[geeks] What a difference a visit to the spare parts bin makes...

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Mark Benson <md.benson at gmail.com>
>Date: 2006/08/20 Sun AM 01:57:05 CDT
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [geeks] What a difference a visit to the spare parts bin makes...

>On 20 Aug 2006, at 03:31, Lionel Peterson wrote:
>
>> ... remebering I had some left over bits in the basement, I pulled  
>> out a 333 MHz CPU and 4x 128 Meg DIMMs, and the machine is a fair  
>> bit faster. Next I'll upgrade the HD to something of a more recent  
>> vintage (7200 RPM, 8 Meg buffer), making it a more satisfying  
>> machine...
>>
>> The graphics on this box are a bit weak - the standard desktop  
>> graphics (JAVA Desktop) look quite grainy - this box may make a  
>> better "utility box" than my Ultra 10, as it has the (relatively)  
>> improved Series 3 graphics, and since it is more of an install  
>> image server and low-volume FTP server, this is more than adequate.
>
>You can make a tidy desktop out of the U5 *if* you're willing. You  
>need a Symbios (or other Sun compatible) SCSI card that supports  
>booting, a pair of good U160 SCSI drives, an IDE DVD ROM and a decent  
>PCI Framebuffer card. Install all that, along with what you have and  
>it makes quite a storming little Solaris 10 box. If you  are really  
>feeling enthusiastic the 440MHz CPU from the Ultra 10 will fit the  
>U5, but on one that early you may need a PROM flash upgrade (I forget  
>the version). I did all of that (except the Framebuffer - I still  
>need to grab one of those) on mine and it's turned it from an ugly  
>slug in Solaris 10 to a fairly usable box.

Well, I don't think I'll be pooring anything else into this box, but as Mr. Bill confirmed, I plan to re-purpose this U5 into the role I presently have a U10 doing, network install server, minor FTP file store, etc.

The Ultra 10 I will be freeing up has the ability to take an Elite 3d-m3 framebuffer in the UPA socket, the machine has a 440 MHz CPU and 1024 Meg RAM - I have a couple Symbios cards (they even came with the appropriate cables 8^) and may upgrade the system, but I don't know if I have a suitable SCSI HD to use...

Thanks,

Lionel