Sony SRX-R515 projector RAID error 3002 on server XCT-S10

[Abiodun Shodeinde]

My name is Abiodun Shodeinde...

Currently I have two Sony SRX-R515 projectors that have problems, Firstly, i observed that the Linux operation system on the Sony digital Cinema Server XCT-S10 (Hall 2) fails most of the time before shows and sometimes during the shows it stops, I had no choice than to reboot it whenever it fails.

I have made attempts to replace/ swap, the hard drives from the Sony projector in a smaller hall (hall 4) and attempted a rebuild, however it started giving a raid error 3002. I now believe that was a wrong step to have taken as all attempts to correct the problem have failed. As a result, I now have two of our four halls down.

I am requesting that you kindly provide us guidance to remove the RAID 3002 error and rebuild the projector.

Thank you in advance for helping me out here

[Carsten Kurz]

You can not solve these issues on your own, you need to contact Sony support. The first problem probably had nothing to do with the RAID discs, but with the operating system SSD of the server.
You can not just swap discs from one RAID to another.

[Abiodun Shodeinde]

Thanks Carsten,... really appreciate your rapid response.
however, I made several attempt in contacting Sony Europe but to no avail. All o need now is getting back the servers XCT-S10 on back on track. I will appreciate if you could help out.

Best Regards Sir

[Stefan Scholz]

Problem, you swapped discs between different machines. That will never work. You will in this case have ruined your RAID cluster. The disks need to be replaced with factory supplied new disks, that are quite costly. This is your RAID error.
Then, you might want to perform the RAID rebuild tool on the universal update manager login. Maybe you're lucky to get it straightened out.
Your initial fault looks like the Mini SSD in the server is faulty. Make a backup of the system settings of the server with the backup tool, and then order a new SSD, install and restore setting. If the backup didn't work, newly edit your settings on the machine. The little "update manager tools" are available over your sales and service organization.
You are too far for a quick service trip, so let me know, if you need more assistance.

[Marco Giustini]

Abiodun,
Is there a Sony reseller in Nigeria? How do you get your 515's serviced? Those are nice projectors but they MUST be serviced or the picture quality will massively degrade over time.

As Carsten says, with Sony products it's often not as easy as "swap parts between two projectors" as you often need service password, service scripts etc to get things working again.

So I second Carsten's advice: get in touch with your service engineer and have them sort it out for you.

Just out of curiosity, can you elaborate on the Linux issue?

[Abiodun Shodeinde]

Thanks for this advice Stefan, Carsten and Marco.

Sure am not going to do this alone, and that's why I really need you guys to be around me on this and I will sure appreciate you for your support.
however I do really agreed that the failed raid clusters has refused the hard drives coming up, instead showing a raid error.
But , will strictly follow your guidelines and get back to you on it asap.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

You might be better off to replace the projector(s), considering that Sony no longer supports any of their Digital Cinema projectors. It was much the same with SDDS digital sound processors and readers, even though it was the better sounding of the digital systems (when it worked). Theaters can not afford a lot of down time.

[Carsten Kurz]

No true, Mark, Sony published an official hardware support statement through 2027 when they ended sales of systems. That, of course, doesn't mean it will be easy to get local support in Nigeria.

[Emmanuel Nwokafor]

Sony installed those projector thru an installer from the UK, private chat me to give you his details
I guess the cinema that those projectors was installed have his contact too.

[Marco Giustini]

The RAID will probably just need to be re-initialised. It's been too long and I cannot remember how to do that, likely a script you need to run. Also remember - Carsten may confirm - that you need SONY hard drives to replace faulty ones. I don't think a generic HDD would work - but again, that was some time ago.
For the SSD I remember a very non-straightforward procedure to backup the SSD onto another one. Again, it's not as easy on a DSS server where you swap the drives and stick a CDROM inside.
I see you have the service password already but I don't think you will get step-by-step guidance from anybody but your installer.

[Carsten Kurz]

There is a procedure similar to a software upgrade in order to perform a RAID reinit, it is a simple RAID reinit file that needs to be loaded through the GUI.
Luckily, I never had to do that on our system during the last 10 years. I think you only need Sony 'branded' discs for the regular RAID replacement procedure, means, that disc will be immediately integrated as a spare into an existing RAID without any interruption or manual intervention.

AFAIK, when you recreate the RAID from scratch, the discs do not need to carry Sonys specific disc marker, but still need to be of the same type (common Seagate type).

So, all you need is the software update credentials, and the RAID reinit file. For the possible system SSD corruption on the other system, it won't go without Sonys official help.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

[QUOTE=Carsten Kurz;n20542]No true, Mark, Sony published an official hardware support statement through 2027 when they ended sales of systems. That, of course, doesn't mean it will be easy to get local support in Nigeria.[/

Carsten... I've been through that claim with Sony before on the SDDS debacle. When I worked at Claco we had ~40 units waiting for parts for so long that one chain had me yank theirs out and install CP-650s. Sony could not ship sprockets, guides, lateral guide rollers. or LED arrays. We had LaVezzi make us the sprockets for the 2000's, but with worn lateral guide rollers of course they still would not run reliably. I did find an almost exact replacement for the LED's, so I rebuilt the arrays, and was able to get many of the 2000's operational again. Phone calls to Sony were a waste of time because that department no longer existed, and there was no one to answer delivery questions. .The guy that Clayton knew who was the main SDDS field guy had passed away. Then one day about a year later, No Baloney!, a box randomly shows up from Sony with the 3000 sprockets, lateral guides and LED arrays. As Chico Marx would say... I'm a notta going through that crap again. While Sony DC projectors can do true black, who's theater actually is that dark? It would be dangerous for patrons in any normal theater,. And most localities require too much ancillary lighting while the show is running. No where in this county around here where can you can kill the lights in an open and operating movie theater. One large customer had a lawsuit filed against him because some woman stumbled in the stadium area and scratched her ankle. Her Ambulance chaser said the aisle ight level was too low. I went and measured that lighting myself and it was above the required number of Lumens. So that case was dropped. So I'm a sticking with Chico's advice on any and all future Sony products. I'm a definitely nota going through that again

[Carsten Kurz]

Mark, we all know that you and Sony will never be friends again. A colleague needed parts from Sony for his projectors recently and had them within a day through his dealer/integrator.

[Ioannis Syrogiannis]

...
For the SSD I remember a very non-straightforward procedure to backup the SSD onto another one.
...

You actually use a script running as another update (.UUF, same policy for most things), in order to create three separate folders with settings and database entries.
After updating the replacement SSD, you run another script, in order to restore.
You don't actually back up the whole SSD, as you would by using dd if/of. So, you can't use your SSD ripped out of your PC or something.
Last time I saw such an SSD (it's been a while), it was a 60GB Toshiba mSATA and its software was something like 1.02. Something to consider before starting the whole procedure, even though I expect things to have chanced since then.

With Sony, I don't think that people are able to figure things out out of the internet. A healthy system might help, but there are so many things that are kept for the Sony technicians' eyes and hands only, that one can not go far independently.
I wish the best of luck, though.

[Aaron Tucker]

SONY support is now provided by Strong, and is definitely still as excellent and timely as it has always been.

I wouldn't ever run a SONY projector without SONY warranty and support, just like you really can't run a GDC server without their warranty and support either...