SL-100/CS-2100 boot process
SL-100/CS-2100 boot process
(OP)
Hello Everyone!
First off, I know this isn't quite the right forum for the SL-100/CS-2100, but I don't know where else to go.
For context, the short version of the story is that I like to tinker with electronics and technology and I went and bought myself a Nortel SL-100/CS-2100 PBX. If you want to read the long version, it's all here http://www.dms-100.net/telephony/dms-100/story/
Anyway, I've been working on powering this system up and I figured I had enough to make an attempt at booting. I've got the XA-core, the message switches, and the MCAM wired up (which contain IOMs, that give you serial ports for terminals and other devices).
I put a terminal emulator on what should be the MAP port on the IOM as well as the RTIF in the XA-core shelf and powered it up. I can see the XA-core running through the core and message switch boot processes, and then it settles down. Full logs are here http://www.dms-100.net/telephony/dms-100/blog/log/20221209-00.log (a bit messy because the RTIF is a full screen interface and the status bar updates kind of pollute the main output).
Anyway, everything seems to be more or less OK, but I don't ever get any activity on any of the IOM ports I've tried. The manuals I've read seem to suggest I should have MAP access at this point, and they seem to suggest as well that I should have MAP access via the RTIF, albeit with some limitations. I've tried sending serial breaks, and I've watched for any indication of activity with my RS232 breakout, but I just don't see any.
One concerning pair of messages I see on the RTIF are the following, but I'm not sure what they indicate exactly or if they're normal or not:
Anybody have any hints on where to look? Is there a piece of the switch I'm forgetting that might be necessary to at least get MAP access? This was converted to a CS-2100 at some point, perhaps I've got some misunderstanding of the way this should work.
First off, I know this isn't quite the right forum for the SL-100/CS-2100, but I don't know where else to go.
For context, the short version of the story is that I like to tinker with electronics and technology and I went and bought myself a Nortel SL-100/CS-2100 PBX. If you want to read the long version, it's all here http://www.dms-100.net/telephony/dms-100/story/
Anyway, I've been working on powering this system up and I figured I had enough to make an attempt at booting. I've got the XA-core, the message switches, and the MCAM wired up (which contain IOMs, that give you serial ports for terminals and other devices).
I put a terminal emulator on what should be the MAP port on the IOM as well as the RTIF in the XA-core shelf and powered it up. I can see the XA-core running through the core and message switch boot processes, and then it settles down. Full logs are here http://www.dms-100.net/telephony/dms-100/blog/log/20221209-00.log (a bit messy because the RTIF is a full screen interface and the status bar updates kind of pollute the main output).
Anyway, everything seems to be more or less OK, but I don't ever get any activity on any of the IOM ports I've tried. The manuals I've read seem to suggest I should have MAP access at this point, and they seem to suggest as well that I should have MAP access via the RTIF, albeit with some limitations. I've tried sending serial breaks, and I've watched for any indication of activity with my RS232 breakout, but I just don't see any.
One concerning pair of messages I see on the RTIF are the following, but I'm not sure what they indicate exactly or if they're normal or not:
CODE -->
TTYs initialized Issued kill for LOGIN
Anybody have any hints on where to look? Is there a piece of the switch I'm forgetting that might be necessary to at least get MAP access? This was converted to a CS-2100 at some point, perhaps I've got some misunderstanding of the way this should work.
Talk To Other Members
RE: SL-100/CS-2100 boot process
It was a bad DS-30 cable between the NTFX34 and the IOM bulkhead. I grabbed the cable on top of the pile and didn't know enough to know that a red light on the NTFX34 means a problem.
I had some thought in my head that maybe I needed more TTYs plugged in or something weird, or else the switch wouldn't like things. So I pulled out 3 more cables and wired up RS232 dongles to where terminals were likely to be defined based on the notes I had and.... lo and behold, the 3 more cables produced GREEN lights on the RS232 dongles.
An hour later once the switch finished booting, and I've got myself logged in under the one set of credentials I have.
So just in case anybody finds this post ever, note that your IOM smart dongles should have GREEN lights and if they're RED then check your cables!
RE: SL-100/CS-2100 boot process
Just out of curiosity, what is your goal with this, to get it up and running or preservation?
You may be the only person with a SL-100/CS-2100 in their home. If that is the case, congratulations :). If I am wrong, please comment who else does, I am very curious who else has these systems and what you do with them. I heard mostly partners keep these for break/fix parts if they are servicing them still.
RE: SL-100/CS-2100 boot process
So it's more than making a display out of it, I want to be able to let people poke at it, test things on it, learn about it in a hands on way to some extent.
And beyond all that, I just like learning how things work. I'm the kind of guy who took thing apart and put them back together a lot when they were young. I never really stopped doing that, and this isn't an exception.
I'm not aware of any other DMS-100/CS-2000 family switches in the hands of a private individual.
RE: SL-100/CS-2100 boot process