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Troubleshooting

Avoiding PCMCIA card problems

Interpreting MAX 800 error messages

Avoiding PCMCIA card problems

Use the correct cable

If you disconnect more than one cable at a time, label each one.

Use approved PCMCIA card modems

If you install a modem that is not on the approved modem list, the MAX 800 first tries to configure it with a Hayes-compatible setup string. If the MAX 800 is still unable to read your PCMCIA card, the ON light associated with the PCMCIA card slot flashes, indicating that the MAX 800 is trying to configure the card.

If the MAX 800 is able to configure the modem, the light stops flashing in about 15 seconds and remains on. Otherwise, the light continues to blink.

Use Ascend PCMCIA card ISDN adapters

Interpreting MAX 800 error messages

• Noncritical errors, which are informational only.

• Critical errors, which you should notice and remedy, though they do not limit the ability of the MAX 800 to function (for example, a dead battery).

• Fatal errors, which shut down the MAX 800 and may require you to contact Ascend Customer Service for repair.

  Figure B-1. MAX 800 indicator lights

The MAX 800 reports errors only during the startup sequence after it is powered on. It reports errors by turning on one or more of the 32 PCMCIA-card status indicator lights (labeled Modem Status) on the front as shown in Figure B-1.

The light in the upper left corner (PCMCIA card 1 ON) represents error message 0. The lights are then numbered horizontally from left to right, to match error message numbers from 0 to 15. The lights in the bottom row are numbered, starting with the lower left corner light (PCMCIA card 2 ON), horizontally from left to right, to match error message numbers from 16 to 31.

During the startup sequence, fatal or critical errors are also output to the control port in the following format:

POST failed: nnnnnnnn

where nnnnnnnn is a hexadecimal representation of the error bits, with error 0 as the least significant bit and error 31 as the most significant bit.

Generally, errors do not occur individually. More often, they are in groups of associated errors. If an error occurs, write down the error number(s) and contact Ascend Customer Service. Table B-1 describes the various possible errors.

Table B-1. Light error indicators

Light	Severity	Description
0	Fatal	CPU error
1	Unused
2	Fatal	SIMM DRAM error
3	Critical	Battery error
4	Fatal	SRAM - Compare
5	Fatal	SRAM error
6	Critical	SRAM - Compare error when restored from DRAM
7	Fatal	Timer error
8	Critical	Serial port error
9	Fatal	DMA Controller error
10	Unused
11	Unused
12	Unused
13	Fatal	MACE error (AMD 79C940)
14	Unused
15	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 1 error
16	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 2 error
17	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 3 error
18	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 4 error
19	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 5 error
20	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 6 error
21	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 7 error
22	Noncritical	PCMCIA card 8 error
23	Unused
24	Unused
25	Critical	Interrupt error
26	Unused
27	Unused
28	Unused
29	Unused
30	Unused
31	Unused

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Copyright © 1998, Ascend Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.