[rescue] Problems installing new CPUs (was: Looking for Ultra-2 parts)

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Andrew Gaylard <ag at computer.org>
>Date: 2007/06/28 Thu AM 11:55:24 CDT
>To: The Rescue List <rescue at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: [rescue] Problems installing new CPUs (was: Looking for Ultra-2	parts)

>Hello Rescuers,
>
>Thanks to two generous list members (you know who you
>are!),  I now have a Creator card, 2048MB of RAM, and
>a pair of 400MHz CPUs for my Ultra-2.
>
>The RAM and Creator card work great.  However...
>
>The two CPUs are slightly thicker than the original 200MHz
>module, and don't quite fit in the slots.  That's because they
>sport a heatsink which protrudes about 4mm from the circuit
>board; the old CPU didn't have one.
>
>I could "cheat" by removing the heatsinks, but that makes
>me nervous.  I could also cheat by removing some of the
>plastic frame around the CPU slots to make a bit more space.
>
>I've checked the upgrade guide at
>http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/805-0936-14.pdf
>and it looks like my motherboard may be one that doesn't
>support the faster CPU modules. My serial number is
>5013132046063; does that make it a -04 revision? If so,
>then the fastest CPUs that I could use would be 250MHz.
>Hardly worth the effort.
>
>The Sun doc also mentions that an OpenBoot revision of at
>least 3.11.2 is required.  Mine says "3.11" in the start-up banner.
>
>I tried a single CPU in the second slot, where it fitted without a
>problem, and the startup banner identified it correctly as a
>400MHz module.  But then the box hung while testing memory.
>This could be either because the motherboard is the wrong
>revision; or because the board needs to run with a single
>CPU in the first slot, not the second; or because the PROM
>needs updating;  or perhaps because of something else that
>I haven't thought of.
>
>(While a dual-CPU system would be perfect, a single CPU
>twice as fast as I have now would also be nice.)
>
>Am I on the road to nowhere with this?
>Should I give up before I get in too deep?
>
>Thanks for any advice,

Andrew,

Update the openboot to the latest, then try again.

I am impressed the system displayed anything with the wrong (old) openboot installed. All you need to do is download the patch from Sun, throw a jumper to enable writing the openboot image, then boot into the patch (the patch has all the required info)...

The CPUs you have in-hand, their part number is shown as supported in the Ultra 2? If so, they should fit - maybe you could take off the plastic shrowd (if any) to make a bit more room - with 2 CPUs they might act as each other's shrowd...

Glad to hear the RAM/Creator work well (and arrived ;^),

"I Know Who I Am"