DAS Mux repair

**toniz** · 7th August, 2011, 08:14 PM

Hi guys,

My star decided to call it quits today.
Green light on, but when connected to the laptop, Virtual machine freezes and becomes inoperative. If i disconnect the serial cable from either side, VM comes back immediately. If i disconnect car cable, it unfreezes for a second and freezes back up.
Has anyone managed to repair one of these units yet? It's a clone but has been working for over a year. I use laptop with true serial. Second laptop same story.
Serial cable tested, all good.

Any feedback is highly appreciated.

Toni

**eduardo74** · 7th August, 2011, 09:17 PM

Few issues:
probably have operating system issue,
or maybe your VM file is damaged,
or if you are using external disk maybe bad sectors,
or if you are using external disk, USB cable defective?

**toniz** · 7th August, 2011, 09:32 PM

I have a back up of the VM file, and tried already, but no success.
I haven't tried another HDD, but will do so, and will post results.

**toniz** · 7th August, 2011, 10:25 PM

Yep, another HDD and problem is the same.

**DB_member** · 8th August, 2011, 06:48 AM

What do you get from the CAESAR test? Can you test your multiplexer with another laptop with native Windows/Star installation?

**toniz** · 8th August, 2011, 07:33 AM

I can not do a proper Caesar test, as the VM freezes once the MUX is connected.
If i play with the Com port settings, it sometimes unfreezes, but then i get error 102 - Com port initialization error at Caeasar. If i unplug car cable the VM unfreezes for a second, if i do test in that second i get 104 Download not possible. And with Mux disconnected, i get com port OK, but No hardware detected.
Like i said , it's been working all along, i have a back up of the VM file, from day one.
I don't have laptop with native installation, but it clearly looks like the Mux has a problem on the serial port. Tried re soldering the board, but no change.

**DB_member** · 8th August, 2011, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by toniz

I can not do a proper Caesar test, as the VM freezes once the MUX is connected.

I missed this point, strange how the serial communication issue can freeze the computer completely. Would be interesting to see what happens with a non-VM setup.

A pity that instructions to fix typical multiplexer issues are rare. After all, broken multiplexers are not that rare, specifically those cheaper ones. I've seen several posts referring to the "104 D2Download not possible" fault.

**toniz** · 9th August, 2011, 09:03 PM

Did borrow another MUX today (original one, supplied by Actia), used my cables, no freezing but i do get error 9551 , and Caesar - 104 download not possible.

I wonder if i can make it work, i have a car to finish urgently.

Alternatively, i do have Xentry 01.2011, i can attempt to do native install.
How difficult is this? Does it require any keys, etc.?
Should the original MUX work with this?

**DB_member** · 10th August, 2011, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by toniz

Did borrow another MUX today (original one, supplied by Actia), used my cables, no freezing but i do get error 9551 , and Caesar - 104 download not possible.

I wonder if i can make it work, i have a car to finish urgently.

Alternatively, i do have Xentry 01.2011, i can attempt to do native install.
How difficult is this? Does it require any keys, etc.?
Should the original MUX work with this?

How did you conclude it was an original Actia mux? If it reads like that on the label, it could still be a clone. What I'm after is that your cable might not be compatible with that mux.

If you had another mux for testing, why did you not test your mux (and cables) with the computer that came with this mux?

Assuming your VM backup copy is good and you had at least one good mux with correct cables, it does sound like your COM port settings are still not correct. Could you have a look at the host computer COM port settings as well as the VM COM port settings and report?

**toniz** · 10th August, 2011, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by DB_member

How did you conclude it was an original Actia mux? If it reads like that on the label, it could still be a clone. What I'm after is that your cable might not be compatible with that mux.

If you had another mux for testing, why did you not test your mux (and cables) with the computer that came with this mux?

Assuming your VM backup copy is good and you had at least one good mux with correct cables, it does sound like your COM port settings are still not correct. Could you have a look at the host computer COM port settings as well as the VM COM port settings and report?

I know that they have it on lease from the local dealer.
Also, it is using round rs485 on both ends of the PC cable.
And did not want to try my mux on their station to avoid any possible damage.
Anyway, in the process of doing a fresh 01.2011 installation, and will post results.

Thanks

**eduardo74** · 11th August, 2011, 03:36 PM

Round box with label RS485 is fake, there is nothing inside, just cable pass thru. :-)
Opened more than 5 of this, all is empty, but cable is on both sides of box sometimes cause problems

**DB_member** · 11th August, 2011, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by eduardo74

Round box with label RS485 is fake, there is nothing inside, just cable pass thru. :-)
Opened more than 5 of this, all is empty, but cable is on both sides of box sometimes cause problems

I've seen square boxes that are empty inside, the same box that on a good mux has a converter inside.

But I believe toniz was referring to the round connector at each end of the cable, the one the genuine diagnosis computer is using (thus no RS232 converter needed). Even this mainly proves that the laptop is genuine but it would be unlikely that one would use a clone with a genuine laptop, I assume.

**eLKa** · 14th August, 2011, 11:42 AM

I`ve repaired some multiplexers; for proper diagnose You should connect ceasar to laptop without VMware and run ceasar test; cloned multiplexers that I saw had rs232 &rs485 integrated circuits inside black square box; post here attatchment with your test; I hope it helps in diagnose;
regards an sorry for my english

**toniz** · 17th August, 2011, 04:43 PM

Got my new Mux today, and all good and working with the old hard and VM file.
I guess the old mux just died.
Now i just need to figure out, how to get it working on native 01.2011 installation.

I tried the old Mux, caeser test from the laptop (no VM), but always get - Device not in state ready, or no device selected. With the new one Caeser test goes all OK.

Thanks everyone for the input.

Still would be nice yo repair the old unit.

**ChengLynn** · 6th November, 2011, 02:14 PM

Hello to all members of this great forum, i have a big problem with my mux!
It works any more.

I have make Ceasar test and upload it to this thread.
I have a second mux and it works fine with the same cables, so i think the cables are ok.
If anybody know how to repair it, or have a step by step guide for mux repair, it was great if you help me to repair my mux. I know that my mux is not the best quality because it was very cheap.

Many thanks for your help!
best regards Cheng