What to do in case of an ACQUISITION crash ?

In all cases, if the procedures described below do not succeed, please ask for the following people:

You start the acquisition from the VME terminal and there is a error labelled :

"FACT is not running ..."

Probable reason : something is wrong with the initialization process. A CPU might be crashed.

What to do : RESET the CPU

a) Reset from the VME crate where the CPUs are located in the cave B (reset button on the left module of the crate)

b) From the VME terminal (prompt 8:>)

VXIGANRM

INIEGSI

INIACQ EGSI

c) If all is correct, you should be able to start the acquisition by typing :

GOACQ

d) If it fails, try to reset each CPU individually from the VME terminal :

RESETCPU 1 ( RESET the PF01 CPU : VME-> VAX connection)

RESETCPU 2 ( RESET the PF02 CPU : VME readout)

RESETCPU 8 ( RESET the CAMAC CPU : CAMAC readout)

e) Return to point b)

You start the acquistion from the Alpha station GANIN3 and you can't obtain the COMMAND window (GAG CMD>).

Probable reason : the VAX-VME connexion is down

What to do : RESET the CPU PF01

a) Close the acquisition surveyor window. The 2 other windows (commands and visu) should then disappear.

b) From the VME Terminal (prompt 8:>)

RESETCPU 1

c) Restart the acquisition from the Alpha station GANIN3 by clicking on the menu Data_analysis / Surveyor

The acquisition is running while a message from the VME crate is displayed on the surveyor window :

"Fatal error from VME crate ...."

Probable reason : the connection between the Alpha station and the VME crate has been broken for some reasons.

What to do : Re-initialize the VME crate by software.

a) Stop the acquisition from the Command window (prompt GAG_CMD>)

ACQ STOP

b) Initialize the VME crate from the same window :

ACQ INIT_VME

Answer Y to the confirmation.

c) Start the acquisition.

The acquisition is running and the command window seems to be 'frozen'; you can't order anything from it. The message "got a connection code ...." is displayed on the VAX surveyor window.

Probable reason : the link between the DECTERM and the acquisition process has been lost.

What to do : Call a new command window.

a) Close the Command window by the Window manager.

b) Click on the menu Data_analysis/Commands to create a new command window.

c) Type co to enter the command window.

The acquisition is running but there is no event.

Probable reason : In almost all cases, the trigger has been badly set up.

What to do : Check the trigger configuration.

a) Call the Trigger window (often on GANIN0). If there is no trigger window, create it on GANIN0 :

INDRA_TRIGGER

b) Check the declenchement physique (physical trigger).

* check if the group 1 (INDRA) is in green.

* Check the entries of the group 1 by clicking on the group. All or at least some of the entries should appear in green. If not, you have to click on the red button to activate the given entry.

* Check the trigger multiplicity (at least 1 !).

c) In case of pulser events, check the declenchement generateur (pulser mode).

* the electronic and/or laser pulser should be on

d) In all cases, stop the acquisition before modifying something on the trigger window.

e) Action the MRQ (on the NIM crate in the Data Shack) to switch between physical and pulser mode. You should then see the counting rate from the VME surveyor window.

f) If it still doesn't work, the problem is perhaps more complex and you have to check the connections from the electronics (cable, trigger conditions...).

You cannot read/write any HT values from the softwares INDRA_HT/INDRA_HT_M2

Probable reason : the HT server should be down.

What to do : Restart the HT server

a) Quit the INDRA_HT/INDRA_HT_M2 windows.

b) On the HT console (labelled INDRA_3), quit the HT surveyor by pressing ESC.

c) Restart the HT server by typing :

HTGO

d) After a while, you get the standard HT surveyor and you should be able to run INDRA_HT/INDRA_HT_M2.

You cannot read/wite VXI values from the CEC software (INDRA_CEC)

Probable reason : The VXI should be down.

What to do : Reset the CPUs

a) On the VME terminal (INDRA_1, prompt 8:>), try to ask the VXI for some values, i.e. :

VX R 1 4 VXETAT1

b) If it works, the VXI is correct and you have only to exit the VAX session and log in to fix the problem.

c) If not, you must then reset manually the CPUs and re-initialize the acquisition :

- Reset from the VME crate where the CPUs are located in the cave B (reset button on the left module of the crate)

- From the VME terminal (prompt 8:>)

VXIGANRM

INIEGSI

INIACQ EGSI

For an obscure reason, you cannot connect anymore to the VME DECserver (INDRA_1 and INDRA_3 terminal).

Probable reason : the VME (INDRA_1) or HT (INDRA_3) server have been suddenly left by the running application and don't want to be anymore accessed.

What to do : reboot the DECserver

a) Go to the cave B and look for the DECserver located in front of the climatization device (be careful, the right DECserver is the upper one, with the 3 entries plugged).

b) Unplug for a few seconds the power supply of the DECServer (Yes, i know, this is quite nasty but ...)

c) Return to the data shack and try to connect from the VME and HT terminals.

- Type RETURN and enter a name (VME or HT for example)

- type CONNECT INDRA_1 or CONNECT INDRA_3

- Press ENTER

- You access the prompt 8:>

You start the acquisition and you get an error message from the event label reading

Probable reason : the link between the acquisition label parameter and the VME readout are not compatible.

What to do : Re-initialize the VME server.

a) From the COMMAND window (prompt GAG_CMD), type :

ACQ INIT_VME

Answer Y to the confirmation.

b) Restart the acquisition.

During a run, you get the following message from the acquisition surveyor :

"FATAL ERROR FROM VAX-VME CONNECTION ..."

Probable reason : the VAX-VME connection has been broken (!)

What to do : Re-initialize this connection.

a) From the GAG_CMD prompt (Command window), type :

ACQ INIT_VME

Answer Y to the confirmation

Try to restart the acquisition.

b) If it doesn't work, try to re-initialize the connection from the VME :

On the VME terminal (INDRA_1, prompt 8:>) :

SERVGO

Try to restart the acquisition.

c) If it still doesn't work, reset the VAX-VME CPU (PF01) :

On the VME terminal (INDRA_1, prompt 8:>) :

RESETCPU 1

Try to restart the acquisition.