Agilent DSO/MSO 8K Infiniium doesn't boot: long beeps - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2025, 09:39:42 pm
content: After a full cleaning my Agilent Infiniium MSO 8104A which had intermittent startups, now doesn't even boot; outputs long beeps (+/- 2 sec.) endlessly. Didn't find help in Agilent's Service Guide nor in Intel D915GUX motherboard Product Guide.Black display. Nothing on an external VGA monitor.Reseated the DRAMs. Tested the voltage both at the PSU output and in the PCI bus. All OK. LEDs on front plate lit (except for channel selection only ch. 1 is on). Fans are spinning.Any idea before I undertake full MB and daughter cards recaping?Thanks for reading and/or help,Christian

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2025, 10:20:14 pm
content: All the bleeping codeshttps://www.computerhope.com/beep.htmI don't know how you cleaned it, but if you created an ESD spark, all bets are off.

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 12:11:45 am
content: OK already saw this list for Phoenix BIOS. But didn't find the meaning of the four figures sequence in the beep code column. Please explain. Reminder: 2 seconds beep every five seconds **endlessly**...! Never found this sequence anywhere.My PC analyzer says: AF34, which has no meaning in the accompanying booklet.As for sparks, no I didn't use a grinder, thanks.Only paper towel and IPA.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 02:05:24 am
content: not sure if AFxx is boot device and or memory related ...but 2 beeps is normally memory related but some reports video relatedintel d915 post codes but AFxx is not listedhttps://uxd.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360029218492-Intel-915-925-Series-BIOS-Motherboard-POST-Error-Codesan 34 is video related ??you have a phoenix bios normally what is written on it

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 06:53:13 am
content: I never wrote about two beeps.I measured the beeps timing:1- 4 seconds beep2- 4 seconds silence3- goto 1 (*endlessly*)Beeps also there when I remove the LVDS interface board Adlink PCX-8551 and the GPIB/acquisition interface board.The only thread that solved an issue in an Infiniium:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/looking-for-pcie-lvds-card-for-agilent-mso-infiniium-scope/(solved in reply #15)But anyway this doesn't apply here as the VGA outputs no video too.PhoenixBIOS is E688 (2004)Also measured PSU switching noise all < 50 mVpp except -12 V: 100 mVpp and - 5 V: 250 mVpp.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 10:21:53 am
content: If the computer does nothing else, then my bet would be the memory. Change that for different memory and try. At the very minimum you should get some output on a PC with only memory. I believe this motherboard has onboard video so connecting a VGA monitor should show some output (if any).If you used paper towel to clean sockets and so on, there might be some residu / fragments left so I'd check the contacts for any debris. If you didn't use ESD protection (wrist-band, anti-static mat) then anything can be broken during the cleaning process.Leaky capacitors can be a problem (I have found some results on Google) but before your cleaning operation, the oscilloscope still booted so it is very unlikely a leaky capacitor prevents it from booting suddenly. But before starting to rip the motherboard apart, I'd check for signs of leaky capacitors (bulging capacitors, electrolyte residu).

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 10:28:04 am
content: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/agilent-infiniium-mso8104a-need-help/

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 03:26:03 pm
content: Thanks. This morning I already ordered two DDR2, and will check if this could be the cause. But I doubt: never experienced bad memory modules, except in early Mac II whose connections were not reliable.Quote from: nctnico on October 05, 2025, 10:21:53 amYou believe well because I wrote initially "Nothing on an external VGA monitor."Don't worry I always take special care not to leave debris/residue when I clean sth: always checking what I'm doing! For non gold plated contacts I don't insert paper in them but use a tiny diamond file (only one back and forth).As for capacitors they're not leaky nor bulged. But more frequent failure is ESR rising due to electrolyte drying (or for a tantalum, too low its service voltage). These are 20 years old, customer-grade (and also low grade chinese) polarized caps. Which means they are now on the rising slope of the bathtub curve. Generally speaking before total failure they can enter a gray zone with intermittent failure (including partial reforming processes) therefore the stop and go behavior. I won't even measure the ESRs but proceed to complete replacement. Also don't worry for that: I own a well-cleaned Weller desoldering station and practice electronics since 57 years.Quote from: voltsandjolts on October 05, 2025, 10:28:04 amAlready saw this post. In my initial post look: I wrote "Reseated the DRAMs." This didn't help.Next planned steps after DRAM replacement will be processor (+/- chipset) reseating, then MB unmounting, and as already said full MB and daughterboards recaping.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 05:28:13 pm
content: Quote from: F1GWR on October 05, 2025, 03:26:03 pmI just thought that link supported nico's suggestion re dram problems, because it also described similar beeping noise to your OP.Anyway, bonne chance.

author: sprit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 03:52:05 am
content: Hi,I have thread about dso8k/80k in my profile, hope it can help

author: sprit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 03:56:35 am
content: I'm thinking gpib - acq card is having problems To be sure, first remove the motherboard and test it. If it doesn't work, try removing the cable from the pci to acq board and perform the boot procedure. You should have a motherboard test card, it is very useful.

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 08:58:20 am
content: Wow things are getting much better tonight!While reading the Intel MB manual, discovered that Agilent put the DIMM in the 1 (black) bank instead of 0 (blue).Swapped the Dimms to 0 and guess what? The long beeps are gone, only single normal short one and system started. Set BIOS to optimized default as requested in the Agilent manual.Returned DRAMs to bank 1: again all OK.However, I now get video on the rear DB15 connector issued by BIOS and Win XP with wandering blue squares and after that: black screen. Maybe an exotic resolution not allowed in my external monitor?As for the scope display: all white, sometimes darkening and that's all. Same when disconnecting the LVDS multi-colour cable. Must be due to the backlight converter only.Front panel commands seem responsive.Finally it turns out that this scope has been exposed most probably to two rain episodes before I bought it as defective. With some oxydation here and there.As for the blank display, as the LVDS board output signals, so checked the LCD rear: multi-colour wires connector was just against the PCB connector but not inserted!Thanks everybody for your suggestions. Finally I will postpone MB and daughter cards recaping. As we say here: "le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" (read: Best is the ennemy of Good).Christian

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 09:11:46 am
content: Quote from: sprit on October 06, 2025, 03:56:35 amI do own this very card.But if you read my post yesterday at 12:11:45, you would have seen that the display AF34 doesn't correspond to anything related to Phoenix BIOS in the 31 pages ccompanying booklet which I suspect been written for the two digit PC Analyzer

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 10:46:19 am
content: AFxxx where reserved for future usesnice to see updates and see it run

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 01:18:33 pm
content: Nice you got it workingDid you check the CMOS battery on the motherboard? It never hurts to swap that out.

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 04:09:13 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on October 06, 2025, 01:18:33 pmFirst thing I did initially!

author: sprit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 05:05:51 pm
content: Glad yours finally worked. Btw, can you take a screenshot of the device manager, Infiinium for me? I have another DSO 80k but I'm not sure what driver is missing Thank you very much.

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2025, 05:20:59 pm
content: Quote from: sprit on October 06, 2025, 05:05:51 pmCurrently my 8104A is again disassembled (encoder test partial failure report) mentioned in my latest thread. But when it will be up again I'll try to do it for you.Please detail the stepsto display that Device Manager info. (I'm not a window$$$ guy!...)

author: sprit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2025, 01:50:37 am
content: Thank you so much.When windows finishes booting, wait a moment for the scope application to run. Click on the top left corner and select exit. Then you find My Computer (if you don't see it on the desktop, click on the windows icon in the bottom left corner) Then the menu will pop up, right click on "my computer", then select device manager. Then scroll down and you will see an item named Infiinium, left click on it and it will show submenus.

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2025, 08:36:39 pm
content: Quote from: sprit on October 07, 2025, 01:50:37 amSpent at least half an hour searching around cause your instructions were not appropriate(missing mentions: view system information/system properties/hardware). Told you I'm not a window$ guy...Here's what you were looking for. But my scope is a 8000 series. Not 80000! And my motherboard is an old style Intel D915GUX, with two daughter interface boards in the first slot (PCIe x16) and third slot (PCI). Not sure you can compare...HTH

author: sprit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 02:35:18 am
content: Thank you so much. This is exactly what I was looking for.Dso 8/80k series share the same motherboard model (D915GUX).My Dso80k motherboard is broken so I replaced it with a new one (other type not the 915gux one) and I'm having some driver problems so I need someone has this scope line so i can refer to it i cant remember which driver loaded.I installed 3 memory channels missing and 1 extra driver hahaha. Anyway thank you very much

author: F1GWR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 02:31:53 pm
content: Quote from: sprit on October 09, 2025, 02:35:18 amand ?Also tell me if you need the description of each driver