Compaq Mega-Post User Manual

User's Guide

Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card

User's Guide

ansion slot. It is not necessary

INTRODUCTION

The Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card is a powerful diagnostic tool for technicians and administrators to troubleshoot various problems of IBM compatible PCs. It is easy to install, yet extremely powerful to use. With Diagnostic Card in hand, you no longer have to go through tedious and time consuming process of

trying to figure out what is wrong with your PC hardware. The Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card will tell you exactly what is wrong with your PC in just seconds. It saves you time and money.

Our new and improved design of the Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card can work with almost all popular types of CPUs, Motherboards, and BIOSes..

Trademarks

The Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card is a trademark of Handelsvertretung Ellerhorst with all rights reserved. IBM PC, PCjr, IBM PC XT, IBM AT, and PS/2 are trademarks of international Business Machines Co., Inc. Pentium is a trademark of Intel Corporation.

System Requirements

The Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card itself only requires an empty PCI or ISA exp to install memory chips to perform analysis. "POST Codes" can be displayed through the hexadecimal display panel on the Diagnostic Card itself.

Tech Support

Tech Support 0049/(0)8766/9394-17

Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card Indicators

'Indicators' are any light emitting diodes(LED) or hexadecimal display panel that may be mounted on an Diagnostic Card. This section discusses the following indicators that appear on the Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card:

l Dual POST Code Display l PCI BUS SIGNALS LEDs

POST Code Display

The POST Code Display is made up of a dual, dot matrix hexadecimal read-out that displays Power On Self Test (POST) status codes.

User's Guide

CLK

Motherboard Clock Signal.

Power On Self-Test (POST) Codes

Most AT and 386 computers (and a few XT computers) output status codes during POST. The Diagnostic Card displays these codes during and after POST. Refer to Appendix A for a comprehensive listing of POST codes provided by BIOS manufacturers.

PCI Signal Definition:

Should be on when power is supplied to the

BIOS IRDY OSC FRAME

RST

12V

-12V

-5V

3V3

motherboard even without CPU. BIOS Read Signal. Flashes when CPU reads BIOS code. Device Ready. Flashes when an IRDY signal is detected. ISA Oscillation Indicator. Indicate ISA Oscillation Signal is available. PCI Bus Frame. Should be on under normal circumstances and flashes when a PCI Frame Signal is detected. Reset. After power on or reset, this indicator should be on for an half second and then turned off. Power Supply, 12-Volt Positive. Should be on all the time otherwise there is a short circuit. Power Supply, 12-Volt Negative. Should be on all the time otherwise there is a short circuit. Power Supply, 5-Volt Positive. Should be on all the time otherwise there is a short circuit. Power Supply, 5-Volt Negative. Should be on all the time otherwise there is a short circuit. Power Supply, 3.3-Volt. Some motherboards have 3.3V power supply to

PCI slots. This indicator should be on if the motherboard supplies 3.3V power.

Installing the Mega-Post PCI-Diagnostic Card

Installation Procedure

TO INSTALL A Diagnostic Card:

Install the Diagnostic Card in any available PCI or ISA expansion slot. Connect the second display by flat cable Connect the build-in speaker and motherboard with speaker cable Power on the machine.

User's Guide

When the machine is turned on, the hexadecimal display should show the various POST codes as

POST Codes

the system executes (unless it has a rare BIOS that does not display POST codes).

If the machine does not boot, system POST has detected a fatal fault and stopped. The number showing in the hexadecimal display on the Diagnostic Card is the number of the test in which POST failed. Refer to Appendix A for a listing of POST codes.

Troubleshooting During POST

After initial power up, Power-On Self-Test (POST) codes begin displaying on the Diagnostic Card's hexadecimal displays (for most machines).

NOTE: A few machines use the parallel port to display POST codes instead of the Diagnostic

Card.

THE POST PROCESS

The ROM built onto the motherboard of the computer rums its built-in POST (Power-On Self-Test) when you switch power on to the computer, press the reset button on the computer, or press Ctrl-Alt-Del (warm boot). POST performs a tightly interwoven initialization and testing process for each of these methods, but it typically does not test or initialize memory above 64K for warm boot. You can get an even better idea of the detailed process by studying the POST code listings in Appendix A.

0.Initialize EISA registers(EISA)BIOS only).Clear 8042 keyboard controller.

AMI

Error Code

Erro

r Code

keyboard; Keyboard controller initialization. Initialize Chips; Disable

NMI,PIE,AIE,UEI, SQ

set(loop 1

5).

AMI

Award

Phoenix

AMI AST

Award Chips&Tech

Dell Phoenix Phoenix

AMI AST

Award

Appendix A

(00)Going to give control to INT 19H boot loader. (01)Processor register test about to start, and NMI to be disabled,286 reg. test about

to start. (01)Processor test 1;Processor status(1FLAGS) verification; Tests the following processor status flags carry, zero, sign, overflow. The BIOS will set each of these flags, verify they are set then turn each flag off and verify it is off.

(01)[Beep]=none 80286 register test in -progress.

(02)NMI is disabled. Power on delay starting. Power on de- lay starting.286reg. (02)Test CPU register.

(02)Processor test 2;Read/write/verify all CPU registers except SS,SP and BP with data pattern FF&00.Determine status of manufacturing jumper.

(02)Test CPU register. (02)[Beep]=1-1-3 CMOS write/read test . (02)Verify real-mode operation(Beep)=1-1-1-3.CPU Flags test. (02)[Beep]=1-1-3 CMOS write/read test in-progress or failure.

(03)Power on delay complete. To check soft reset/power-on. Any initialization before keyboard BAT is in progress. ROM BIOS checksum(32K at F800:0) passed.

(03)Test 8042 keyboard controller reset. (03)Initialize Chips; Disable NMI,PIE,AIE,UEI,SQWV, disable video, parity

checking, DMA; Reset math Coprocessor; Clear all page registers, CMOS shutdown byte; Initialize timer 0,1 and 2 including set EISA timer to a known state; Initialize DMA controllers 0 and 1; Initialize interrupt controller 0 and 1;Initialize EISA extended registers. Calculate BIOS EPROM and sign-on message checksum; fail if not

Error Code-00 Error Code-01

Error Code - 02

Error Code - 03

Chips & Tech (03)ROM did not checksum. Phoenix&Dell

AMI

AST

Award

Chips & Tech (04)DMA Controller failed. Phoenix&Dell

AMI

AST Chips & Tech (05)System timer bad.

Award

Phoenix&Dell (05)[Beep]=1-2-2 DMA initialization in-progress or failure.

(03)Disable Non-Maskable Interrupt(NMI).[Beep]=1-1-4 BIOS ROM checksum in-progress or failure.

(04)Any initialization before keyboard BAT is complete. Reading keyboard SYS bit, to check soft reset/power-on. Reading keyboard SYS bit, to check soft reset/power On. Keyboard controller test with and without mouse passed. 8259 initialization OK. (04)Low level keyboard communication, keyboard ID verification.

(04)Test memory refresh toggle; RAM must be periodically refreshed in order to keep the memory from decaying. This function assures that the memory refresh function is working properly. Test CMOS RAM I/O port interface and verify battery power is available(bat. status=1).Reset 8042.

(04)Get the CPU type (Beep)=1-1-2-1.CPU register test. Programmable Interval Timer test failure.

(05)Soft reset/power-on determined. Going to enable ROM. i.e. disable shadow RAM/Cache if any. Going to enable ROM.i.e. disable shadow RAM/cache if any. Chipset initialization over, DMA and interrupt controller disabled. CMOS pending interrupt disabled.

(05)Read keyboard input port.

(05)Keyboard controller self-test enable keyboard interface. Blank video, Initialize

processor; Clear all page registers,CMOS shutdown byte; Initialize timer 0,1 and 2 including set EISA timer to a known state; Initialize DMA controllers 0 and 1;Initialize interrupt controller 0 and 1; Initialize EISA extended Regis- ters.Get manufacturing status, reset if

- WV, disable video, parity checking, DMA; Reset math Co-

Error Code

function is working properly. Initialize chips.

Appendix A

Phoenix&Dell (06)Initi

alize system hardware (Beep)=1

-1-2-

3.DMA page register write/read test

Error Code

Read/write/verify CPU registers.

Error Code

- 08

1Fh according to INT_TBL. Initialize CMOS timer.

verification in

progress or failure.

Award

Error Code

Check BIOS Checksum.

Phoenix&Dell (09)Set POST flay.(Beep)=1

-1-3-

2. 1st 64K RAM test in

progress.

Error Code

controller.

(06)ROM is enabled. Calculating ROM BIOS checksum, and waiting for Keyboard

AMI

AST

Award Chips & Tech (06)64K RAM Failed.

AMI

Award

Chips & Tech (07)64K RAM failed data test (Base Memory)

ACER (08)Shutdown 0. AMI

Award

Chips & Tech (08)Interrupt Controller bad. Phoenix&Dell (08)Initialize chipset registers with POST values. [Beep]= 1-3-1 RAM refresh

controller input buffer to be free. Calculating ROM BIOS checksum.. Video disabled and system timer test begin Video disabled and system timer counting OK. (06)Support chipset initialize. (06)Test memory refresh toggle; RAM must be periodically refreshed in-order to keep the memory from decaying. This function assures that the memory refresh

in-progress or fail. (07)ROM BIOS checksum passed. CMOS shutdown register test to be done

next.ROM BIOS checksum passed, Keyboard controller I/B free. Going to issue the BAT command to keyboard controller. Going to issue the BAT command to keyboard controller.CH-2 of 8254 initialization half way.CH-2 of 8253 test OK (07)Verifies CMOS's basis R/W functionality Test CMOS interface and battery status; Verifies CMOS is working correctly, detects bad battery. Setup low memory; Early chip set initialization; Memory presence test; OEM chip set routines; Clear low 64K of memory; Test first 64K memory; clear lower 256K of memory, enable parity checking and test parity in lower 256K; test lower 25 If the BIOS detects error 2C,2E,or 30(base 512K RAM error),it displays 6K memory. Set up stack,beep.

(08)CMOS shutdown register test done. CMOS checksum calculation to be done next. BAT command to keyboard controller is issued. Going to verify the BAT command. Going to verify the BAT command. CH-2 of timer initialization over. CH-2 delta count test OK (08)Setup low memory; Early chip set initialization; Memory presence test; OEM chip set routines; Clear low 64K of memory; Test first 64K memory; clear lower 256K of memory, enable parity checking and test parity in lower 256K; test lower 256K memory. Set up stack, beep. Setup interrupt vector table in lower 1K RAM area; Initialize first 120 interrupt vectors with SPURIOUS_INT_HDLR and initialize INT 00h-

AMI

AST

Chips & Tech (09)Unexpected interrupt is occurring.

AMI

Award

Chips & Tech (0A)Timer cannot interrupt.

(09)CMOS checksum calculation is done, CMOS diag byte written. CMOS initialize to begin. Keyboard controller BAT result verified. Keyboard command byte to be written next.(09)Keyboard command byte to be written next. CH-1 of timer initialization over. CH-1 delta count test OK. (09)Verify BIOS ROM checksum, flush external cache. (09)Program the configuration register of Cyrix CPU. OEM specific cache initialization., Early Cache initialization; Cyrix CPU initialization; cache initialization. Test CMOS RAM checksum; beep; also test extended storage of parameters in the motherboard chipset; if not warm- booting; display the Test CMOS RAM checksum message, if bad, or insert key pressed, load defaults if bad.

(0A)CMOS initialization done(if any). Keyboard command byte code is issued. Going to write command byte data. Go- ing to write command byte data. CH-0 of timer initialization over. CH-0 delta count test OK (0A)Initialize the first 32 interrupt vectors. Initialize INTs 33 to 120.Early Power Management initialization. Setup interrupt vector table in lower 1K RAM area; Initialize first 120 interrupt vectors with SPURIOUS_INT_HDLR and initialize INT 00h-1Fh according to INT_TBL. Initialize key- board; Detect type of keyboard controller(optional 8242 or 8248, with Nedadon XOR gate control); Set NUM_LOCK status. Reset keyboard test keyboard controller interface to verify it returned AAH and responded to enable/disable commands, set keyboard buffer, enable keyboard and keyboard interrupts for normal use, beep, halt .Initialize Video

64K RAM chip or data line failure multi

bit.

Error Code

BIOS Only). Test CMOS RAM checksum; beep; also test extended storage of parameters in the

find out type of video in use; Detect and initialize video adapter. 8254 timer, channel 0 test.

Phoenix&Dell (0B)Enable CPU Cable

Check CPU Jumpers. [Beep]=1

-3-

4 1st 64K RAM

Error Code

NUM_LOCK status. Reset keyboard test keyboard controller interface

timer, channel 1 test.

1st 64K RAM address line failure.

Error Code

(0D)(Beeps)=13 short,8254 timer register.

timer, channel 2 test.

AMI

Error Cod

e - 0E

Enable shadow according to setup. Test COMS

Shutdown byte.

AMI

Award

detect and initialization. Test Extended CMOS.

Error Code

Appendix A

Phoenix&Dell (0A)Initialize CPU registers. (Beep)=1-1-3-3. Perform BIOS checksum test. 1st

AMI

Award

Chips & Tech (0B)CPU protected mode.

AMI

Award

Chips & Tech (0C)DMA register failure. Phoenix&Dell (0C)Initialize cache to initial POST value. Test DMA page registers. [Beep]=1-4-1

AMI

AST Chips & Tech (0D) (Beeps)=14 short, Refresh failure. Award

Phoenix&Dell (0D)[Beep]=1-4-2 1st 64K RAM parity test in progress or failure. AST

Award

Chips & Tech (0E)(Beeps)=14 short, Keyboard controller failure. Phoenix

AST

Chips & Tech (0F)(Beeps)=15 short, Protected mode failure. Phoenix (0F)Initialize the local IDE

AMI

CMOS status register initialize done. Keyboard controller command byte is written. Going to issue Pin-23,24 block- ing/ unblocking command. Going to issue pin-23,24 blocking/ nubolcking command. Refresh started. Parity status cleared (0B)Verify the RTC time is valid or not. Detect bad battery. Read CMOS data into BIOS stack area. Perform PnP initializations. Assign I/O & Memory for PCI devices (PCI

motherboard chipset; if not warm-booting, display the Test CMOS RAM check- sum message, if bad, or insert key pressed, load defaults if bad. Initialize video interface; Detect CPU clock; Read CMOS location 14b to

odd/even logic failure. (0C)KB controller I/B free. Going to issue the BAT command to keyboard

controller. Pin-3,24 of keyboard controller is blocked/unblocked. NOP command of key- board controller to be issued next. NOP command of key- board controller to be issued next. System timer started. Refresh & system timer OK (0C)Initialization of the BIOS data area(40:00-40:FF). Initialize keyboard; Detect type of keyboard controller (optional 8242 or 8248, with Nedadon XOR gate control); Set

to verify it returned AAH and responded to enable/disable commands, set keyboard buffer, enable keyboard and keyboard interrupts for normal use,beep,halt.8254

(0D)BAT command to keyboard controller is issued. Going to verify the BAT command. NOP command processing is done. CMOS shutdown register test to be done next. CMOS shutdown register test to be done next. Refresh link toggling passed. Refresh link toggling passed.

(0D)Program some of the chipset's value. Measure CPU speed for display. Video initialization including MDA, CGA,EGA/VGA. Initialize video interface; Detect CPU clock; Read CMOS location 14b to find out type of video in use; Detect and initialize video adapter. OEM specific-Initialize motherboard special chipset as required by OEM; initialize cache controller early, when cache is separate from chipset.8254

(0E)(Beeps)=14 short, ASIC registers. (0E)Keyboard controller BAT result verified. Any initialization after KB controller BAT to be next. CMOS shutdown register R/W test passed. Going to calculate CMOS checksum, and update DIAG. Goint to calculate CMOS checksum,and update DIAG Byte. Refresh period ON/OFF 50% OK (0E)Initialize the APIC(Multi-Processor BIOS only). Test video RAM(If Monochrome display device found). Show startup screen message. Test video memory; Test video memory, write sign-on message to screen. Setup shadow RAM-

(0E)Initialize I/O.(Beep)=1-1-4-3. Test 8254 timers. (0F)initialization after KB controller BAT done. Keyboard command byte to be

written next. CMOS checksum calculation is done, DIAG byte written. CMOS Init. To begin(If "INIT CMOS IN EVERY BOOT IS SET").CMOS initialization to begin(If "INIT CMOS IN EVERY BOOT IS SET"). (0F)(Beeps)=15 short,CMOS RAM shutdown. (0F)DMA channel 0 Test. Test DMA controller 0; BIOS checksum test, keyboard

(10)KB controller command byte is written. Going to issue pin-23,24 blocking/unblocking command. CMOS initia- lization done(if any). CMOS status

Error Code - 0F

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