Annoying 10 second beep every 20 minutes or so - any ideas?

[ThatDude]

I have a really annoying loud beep that lasts around 10 seconds coming from my unraid box, the syslog tells me the Battery Backup is disconnecting but I have no idea why? I've changed the battery in the UPS to rule that out.

 

Jun 26 08:25:57 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery disconnected.

Jun 26 08:26:08 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery reattached.

Jun 26 09:59:39 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery disconnected.

Jun 26 09:59:50 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery reattached.

Jun 26 10:08:52 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery disconnected.

Jun 26 10:09:03 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery reattached.

Jun 26 10:22:01 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery disconnected.

Jun 26 10:22:12 bigbird apcupsd[17593]: Battery reattached.

 

Does anyone have any ideas that I can test / try?

[CHBMB]

How is the UPS connected? My guess is some sort of faulty USB cable/port/connection.

 

Is this a new problem with a previously working UPS?

[ThatDude]

The UPS has run fine for 2 years, this is a recent problem. I initially just figured it was the UPS battery failing so I replaced it. The cable is the standard APC cable, USB at one end and proprietary connector at the UPS end.

[CHBMB]

Only things I can think of are

 

• Failing UPS
  
• Failing USB port
  
• Failing Cable
  
• Have you updated to a different version of Unraid - Any chance this could be a software issue? (I reckon this is unlikely tbh)
  

[ThatDude]

Hmmm I think you're right, but having tested the shutdown process by pulling the plug it works as expected.

 

Now I'm wondering if it's possible to unload or disable the kernel module for system beep, as that's a workaround that I could live with until I have the funds to buy a new UPS.

[Squid]

Hmmm I think you're right, but having tested the shutdown process by pulling the plug it works as expected.

 

Now I'm wondering if it's possible to unload or disable the kernel module for system beep, as that's a workaround that I could live with until I have the funds to buy a new UPS.

Depending upon your motherboard, the speaker may just be a plugin.  But, that's not a real solution, as the spam in the log is going to cause you some problems very shortly (matter of days perhaps)

 

BTW, have you tried resetting the server yet (and a full shutdown and battery disconnect / reconnect of the UPS)

[Frank1940]

I had an expensive APC UPS connected up to my Windows PC a number of years ago.  It worked fine for a couple of years and then it became VERY sensitive to voltage fluctuations. EVERY time, it would detect one, it would 'sound off' as it 'switched' to battery for a few seconds!  And that could easily be four to five times an hour.  It wasn't too bad during the day but it was horrible at night to say the least!  I set it to the least sensitive setting (there were several settings for this parameter) but the problem continued.  Googling the problem revealed that it was a issue in that whole series of APC UPS's and they had no remedy for it.  I finally bought a Cyperpower unit... 

[ThatDude]

Update: I shutdown my server in the hope of finding a removable speaker on the motherboard (there wasn't). Anyway I removed the APC end of the USB cabled and cleaned the contacts with alcohol, rebooted the server and everything has been just fine for the last 12 hours.