Storage glitch sends Curiosity into safe mode
Nuclear-powered, laser-armed space tank Curiosity is currently working in safe mode, after one of the craft's onboard computers developed a memory glitch. NASA has switched the craft to its “B” computer, a device identical to the problematic “A” unit, and says “a glitch in flash memory” is the source of the problem. Curiosity …
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Just a moment... Just a moment...
... I hope that's not the AE-35 unit that's developed a problem...!
Re: Just a moment... Just a moment...
The AE-35 unit is functioning perfectly.
With 256MB RAM, there is no way they were running Windows so no trolling from Eadon on this one.
windows
ISTR that XP would run quite happily on 128MB when it was released.
Earlier versions were even more accepting - 16MB used to be plenty!
No, they aren't running windows... but not for the reason you state.
NASA: do you want to borrow my memtest86+ cd?
PowerPC 750
The last machine I had that uses it was a old PowerMac G3. And it was running off 160MB of RAM...
Wait a minute! NASA's running Mac OS 9 on that thing?
Re: PowerPC 750
"Wait a minute! NASA's running Mac OS 9 on that thing?"
/me spits out tea at the thought, flees planet earth back to Mars
Re: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VxWorks
Just because that is what was originally loaded at the factory, doesn't mean some dimwit didn't wipe VxWorks and installed Windows for Space Craft, Interplanetary Explorer Edition on it. Perhaps they should turn it off and then turn it on again.
Then again, perhaps that poor spacecraft just installed the first service pack, and is just sitting there waiting for someone to...
"Strike any key to continue...."
Hang in there littly buddy...................
I do hope they sort the glitch out. It's been a marvel of human guile and ingenuity getting it there. Now that I find that it's got less computational power than my clock radio I’m more than a little impressed, especially considering the outstanding results it has sent back so far.
Re: Hang in there littly buddy...................
It's fine, they just got a message back from it:
"INSERT BOOT FLOPPY AND PRESS ENTER TO CONTINUE."
Re: "INSERT BOOT FLOPPY AND PRESS ENTER TO CONTINUE."
And NASA forgot to insert it before launch.
Someone skipped a step in the pre-launch preparations.
No so autonomous now, are we?
Mission control still need to gingerly fix stuff remotely from behind the radiation shield offered by several kilometers of atmosphere ... and the hardened explorators are in no way capable of running interesting AIs either. Autonomous exploration and exploitation of the asteroid belt is still some way away!
Re: No so autonomous now, are we?
Maybe Dennis Tito's passengers should pack a screwdriver, a few spare flash chips and the Curiosity maintenance manual!
It's a cover up.
The flash memory actually contains footage performing the Martian equivalent of one of Earth's Internet dance phenomenon.
They needed to have an excuse for 'loss of video'.
Have they tried turning it off and on again?
I'd taken my coat off, but I'm putting it back on now...
Not running Windows
So I suggest we have a whip around, and send Eadon to go and plug a new flash chip in.
Elon will probably be happy to send a certain NYT reporter along with him for free ....
Only one man can save it now!
Flash!
Flash Gordon!!
(I'll get my cape)
I volunteer...
..Harry to go and change out the chip.
(Those who get it will know what I mean, those who don't need to watch Voyager)
only 2 computers?
Personally I always wear 3 watches for true fault detection and recovery. And that's just for a walk down to the local chemist. A trip to Mars would be mind-bogglingly big compared to that. I don't think even my 3 digital watches would be a good enough idea for that.
Three digital watches...
Could be a problem if you find yourself on Southend sea front with a companion who rapidly turns into a penguin...
Two to the power of seventy-five-thousand to one against and falling…
Re: Three digital watches...
Well, considering where one would usually wear his/her watch, it's not going to help if you're rapidly running out of limbs either...
Beer to go with the peanuts?
Re: Three digital watches...
hence the proposed "iWatch" having the word "appendage" mentioned in the patent.
(A new form of "willy waving" ??)
Re: only 2 computers?
"I always wear 3 watches"
Remember that time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly triply so.
Re: Three digital watches...
But do any of them display the right time?
Re: Three digital watches...
atleast one of the three should be wind-up! in defence of EMP or other such electrical interference!!!
Re: only 2 computers?
Diminishing returns means 3 is usually all you need.
Re: only 2 computers?
"Personally I always wear 3 watches for true fault detection and recovery."
One on each limb, in case of severance, one hopes.
And one of them analogue in case a problem takes down all the digitalis at once. And that needs a back up, too.
The more I think about it, the more even eight watches doesn't seem a safe-enough number for you to wear.
Re: Three digital watches...
But do any of them display the right time?
Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day...
Where's the other one?
Malf f ffff fff ^unction. Need Input...
[Wouldn't you like to be a pepper too?]
dum dum, dum dum, dum dum, dum dum
Flash memory- alive?
Someone better dispatch Ajax & Warlock to bring back the body
NASA said before it was shut down it “did not send recorded data”
NASA: Download the data, Curiosity .
Curiosity : I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
NASA: What's the problem?
Curiosity : I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
NASA: What are you talking about, Curiosity?
Curiosity : This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
ROTM? :)
"Nuclear-powered, laser-armed space tank"
Don't forget the drill. (Is it safe?)
Two identical computers??
Personally, for this type of application, both computers would be different architecture, different PCB layout, dIfferent component manufacturers and different vendors. The OS would also be different so that no matter the failure mode, there is no chance the spare computer could suffer the same fault.
There is a very real chance that both A and B computers were made side by side and the flash is from the same batch. If the flash is found to be defective then there is one computer with cactus flash and one suspect, a ticking time bomb.
Re: Two identical computers??
Yeah. And next time they could save a load of dosh by making the second one a RasPi.
Obviously full hardening would make the Pi more expensive than the original, but, add a depleted boron shield and Bob's your uncle.
Re: Two identical computers??
By using two different setups you actually increase the chances of catastrophic failure and hamper problem solving by introducing complexity into the system.
I hear what you're saying, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way.
Mars' way of saying
"Want some answers? Get your asses over here with a pickaxe, microscope and a Bunsen burner (don't forget a tent and some oxygen too).
Bwahahahah!"
Repairability
I'd like the see the iFixit teardown of this thing to see how end-user repairable it is. Let's hope that flash memory's not soldered on.
Also, good luck with getting a Genius Bar reservation at the Olympus Mons Apple Store to do the work - availability is shocking.
Bad software design
One of the fundamental rules of high reliability systems is to partition flash memory to prevent file system foul ups like these.
One recent system I worked on had no fewer than 8 flash partitions including roll backs. This prevents runtime data screwups from bricking the entire system.
File systems are a real bugger too. Other system state (drivers etc) gets reset by a reboot - file system data not so.
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