Gentoo Forums
Gentoo Forums
Gentoo Forums
Quick Search: in
New Sparc Owner
View unanswered posts
View posts from last 24 hours

 
Reply to topic    Gentoo Forums Forum Index Gentoo on Sparc
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
sirtoast
n00b
n00b


Joined: 06 May 2002
Posts: 72
Location: Halifax, NS

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2002 2:18 pm    Post subject: New Sparc Owner Reply with quote

A couple of statements first:)

1) I am relatively new to Linux, and have been using Gentoo since June of 2002, and have gone through the standard install, and the upgrade to the 1.4rc1, switching to the new GCC, so I don't mind getting my hands on the system itself.

2) I have never so much as sat in front on a Sun workstation before in my life.

I've recently acquired 2 sparcstation 10s and a sparcstation 20 (plus a incomplete Ultra 1 which was scavenged for parts before I took ownership). each has the floppy, but doesn't have the cdrom. I'm on a high speed DSL connection, so I don't mind doing ftp/online installs. Aside from doing 'Install Redhat and remove everything you can safely get away with' method in the previous posts, what other options do I have to install Gentoo? I do have access to an Ultra5, that I can install Solaris from if need be, and I do intend to install Solaris onto one of the SS10's.

Also...this is more of a hardware question, but will any SCSI hardware work with sparcstations? I may be able to pick up a couple scsi harddrives, and a scsi cdrom on the cheap. would the cdrom be of any assistance in my installtion woes?
_________________
Toast
http://toastnet.org
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
krt
Tux's lil' helper
Tux's lil' helper


Joined: 27 Nov 2002
Posts: 102
Location: Earth

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2002 3:21 pm    Post subject: re: New Sparc Owner Reply with quote

congratulations on your sparc acquisitions... they're great fun

Quote:

Aside from doing 'Install Redhat and remove everything you can safely get away with' method in the previous posts, what other options do I have to install Gentoo? I do have access to an Ultra5, that I can install Solaris from if need be, and I do intend to install Solaris onto one of the SS10's.


If you don't want to use the "Install some other distribution first" method, you can get away with netbooting (which requires a few servers running on a box that isn't the one that you're installing .. and it has to be on the same LAN). I've never tried a direct FTP install (even with DSL, its annoying, imho), but if that works for you.. it works :-)

Quote:

Also...this is more of a hardware question, but will any SCSI hardware work with sparcstations? I may be able to pick up a couple scsi harddrives, and a scsi cdrom on the cheap. would the cdrom be of any assistance in my installtion woes?


Sort of, but not really. Each SparcStation has a limit as to the size and interface of the disk's that you chuck into them. They're rather large limits for what an SS20/SS10 can handle (something like 18 or 36G, I can't remember exactly).

As for CDROM's, you'll need a Sparc/SGI cd-rom drive, at least if you intend to boot with them. They use 512 byte sectors, versus the 2048 byte sectors that PC (x86) CD-Roms use. This makes for a fun time :-)

Fortunately, you can find 2x and 4x SUN CD-Rom's, both internal and external, for next to nothing (I've found some for $3, brand new, a month ago.. no longer for sale from that site though).

have fun in your new sparc clothes.. enjoy the IO!

[/b]
_________________
Everyone has something clever for a signature but me.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
sirtoast
n00b
n00b


Joined: 06 May 2002
Posts: 72
Location: Halifax, NS

PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2002 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, I'm really looking forward to playing with the workstations. I also picked up an HP/UX workstation as well. *fun fun*

Quote:
Sort of, but not really. Each SparcStation has a limit as to the size and interface of the disk's that you chuck into them. They're rather large limits for what an SS20/SS10 can handle (something like 18 or 36G, I can't remember exactly).


I think the SCSI drives are each 8GB, so they should be fine, as long as they're under those stated limits?
_________________
Toast
http://toastnet.org
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kalisphoenix
Apprentice
Apprentice


Joined: 28 Sep 2003
Posts: 211
Location: Ohio

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having accquired about six "new" x86's ranging from 386 to 586, I decided that I was about to be the biggest lunatic in the world and install Gentoo on these antiquated bastards.

My next accquisition was an iMac. Haven't gotten it yet, but I don't expect trouble.

Like my compatriot in Sun n00bism, I have never even seen one of those bastards before. However, my girlfriend, GOD LOVE HER SOUL, bought me 4 (count 'em, FOUR) SS-10's and an SS-20. They all came out to $15, plus S&H, a deal I think is remarkable.

Problems: Solaris not bootable on any of the machines, for "various reasons," according to the seller. I would expect that it's merely software-related, because that, I think, would be a bigger pain in the ass than a hardware-related problem, and for the following reason:

No disk drives. Regarding the fronts of these machines carefully, I noticed that they were smooth. Oddly smooth, in fact. Kind of depressing and disturbing.

Good at the same time, of course... better physical security, just in case someone decides to break into my dorm room and install some other operating system on them :roll:

I've heard the Sun BIOS is pretty damn smart. I was hoping that I might be able to do a sort of bizarre PXE-ish boot or something, but I sure as hell wasn't going to count on Sun accomodating my prayers like that.

So: Any recommended course of action? I can drop a few bucks for a Sun CD-ROM, that's not a particularly big deal, but I'd prefer not to -- waiting on it would delay my enjoyment of the week-long bootstraps to come ;-) Similarly for a floppy, which is probably just pointless.

I have a hub and an x86 with Gentoo (of course!) all installed and ready for netfuckery, but what I'd really appreciate is some advice. I'm not trying to be lazy or cheap, I'd just like to be able to get it on with these li'l cuties as soon as they arrive, and if there's a quicker way to do it, I'll scream with joy. I'm not the most technical person, but I can try until I get it right... provided I receive a nudge in the right direction.

Thanks!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
coweater
n00b
n00b


Joined: 30 Apr 2004
Posts: 5
Location: Texas

PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just so you know aside from the sun/sgi cd-roms you can also use older apple cd-roms. Probably slower but if you can get your hands on one (check the model to make sure it does 512) then they work quite well.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kalisphoenix
Apprentice
Apprentice


Joined: 28 Sep 2003
Posts: 211
Location: Ohio

PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry. I should have edited this post when I solved my problem -- I ended up getting Gentoo on my SPARCs with little trouble. Thanks for your help; I'm sure others will find that information useful at any rate, as I certainly was not aware of that...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Gentoo Forums Forum Index Gentoo on Sparc All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum