[geeks] SGI Indigo issue.

[David Michaud]

Tim Harrison wrote:
> 
> Hey folks.
> 
> I've got an SGI Indigo that I've been using on and off for about half a
> year here.  I fired it up just now, after not having used it for a
> couple of months, and got this:
> 
> Initializing tod clock.
> setting sec=0 min=0 hour=0 day=1 month=1 year=0
> 
> Initializing tod clock.
> setting sec=0 min=0 hour=0 day=1 month=1 year=0
> Can't set tod clock.
> 
> Seems the battery onboard is dead.  What type of battery is this?  Is it
> something I can randomly find at my local watch repair place?  Should I
> just kill myself now?

Well, if your battery is dead, then the contents of the NVRAM will have
probably been erased as well, and because the system's MAC address is
stored in NVRAM, then that is reset as well (default to all FFs),
esentially rendering the machine useless. The MAC address is also the
system's serial number, so any NodeLock licenses would be useless also.
Even if you replace the battery (it's soldered to the system board
directly under the processor daughter board, designated BT1) there is
not much you can do... :( Bummer. 

-Dave