No, really, it's a hardware problem

[syberghost.livejournal.com]

I had to call Sun Microsystems today for a 420R with a serial port that's not accepting input, preventing us from fixing a server with a sick /var. It's clearly a hardware problem, we can see output from the serial port but can't give any input. Generally Sun has the best tech support in the world, especially if you have the lucky special magic corporate support number service, which we do.

me: The serial console doesn't accept any input. I can't break out of the boot, and I can't type the root password to proceed into single-user mode when it prompts me.

Sun guy 1: Try sending a stop-A to break out of the boot.

me: Right. Doesn't work, because it's not accepting any input.

Sun guy 1: Oh. Well try putting a CD in and do a boot cdrom -s.

me: Can't type boot cdrom -s, because it's not accepting any input.

Sun guy 1: Oh. Well try pulling the serial connector during the boot, that may force it into the ok prompt.

me: Unless the serial port isn't accepting input. But I'll go try that.

I call back:

me: Ok. Didn't work. It's still not accepting any input.

Sun guy 1: Oh. Hmm, I can't think of anything else to try.

me: I can; try sending me a field engineer to fix this broken serial port.

Sun guy 1: Let me get another engineer to look at this.

(hold music for 3 minutes)

Sun guy 2: So, I don't have the full history on this. Is the serial port not working at all?

me: No, it's sending output, but not accepting any input. I have tried sending a break during the boot several times, nothing. Tried pulling the serial connector, nothing.

Sun guy 2: And the dumb terminal you're using works on other machines?

me: yes.

Sun guy 2: Well it's clearly hardware then. We'll send a field engineer to look at it.

NOOOOOOOOO, really? Why didn't I think of that? Like, an HOUR ago.

Comments

[katballou.livejournal.com]

While it is completely annoying to have someone not listen to you when you have already troubleshot and know what's wrong, I do have to give the support rep the benefit of knowing that he probably ends up talking to far too many people who are insisting there is hardware failure when they haven't even tried to do anything at all.

[jecook]

+1 bazzillion.

I had to do that with a Officejet 4100 (or something similar, it was a couple years ago), with it jamming like clockwork every 30 pages. I sat on the phone with the script reading monkey on the other end for something better then an hour and a half "duplicating" the problem (a whee little farce- I had duplicated the problem before I called, I was just need to initiate an RMA for the lil' bastid.) This way I was not wasting a ream of paper then I didn't have to...

Oh, and nice hat in your icon. :)

[xforge.livejournal.com]

I fricking hate our policy that a technician has to look at something "in person" before they'll call third-party service on it. I'm on the phone with Miami, and I can tell the fuser unit is gone in the LaserJet, but we MUST first send a field tech all the way down there so he can peer at it and go "yup, it's what you said, go 'head and order it." Bah!!!

[canray.livejournal.com]

The Lightbulb doesn't come on when you flip the switch?

It's obviously a software issue.

[arabwel.livejournal.com]

Seconding the hat love. and agreement.