Re: Sparcstation 670MP Operating Systems

From: Derek Konigsberg (octo_at_logicprobe.org)
Date: 02/25/04

  • Next message: Chris Newport: "Re: Sparcstation 670MP Operating Systems" 
    Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 22:41:53 GMT

    >>A while back I picked up a Sparcserver 670MP. I had no idea if it worked
    >>or not, but it was free so that wasn't much of a turnoff. It sat idle for
    >>a while until I picked up a framebuffer card, and it fired up and tested
    >>the memory without issue.
    >>Now that I know that the thing works I want to go about getting some hard
    >>disks in it and getting the old beast up and running, but I'm unable to
    >>find a free (beer or speech) operating system that completely supports the
    >>machine. As far as I know Linux supports SMP but not the VME bus. NetBSD
    >>and OpenBSD supports the VME bus but not SMP.
    >>Any suggestions?

    Actually, you can run Solaris 8 (maybe even 9) on a SPARCserver 670MP,
    provided that your MBUS CPU modules are still supported (it's the same type
    of modules used in the SS10/SS20/SS1000/SS2000). However, you won't get
    VME support (that's ok, the 600-series also has SBus, and I doubt you'll
    run across any VME cards you really need anyways). Basically, you just
    have to hack the kernel to disable a section that essentially says "If this
    is a 600MP series machine, don't boot". In reality, the 600MP series is
    just a sun4m /w VME slots. So Solaris 8 will work just fine, albeit
    without VME support.

    http://lios.apana.org.au/~cdewick/sunshack/data/sunos_6x0.html
    (these instructions are for Solaris 2.6, but I've used them (albiet with
    some poking around, as the addresses in the 8 kernel are different) to
    successfully hack a Solaris 8 kernel)

    However, as this involves a kernel hack, the actual installation isn't as
    straightforward anymore. You basically have to either swap out the kernel
    on the install CD (i.e. modify the ISO), or do a network install (where it
    is easy to change anything).

    -Derek Konigsberg <octo@logicprobe.org>

  • Next message: Chris Newport: "Re: Sparcstation 670MP Operating Systems"

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