Communication problem between PC and Agilent GC 6890

[usman_o]

Dear all,

I have problem with my PC connected to Agilent GC 6890 (Firmware A.03.07). The PC (Windows NT 4.0) with 82341 GPIB card was running Chemstation A.06.03 smoothly until last sunday. When i started the chemstation on last monday, it hang after initialization with the GC. The error message is "unable to close session during initialization".

I then tried to use other PC (windows 95, 82335 GPIB card, and Chemstation A.06.03) which is working well with Agilent GC 6890 (Firmware A.02.09) and the same problem appeared: It hang after initialization with the GC.

The same problem appeared when I used another PC (Windows 95, 82335 GPIB card, and Chemstation A.04.02, working well with Agilent GC 6890 Firmware A.01.11)

I then called Agilent customer service and talked to the Engineer. He was not so sure about the problem. He suggested to re-install the Chemstation A.06.03, but unfortunately, i didn't have the original CD. He offered me to send the engineer to install Chemstation A.08.03, and i have to pay their service even though he cannot solve the problem and their service charge is quite expensive. My feeling is that the problem is not on the Chemstation. Probably the problem is the GPIB port on the GC. Can i have your comments, idea, or suggestion how to solve the problem?

I also asked whether i can upgrade the GC to LAN port. He replied that it's not possible to upgrade the GC since there is no more upgrade part for my GC. If Chemstation A.08.03 still cannot communicate properly with the GC, he suggested me to buy a new GC.

Regards,
Usman

[cleh]

Try powering everything down. Then turn on the GC first. Once it goes through it's self test turn on the autosampler (if you have one), and then start your computer. Please let me know if this works.

[coffee bean]

Assuming the GC passes the self-tests during initialization without problems, I'd take a look at the cables too. Maybe I'd try cleaning the contacts.

[AICMM]

usman_o,

1) Does the former PC speak to the other GC's?

2) Have you considered replacing the HP-IB card in your GC? (perhaps a swap?)

3) You don't have any of the original software? If you did, I might suggest XP with 82351.

Best regards,

AICMM

[usman_o]

Hi AICMM

1) I can confirm that the former PC can speak to other GC

2) I saw that the HP-IB card is integrated on the main board. There is no possibility to replace it.

3) I only have the original software of Chemstation of A.04.02 which is not compatible for 82341 HP-IB card.

Anyway, thanks for your help and suggestion. My professor asked me not to spend too much time on trouble shooting the GC. He asked Agilent to come to solve the problem. Once it is solved, i will post the solution they use

[usman_o]

Hi cleh,

I tried your method to turn off everything, then turn on the GC first and the PC later. I don't use autosampler. However, it still cannot solve the problem.

Anyway, thanks for your help and suggestion

[teff]

Hy,

Did the Agilent people solve the problem? How?

I have a similar problem here ("cannot bring up GC"), and by now I've switched cable, the HP-IB-card in the PC, and the GC board..

Cheers,
teff

[Consumer Products Guy]

If you've tried 3 PCs which had ChemStation loaded and none worked, then it sounds like the GC. I assume you also back-exchanged the PC with one of the other GCs and it worked there?

Anyway, if that GC is equipped with an autosampler, I think I'd turn of the ALS box, unplug the ALS from the GC, and temporarily delete the ALS from Configuration Editor and Save, and then start up and see if the ChemStation can talk to your GC.

[usman_o]

Hy,

Did the Agilent people solve the problem? How?

I have a similar problem here ("cannot bring up GC"), and by now I've switched cable, the HP-IB-card in the PC, and the GC board..

Cheers,
teff

Hi Teff,

Finally we were able to identify the problem: HP-IB connector on the GC. The Agilent engineer suggested to change the motherboard. However, i think changing the motherboard would be very expensive. Therefore, i preferred to adding the LAN card to the GC. It is working well now.

Cheers,
Usman

[teff]

Hey,

thanks for the input. We solved our problem but don't really know how.

Before we had tried everything using one PC and one GC, but we replaced the IB-Card (HP82341) of the PC, the GC main board, and the cables.

Now we found another PC with an older card (HP82335), and it works. I think we have a software problem on the PC we first used since I couldn't install new instruments due to some missing files:

In MSConfig.exe, when saving the configuration:
"Cannot copy ../HPCHEM/MSSETUP/INI/HP5890.INI" the instrument files.
Folder INI is missing.


It's just confusing that the problem occured when we repaired something on the GC and apparently noone touched the PC..


Anyway, I'll try to get both PCs working and will let you know ..

Cheers,
teff

[Klaus I.]

Language-Settings on PC can also cause such a Problem. Years ago, chemstation was only working with US-settings stable. E.g. I have worked three month with the system without any problems, but after that there was a other abbreviation for the calendar month in my mother-language and chemstation stopped working. This was only due to the differend date format.