Workstation Console IOP (

[Guest.Visitor]

Here is a challenge for you AS400 wizards out there. We finally convinced a long-time AS400 customer to switch from twinax to ethernet. As part of the process, they decided to upgrade their AS400 Model 170 to use the 2721 IOP card (PC operations console) instead of the twinax card. Unfortunately they deleted the twinax card configuration through STRSST (system service tool) and then subsequently installed the 2721 card. I say unfortunately, because it seems that the "<" sign which identifies the Console device is now gone, and although the 2721 card is recognized and STRSST reports no errors and the ECS modem on the same 2721 card works fine, the lack of the "<" prevents the DSP01(Console) from working. The system IPL's with a proc check A9002000 which signifies no console device found, but the system is otherwise fully functional and the users are happy. However, we believe eventually the console will be needed (version upgrade, etc.), but we can find no method or instruction that allows the "<" console identifier to be placed onto the new 2721 IOP or the MFP multi Function Planar card. We have tried recreating the DSP01 device and controller, we have tried removing the 2721 card and letting it be recreated through SST. The systems always brings the card and configuration data back to the AS400, but no "<" console identifier is ever created on the card. Of course we cannot run a DST because that requires a console, so it seems to be a bit of the old catch22. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and enlightening!!! Thanks

[Guest.Visitor]

Dave, I ran into the same condition when I installed a 720 last year. We plugged a dumb terminal into the 2721 card thinking it was the twinax connection. We got the A9002000 Source code with every IPL from then on. It did not prevent the console from acting as a console, even using DST. We got rid of the A9002000 by restoring the System from a backup SAVSYS, NONSYS, RSTCFG, etc. This was pure accident. We lost 2 drives (RAID protected) and had to initialize and restore everything. Apparently putting back the saved console configuration did some sort of reset, fooling the machine into thinking it had a correct device for the card. Hope this helps to alleviate some of your worries. Regards. Jack

[Guest.Visitor]

David, Have you checked the system value of QCONSOLE? If yes, does DSP01 show up in WRKACTJOB under subsystem QCTL?

[Guest.Visitor]

Richardo: Thanks for the idea. Unfortunately, we have checked the qconsole setting, which is DSP01. The problem seems to be that with the pc console cable, qctl needs to be defined against the comm port or the IOP on the 2721, which it does not like, and will not vary on. We have tried duplicating the qconsole and qctl configuration as it exists on another 170 box, but without the '<' identifier on the card in SST it does not recognize the DSP01 device and nothing will work with qctl or dsp01. But again, we appreciate the thought.

[Guest.Visitor]

Jack: Thanks for the input. It would appear from our efforts that nothing less than a restore will get back the '<' identifier. However, the one difference with the 170 box is with this condition, they cannot get the console to come up, under normal IPL or DST. So the concern is whether dedicated tasks like a RSTSYS or Version upgrade would even be possible without access to the console. Perhaps we can try again the RSTCFG, but I think that has been tried and apparently the RSTCFG does not get down to the hardware level that is required for the '<' to be restored. You are probably right that a RSTSYS / IPL from backup is the only way to get the '<' back. The dice roll is that right now the system works fine (except no console) - if we do the RSTSYS from tape and the console doesn't come up - will we be able to reset the IPL state to 2 B N and get the system back up in the previous condition.

[Guest.Visitor]

Dave, I had to go look to make sure of what I was saying. We are different. Our console is plugged into a 2722 card (similiar but not the same). We also have Emerald consoles that have external controllers with mouse, printer, keyboard, and twinax ports. It provides 4 unique DSP sessions into a 400. We also have double carets (<<) on the status line. You could try the RST. It might work. And, yes I see no reason why a normal 2 B N IPL would not get you back to the current source code display and operation. AS/400s are real good that way. I find them a very forgiving machine. Regards.