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M8189 bootstrap error LED's D1 and D4 on

cmao

Experienced Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
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Location
Yorktown, VA USA
I have a M9189 CPU board that has LED's D1 and D4 on after power on. I referred to manual and found these LED's combination gives a value of "12".

Below is the error message from manual: "ROM bootstrap error (not used on KDF 11-B)." I have no idea how to resolve this issue. LED's D1 and D4 stay on and there is no message output to Rs232 port. Please advise and thank you in advance.
 
I can't find the info I was hoping for this board. Is this an 11/23? I grabbed my 11/84 docs thinking at first this was an M8190 CPU. Error code 12 there: No disk present or drive is not loaded correctly. Are you sure this "12" is the right error code. Do you get anything on the screen when you power it on. The 11/84 displays a kind of countdown of what test it's doing at the moment and the front panel number willl match the CPU LEDs that are lit. What manual did you read? Are you getting any output to your terminal?
 
I am sorry, yes, it is a M8189 CPU board. I got this one from ebay and now is installed on a backplane with 6 slots (A,B,C,D,E,F) but only A,B ,C and D slots are used. I am not sure my system shown in the attached picture can be called 11/23. I also have a RX01/02 disk emulator attached to the M8029. However, I haven't added any disk images on the SD card yet. I am new to DEC world. Do these LED's indicate "NO DISK IMAGE FOUND" ?

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Well, that seems to indicate some sort of CPU error. I have never used one of these boards. My previous comments don't likely
apply here as I hoped they would. There must be others more familiar with this board than myself. Wish I had more to offer.
 
Thank you for your time and information. It may not be CPU error because the "01" status stays only very short period and then is switched to "12". The weird thing is that "12" should not appear on M8189 per Table 4.3. Can someone have better ideas?
 
An M8189 is a quad-wide KDF11-B 11/23-PLUS CPU board. Compared to the dual-wide M8186 KDF11-A 11/23 CPU board it adds two serial ports, BDV11 compatible boot ROM support, and an LTC.

Check the current Power-Up Mode jumper configuration. If it is not currently set to Power-Up Mode 1, change it to Power-Up Mode 1 to cause the processor to enter console ODT mode immediately after power-up. That should stop things before it gets to a possible bootstrap error, and drop into an ODT prompt on the console. If you don't get an ODT prompt, check all of the serial port configuration jumpers, and console port wiring to your whatever you are using as a terminal.

Also, do the two EPROMs have 23-xxxxx part number labels on them? The later KDF11-BG / KDF11-BJ EPROM versions are a lot friendlier to use than the earlier versions, and if I remember correctly are necessary for MSCP boot support.
 
I change to Mode 1 with jumper 17-18 but all LED's are on after power-up. It means "system hung". Also there is no message sent thru RS232 to my PC terminal emulator. I notice that the HI-byte EPROM read 23-xxxxx but the LO-byte read differently. Thank you in advance.

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I am checking the console port wiring connecting to my PC terminal emulator...Hope I can see response of M8189 from my PC terminal emulator.
 
Possible ROM list for PDP-11/23(23-Plus)

23-157E4+23-158E4 8K early KDF11-BE boot ROMs V0.8. Not listed in KDF11-B Maintenance Manual.
23-183E4+23-184E4 8K KDF11-BF (PDP11) -BE v.0.9?
23-238E4+23-239E4 8K KDF11-BE (PDP11)
23-339E2+23-340E2 2K KDF-11BA (PDP11/23+)
23-380E4+23-381E4 8K KDF11-BG (microPDP11/23)
23-453E4+23-454E4 8K KDF11-BJ (microPDP11/23)

And my jumper settings - https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/my-kdf11-b.81022/
 
I'm interested in you statement "installed on a backplane with 6 slots (A,B,C,D,E,F) but only A,B ,C and D slots are used". Can you provide the model/part number of the backplane? Are you sure it is a QBUS and not Unibus backplane?
 
Hi Mattis,

So, that’s something new I have learnt today!

I notice that (by default) it is an 18-bit address backplane, so that could be an issue in itself depending upon whether it has been modified to 22-bits or what cards are being used.

Not being common, I would still bet my money on the OP having a UNIBUS backplane though...

Dave
 
Another potential issue is that not all quad width QBUS backplanes are "suitable". The M8189 (11/23+) does not appear to be QBUS/QBUS, but QBUS/CD, and should probably be in the first slot on a compatible backplane.

http://www.bitsavers.org/www.comput...-1T23B-OP-001 PDP11-23-PLUS System Manual.pdf

Page 64: "The KDF 11-8 microprocessor (M8189) is a quad-height module that must occupy the first slot in the H9276 backplane."

The H9276 backplane looks to be QBUS/CD only: https://gunkies.org/wiki/CD_interconnect

Even: were there actually any QBUS/QBUS quad width PDP-11/VAX CPUs?
 
Thank you all,

from the attached picture, it shows "LSI 11 BACKPLANE", "5412039" and "5012038DP1". Not sure what does it mean? Currently, my M8189 is installed in the first slot (slot #1, A,B,C,D occupied) which is correct. However, if it is not a UNIBUS backplane, then I would find one on ebay.

Also, where can I have or download correct EPROM hex/binary code for PDP-11/23 (PLUS)? so I can upgrade my M8189 with an EPROM burner. As you can see, the LO-Byte EPROM on my M8189 is obviously not a 23-xxxxx. It could be an issue too.

Here is my plan...

1. Upgrade EPROM with correct 23-xxxxx. Hopefully someone can send me a link to download correct EPROM code.
2. Check RS232 wiring connecting to my PC terminal emulator.
3. Replace correct backplane if the current one is not the right one.

Please continue provide me your comments because I am new to DEC world. Thank you again.

1640963096208.png.
 
I closely look at the EPROM's and found it read "157E4-" on Lo-byte EPROM and "23-158E4-00" on HI-byte EPROM. It seems they are correct combination. However, as suggested by gslick: "The later KDF11-BG / KDF11-BJ EPROM versions are a lot friendlier to use", I am still looking for later version of EPROM for M8189 to upgrade.
 
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