[rescue] howto make multiple main boards work on a Sun Sparc 670/MP

[Dave McGuire]

On June 15, Robert Novak wrote:
> >   But...for serious performance and much greater stability, I'd put
> > NetBSD on them.
> 
> One problem, and this might be outdated (please correct me if this is
> inaccurate). From http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/sparc/hardware.html
> 
> 	Devices often asked about, but not yet supported include:
> 
> 	* additional processors (multi-processor systems will boot, but
> 	  only one will be functional)

  True, yes, it will be uniprocessor only for now.  Currently, though,
NetBSD/alpha, NetBSD/vax and NetBSD/i386 all do SMP rather
well...NetBSD/sparc SMP is right around the corner.

> Unfortunately, OpenBSD is the same way, if not worse. From
> http://www.openbsd.org/sparc.html#hardware :
> 
> 	* Multiple Processors/Modules in sun4m systems
> 	OpenBSD will not currently boot on some machines with multiple
> 	processors. You must remove the extra CPUs.

  They'll get it as soon as NetBSD finishes it.

> FreeBSD's SPARC port is apparently unchanged since 10/98. So if you want
> to use multiple processors on any SPARC, seems a Linux or a Solaris is
> likely to be your best bet, from what I can find.

  FreeBSD is a VERY Intel-specific operating system (and a damn fine one
at that!), despite half-ports and propaganda to the contrary.

> Did anybody have any luck finding newer bootproms for the 600MP boards?
> Looks like Sunstore took them down (part #555-1200)  and Memoryx doesn't
> list them. I haven't even looked at mine lately (one's in a 330 chassis
> hidden behind an Alphaserver 600, the other is in a closet behind a cat
> cage (discussions on cats to pets at sunhelp please! :) ).

  I'm willing to dupe 'em for people if someone finds a newer
revision.

        -Dave McGuire