Toshiba T3200 startup issue

[Tom_of_Åland]

Hi all,
So I decided to get started on my T3200, have not touched it since getting delivery.

I took it apart for an internal cleaning. Still waiting for a new 3.6V lithium battery.

So, when I start the machine, there is a memory test going to 600-something Kb. Some beeps.
Next is this message on top of the screen;
"MEMORY VERIFY ERROR AT 1000:82D8 FOUND FFAA EXPECTED 5500"

Anybody know what this means?

Thanks in advance,
Tom

 

[modem7]

"1000:82D8" will be the address of the error, in {segment : offset} format.
1000:82D8 = 182D8 hex = 99032 dec = about 96.7 KB

"FOUND FFAA EXPECTED 5500" means that the power-on self test (POST) wrote the data of 5500 to the aforementioned address, but when the data was then read back, instead of the expected 5500, the data of FFAA was found instead.

Two things are odd/unusual to me:

1. You are seeing the POST getting as far as "600-something Kb", but the displayed error is back at about address 96.7 KB. But that could just be due to the way the POST in the T3200 does its RAM testing. For example, it could be making multiple passes.

2. Background: Both 5500 and FFAA are typical test data. And I expect that your POST is using the test data of 0055 and AAFF as well.
5500 hex = 01010101 00000000 binary
AAFF hex = 10101010 11111111 binary
0055 hex = 00000000 01010101 binary
FFAA hex = 11111111 10101010 binary

"FOUND FFAA EXPECTED 5500" means:
--- Written was 01010101 00000000
- Read back was 11111111 10101010

So were are not talking about a bit or a few bits being bad at a particular address.

The fact that different typical test data is read back is very suspicious. It could indicate that the computer has an addressing fault.
But if so, to me, address 182D8 hex (00011000001011011000 binary) doesn't fit with that.

I think that you should wait to see if the symptom remains after replacing the bad battery. Definitely report back the result.

 

[Tom_of_Åland]

"1000:82D8" will be the address of the error, in {segment : offset} format.
1000:82D8 = 182D8 hex = 99032 dec = about 96.7 KB

"FOUND FFAA EXPECTED 5500" means that the power-on self test (POST) wrote the data of 5500 to the aforementioned address, but when the data was then read back, instead of the expected 5500, the data of FFAA was found instead.

Two things are odd/unusual to me:

1. You are seeing the POST getting as far as "600-something Kb", but the displayed error is back at about address 96.7 KB. But that could just be due to the way the POST in the T3200 does its RAM testing. For example, it could be making multiple passes.

2. Background: Both 5500 and FFAA are typical test data. And I expect that your POST is using the test data of 0055 and AAFF as well.
5500 hex = 01010101 00000000 binary
AAFF hex = 10101010 11111111 binary
0055 hex = 00000000 01010101 binary
FFAA hex = 11111111 10101010 binary

"FOUND FFAA EXPECTED 5500" means:
--- Written was 01010101 00000000
- Read back was 11111111 10101010

So were are not talking about a bit or a few bits being bad at a particular address.

The fact that different typical test data is read back is very suspicious. It could indicate that the computer has an addressing fault.
But if so, to me, address 182D8 hex (00011000001011011000 binary) doesn't fit with that.

I think that you should wait to see if the symptom remains after replacing the bad battery. Definitely report back the result.

Wow, Thank you very much for that in-depth analysis. I'll be back here as soon as the new 3.6V battery is in.