Re: SGI Fuel won't boot, can't access PROM

On Sep 13, 9:54 am, Mike <mi...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article <1189686100.525860.250...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, matt.thornb...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
I'm having a serious problem booting an SGI Fuel. I believe it is
running IRIX 6.5 and the PROM is version 6.144.

The system was working but no one knew the root password. Of course I
tried getting into single user mode by typing 'single' at the PROM
console which started a boot then the screen went blank and the system
became nonresponsive. I tried using 2 different overlay installation
CD's (can't find original OS) to boot but both appear to lock up the
graphics after copying files to the harddrive (before any menus even
come up).

I've tried connecting a null-modem cable to COM1 from an XP PC running
hyperterminal (9600 8-N-1) but have never been able to get any output
to the terminal. I've tried with and without the keyboard and mouse
plugged into the Fuel. In an attempt to get this working I was
playing with environment variable in the PROM and may have changed
something that's caused my current situation. I set the following:
console=d
AutoBoot=No

When the Fuel is turned on, the 3 lights on the keyboard flash as
normal; the LED on the case flashed white for a bit then goes solid
white (normal I think); but the monitor never turns on! Usually the
monitor would come on maybe 10 seconds after the flashing keyboard
lights, just in time to see the graphical display prompting to enter
Maintenance Mode.

If I press the power button on the Fuel at this point it shuts down
immediately.

The last thing I did in the PROM console was run 'init' which froze
the screen. After a hard reset I haven't been able to get the monitor
to come on at all.

Will removing the PROM battery reset all PROM variables or only reset
the password?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Matt

Inside th PROM can you mount the dksc(0,1,0) and truncate /etc/passwd,
boot, then restore /etc/passwd?

Mike

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Hi Mike,

I was able to access the /etc/passwd file from within PROM but
couldn't find any way to modify it.

Unfortunately this is no longer an option since I can't even get to
the PROM any more.

Matt

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