[SunHELP] SS5 headaches

[Peter Stokes]

Hi Mark

Replacing the NVRAM is your choice, you can setup fresh each time on power on
or replace or hack the chip and add a coin cell. Personally I would just
replace as they are easily available from Key/Mouser/Farnell for not that much
money ($20?)

Peter
---------------------------
Peter Stokes
Ashlyn Computer Services
Mbl: 07977 532320
---------------------------




On 19 Jan 2017, at 18:50, Mark Benson <md.benson at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 18/01/2017 23:11, Peter Stokes wrote:
>
>> I suspect that you have a memory issue.
>>
>> Try just running with a couple of sticks and try to get to s stable boot.
I
>> would always go back to Solaris for testing as you know 100% what should
>> happen. For the SS5 suggest 2.6 through to 8 as options.
>
> Used Solaris 7 and 64MB (2 sticks) to much better effect.
>
>> Also try enabling the diag-switch? in OBP to true which will run through
the
>> diags.
>
> It is on. That's how I knew some of the banks of RAM were playing up
(diag-switch dumps a slot report on the screen).
>
>> Lastly make sure the NVRAM has consistent data including a sensible
Ethernet
>> value, eg for the SS5 8:0:20:19:33:00. I have seen odd results with dying
>> NVRAM giving weird values and the O/S gets upset.
>>
>> You can setup the NVRAM when powered if the battery is on its way out by
>> running the following commands at the ok prompt
>>
>> 88 1 mkp
>> 8 0 20 19 33 00 193300 mkpl
>> ^D^R
>> set-defaults
>> reset
>
> My sumation, from looking at the Solaris 7 boot scroll is that IDPROM issue
was messing up OPENSTEP's boot process.
>
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/kecmz07g6prve3z/2017-01-19%2018.29.55.jpg?dl=0
>
> This is much more informative, not especially the 'assuming default model'
part, it seems the IDPROM contains the model identification and if it's
mangled the computer IDs wrong. If OPENSTEP uses that to identify the system
features (as Solaris 7 seems to), it may well be doing something awfully wrong
and crashing the kernel, which is triggering the Watchdog Reset.
>
> I did note down the Ethernet MAC and the Host ID off the boot scroll and
stick them on a label inside the case, as they show up now, they might get
lost later.
>
> The next question is I take it I should replace the IDPROM? It appears to be
failing and causing issues.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
>
> Mark Benson
> twitter.com/MDBenson
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