CompactRIO won't boot with error 0x9 on console output

[MichaelBalzer]

Hi all,

I have a CompactRIO 9014 that had been running for a number of weeks in Africa performing some triggered high speed data acquisition. The system was running fine until it was powered down and moved to another location and powered back up. Upon power-up, the real-time application failed to start and the unit has been unrecoverable.

MAX is unable to see the controller at all, even after an IP reset and trying with numerous ethernet cables and network switches to connect to the cRIO. As the system cannot be seen with MAX, I was unable to reformat the disk or reload any software.

There are no flashing light error codes on the unit.

The only connection possible to the cRIO is via the serial port by setting the Console Output dip switch. When the system is first powered up, the console output displays its boot sequence before encountering an error 0x9 when trying to load vxWorks. Snippet from the attached log:

Loading /c/ni-rt/system/vxWorks...
Cannot open "/c/ni-rt/system/vxWorks".

Error loading file: errno = 0x9.
Booting into Safe Mode from ROM...

If I hit a key to stop the auto-boot, I can get into a very basic command prompt where typing '?' gives a list of functions that can be carried out, mainly to do with the low level boot parameters and memory manipulation.

My best guess is that the disk has somehow become corrupted and the vxWorks file fails to load, halting the boot process completely.

It's not critical that the cRIO is brought back online, but it would be good to know what may have caused the problem, and if the unit can be recovered at all.

[David_L]

Hi Michael,

This is a very strange problem.  Can you see the device in MAX when you put the controller in safe mode?  If so you can try reformatting the controller in safe mode. This might help to fix any problems that might have occurred in the controller. Also, can you ping the hardware from the command line?  This can tell you if it is even communicating to the Ethernet port at all.  Finally can you communicate to it via crossover cable?

If you still cannot connect to it, it is possible the hardware has gone bad. You might be able to call support and get the device repaired or replaced.

[MichaelBalzer]

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply. 

I tried seeing the controller in MAX using both straight and twisted ethernet cables, but it can't see the controller in safemode. It seems the ethernet port isn't functioning at all, as I can't set the IP using the RT Apply Target Network Settings VI (through the MAC address). I was hoping I could reimage the controller using the RT Apply Target Disk Image VI or with MAX, but seeing as the IP can't be set then that's out of the question.

I did try changing the boot parameters of the unit through the console output in the hopes I could get it to boot from a USB stick rather than the internal memory. After pressing a key to stop the auto-boot, I used the c command to change the boot file from /c/ni-rt/system/vxWorks to /u/ni-rt/system/vxWorks, but upon reboot it still came up with the same 0x9 error. It was just a bit of guess work on my part, and I know these commands are more the domain of NI engineers rather than consumers like me, so documentation is understandably scarce.

We'll be sending the controller off for repair/replacement today, so it seems it shall remain a mystery as to the root cause of the problem.