[SunRescue] SS4/SS5/SS10 compatibility?

[Ken Hansen]

My advice is simple, pick one machine and make it your primary machine, view the other two as donors in support of the one machine. My approach would be as follows:

SS/5
----

If the SS/5 has a 170 MHz CPU - it is the winner, hands-down (for a single-user, general purpose box). Gather all the RAM from the SS/4 and stuff it in there as well, and put the two biggest hard drives you have inside the SS/5 on the HD trays.

Then I would sell the SS/4 as a bare system, good for about $40-60 on the EBAY market, or you might be able to trade it for 2x 32 Meg DIMMs for the SS/5. (32 Meg DIMMs are about $25-45/each, the system can take up to 8 DIMMs, for 256 Meg RAM).

Whatever you do, don't give away a drive bracket with the SS/4 unless you already have two in the SS/5 - these cost $25 if you have to buy them (but, they are easy to locate if you do need/want one).

SS/4
----

I can not think of any reason to hold on to the SS/4 if you have an SS/5 already. The SS/4 will have a CPU of 110 MHz or lower, and only have room for one HD and no CD-ROM. (Well, OK, if the SS/5 is DOA, but besides that...).

The RAM is compatible with the SS/5, as are the HDs, but the SS/4 can only take one drive internal, without an expensive cable/wiring harness.

SS/10
-----

If the CPU is greater than an SM41 (like an SM51, 61, 71 or 81 ;^) use this as your main machine, and sell off the other two systems to get accessories for the SS/10.

If the CPU is an SM51, a second one can be had for $50 +/-. RAM is very cheap, 64 Meg DIMMs are about $50/each, and if you are wise, you will only buy SS/20 RAM, which can follow you into an Ultra 1 or 2 if your needs/luck improve and you get one of them.

The SS/10 takes up to 2x SCSI-II 50 pin drives internal, but can not have an internal CD-ROM drive. The SS/10 can be upgraded with newer CPUs that can make your machine quite fast, but at a *huge* expense. You may be limited as to the speed of the CPUs you can place in the SS/10 due to the OPENBOOT PROM level, but that is easily fixed with a $20 bill or two.

If you can only get one of the three machines, the SS/10 is *most likely* your best bet, unless, of course, the SS/5 is a 170 MHz system, then the SS/5 is your best bet.

Just my thoughts, HTH,

Ken 

> -----Original Message-----

<snip - digest>

> Message: 8
> From: User Bobkeys BSD Bob the old greybeard BSD freak 
> <bobkeys at weedcon1.cropsci.ncsu.edu>
> To: rescue at sunhelp.org
> Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 14:54:21 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: [SunRescue] SS4/SS5/SS10 compatibility?
> Reply-To: rescue at sunhelp.org
> 
> I have a lead on 3 SS machines, a 4, a 5, and a SparcServer 10.
> How compatible are bits and pieces (ram/HD's/addin cards/etc)
> between these machines.  What I was sort of thinking was combining
> all the best parts from each into one good machine.  This stuff
> is coming from surplus, and is mostly a shot in the dark, but,
> I was hoping to get one good sol8 machine out if the bits, if luck
> is with me.