XD10 ON/OFF behaviour

[Ryan Gallagher]

Thanks for the MoBo model.

I'd swap the HDD first and try an install media. I don't know how you can replace those IDE flash disks, some might still be available somewhere. Failing that, I think you can find Compact Flash to IDE adaptors which might work. The question is: will an installer take care of everything and re-install everything for you? I have no idea, never used an XD20.

If I had to reinstall on this XD20 I'd assume ditch the flash module and just install the system to a small SSD. Plenty of room in there... hell there are even free SATA ports on the MB, but I wonder if they wanted to leave the SATA bus dedicated to content drive because this thing had to playback video too.

Though yes, IDE to CF as well as SD adapters both seem gettable.

According to the file hosted in the warehouse, it's the exact same installer media as the XD10 v2.2.06. Will have to give it a try on a day off.

[Marco Giustini]

I guess it depends on how the installer is expecting to find the drives. How is it distinguishing between the OS drive and the content drive? Dolby had a similar setup on the DSS series and at some point they ditched the flash drive which could just be removed.

An SSD is SATA, not PATA. Will the XD20 install the OS on a separate sata drive? No idea.

I think I read somewhere that the XD20 can run RAID on the content drive - maybe that's why they installed the OS separately.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I think I read somewhere that the XD20 can run RAID on the content drive - maybe that's why they installed the OS separately.

Yeah I just saw raid mentioned in the manual too. Though they certainly did not leave room in the chassis cage for a 2nd HDD.

[Marco Giustini]

I believe they used to sell a bracket to have two drives one on top of each other but I think you can stack two slim drives on a single bracket.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I should probably start a separate XD20 reinstall topic, but I did investigate a little trying to see how one might trigger a fresh install on this thing. Had no luck so far, i'm not even sure I'm getting a true post (MB VGA has no output... but i'm not sure it is supposed to, as I think they may have "licensed" that video port for CSS and driving rear-view captions).

I tried bootable USB with the install media (in front and back ports).

I tried Install media as DVDR on a usb-caddy drive, no luck, but also no confidence the MB configured for USB boot or would recognize a USB BluRayRW drive.

The manual talks about updating while it's on via the LCD menus and media. So I can't get to that stage.

It doesn't seem to behave at all like an XD10 where it looks for alternative bootable media first, and without console video, not sure I can change that.

CMOS battery is good at least. Since the install software is the same i'm almost tempted to use our XD10 as a surrogate chassis and install the base system to a drive that could be transplanted to the XD20 IDE1 where the CF memory normally lives. But the hardware differences might cause different installation paths and that be fruitless. Another thought would be to dig out an IDE or SATA DVDrom, and see if I can get the MB booting from that, into anything.

Edit: ohh I also attempted a known good HDD in place of the suspected faulty one, booting with and without the IDE CF module. Same results. 1.1 boot loader finishes and the reports no host controller. I only got it to boot that one time when it seemed to hang doing a e2fsck, or at least it did not finish in 8 hours on its 250gig drive, it’s been long enough I have no memory of how long that fs check “should” take.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I think it's down to the XD20 CF module being involved in boot, and being at issue. The HDD it turns out works (or at least enough to mount), I was able to mount and examine all partitions using Debian live on my laptop. System install was in 2011, last use appeared to be in 2013... found some logs.

Will bring my IDE adapter home from work and see if I can read the CF module or not. The boot loader is trying, maybe all I need is to reflash whatever files belong on this CF module (or a replacement).

Did not examine HDD super close yet, but most of the system and storage partitions are there, I wonder if just the boot partition is expected on the CF.

[Marco Giustini]

That’s a standard motherboard, it should display a post screen. If it doesn’t show it, it’s probably dead or dying.

the bios should be set to boot from CD first, HDD then. You should see the cd drives being listed by the motherboard (even if USB I guess, that I’m not familiar with)

but the bottom line is that the VGA should be active, the licensing applies to the DTS software.

[Ryan Gallagher]

That’s a standard motherboard, it should display a post screen. If it doesn’t show it, it’s probably dead or dying.

the bios should be set to boot from CD first, HDD then. You should see the cd drives being listed by the motherboard (even if USB I guess, that I’m not familiar with)

but the bottom line is that the VGA should be active, the licensing applies to the DTS software.

That was my hunch, so i'm not sure why i'm getting nothing on the MB VGA on the XD20. Note there is no CD player because I don't have that accessory unit, but if I add an IDE one I might get it to boot from that, if it is posting at all. (The fact it gets to it's boot loader screen makes me pretty sure it is getting past post). Problem is the single IDE port is in theory needed for whatever CF module (or replacement) is involved. Maybe it would also include SATA optical drives in it's boot order and that would be an option. Maybe I can find the buzzer jumpers and wire up a PC speaker to listen for post codes. Geez I haven't thought about that technique in eons.

[Marco Giustini]

if you get to the boot page, it's definitely posted!

BIOS pages is 70Hz, not all modern monitors like that.

The MB is a standard MB, you can do what you want with it. DTS will have locked in some "default settings" so that the boot behaviour is as expected but in the end you can manually install whatever on wherever.
The setup software also might expect things to be configured in a certain way.

[Ryan Gallagher]

if you get to the boot page, it's definitely posted!

BIOS pages is 70Hz, not all modern monitors like that.

The MB is a standard MB, you can do what you want with it. DTS will have locked in some "default settings" so that the boot behaviour is as expected but in the end you can manually install whatever on wherever.
The setup software also might expect things to be configured in a certain way.

yeah I’ll have to try another monitor, I can’t recall if this one I have at home warns me about out of range signals or if it just goes to sleep. Thinking the latter.

[Marco Giustini]

Just to close this thread, the little ‘on/off board’ was missing a wire (there is solder residue so someone removed it?) and that probably explains the on/off behaviour.

I went ahead and removed the board altogether though. It’s pointless. ?

[Blaine Young]

I have never figured out the contraption add-in board. I've seen two, with different motherboards, wired differently. In both, I removed the board and replaced the rocker power switch with a momentary one. I also replace the rocker switch any time I install a 1T drive in the unit. The hard off 'crashes' to the OS cause the drive to do a check on the next power up, which I've seen take over an hour on a 1T drive.