Help with Avocent MPU108e KVM over IP switch stuck at booting

[the_merovingian]

Purchased as supposedly working unit on ebay but upon starting with the power cable on, all I get is blinking green power led with consistent rate which means booting phase. After waiting for even hours, the blinking continues.
I have tried to connect vga cable locally and also null modem cable to the SETUP port and connect with Putty for console access - both ways i get no sign of any information that the unit is booting. No logo, no text.
I hope someone can shed some light on what can be done to make the unit finish booting. Can it be re-flashed completely or reset with some jumper on the board. I opened the box and all i see is HDR3 that looks like jumper pins for something that are all empty.

 

[Digerati]

First, it has been years since I did any network admin work, and never with that KVM switch. So take what I say with a 50lb bag of salt and note I basically am just thinking out loud.

I have tried to connect vga cable locally and also null modem cable to the SETUP port and connect with Putty for console access - both ways i get no sign of any information that the unit is booting. No logo, no text.

I note the manual says, the blinking power LED means it is either booting OR there is an upgrade in progress. I wonder if it is trying to upgrade and the process is corrupt? Any idea as to why the seller sold it? The manual also says, disconnecting an IQ module or power cycling a the target device during a firmware update will "render the module inoperable" and will require it be sent back to the factory for repair.

Have you tried connecting via Ethernet to view the menu over a network? When you say you get "no sign of any information that the unit is booting. No logo, no text." Do you see anything?

 

[the_merovingian]

@Digerati first of all thank you for even replying.
So yes - I contacted the Seller and he was responsive and explained that the unit was working at time of pulling and selling from school network because of upgrades. The team that pulled it says it was reset. But I tried with VGA cable to 2 different monitors and no video whatsoever - no splash screen - nothing - full dead video signal.
I tried with 2 different serial cable ( null modem type ) and then 'regular' serial cable USB-A to rj45 and connecting to the SETUP port - no matter what settings I tried - I don't see any text/signal from there either.

When I connect it via LAN1 port to a local network switch I see connection solid green and on the other side blinking green for some activity but I don't see it in my firewall to be getting IP and no device whatsoever.

I watched a youtube video that was stating that these units take like 5 mins to boot and I always have left it for at least that long during power up even initially when I received - so I don't think I bricked it by interrupting the upgrade process.

I saw one thread in expertexchange where for different unit there was a solution by shorting the flash module and re-flashing it but it is quite vague as to actual steps.https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28210855/Avocent-AMX5000-KVM-factory-reset.html

I am looking for some help from anyone that may share some wisdom on how to reset it or reflash it.

 

[Digerati]

Yeah, that expertexchange post is very vague - not to mention it is a different unit than yours. Without a schematic or decent data sheet explaining which pins to short, it would just be hit or miss. I might open the case and if lucky, their might be a battery to can pull for a couple minutes - otherwise, it would have to be shorting pins to discharge any storage caps holding any corrupt settings - if that is even the issue.

I don't know. I have to wonder if the seller, thinking the reset was complete, removed power prematurely.

Obviously - up to you. But if me, I would return it - especially if it still cost a pretty penny. At least with it being a school network, they "should" not try to rip you off.