Subject: Re: SparcStation ipx versus Sparc Classic
To: None <port-sparc@netbsd.org>
From: Jack Lloyd <lloyd@acm.jhu.edu>
List: port-sparc
Date: 05/02/2002 11:52:27
On Wed, 1 May 2002, Rick Kelly wrote:

> Christian Smith said:
>
> >Not sure if this problem affected the Classic, but the IPX and other old
> >sun4c had poor NVRAM backup batteries, which should be about ready to give
> >up the ghost anytime now, though I've not seen the problem first hand. The
> >hardware FAQs will give details of how to remedy the problem.
>
> Sun NVRAM will eventually die. It affects them all about the same. Consider
> that the IPX is from the 1992 or 1993 period. That is 10 years ago. Long
> periods of storage seem to shorten battery life. I've had SS10 and SS20
> NVRAM die as well. Considering the chip is <$20 and takes 2 minutes to
> replace, it's not a big deal.

OK, this seems like a decent time to bring up a question: I have a block of
SS2s with dead NVRAMs. Searching on ebay, I found some Sun NVRAMs, but they
were marked as being for SS5/SS10/SS20. Is there actually any difference
between an SS2 chip and an SS5 chip? -Jack