[j-nsp] M40/RE233-256 problems

[Richard A Steenbergen]

On Fri, Nov 18, 2005 at 06:36:43PM +0100, L. Croese - InterXS wrote:
> Hi List,
> 
> I am having problems with one of our two M40 routers.
> The one with problems has a RE233-256 and a SCB-E with Internet Processor II

Wow, someone still using a RE-233 in production, running 4.3 no less. You 
sir, have balls of steel.

> It looks like that the flash memory on the RE is broken as this is the 
> output on the console -> see end of message.

Yup. Replace the flash, or heck just replace the whole RE. CPV5000 can't 
be worth more than $20 these days.

> I doubt if the flash is actually broken as the boot loader does show the 
> correct details of the flash disk (Scandisk 91 Mb), so I removed the flash 
> card out of one of the M7i we have running, rebooted the box and I noticed 
> the boot loader actually sees that the flash card is not present and then 
> continue booting from the harddisk. So I removed the flash memory of the 
> RE233 of the M40 and tried to reboot it, no console output what so ever, 
> checked cables etc but no output at all, the front panel LCD states the 
> routing engine is starting.

Nah, the flash is probably broken. You've probably run this thing far 
beyond its expected life span, and now portions of the flash have 
developed errors. Replace it, or run off of the HD.

> - is it true that the flash disk is broken, as it shows the correct details 
> with the startup (size etc) can it also be that the flash is working but 
> that it is a filesystem problem?

There are many ways to break the flash, not all of them will prevent the 
disk from detecting properly. They'll just introduce errors when you go to 
read the data.

> - is it true that the M7i can boot without flash and the M40 doesnt boot 
> without the flash?

M40 can boot without flash the same as everything else, thats why there is 
a wd2.

-- 
Richard A Steenbergen <ras at e-gerbil.net>       http://www.e-gerbil.net/ras
GPG Key ID: 0xF8B12CBC (7535 7F59 8204 ED1F CC1C 53AF 4C41 5ECA F8B1 2CBC)