19 Apr
2006
19 Apr
'06
9:33 a.m.
Joe wrote...
Yeah, I'd really love to know what drive that interface went to,
and what
the cable was pinned like. At least you have half the pinout in your stub of
a cable :)
I just check it over and then power it up if I
don't see any obvious
problems. However Tony D advocates removing all the cards, building a
dummy
load and testing the power supply under load. I, for one, am not that
paranoid. YMMV.
HP's truly are built like tanks (speaking of the 2100A/S and
21MX M/E/F
line) - both electronically and mechanically. I don't worry about powering
them up as much as other brands of boxes. One caution - see my previous
email - do NOT power one up without checking out the inside of the
powersupply to remove the foam and replace it with new foam. If you don't,
your system may run fine once in a while for short durations. Keep it on for
a long time or expect real use out of it and you may be disappointed unless
you take that step.
The one problem that I've had on several 1000s is
that
after it's been run a while the EMI filter cap in the power supply blows.
I've had about three of them do this. At least two machines keep on
running
normally after it happend! The other I powered off instantly. This cap
blows after the machines where running anywhere from an hour to several
days.
Odd... I've had truckloads of 21MX's come through here (literally)
that I've
restored... none had this failure mode. Perhaps I was lucky, perhaps it's a
regional thing. Good to keep an eye out for I guess.
the cables
connected to the back of each card have all been cut by the
scrapper that had it before I did.
Assholes! If you don't have the key, you can carefuly pry
it open. The latch is a
simple aluminium strap and it will bend easily. After you get it open you
can remove the strap and straighten it out and reuse it.
Yikes... please don't
do this. Metal only bends so many times.... but
besides the metal fatigue issue, more important is that removing the strap
that the latch connects to takes all of about 30 seconds. It is connected to
a bolt on the left side of the machine that is accessed from the back of the
left rackmount flange. Just undo the bolt, door opens and metal strap falls.
I open and close
mine so often that I turned the lock 90d and left it unlocked and then
installed some velcro to hold the panel closed.
One thing not built like a tank is
the hinges at the bottom of the front
panel. If your door bounces often, you will find those hinges bend, then the
door doesn't quite seat right.
Under the front panel is a
removeable plate that covers the CPU and memory cards. BTW I've been told
not to run the 1000 sithout the plate since it controls the cooling air
flow.
I suspect the cooling duct is misguided. With the door closed, there's
little difference in airflow. But there's a much better reason to keep this
panel in place. This panel is specifically designed to press tightly on the
ribbon cables that jumper between the memory controller and the memory cards
in the front card cage. This cable is notoriously finnicky. That is the main
reason for this front panel.
In case you haven't already found it, Al K has a
good number of the
manusls this machine on his website.
Yup, Al has a great HP section :) If you want
a large group of the HP 21MX
files, I'd prefer to send you a CD instead of you downloading 40 bajillion
gigs from the server :) Or... use another mirror ;)
Jay West