How to recover from data acquisition system failures

HJG, KI and RSH

Version November 5, 1998

If the online system dies (by tape failure, for instance), do the following:
  1. If there are already data on the tape, get the tape out of the DLT drive: Check the front LED indicator of the tape drive.  If a green LED is lit, it means that the tape is already dismounted, and can be removed.  If it is not yet dismounted, press the unload button and wait for the green LED.  Remove the tape.
  2. Try to stop all tasks properly.  Type in the following commands from the data acquisition console.
    1. e7_28::stop acq
    2. @stop
    3. quit
    4. remreset
  3. Reset the E7_12 computer (the left-most board in the VME crate).  There is a reset toggle switch on the front panel.
  4. If there was a problem with the tape drive, power off and on the tape drive.
  5. Wait until the E7_12 node is booted.  The booting process can be monitored at the E7_12 local console.
  6. Login from the data acquisition console (our main screen) as user profi.
  7. Type in the following sequence of commands:
    1. prm
    2. @start
    3. e7_28::sta acq
    4. start task m_stream_serv
  8. Restart the data sniffer.  This is done from the data sniffer window.
  9. Insert a new !!! tape in the drive.
  10. Type in the following commands (note that you must supply an appropriate tape number to xx).
    1. init tape R71_xx
    2. mount tape
  11. You can now start a new run.

The locations of our tape drive and our data-taking node.

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Tape LED and unload buttons are here

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The E7_12 computer and its reset switch

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The tape power switch is on the rear side

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This is the E7_12 local console.

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Use the window manager on the top-right corner to switch between "virtual screens".



 

The Data-taking console (which talks to E7_12 is this one)

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Data sniffer (online analysis program) is controlled from this window

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