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kavehantio
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2003 12:49 pm    Post subject: Help with my First Sparcstation 20 Reply with quote

I just got a few sparcstation 20's from my professor who is getting rid of them.

Unfortunately, I can not get any video from them. They all bootup and spin the harddrives, but I can not see any video even with a 13W3 connector.

The chances of all three being bad are kinda slim, since these where in use just over a year ago.

So I am pretty certain my inexpierience with Sun's is leading me to make a mistake somewhere. Below is my set up and what I have done so far. Anyone who can help me would become my new personal hero.

Thanks
k,

Setup:

I have a 3 SparcStation 20's

each has an MBUS 50Mhz processor card and a second video card
they also have some DSIMMS.

I have gotten a connectpro ps/2 to sun converter box which comes with a 13W3 to vga connector

What I have done so far.

I have tried stripping the systems down to nothing and seeing if I get video.. No luck I get nothing on the screen of my monitor or any monitor I have tried

I have tried to plug the monitor into both the main and the secondary video cards... no luck

I have tested all the cables and they all work with other systems

I have tried praying... no luck

The only thing I am unsure of is wether or not I need VSIMMS to see video at all... if anyone knows I would really appreciate them telling me.. thanks.

If you need any more info drop me a line.
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Supox
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi kavehantio,

it's quite possible that the monitor you attempt to hook up to the sparcstation 20 cannot handle or use the required resolution and refreshrate. My sparcstation 4 has this limitation for monitor also.

Here you can find some info on your hardware
www.sunhelp.org

But you also find a lot of information on the website from Sun.
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garskoci
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Supox, it's most likely the monitor. If you're going to use a pc monitor, try a good one. Something like an NEC Multisync. I had the same problem with my Ultra 10. I tried 3 monitors, the only one that worked was the NEC.
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kavehantio
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

garskoci,

When you where having problems with your sun, did any video come up on the monitor or was it just blank untill you found the right one?

Thanks,
k
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Blademan
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Joined: 05 Oct 2002
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kavehantio wrote:
When you where having problems with your sun, did any video come up on the monitor or was it just blank untill you found the right one?


Typically, nothing will come up on the monitor, and the screen will stay blank. It's better to observe the light(s) on your monitor. Does it stay in standby, or does it flash "Ready" and then back off.

BTW, are you using a Sun monitor with a 13W3 connector? Or are you using a PC type monitor with an HD-15 connector to a HD-15 to 13W3 adapter and then into the Sun box?
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kavehantio
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blademan007,

I am using a PC monitor with a 13W3 converter. I have tried two different monitors, both stay in standby as far as I can tell. Neither or them seems to acknowledge any of the sun systems.

could it be because I have no VSIMMS in any of the machines? Does anyone know if I NEED VSIMMS to get get the onboard video to work?

Thanks,
K
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Weeve
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Joined: 30 Oct 2002
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have the ability to do so, I'd test the serial console and make sure the system(s) are at least getting to the OpenBoot PROM. That way you can rule out system problems. If you need some more info on how to do this, just post a follow-up message and I'll help ya out.
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kavehantio
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Weeve,

Help with testing the serial console would be great. Please tell me what I need to do and what tools I need. I really appreciate the help.

With Gratitude,
Kaveh
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Weeve
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, what you want to do is get a null modem cable (or a regular serial cable with a null modem adapter) and plug one end into the serial A port on your ss20 and the other end into a machine with a terminal application (under linux you can use minicom, kermit, seyon and perhaps some others). If you're using another OS, make sure the terminal program can send breaks (hypetermn with Windows cannot). Then setup your terminal application to run at 9600 baud, 8 data bits, none for partiy, and 1 stop bits (sometimes labeled as 9600 8N1). Once your terminal application is setup and going, you can then turn on your ss20 and after a brief period, you should see the machine post via the serial console (make sure you unplug the keyboard and monitor. If the system is actually booting it will choose the monitor and keyboard as the output method if detected, so you may not see anything on the serial console with them plugged in).

Let me know how you make out
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kavehantio
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2003 1:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Weeve,

I got the Null modem hooked up, but I could not find a sutable terminal program other than hyperterm. Do you know of any good freeware WinXP hyperterm programs?

However, I did get some POST message on the hyperterm, then I got some gobbledy gook stuff at the end. It looks normal to me. Below is a dump of everything I got. Is this normal?

If it is normal, can you tell if my video output is online. If it is my problem much just be with my monitor, if not it is back to the drawing board.

Btw, thanks for all the help. I hope my NewBee questions haven't annoyed everyone too much.

With Best Regards,
K

below is a dump of the hyperterm:
SMCC SPARCstation 10/20 UP/MP POST version 3.1 (11/19/93)


CPU_#0 TI, TMS390Z50(3.x) 0Mb External cache
CPU_#2 TI, TMS390Z50(3.x) 0Mb External cache

CPU_#1 ******* NOT installed *******
CPU_#3 ******* NOT installed *******


>>>>> Power On Self Test (POST) is running .... <<<<<


***WARNING : No DSIMM Detected!



















SMCC SPARCstation 10/20 UP/MP POST version 3.1 (11/19/93)


CPU_#0 TI, TMS390Z50(3.x) 0Mb External cache
CPU_#2 TI, TMS390Z50(3.x) 0Mb External cache

CPU_#1 ******* NOT installed *******
CPU_#3 ******* NOT installed *******


>>>>> Power On Self Test (POST) is running .... <<<<<


SPARCstation 20 MP (2 X 390Z50), No Keyboard
ROM Rev. 2.15, 32 MB memory installed, Serial #3636313.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:23:e:5a, Host ID: 72377c59.



Power-On SelfTest FAILED ... SIMM <J0201> Not Installed


Type help for more information
<#0> ok



















SMCC SPARCstation 10/20 UP/MP POST


CPU_#0 TI, TMS390Z50(3.x) 0Mb External cache
CPU_#2 TI, TMS390Z50(3.x) 0Mb External cache

CPU_#1 ******* NOT installed *******
CPU_#3 ******* NOT installed *******


>>>>> Power On Self Test (POST) is running .... <<<<<


SPARCstation 20 MP (2 X 390Z50), No Keyboard
ROM Rev. 2.15, 32 MB memory installed, Serial #3636313.
Ethernet address 8:0:20:23:e:5a, Host ID: 72377c59.



Boot device: /iommu/sbus/espdma@f,400000/esp@f,800000/sd@1,0 File and args:
root on /iommu@f,e0000000/sbus@f,e0001000/espdma@f,400000/esp@f,800000/sd@1,0:a
fstype 4.2
Boot: vmunix
Size: 1515520+460808+215056 bytes
SuperSPARC: PAC ENABLED
SunOS Release 4.1.3_U1 (GENERIC) #2: Thu Jan 20 15:58:03 PST 1994
Copyright (c) 1983-1993, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
cpu = SUNW,SPARCstation-20
mod0 = TI,TMS390Z50 (mid = 8)
mod1 = TI,TMS390Z50 (mid = 10)
mem = 32304K (0x1f8c000)
avail mem = 28844032
cpu0 at Mbus 0x8 0x224000
cpu2 at Mbus 0xa 0x22c000
entering multiprocessor mode
Ethernet address = 8:0:20:23:
espdma0 at SBus slot f 0x400000
esp0 at SBus slot f 0x800000 pri 4 (onboard)
sd0 at esp0 target 3 lun 0
sd0: <SUN2.1G cyl 2733 alt 2 hd 19 sec 80>
sd1 at esp0 target 1 lun 0
sd1: <SUN1.05 cyl 2036 alt 2 hd 14 sec 72>
sr0: Unrecongized Vendor 'TOSHIBA ', product 'XM-4101TASUNSLCD'sr0 at esp0 targe
t 6 lun 0
ledma0 at SBus slot f 0x400010
le0 at SBus slot f 0xc00000 pri 6 (onboard)
SUNW,bpp0 at SBus slot f 0x4800000 pri 3 (sbus level 2)
SUNW,DBRIe0 at SBus slot e 0x10000 pri 9 (sbus level 5)
cgsix0 at SBus slot 2 0x0 pri 9 (sbus level 5)
cgsix0: screen 1152x900, single buffered, 1M mappable, rev 11
SUNW,bpp1 at SBus slot 3 0x200000 pri 3 (sbus level 2)
zs0 at obio 0x100000 pri 12 (onboard)
zs1 at obio 0x0 pri 12 (onboard)
SUNW,fdtwo0 at obio 0x700000 pri 11 (onboard)
MMCODEC: manufacturer id 1, rev 2
WARNING: clock gained 1611 days -- CHECK AND RESET THE DATE!
root on sd1a fstype 4.2
swap on sd1b fstype spec size 66528K
dump on sd1b fstype spec size 66516K
le0: Ôwióteä Páir Åtèerîet
le0: No cárrier - twióteä ðáir cáâle ðroâleí or èõâ 
liîë teót äióáâleä?
le0: No cárrier - twióteä ðáir cáâle ðroâleí or èõâ liîë te
ót äióáâleä?
le0: No cárrier - twióteä ðáir cáâle ðroâleí or èõâ liîë teót äió
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