking". |
#6
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Re: DigiTest shows empty expansion chassis
Your welcome, glad it worked out, I forgot about that ribbon cable!
Yeah, I had the great idea to completely pack my expansion chassis to the maximum it could be. The horror, the horror.... (Apocalypse Now reference) I still miss those NuVerb cards though. |
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