[rescue] My Sparcstation Voyager is disfunctional

[Daniel Wetzler]

Dear Sunhelpers :-),


I have a problem with my Sun Sparc Voyager, which was functional about 2
years ago but isn't today.


After connecting it to the power and pressing the start button it sounds
like a hardddrive begins to spin but that's all what happens.

The green light at the front does not light. I opened the case to see
whether there is a obviously defective part on the motherboard but it isn't.

The motherboard is clean. The processor begins to warm up during
powering up, so it seems that it gets power.


Do you have an idea what could be the problem ?

Do you know where to get more informations about the Voyager, in best
case instruction for repairing it (for example from a Sun Service
handbook) ?



Best regards,


Daniel
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[Doug McIntyre]

Post by Daniel Wetzler
I have a problem with my Sun Sparc Voyager, which was functional about 2
years ago but isn't today.

...

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Do you have an idea what could be the problem ?

I would first disconnect any and all peripherals (disks, etc.).

I would check the power output voltages. I would watch the PowerOK signal.

Since oftentimes the problem with the age of these systems are the
electrical capacitors drying out and shorting, I would visibly check for the
telltale signs of bulging caps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Do you know where to get more informations about the Voyager, in best
case instruction for repairing it (for example from a Sun Service
handbook) ?

The Sun System Handbook for the Voyager is here.
http://www.imhans.com:1004/syshbk/Systems/SSVygr/SSVygr.html

As you can see, it isn't a "repair" manual, but you do get pinouts,
jumpers, parts, etc. etc.
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[Peter Stokes]

Hi Daniel

As per other Sparcs, you should be able to hook up a serial console and leave
the keyboard unconnected to see any diagram messages.

Peter

Sent from my iPad

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Dear Sunhelpers :-),
I have a problem with my Sun Sparc Voyager, which was functional about 2

years ago but isn't today.

Post by Daniel Wetzler
After connecting it to the power and pressing the start button it sounds

like a hardddrive begins to spin but that's all what happens.

Post by Daniel Wetzler
The green light at the front does not light. I opened the case to see

whether there is a obviously defective part on the motherboard but it isn't.

Post by Daniel Wetzler
The motherboard is clean. The processor begins to warm up during powering

up, so it seems that it gets power.

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Do you have an idea what could be the problem ?
Do you know where to get more informations about the Voyager, in best case

instruction for repairing it (for example from a Sun Service handbook) ?

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Best regards,
Daniel
_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

[Andy Piercy]

I have the schematics for the Voyger if needed, let me know off list.

Ta,

Andy.

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Dear Sunhelpers :-),
I have a problem with my Sun Sparc Voyager, which was functional about 2
years ago but isn't today.
After connecting it to the power and pressing the start button it sounds
like a hardddrive begins to spin but that's all what happens.
The green light at the front does not light. I opened the case to see
whether there is a obviously defective part on the motherboard but it isn't.
The motherboard is clean. The processor begins to warm up during powering
up, so it seems that it gets power.
Do you have an idea what could be the problem ?
Do you know where to get more informations about the Voyager, in best case
instruction for repairing it (for example from a Sun Service handbook) ?
Best regards,
Daniel
_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

[Michael Welle]

Hello,

Post by Daniel Wetzler
Dear Sunhelpers :-),
I have a problem with my Sun Sparc Voyager, which was functional about
2 years ago but isn't today.
After connecting it to the power and pressing the start button it
sounds like a hardddrive begins to spin but that's all what happens.

my Voyager showed signs of a flat NVRAM battery. Soon after it showed
the same behaviour as yours, but switched on for half an hour or so and
a reboot later it usually came up. Now this 'trick' does not work anymore.

I haven't had time to look into it. But the hope is that a new battery
will fix that, even if the symptoms seem to be a tad strange for a flat
battery. The worst case is a micro crack somewhere on the board, which
was temporary fixed by the increased temperature after half an hour of
runtime.

Regards
hmw
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[Michael Welle]

Hello,

Michael Welle <***@c0t0d0s0.de> writes:
[...]

Post by Michael Welle
I haven't had time to look into it. But the hope is that a new battery
will fix that, even if the symptoms seem to be a tad strange for a flat
battery.

nope, I just changed the NVRAM and it did not fix it. It remembers its
MAC address now and boots fine, but without anything on the display.
Switching off the machine produces a short white flash on the display.

Regards
hmw
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[Patrick Giagnocavo]

Can you shine a flashlight on the screen and make out any text? If so then
the screen is working fine but the inverter or the DC stage is bad. This
means that if you can fix or replace the simple electronics that power the
back light everything will work.

Cheers Patrick

Post by Michael Welle
Hello,
[...]

Post by Michael Welle
I haven't had time to look into it. But the hope is that a new battery
will fix that, even if the symptoms seem to be a tad strange for a flat
battery.

nope, I just changed the NVRAM and it did not fix it. It remembers its
MAC address now and boots fine, but without anything on the display.
Switching off the machine produces a short white flash on the display.
Regards
hmw
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rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

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[Toby Thain]

Post by Patrick Giagnocavo
Can you shine a flashlight on the screen and make out any text? If so then
the screen is working fine but the inverter or the DC stage is bad. This
means that if you can fix or replace the simple electronics that power the
back light everything will work.

Yeah.. the flash sure is suspicious. Fixed many bad caps in LCD inverters.

--Toby

Post by Patrick Giagnocavo
Cheers Patrick

Post by Michael Welle
Hello,
[...]

Post by Michael Welle
I haven't had time to look into it. But the hope is that a new battery
will fix that, even if the symptoms seem to be a tad strange for a flat
battery.

nope, I just changed the NVRAM and it did not fix it. It remembers its
MAC address now and boots fine, but without anything on the display.
Switching off the machine produces a short white flash on the display.
Regards
hmw
_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

_______________________________________________
rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue

[Michael Welle]

Hello,

Post by Toby Thain

Post by Patrick Giagnocavo
Can you shine a flashlight on the screen and make out any text? If so then
the screen is working fine but the inverter or the DC stage is bad. This
means that if you can fix or replace the simple electronics that power the
back light everything will work.

Yeah.. the flash sure is suspicious. Fixed many bad caps in LCD inverters.

jepp, could be the problem. I don't want to open the screen enclosure,
because the plastic is very brittle as it seems. But, well, better
having a running machine with some marks than having a perfect machine
that does nothing ;).

VG
hmw
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[Michael Welle]

Hello,

Post by Patrick Giagnocavo
Can you shine a flashlight on the screen and make out any text? If so then
the screen is working fine but the inverter or the DC stage is bad. This
means that if you can fix or replace the simple electronics that power the
back light everything will work.

that's what I hope for, well not, I mean it could be worse. I did not do
the flashlight test yet, but I will try that the upcoming weekend. It
could be the caps in the SPSU or something like that, considering the
age.

One thing that I observed, with my Voyager as well as with the SS5 etc.
is that the plastic had become very brittle. In my SS5 the SCSI
backplane just crumbled away. Opening the lower part of the Voyager
killed some of the screw holes in the plastic.

Regards
hmw
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