[rescue] I got a new Octane! Why can't I talk to it?

[Sheldon T. Hall]

Quoth Micah R Ledbetter ...

> Thanks to the gracious Steve, I'm now in possession of an SGI 
> Octane :).

Even a low-end Octane is fun, and the top spec ones are still pretty studly
machines.

> I'm probably just being dumb - I've never owned a *working* SGI  
> before - but what do I need to do in order to interact with it? I've  
> tried a sync-on-green monitor + PS/2 kb and mouse, but I get 
> no video signal.

Have you tried both variations on the kbd/mouse connectors?  I can't
remember if it matters which one goes in which connector....

Does it have more than one video card or connector?  If so, try the other
one.

It's possible that someone turned off graphical output with the NVRAM
settings, but that would be a bit odd for an Octane.  Also possible that the
video board is loose or something.

> I also have a null modem cable and minicom hooked up to a  
> linux machine that didn't get me anywhere, even though I tried both  
> serial ports on the Octane.

Y'gotta have _all_ handshaking turned off for that to work.  Unless the
machine's in a really odd state, NVRAM-settings-wise, you ought to get
something there if there's no keyboard/mouse/monitor hooked up.  No RTS/CTS
or hardware handshaking, no X-on/X-off handshaking, 9600,8,n,1.
 
> When I boot up, I get the light on the front turning red for 
> a while, and then white.

I believe that means it has passed its self-test.

-Shel