Contents:
This section aims to assist
with troubleshooting problems that you may encounter during configuration.
PCI Configuration
The EasyIO PCI and EasyConnection 8/64 host
adaptor are fully PCI 2.1 compliant. On modern systems, it should
be autodetected and configured according to the standard instructions.
If, however, you are installing on a system with an older BIOS that
does not support the PCI standard, you should perform the tests outlined
in the Manual PCI BIOS
Configuration section.
The first step in problem elimination is to
ensure that the host adapter is configured in the PCI BIOS. To verify
that the host adapter is configured into the BIOS, refer to the section
on DOS Diagnostics.
On some systems, you may be required to manually setup the PCI slot
using the system BIOS setup utility. See the section on Manual
PCI BIOS Configuration.
You should also ensure that the IRQ selected does not clash with any
ISA boards installed in the system.
If you are unable to configure the BIOS to find
the host adapter, this may be due to a PCI compatibility issue. In this
case, we recommend running a program called PCI.EXE which has been included
in the DIAGS directory on the DOS driver diskette (this file is also
present on the Windows driver diskette). The output from this program
will help our Support staff determine if your system is PCI compliant.
The most common problem encountered during installation
is related to the 'routing' of interrupts by the PCI BIOS and the support
for this functionality in the operating system.
If the EasyIO8-PCI or EasyConnection PCI host
adapter is not found by the driver on booting the operating system,
you must verify that the interrupt which has been allocated by the BIOS
corresponds with that being used by the driver. Check the boot banner
to determine the IRQ allocated by the BIOS (remember that this will
be in octal under Xenix).
If the host adapter is not operational, try setting the IRQ in easyadm
to this IRQ value instead of the default of 'Auto'. Refer to the
previous section on 'Unix Operating System support for PCI'.
Under SCO OpenServer5, if the following message
is displayed in the boot banner:
WARNING:
ATA: Cannot install intr vecno=X,type=3,IPL=5 Vector X is private
This indicates that another device is configured
into the kernel with the same interrupt as was assigned to the EasyIO8-PCI
or the EasyConnection PCI by the system BIOS.
You must either re-configure the device in the
kernel that is using IRQ X to some other available interrupt,
or manually configure the BIOS settings for the EasyIO8-PCI or EasyConnection
PCI to use some other interrupt than IRQ X.
DOS Diagnostics
Option 1: The Quick
Method
The Stallion Technologies DOS Diagnostics may be used to check proper
operation of the host adapter and to determine the IRQ and I/O address
allocated by the BIOS.
After booting to DOS, place the DOS driver
diskette in the floppy drive, change directory to DIAGS and start board
diagnostics by typing DIAG. Select the EasyIO8-PCI board type
from the menu and use the default autodetect settings (all 0). If the
board is detected, the IRQ and I/O address that have been allocated
by the BIOS will be displayed.
Note these values as they may be required for
the Unix driver installation. Run the port loopback test to ensure operation
of the ports. If the board fails loopback test on all ports, it is likely
that the system has been unable to route interrupts to the PCI slot.
In this case, it will be necessary to manually configure the BIOS.
Option 2: The Complete
Method
Diagnostic software, DIAG.EXE, is supplied to test the state of the
Stallion adapter(s). This software tests the hardware functionality
of the board and includes memory and loopback diagnostics tests. DIAG
can be found (along with the DOS drivers) on the following diskettes:
- Microsoft Drivers (Part No. 710088)
- EasyUtilities (Part No. 710031)
Note: The system
must be booted to DOS as correct operation of the diagnostics is not
guaranteed in a DOS window under Windows NT.
To use the diagnostic facility, perform the
following:
Step 1.
Boot the machine to DOS.
Step 2.
Insert the distribution diskette into the chosen floppy drive.
Step 3.
To select the DIAGS directory, enter the following command at the
DOS prompt of the chosen drive: CD \DIAGS
Step 4.
To start the board diagnostics, type: DIAG
Step 5.
Select the board type from the menu.
Step 6.
The default settings for the board are displayed on the screen.
If these values do not reflect available settings in your system change
the configuration by entering the appropriate number for that value.
Step 7.
Press <ESC> to start the diagnostic program.
Step 8.
Run the required tests using diagnostic options 1 - 4.
Step 9.
If the board fails the presence test, there may be an I/O address
clash. Check that the addresses chosen are available for use.
Step 10.
If the board still fails diagnostic tests, contact your supplier.
Complete Checkout enables the board and confirms
the presence of the board in the system. This is indicated by
the presence test result. The number of ports on the board is calculated.
This test can be run repetitively by selecting option 2.
Ports Loopback test allows the testing of the
communications ports by looping transmit signals back to receive signals
using the loopback plug supplied with the board. An internal
data loopback test is also performed to verify the RS232 driver operation.
This tests all of the electronic circuits on the board including
the line drivers and the interrupt on the host bus. If required
this test can be run on an individual port.
Note: It is possible
for a Stallion port to sustain damage to the driver chips and still
pass the loopback diagnostic test. A port may have been damaged
to the point where it cannot sustain sufficient voltage under a given
load or over a long cable length.
"Complete Checkout'
verifies board functions except the communications interface and bus
interrupt. This is tested by the Cable Loopback tests.
"Board Present ...OK'
indicates that the specified board has been found at the selected
I/O address, and that the board has powered up correctly. If this should
fail check the I/O address is correctly selected and does not
clash with other adapters.
"Number of ASYNC Ports....'
is the number of standard asynchronous ports found to be alive on the
board. If this is not equal to the number of ports actually on
the board there may be a problem with the hardware.
"Firmware Revision....'
is the firmware revision of the RISC UARTs on the EasyIO board.
This is provided for information only and indicates that the UARTs are
functional.
Note: To avoid
static damage, avoid excessive board handling.
Manual PCI BIOS Configuration
Refer to your system manuals for details of
how to configure your PCI BIOS. Choose an interrupt that will not clash
with other boards in the system. Use the system configuration utility
to configure that slot by 'routing' IntA to your selected interrupt
(2,3,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,14 or 15 as required).
If present, the Function Number of Device should be set to '0', Device
Function should be set to 'Enabled' and Bus Mastering should be set
to 'Enabled'. Save the BIOS settings and reboot.
Once the EasyIO host adapter passes diagnostics,
it may be configured into the Operating System.
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