Summary

Cross-disperser won't stop moving

Symptom
When a cross disperser move is requested, the XDANGL keyword starts changing and never stops; it cycles continuously within a certain range of values.
Problem
The cross disperser motor is confused.
Solution
  1. From the window manager's pulldown menu, select the HIRES Control Menu option, then release on the item labeled Stop Cross-disperser Oscillation.
  2. Alternatively, type the following command on lehoula: 
    stop_cd_drift
  3. If this does not halt the cross-disperser, contact your support astronomer.

Shutter appears to fail

Symptom
During a non-dark exposure, the color-coded box on the exposure control GUI stays black indicating a closed shutter.
Problem
The shutter is opening but not enough to trigger the limit switch. The EXPTIME keyword in the fits header will also be fractions of a second rather than the desired exposure time. This may occur during humid conditions or when the shutter is failing.
Solution
  • No solution needed, unless the exposure level implies that the shutter really was closed. Shutter replacement may be necessary.

    • Rotator is not responding

    Symptom
    The rotator will not initialize.
    Problem
    The rotator daemon needs to be restarted or it is running as another user.
    Solution
  • Use the ct command to see what daemons are running (see example output below) under the HIRES server (background menu -> Login Windows -> HIRES SERVER xterm.
  • Try executing hires restart watch_hirot

    • Example ct output on the xterm on the HIRES server:

    [21] hires1@lehoula: ct

    ============================================================================
    Checking HIRES tasks...

    MANDATORY daemons on LEHOULA (owner 'hireseng'; 6 tasks):
    traffic, infoman, watch_ccd, watch_expo, dispatcher2, lickserv2

    OBSERVER processes on LEHOULA (after a full startup; owner 'YOU'; 4 tasks):
    write_image, obsr, ds9, ds9relay
    ============================================================================

    ...Checking LEHOULA for necessary daemon tasks ...
    OWNER PID TIME PROCESS
    hireseng 9362 19:10:24 0:05 /local/kroot/bin/watch_hirot dcs
    hireseng 29932 Aug 03 6:44 lickserv2 -s hiccd -port 5686 -wname h_watch_ccd -lsname h_lickserv2 -
    hireseng 29800 Aug 03 15:11 traffic
    hires1 14514 19:31:15 0:00 dispatcher2 -s expo -n 0 -l dy
    hireseng 9302 19:10:21 0:00 /bin/csh /local/kroot/bin/watch_hirot_monitor
    hireseng 9330 19:10:24 0:00 /bin/csh /local/kroot/bin/watch_hirot_rotinit
    hireseng 9332 19:10:24 0:00 /bin/csh /local/kroot/bin/watch_hirot_rotstby
    hireseng 9334 19:10:24 0:00 /bin/csh /local/kroot/bin/watch_hirot_rothalt
    hires1 14606 19:31:20 0:00 /local/kroot/bin/watch_expo
    hireseng 28169 Jul 25 8:14 watch_ccd /local/kroot/data/music/info.hiccd/header_info hiccd hires e
    hireseng 29833 Aug 03 0:01 infoman h_infom v=hiccd
    hireseng 29846 Aug 03 0:31 watch_ccd /local/kroot/data/music/info.hiccd/header_info hiccd hires e

    ...Checking LEHOULA for observer tasks ...
    OWNER PID TIME PROCESS
    hireseng 15483 19:34:12 0:26 /local/kroot/bin/obsr -2l /local/k
    hires1 14921 19:32:12 0:22 /local/kroot/bin/obsr -2l /local/k
    hireseng 21712 Aug 14 12:22 /local/kroot/bin/obsr -2l /local/k
    hires1 14886 19:32:11 0:00 write_image -s hiccd -wcname h_watch_ccd -lsname h_lickserv2 -winame h
    hires1 14898 19:32:12 0:10 /local/kroot/bin/obsr -2lv /local/
    hires1 14963 19:32:44 0:00 /local/ucolick/NewDS9/3.0.2/saods9/lib/ucolick/ds9relay

    Exposure Meter Errors

    Symptom
    The exposure meter is not responding to commands or error windows are popping up (e.g. "Heartbeat expo. CTRL0CLK has stopped").
    Problem
    The exposure meter is in an unhappy state and needs to be restarted.
    Solution
  • Attempt to restart the watch_expo daemon: hires restart watch_expo
  • If that fails with an error (e.g. Error: Can't read Exposure meter dispatcher status: mread select timeout.), then do an "End of Night Shutdown" and then restart all the GUIs with the "Start ALL HIRES GUIs" from the background menu.

    • Exposure Meter Will Not Disarm or Shut Down

    Symptom
    Neither the "Disarm" button, nor the "System Stop" button work.
    Problem
    The internal cal lamps are on.
    Solution
    Turn off the cal lamps, then try again.

    Guider Bias Mismatch

    Symptom
    The two channels of the guider are very different (15k on left, 9k on right)
    Problem
    The camera biases have been set to 0 instead of default levels (515, 460) or so
    Solution
  • In MAGIQ OA UI, open "Extended Camera Controls"
  • Click "Load Defaults"

    • HIRES GUI won't launch

    Symptom
    1. Nothing happens when you try to launch the HIRES GUI (this is the new GUI that replaced the old XHIRES GUI)
    2. The HIRES GUI is missing after Starting up all HIRES GUIs
    Problem
    The service: hiresplus is not running.
    Solution
  • From an xterm as hireseng on hiresserver, issue this command "$RELDIR/etc/init.d/hiresplus start"
  • Bring up the HIRES_GUI via the pulldown menu: HIRES Control Menu -> Subcomponents -> Start HIRES_GUI

    • HIRES Cryolevers are not correct

    Symptom
    You are seeing warnings about the cryolevers not being in the correct state
    Problem
    They are filling the reserve dewar for HIRES, and you can't fill the HIRES CCD dewar while this is happening
    Or, the sensor that reads the lever state is reading in error
    Solution
  • Verify what state the software thinks that the cyolevers are in: from a hiresserver xterm: "show -s hiccd dwrxfrsw". If it is happy and ready for filling, it should read state=0
  • Otherwise, call the summit and have someone check on the levers. They may need to be toggled back and forth.
  • Have the summit initate a manual fill, and report the problem

    • HIRES LN2 Autofill is not enabled

    Symptom
    You see warnings about the HIRES autofill process NOT running
    It may also be preventing a commanded fill (via software) to occur
    Problem
    The keyword is not set correctly
    Solution
    From an xterm as hireseng at hiresserver, set the keyword to be enabled: "modify -s hiccd autofill=1"
  • From an xterm as hireseng on hiresserver, issue this command "$RELDIR/etc/init.d/hiresplus start"
  • Bring up the HIRES_GUI via the pulldown menu: HIRES Control Menu -> Subcomponents -> Start HIRES_GUI

    • Window Manager (fvwm) Hung

    Symptom
    GUIs in VNC windows lost their top bars, so the GUIs cannot be moved, resized, or rearranged. Right click in the background is not responsive.
    Problem
    The window manager (fvwm) is hung or has died.
    Solution 1
    1. Kill existing window manager (if still running)
        log in to VNC server as the user
        ps and grep for "fvwm"
        kill -9 the PID
    2. Restart the window manager
        log in to VNC server as the user
        setenv DISPLAY kaalualu:[vnc port]
        /usr/local/bin/fvwm -f $HOME/.vnc/fvwm2rc &
    Solution 2

    HIRES GUI is not updating

    Symptom
    The HIRES GUI doesn't update after commands are set. For example, sending open all covers is commanded, but the GUI does not show them open.
    Problem
    The hiresplus service has died or is frozen
    Solution
    Restart hiresplus service: $RELDIR/etc/init.d/hiresplus restart

    Arcs anomaly

    Symptom
    Arc lines seem too faint, shifted, or have a uneven spatial line profile with a faint secondary peak.
    Problem
    The lamp selection stage may have shifted.
    Solution
    Home the lamp selection stage by modify -s hires lselcal=homed