Re: No video/console out on Sun Blade 1500

On Oct 29, 12:21 am, "DoN. Nichols" <dnich...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 2008-10-28, skibrianski <skibrian...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Howdy...

I recently bought a used Sun Blade 1500, and am having some trouble
getting it to work.

        O.K.  I don't have personal experience with the 1500, but I am
currently using a Sun Blade 2000, so we can consider how close they may
be in behavior.

                    It looks like the bottom line is that the machine
won't beep on boot (let alone display any video), which means either
the keyboard is not being detected (doubtful, as I've tried 4
different keyboards, all in the designated USB 1.1 slot on the back)
or something else is wrong.

The person I bought it from says the machine booted just fine and he
was able to install solaris10 on it, but obviously I can't reproduce
that. So my question is, what might have happened during shipping, or
what else might I be getting wrong? I know suns can be picky with
monitors, but is it possible I need a Sun branded keyboard as well?

I've followed sun's troubleshooting guide here, and am still stuck
with no beep.
 http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/816-7563-11

        O.K.  First question -- did you try *all* of the suggestions in
the above document?  For example -- testing the monitor on another
system?

Yes. Both monitors I've tried work just fine attached to other
machines. I've tried both a 15" LCD and a 19" CRT, the latter of which
supports a wide variety of video modes. But it seems to me from
reading that Sun troubleshooting document that since I'm getting no
beep on boot, there are deeper problems.

        Hmm ... While I've not tried PC or Mac keyboards on the Sun Blade
2000, I *have* used a Sun USB keyboard in a Mac Mini with no problems.
You might have problems with either the Mac or PC keyboard in
determining which keys to press for such things as the Stop-A
functionality.  It helps to have a known working system to test these
things on.

Yeah, digging up a proper sun keyboard is one of the few things left
to try on my list.

        O.K.  Looking at the FEH entry, it uses DIMMs 2 at a time, not
four at a time like the SB-2K.

Yes, 2 at a time are fine with this machine. There's a detailed info
about which slots you can use 2 matching DIMMs in on the diagram
inside the case cover, so I don't think that's the problem. Also I
believe the seller when he says he had it working with the current
configuration, so I'm focusing on things that might have gotten lose
or broken in shipping.

        And -- it has a CPU which plugs into a socket like those on
Windows systems, not a long high-density connector for a pre-assembled
module which requires careful alternate tightening of the screws at
either end with a supplied torque limiting screwdriver to properly seat
the connectors -- and one not properly seated will lock up the system.

        Hmm ... have you checked whether the CPU is properly seated in
its socket?  It might have bounced loose in transit.

I have not tried to reseat the CPU yet. Is it more or less like
reseating the CPU on a x86 box?

        I would consider the serial port connection with no keyboard and
monitor to be the starting point for diagnostics.  But is it possible
that the options set for the serial ports might not work with your
terminal and cable.  

Me too! But like I said, I'm getting no serial out with the keyboard
and video cards removed. The manual says 9600 8n1 is the default
setting for the serial console, and I know that that setting works
with the cable and computer/software on the receiving end, as I use it
to tinker with my HPPA box.

Thanks again,
Brian
.

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