Control.com - Nerds in Control

We are using Mark V system with local <I> and remote <I> for gas turbine control. The remote <I> is in turn linked to DCS.

Recently there was an abnormal sound from the PC of remote <I> whenever the unit control display was called from the menu targets. The main page was displayed line-by-line after about 1 min delay and during this period the abnormal sound frm the PC persisted. Once the page was displayed completely the sound stopped. However, no sound was observed while navigating the menu pages. The printer was also not functioning. Hence, the PC cover was opened and any cable or plug-in card looseness was verified. None were visible. When the PC was switched ON again, a mesg "keyboard failure" was displayed during the bootup process. The PC went into normal bootup sequence and the main page (unit control display)was displayed. But the keyboard inputs and the printer were not functional. Could anyone suggest possible causes for this problem and the remedies?

Thanx in advance for the help.

Regards
SRP

Sounds as if you are about to experience a failure of an <I>. Have you tried replacing the keyboard? (Any non-USB 101-key IBM-compatible keyboard can work, even if an adapter is required to connect the PS/2 style keyboard connector to the older legacy-style keyboard port on the <I>.) Many of the original <I> CPUs had two keyboard ports: one on the front of the CPU, and one on the back. Have you tried the other port, if it's present?

Older CPU main-/motherboards used to use "beep codes" to indicate faults; there were/are beep code charts for most BIOS versions available on the Internet. Or, if you have the original manuals for the CPU the beep code information might be in there, also; it's worth a try.

One thing to try once you get your CPU to recognize your keyboard (if you're successful) is typing IDOSEXIT at a command prompt to stop IDOS, and then see if the printer will work by copying something to the printer port (a parallel printer is assumed) with the following command:

COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS LPT1:

When the file finishes printing, you may have to type a CTRL+C to quit the COPY command. If the printer works, it would point towards an IDOS problem.

To do the same thing with IDOS running, one would have to use the PRINT command:

PRINT C:\CONFIG.SYS

But, the problem is not likely IDOS. Some hard-disk failures started like this....and hard-disks compatible with DOS are getting harder and harder and harder to find. Some hard-disk vendors can provide a utility which can allow "legacy DOS" machines to access the hard drive, but check first! Typically, <I>s used an IDE interface to the hard-drive; make sure any hard drive you buy is capable of plain old IDE interface (if that's what's in use in the CPU).

You did not say how old your <I>s were, nor the version of IDOS which is running (look in G:\DATA\VERSION.DAT for the IDOS version; if there's no VERSION.DAT file, it's a REALLY old version of IDOS).

There is at least one company which is selling Pentium CPUs with IDOS ver. 4.6 which can be used to replace the <I> CPU--but it still requires the use of the nearly unavailable (new, not from anyone; used, from a couple of sources--see next sentence) ISA ARCnet card. There is also a company, Gas Turbine Controls (www.gasturbinecontrols.com) which sells used and sometimes "new old stock" (to quote an eBay term) CPUs and ISA ARCnet cards. When there are no more ISA ARCnet cards, the user interface will have to be replaced--either with a GE Mk V HMI, or something else....

There is also a company, CSE Engineering, Inc. (www.cse-eng-inc.com), which
is introducing a complete replacement for <I>s, which uses Dell P4 PCs running WinXP and using a non-proprietary ARCnet card. They claim their <ITC> does NOT require a PROM upgrade to the Mk V, as GE's Mk V HMI usually does, completely replaces the all the functionality of an <I>, and has some historical data archival and retrieval options.

markvguy

Hello Sir,
Thanks for such information of getting the IDOS version of CPU's, we just were searching for the computer,and the web site who can provide such.

A request if you have any idea about the BHEL sparepart numbers which are GE equivalent part numbers in a form of a CD-Rom,or any website selling BHEL to GE equivalent part numbers.
Our client needs one urgently to short out the sparepart deal.

Best Regards,
everblue

Mr. everblue,
I have never heard of or seen such a conversion "chart", and would imagine if one existed it would be developed by BHEL, though some others may have obtained a copy of it and might be willing to share it.

Are you looking for all turbine spares, or just control system spares?

markvguy

BHEL sparepart numbers which are GE equivalent part numbers in a form of a CD-Rom is used by GIPCL, Baroda and it is provided by http://www.indiamart.com/experttechnologies.

Dear SRP,
If keyboard failure was displayed and no keyboard functionality is available, then replacement of keyboard would be the best place to start troubleshooting.

Tomy

Global Controls http://www.global-controls.com sells <I> hardware replacements and new Arcnet cards.

Tell us more about your offering! There's nothing on the website about the <I> hardware replacement OR the new ARCnet cards.

Is the ARCnet card compatible with GE's IDOS or does it require a driver or another version of IDOS? Can the ARCnet cards be purchased separately? If so, how much does an ARCnet card cost?

markvguy

Mk5 ISA Arcnet card were made for GE and no more in production 7 years ago. Arcnet card manufacturer don't have such cards to sell. now it is very difficult to get it in the market. we have bought one at about US$6000 years ago.

There are two cards PCA66-CXB (16bit ISA, chip 90C66) and PCX-CXB (8bit ISA, chip 90C65), Manufacturer: Contemporary controls.

Are these arcnet cards compatible with GE's IDOS?
Can be used to replace the PCA198-CXB (16bit ISA, chip 90C198)(GE p/n 278A2181VRP3)?

jason.z
kooky2008@126.com

It is believed that the -CXB suffix stands for a card which is configured for an ARCnet Bus topology; GE used the -CXS cards which were designed for an ARCnet Star topology.

If this is true, the cards probably would not work properly.

To this author's knowledge, the cards below are the only ISA-bus ARCnet cards which are compatible with IDOS.

;
; Configuration for NETWORK INTERFACE CORPORATION'S ARCNET controller
; card (PcARC-AT/20).
;
; CONTROLLER 90C198
; IRQ 15
; IO_BASE 2B0
; MEMORY_BASE D000
; MEMORY_SIZE 4K
; DIAGNOSTICS OFF
;
;
; Configuration for CNET TECHNOLOGY INC.'S ARCNET controller card
; (CNT CN190SBT). These cards started shipping in early 1993.
;
; CONTROLLER 90C98
; IRQ 15
; IO_BASE 2A0
; MEMORY_BASE D000
; MEMORY_SIZE 8K
; DIAGNOSTICS OFF
;
;
; Configuration for CONTEMPORARY CONTROL SYSTEM, INC's ARCNET controller
; card (PCA-CXS). These cards started shipping mid 1993.
;
; CONTROLLER 90C198
; IRQ 15
; IO_BASE 2B0
; MEMORY_BASE D000
; MEMORY_SIZE 8K
; DIAGNOSTICS ON
;

There is one company which is claiming to have produced an ISA-bus ARCnet card which is compatible with IDOS, but it is only available from that company, which doesn't seem to improve the situation for users with ISA-bus ARCnet cards in their Mk V operator interfaces. It would just be replacing one proprietary ARCnet card with another one.

CSE Engineering, Inc., is offering Mk V operator interface replacements with off-the-shelf ARCnet cards--the same cards the OEM is using in their new Mark V HMIs--at a very competitive price with improved functionality (trending, optional long-term data storage and retrieval) and reduced operator and technician retraining because I screens can be quickly duplicated. Their website is http://www.itc-info.us or http://www.cse-eng-inc.com.

markvguy

Yes, It is configured for an ARCnet Bus topology. GE used the -CXB cards. In ARCNET.DAT, the "PCA-CXS" is wrong.

jason.z
kooky2008@126.com

You're absolutely right! That typo in ARCNET.DAT was never apparent before! GE uses -CXB cards, not -CXS!

markvguy

I have successfully used the PCX-CXB replace the PCA198-CXB. At the same time, ARCNET.DAT needs to be modified and the jumper settings of the PCX-CXB card need to be reinstalled.

jason.z
kooky2008 at 126. com