sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Inter-Tel Telephones & Systems Inter-tel Axxent

I have an old inter-tel axxent PC based system. It just recently crashed. The power supply burned up (litterally). I replaced the power supply, unit, powers back up no problem. Unfortunately it was no longer operational. I removed the hard drive to check it on another pc, discovered the hard drive was destroyed as well. I replaced the hard drive, and have reloaded the software, just the default install. After fresh reload of the application software, the default database light was not coming on, was getting the warning about the low battery, so I replaced that as well, now the default database light comes on. System still looses date and time, I relized there is a second battery on the PC CPU card, but that one is soldered in, no problem, I can deal with the unit loosing cmos settings after boot, as long as I do not have to solder a new battery in, I am not very good at it.

Here is my problem, I can connect to the Inter-tel system with the database programming PC. But when I select anything to try and make updates or try to restore my saved database, I receive the following message, "Communications Error: Database Programming is unable to communicate with the Axxent Talk. Please make sure the Axxent Talk is connected to the system."

Also, a side note, if I boot the system off of the 2nd application disk, I can connect to everything without error from my programming PC. I do have the lines and phones disconnected as I work on the machine, just have my programming PC hooked up, is that causing some type of problem?

I have invested so much time with the repairs on this thing, I hate to give up. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Userp.

Ok, I have some more information. After booting the Inter-tel phone system, and establising a connection with the Database programming PC, I go to the help and about sections from the pull down menu and the following is reported:

Program Version: 2.0-01
Axxent Version: 2.0-02
Axxent Talk Version: Unknown

If I boot the system off of Disk 2 from the set of 4 applications disk provided by Inter-tel here is what the same menu reports:

Program Version: 2.0-01
Axxent Version: 2.0-02
Axxent Talk Version: 2.0

Maybe this info helps maybe not.

Hi Userp:

Welcome to the board! It sounds like you certainly do have a lot of time invested. Hopefully we can help you out.

First off, please finish filling out your profile so we can get to know you better. An occupation and homepage added to your profile will make a big difference in the responses you get to your post.

There are ways to fix the CMOS issue without soldering, but we'll worry about that when it becomes an issue.

As for the communications issue, the fact that you can connect at all when using disk tells us that it doesn't appear to be hardware. Your cabling etc. is obviously good.

Check your COM Port settings. It sounds as if when booting from a disk you are on the correct port, but when running from the hard disk you are using different settings.

I think RCA & DnRComm have done more with Axxents than I have. Perhaps one of them will be by shortly.

Thanks MacGyver,

Unfortunately I do not have a homepage, but I will update my profile.

I can actually communicate on both COM ports with no problem when using hyperterminal. Even the Database programming PC software is able to establish a connection to the Inter-tel box. So I am not sure what else to check on the COM ports, anything specifically I should check? I have the standard settings: 9600, n, 8, 1. When booting the Inter-tel unit and with the programming terminal connected, I do get informational messages back through hyper-terminal. I can also plug into COM2 on the inter-tel box and receive informational messages back in hyperterminal. So I guess I am not quite sure what else I should be checking on the COM ports.

Thank you for assiting me, I have gotten just about as far as I can go with my knowledge.

Userp.

I think perhaps I misunderstood what you were saying in your first post.

I was thinking that you could connect to the Axxent with the programming computer when you booted the Axxent from a disk, but not when you booted from the hard drive. That led me to believe that the COM Port on the Axxent was set up differently in a file on the hard disk. But if I'm understanding you correctly now, you're saying that you can connect to the Axxent with no problem, see the programming etc., but you can't change anything. Is that correct?

Also, if so are you using the programming software that came on the same disks you used to load the Axxent?

""I have an old inter-tel axxent PC based system. It just recently crashed. The power supply burned up (litterally). I replaced the power supply, unit, powers back up no problem. Unfortunately it was no longer operational. I removed the hard drive to check it on another pc, discovered the hard drive was destroyed as well. I replaced the hard drive, and have reloaded the software, just the default install.""

What caused the crash? Power surge/power outage or do you think the power supply just gave out?

""After fresh reload of the application software""

How did you load the software?

""Here is my problem, I can connect to the Inter-tel system with the database programming PC. But when I select anything to try and make updates or try to restore my saved database, I receive the following message, "Communications Error: Database Programming is unable to communicate with the Axxent Talk. Please make sure the Axxent Talk is connected to the system.""

That is what it is. There is still a problem, software not loaded correctly, the VM board is bad etc.

""Also, a side note, if I boot the system off of the 2nd application disk, I can connect to everything without error from my programming PC. I do have the lines and phones disconnected as I work on the machine, just have my programming PC hooked up, is that causing some type of problem?""

Are you a tech or an end user? I assume an end user by your name. Booting off disk 2 will give you some usefull info. The info on this screen may or may not tell you whats wrong. But when its done booting up, if I remember correctly, it might say AVDAP is up, meaning the VM is talking. In any case, don’t worry about this procedure for now.

By default, the VM cable in the back goes to com1, make sure its in that port. Your issues with date/time and the battery are a whole different problem for now. It sounds like your VM card might be bad so lets start with troubleshooting that first.

The two things i would like to know is, what caused the crash and how you loaded the software.

Oh and also, if you used a new hard drive there is a couple of things you should know. The hard drive has to be set to a certain size and you must load DOS first, then the VM software.

Thanks for taking some time to assist Macgyver and RCA. I will try and answer some of your questions.

"I was thinking that you could connect to the Axxent with the programming computer when you booted the Axxent from a disk, but not when you booted from the hard drive."

Perhaps I can clear up what I meant, when the cable is plugged into here: (please be patient with the AVI files, kinda of large)

https://www.dmp-consulting.com/axxent/pic1.jpg

The results from normal hard drive boot from hyperterminal are:

https://www.dmp-consulting.com/axxent/hyperterm1.htm

The results from launching Database programming, same cable configuration are:

https://www.dmp-consulting.com/axxent/database1.avi

Now when I boot off of Application Disc2, same cable configuration as above, here is the result:

https://www.dmp-consulting.com/axxent/database2.avi

When I switch the cable over to the Diag port(I believe that is what it is) as shown here and boot off Disc2:

https://www.dmp-consulting.com/axxent/pic2.jpg

The hyperterminal results are:

https://www.dmp-consulting.com/axxent/hyperterm2.txt

"Also, if so are you using the programming software that came on the same disks you used to load the Axxent?"

I have only ever had two sets of disc: 4 application disc, and 2 database programming disc.

"What caused the crash? Power surge/power outage or do you think the power supply just gave out?"

Well, the building has cut power a few times over the last couple of months, the last time was the death of the Inter-tel box, opened power supply, as some older ones have fuses, that's when I noticed the charred remains. A couple of resistors blew, and scorched some other electronics of the power supply as well, there was no UPS attached, not sure how much that would have helped, the Axxent has been in non stop operation for a decade.

"How did you load the software?"

By booting on disk one, and inserting the other discs as promplted by the beeps.

"Are you a tech or an end user?"

Well I am a tech, just not a phone tech.....PC's. I provide ongoing network support and PC maintenance to small business's.

"Oh and also, if you used a new hard drive there is a couple of things you should know. The hard drive has to be set to a certain size and you must load DOS first, then the VM software."

Ya, I am aware of that limitation, the drive was only partitioned out to 450MB. And yes, PC DOS 7, the version that came with the unit was reloaded before reinstalling the application disc.

Paul.

I strongly suspect that your voicemail card got smoked by whatever surge killed the power supply and hard drive. Have you at least visually inspected the VM card?

Hi paul144,

Yes I have pulled the card, visually inspected, no visual damage, and also has no smell of burnt electronics.