Subject: Re: firmware problem
To: None <del.langrish@btinternet.com, port-macppc@netbsd.org>
From: Henry B. Hotz <hotz@jpl.nasa.gov>
List: port-macppc
Date: 04/30/2002 09:11:34
At 4:48 PM +0100 4/30/02, del.langrish@btinternet.com wrote:
>update... in my infinite wisdom I attempted to update the firmware 
>for the powermac 8500  unfortunatly I am now unable to boot this mac 
>and it just sits there doing nothing  ( no I lie, it turns the 
>moniter off ) I have attempted to connect to it via the serial 
>connection but with no luck, so is there a SIMPLE ! work around for 
>this problem!! ie taking the battery out from the motherboard etc 
>etc...

Yes that simple workaround should work.  Just keep the battery out 
for long enough.

The 8500 does not have eeprom firmware;  just a small nvram area that 
would get cleared if the battery were out for long enough.

I presume by update the firmware you mean you ran SystemDisk?  That's 
actually recommended, but I've had mixed results with it.  I *almost* 
prefer copying the wboot and video patches in by hand with the editor 
built into Open Firmware.  Almost, but not quite.
-- 
The opinions expressed in this message are mine,
not those of Caltech, JPL, NASA, or the US Government.
Henry.B.Hotz@jpl.nasa.gov, or hbhotz@oxy.edu