[Fwd: [SPARCbook] Resurrecting sparcbook 2 ... how?]

[Stuart Duncan]

> > > it is calling from some maintenance password or response code.  Anyone have
> > > any idea what that is, and if it will require a new nvram chip (I hope not)?
> >
> > No, it won't need a new nvram chip (well, it's probably got a flat
> > battery.. but, whooptydoo)
> >
> > You will, however, need to contact Tadpole UK, and be very nice about it
> > too, cos SB2's aren't supported anymore, and they'd be allowed to tell
> > you to nick off.  :P
>
> That would be bad business practice.  I would hope they are better than
> that.  Stiff upper lip, the customer is always right, and all that.
>

Not realy.  The SPARCbook 2 is no longer supported, and that's exactly what they'd
tell you if they wanted to.  The people at Tadpole Tech UK are realy nice tho...
You'll have to phone, and if you're pleasant, I'm sure she'll help you out.
They're not like the people at Tadpole-RDI...  They suck.  ;)

>
> > You'll need to supply the serial number (appears on the boot monitor
> > screen) and the maintenance code in order for them to generate a key.
>
> Ol' chicken vs egg syndrome..... how do I supply the maintenance code
> when it expects me to INPUT the maintenance code, and some long gone
> fellow left any info in the dustbin, years ago?  I just luv such silly
> shennanigans.
>

Nono...  It outputs the maintenance code, and you input the maintenance key.
Like this...

Incorrect hard disks found!
Maintenance code is: ffeeffff
Enter maintenance key:

The maintenance key is generated by an alogrithm from the machine's serial number,
and the maintenance code.  The maintenance code is generated by the machine's serial
number and the date.  ;)

hint: rip the NVRAM out and boot the machine...  It'll stop with the same error, but
give you a maintenance code simmilar to the one above.  Use that when you call
tadpole..  That way, if you need a maintenance key again, you can pull the NVRAM out
and use the one that you got from Tadpole without having to call them again.

Once you're into the machine, select 'Update disk security' from the System
Administration menu in the bootprom...  That should stop that error from appearing
(untill the next time that you format the drives).

>
> > > It seems like it senses the second drive was added (friend who gave it to
> > > me said he put the second drive in but could not get it to work).  Possibly
> > > all it needs is setting the nvram correctly?
> > There's the reason you're getting locked out and asked for a maintenance
> > code.  ;)
> > Rip the second hard disk out and the machine should start correctly.
>
> I  will try that for starters.  What is the best way to lay it out for
> operation, disassembled?  When I had it apart, it looked like it was
> going to be a 3 handed, 12 fingered operation.
>

umm..  all the ribon cables to the display are folded up and glued..  carefully
seperate what you can to get a bit of length, and lay the LCD/Top cover down on a
desk with something like a couple of matchboxes to support it where the cables go
into the machine :)



>
> > It's a security feature - if you want to use a hard disk in the machine
> > that didn't come with it, you'll need a working NVRAM and you'll need to
> > apply for a maintenance code.
>
> I am not believing that..... how can they be so cruel to service techs,
> down the road.  Bad, bad, karma....
>

You know what computer companies where like back then...  'This is a realy cool
feature.  We give free support, so our customers won't mind this.  We'll be able to
support this machine for ever.  There are only two digits in a year."

The idea was that if someone stole your SPARCbook, they couldn't put the drives into
another SPARCbook and read your info, and they also couldn't use your SPARCbook for
themselves without your root password, because if they put other drives in, or even
formatted the existing ones, it'd stop working, making the machine useless to them.

Afterall, you'd want some sort of security against theft for a $30,000 computer, the
size of a notebook and commonly left laying arround at universitys, etc.


>
> > > I did load up an IPX so I could netboot it, if necessary.  What needs to
> > > be loaded off the cdrom onto the IPX to set it up?  I loaded up the
> > > SPARCbook2.OS tree, but I think it also needs the bundled tree, but am
> > > not sure.
> >
> > You need to do a 'standalone restore' wich will rebuild the minifs...
> > Once you reboot into the minifs, using kernel munix, it'll start an
> > install program and copy the stuff from the CD it'self.
> >
> > The minifs image is in /SPARCbook2.OS/stand/minifs
>
> OK, I copied that off the cd into tftpboot, so will try that next.
> As a test I netbooted the factory kernel, and that got as far as
> booting and then died when calling nonexistent machine files in root.
> I sense the previous root was really, really nuked clean by someone.
> The drives partition to a huge root and a tiny swap on HD3 and a full
> disk file system on HD 2.   I did not see anything else in particular.
> Does it know how to obtain the files from a remote machine or remotely
> mounted cd?  I did put the live SPARCbook2.OS onto the remote machine,
> and might be able to nfsmount it perhaps?  I thought I remembered
> reading something to that effect on one of the readmes in the CD.
>

The SPARCbook 2 OS precompiled kernels do not support nfsroot.  You're supposed to
rebuild the operating system.

I've built a kernel on my SPARCbook that will support nfsroot, I'll upload it to my
ftp site oneday.

>
> > Find me a keyboard ;)
>
> I have one in the box of junk that came with it, from a third machine that
> was in total pieces.  Alas, it seems to be missing keypads.  I will trade
> you the hulk of the third machine for a 36 pin scsi cable!  (really!)
>

Neat...  Tho, I don't realy feel like building a SCSI cable...  That's _alot_ of
soldering.  ;)  I'd like my SPARCbook to work once again, so I'll build you one :)


How much will it cost to ship the hulk of the third machine to Australia?

Regards,

---------------------------------------
Stuart Duncan / Systems Administrator
WNI Science and Engineering
31 Bishop Street
JOLIMONT WA 6014
AUSTRALIA

http://www.wnise.com

Phone: +61 8 9387 7955    Fax: +61 9387 6686
Email:    stuart.duncan at perth.wni.com