[rescue] Problems installing new CPUs (was: Looking for Ultra-2 parts)

[Andrew Gaylard]

Hello Rescuers,

Thanks to two generous list members (you know who you
are!),  I now have a Creator card, 2048MB of RAM, and
a pair of 400MHz CPUs for my Ultra-2.

The RAM and Creator card work great.  However...

The two CPUs are slightly thicker than the original 200MHz
module, and don't quite fit in the slots.  That's because they
sport a heatsink which protrudes about 4mm from the circuit
board; the old CPU didn't have one.

I could "cheat" by removing the heatsinks, but that makes
me nervous.  I could also cheat by removing some of the
plastic frame around the CPU slots to make a bit more space.

I've checked the upgrade guide at
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/805-0936-14.pdf
and it looks like my motherboard may be one that doesn't
support the faster CPU modules. My serial number is
5013132046063; does that make it a -04 revision? If so,
then the fastest CPUs that I could use would be 250MHz.
Hardly worth the effort.

The Sun doc also mentions that an OpenBoot revision of at
least 3.11.2 is required.  Mine says "3.11" in the start-up banner.

I tried a single CPU in the second slot, where it fitted without a
problem, and the startup banner identified it correctly as a
400MHz module.  But then the box hung while testing memory.
This could be either because the motherboard is the wrong
revision; or because the board needs to run with a single
CPU in the first slot, not the second; or because the PROM
needs updating;  or perhaps because of something else that
I haven't thought of.

(While a dual-CPU system would be perfect, a single CPU
twice as fast as I have now would also be nice.)

Am I on the road to nowhere with this?
Should I give up before I get in too deep?

Thanks for any advice,
Andrew