The RF-ID Tag has changed.
System-security - Keyboard is locked.

Adaptec AHA-2940 Ultra/Ultra W SCSI BIOS v.1.32S8
(c) 1997 Adaptec, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SCSI BIOS Installed Successfully!

System-security - Keyboard is unlocked.
176 The system has been tampered with.
Turn power to your system OFF and then ON.
Your system is now locked.


I downloaded Sun's Java Run-Time Environment (v.1.4.2 02) last night so that I could use another program that requires it to operate. Everything went fine during installation, until the installation program asked me to shut the computer off and turn it back on before the installation would be complete. Since then I haven't been able to use my computer. I get the above message. I am upset to say the least. Please tell me what I can do to get my computer back.

 

 

This is not Java (not to say that the Java install didn't trigger whatever happened), it's apparently a feature(?) of your computer. Check the hardware documentation.

 

 

I have faced with the same problem in my Server, when changing the backup tape drive.
What solution that you have founded for overcoming this problem?

This is IBM Netfinity 3000 8476-61U Server.

 

 

We had the same problem. A server went down due to a power failure. When power was turned back on I got the same message.

We found out what the problem was. Check the caps on the mainboard above the CPU. There are 3 caps, slightly bigger then all other caps on the mainboard. You might see these caps are bulging slightly.

Since we didn't had support by IBM on our server anymore, we decided to try to repair it ourself by replacing the three 560uF/25V caps by two 1000uF/35V caps, whitch we had on stock. Our server works again!

My guess is that this problem has nothing at all to do with Java, it's just a result of the rebooting and defect caps.

 

 

how do we change this capicitors ?

do they unplug ?

cheers

 

 

Quite simpel:
just take a solder iron and remove the 3 caps from the main board.
Then clean the holes (they must be open otherwise you can't put the new caps in).
We used 2 caps of 1000uF because we didn't had 3 caps of 560uF. Put the new caps in, and solder them on the mainboard.

For someone with a little bit of electronics knowlage this is a piece of cake :) The repair is very cheap, took us 2 caps of about ?0.20 and about 10 minutes of hard labour to remove and solder the caps back on.
I've made photos of our elcos we've replaced:
http://ftp.quaedackers.homeip.net/pub/server_elcos.jpg
http://ftp.quaedackers.homeip.net/pub/server_elcos2.jpg

You should only do this when you don't have support on the server from IBM anymore, because I don't think IBM will give any support when they find out you've done anything to the mainboard with a solder iron :)

 

 

Dear Patrickske ,
I have received your solution and tried it this morning.
(We got the same error last month,IBM Netfinity 1000)

After 1 hour demount case and take the main board out.
We just replace 2 caps which the same with yours .and
try to reboot, but it's seems not work. Can you give me
any suggestion?

We had contacted IBM (Taiwan) for help, but they charge for BIG price which
we can't afford.So we try to repair by ourself.

A visitor from Taiwan.

 

 

I'm sorry for reply again,
It's amazing, when I close all part of case and reboot,
I see OS LOGO again!

Thanks Patrickske ,you save me lots of $$.

 

 

We got the same trouble here on and old trashcan.. 550Mhz, IBM, 128 RAM.
Suddenly the machine went down with this message. It happened today.
So now I turn off the machine, tried a lot of times and got the same error. I also check the caps and it seems ok... So i tried more time and then machine started up..
SO i backed up my data and turn if off/on again.. seems to be ok..

I'm gonna wait and see when will be the next failure..

 

 

Well, glad I could help!
When I'm not mistaking there is a caseswitch on the Netfinity-servers. This could be the problem you had when you tried to boot it without closing the case.

You have a Netfinity 1000? Seems to me that the whole Netfinity server-family has some weird issues with those caps.
But now you have repaired your server, you can use it again.

We called IBM for support, and we also would have been charged with a rediculous amount of $$. IBM would state that the mainboard is defect beyond repair I guess and simply put a new one in I guess. If we haven't found this solution, we where forced to buy a new server, which is also very expensive! (compared to ?0.40 for 2 caps and some more ? for 10 minutes labour)

Patrick

 

 

What kind of "old trash can"? If you still have IBM support, I would suggest to use it. Otherwise... maybe the caps are defect after all. (maybe you can find out if those caps are dead by measuring them with a multi-meter)

Good luck !

Patrick

 

 

Thanks Patrick
Your tip saved me a lot of time and frustration not to mention money.
I have a old Netfinity 3000 that I use to run a training program for our Techs.
We had a weekend power outage, and when it came back up I had the same error. I replaced all 3 caps, with 470uf's (all I had on hand), and it is up and runnning.

Thanks again

Butch

 

 

I have a building of 60 IBM 300 PL's student workstations. So far I have gotten this message on two of them and they are totaly out of commission. I am the building Tech but I do not know what you are talking about when you say to remove the caps and replace them. Can you please explain what you mean by caps and tell me how to fix them. I do not have IBM support either and as a school do not have the money to send these out for repair. I do all the repair on the computers and I am confident that I can fix them if given more details. Thanks,
Cindy

 

 

I changed the capacitors, but the RF-ID Tag error continues. It is now preceeded by "161 Bad CMOS battery" but I got a new battery. What other things could I try?

 

 

Just to review the scope of this thread:

This is not a Java issue.

This message only occurs on IBM systems; laptop, workstations and servers. The full value is 0176 and is hexadecimal.

The important line here is:

176 The system has been tampered with.

My inerpretation: For older servers by HP and IBM, they often forced you to run their configuration utility after you make hardware changes or if a stored checksum mismatches (similar to CMOS checksum error on personal systems).

Here is an IBM page that talkes about this and other POST messages on some models:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-42321

Error code:
0176
Symptom or error:
System Security. The system has been tampered with.
Field replaceable unit or action, in sequence:
1. Run IBM BIOS Setup Utility, and then save current setting by pressing F10.
2. System board.


http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&uid=psg1MIGR-4BAHK2

POST error code:
176
Component(s) to troubleshoot or replace
Covers were removed from the computer.

http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=DDSE-43WNL9

Error code: 0176 (CPU failure - Slot 1, CPU # 1)

FRU/Action:
1. Reseat processor module
2. Processor Module
3. Processor Board

You get the idea: Find the POST code documentation for your model.


Now, on the issue of those capacitors. I thought that only happend on cheap systems. The was a problem was traced to a bad engineering change made in capacitors, primarily in Taiwan, in about 2001that results in them failing after perahsp one year of service. Here are some realted links:

http://www.feistworks.com/ben/3comfix/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/06/stolen_formula_torpedos_big_brand/