[SunRescue] PROM password issues.

[Ken Hansen]

So where are you now? It seems like you have an SS/10 with another boot disk
(why?) that can not reset the eeprom.

I guess what you are trying to do is login to the machine as root user, then
as root user get around the password protection in the eeprom and reset it,
correct?

It would seem to me that Sun would have thought of that option, and blocked
it (put a signature in the drive tied to the password?) - can you boot the
OS CD-ROM? Would that get you anywhere?

What if you swap NVRAM/EEPROM for one without a password, then boot into
root and switch chips while running?

Or re-install the OS, then put back the protected NVRAM/EEPROM?

You know, you can get a new (to you) SS/10 base for very little money,
without a password in NVRAM... (SS/10 base for $45 at
http://www.compsyscon.com/prod05.htm )

HTH,

Ken
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Harrison" <harrison at timharrison.com>
To: <rescue at sunhelp.org>
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 9:11 PM
Subject: [SunRescue] PROM password issues.


>
> Hey folks.  Once again, I'm having trouble (what are the odds).
>
> So, this SS10 came with a PROM password.  I've looked around, and the
> least invasive idea I saw was to boot an already installed Solaris disk
> from another machine, log in as root, and use the eeprom command to
> clear the password.  So, I attempted to do this.  After changing the
> device.tab and vfstab to refer to the correct ID, I put the disk in the
> new 10, and got this:
>
> SPARCstation 10 (1 X 390Z50), No Keyboard
> ROM Rev. 2.14, 64 MB memory installed, Serial #3383548.
> Ethernet address 8:0:20:1f:32:fd, Host ID: 7233a0fc.
>
> Boot device: /iommu/sbus/espdma at f,400000/esp at f,800000/sd at 1,0  File and
> args:
> SunOS Release 5.6 Version Generic_105181-23 [UNIX(R) System V Release
> 4.0]
> Copyright (c) 1983-1997, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
> configuring network interfaces: le0.
> Hostname: solstice
> mount: /dev/dsk/c0t1d0s6 or /usr, no such file or directory
> /sbin/swapadd: expr: not found
>
> WARNING - /usr/sbin/fsck not found.  Most likely the
> mount of /usr failed or the /usr filesystem is badly
> damaged.  The system is being halted.  Either reinstall
> the system or boot with the -b option in an attempt
> to recover.
>
> syncing file systems... done
> Program terminated
> Type b (boot), c (continue), or n (new command mode)
> >
>
> So, I've screwed something up.  I can't use the -b option, as it asks
> for the password.  I can't boot into single user mode, as it asks for
> the password.   Any thoughts?  I'd like a nice, clean way to do this
> without taking the chance of hosing the box. :)
>
> Anything and everything gratefully accepted.
>
>
> --
>
>
> Tim Harrison
> Network Engineer
> harrison at timharrison.com
> http://www.networklevel.com/
> _______________________________________________
> Rescue maillist  -  Rescue at sunhelp.org
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