[rescue] Dead Cyclades Alterpath ACS16

[Mark Price]

Glad you got it working!  I've used many Cyclades TS and ACS units over the
years.

If you aren't already aware, you'll need a custom cable if you are using it
as a console server for devices with Cisco-style rj45 serial port.  I can
send the cable instructions I have come up with, or you can also snag the
adb0039 adapter dongles off of ebay.



Mark


On Sun, Nov 26, 2023 at 3:46 PM Michael Dombrowski via rescue <
rescue at sunhelp.org> wrote:

> Doing a lot of replying to my own posts...
> I figured this one out. I was able to download a replacement firmware from
> Vertiv:
> ACS Classic Advanced Console Server Software Downloads
> <https://www.vertiv.com/en-us/support/software-download/it-management/legacy/acs-classic-advanced-console-servers-software-downloads/>
>
> My CF reader came in and I imaged the file that was on there. I simply
> tried writing the new firmware, but not dice.
> Some poking around with a hex editor and I realized some byte swapping was
> needed:
>
> hexdump -v -e '1/2 "%04x"' -e '"\n"' FL0536-017.bin | xxd -r -p > test1.img
> I was able to dd the resulting file to the CF card and linux booted right
> up. I was unable to log in, but realized I may need hardware flow control.
> A few minutes later, I had a new serial cable and was able to log in! It
> felt good to bring this system back from the dead. I likely could have used
> the recovery procedure below had my serial cable been functioning from the
> get go, but c'est la vie.
>
>
> [root at CAS root]# uname -a
> Linux CAS 2.6.22 #1 Thu Oct 9 07:42:42 PDT 2014 ppc unknown
> [root at CAS root]#
>
>
>
> mike
>
>
>
>
>
> On Friday, November 24, 2023 at 08:41:55 AM CST, Michael Dombrowski via
> rescue <rescue at sunhelp.org> wrote:
>
>
> I snagged a Cyclades Alterpath ACS16 for cheap off ebay... On first boot,
> I got a self-test screen, but since then, I am just locked into a boot
> loop, and the self-test screen does not reappear. The following message
> loops endlessly:
>
> loaded at:     00002120 00E8D45C
> relocated to:  00400020 0128B35C
> board data at: 01289120 0128935C
> relocated to:  00405240 0040547C
> zimage at:     00406444 00546863
> initrd at:     00547000 012883D0
> avail ram:     0128C000 08000000
>
> Linux/PPC load: root=/dev/ram rw
> Uncompressing Linux...done.
>
> I found what looks to be a flash recovery process, but it requires getting
> that self-test process to reappear:
> https://theregime.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/avocent-acs-repair/
>
> Anyone know how to coax these machines back into functioning? I removed
> the dead NVRAM battery just to see if that could coax it back into
> functioning, but no dice. There is onboard flash, as well as a CF card. If
> I pull the CF card, I get no output at all from the serial console, so I
> wonder if the onboard flash is just the bootloader to load from the
> compactflash, which brings me to my second question: anyone have one of
> these and the ability to image the compactflash card?
>
> thanks
> mike
>
> My first boot:
>
> Booting from Original Boot 2.0.7 (Apr/21/04)
> Cyclades Corporation
>
> Testing RAM .............................. SKIPPED
> Memory detected: 131072 Kbytes
> Testing FLASH ............................ OK
> Flash detected: 256 Kbytes
> Testing Flash [Configuration] ............ OK
> Storage Device Detected .................. OK
> IDE HD SMC128BFD6E
> Size: 128 Mbytes
> Testing Storage Device [Op Code] ......... SKIPPED
> Interface Cards Detected ................. OK
> 16-UART ports detected
> PCMCIA Support Detected .................. OK
> Power Supply Capability .................. SINGLE
> Testing Ethernet ......................... NOK
> Testing Real Time Clock .................. NOK
> Testing Serial Number..................... OK
> ID is 5159001100004F
> Hardware boot.
>
> Entry Point = 0x00002120
>
> loaded at: 00002120 00E8D45C
> relocated to: 00400020 0128B35C
> board data at: 01289120 0128935C
> relocated to: 00405240 0040547C
> zimage at: 00406444 00546863
> initrd at: 00547000 012883D0
> avail ram: 0128C000 08000000
>
> Linux/PPC load: root=/dev/ram rw
> Uncompressing Linux...done.
>
>
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>
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