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Re: Old Sun machines.



Hi all,

Bear in mind that OBP 2.7 (as shown on the screenshot) is an *extremely* early PROM version for the SS10, and will seriously limit the particular MBus CPU modules that can be used in the system (under Solaris in particular, but also for boot and hardware reasons, probably under NetBSD too) -

https://mbus.sunhelp.org/systems/sun/ss10.htm#t

More recent PROMs suitable for both the SS10 and SS20 are available in several places on the 'net. 2.9.16 would be my absolute minimum recommendation for cached SuperSPARC modules, 2.19.3 for HyperSPARC investigations.

Preferred option would be 2.25R (the Ross' minor variant of 2.25), which would allow any workable modules to be used.

- Mike

Sent from my Galaxy


-------- Original message --------
From: peter%easthope.ca@localhost
Date: 29/08/2025 20:51 (GMT+00:00)
To: port-sparc%netbsd.org@localhost
Cc: peter%easthope.ca@localhost
Subject: Re: Old Sun machines.

Ken, Michael, Samuel & all,

Yesterday measured, weighed, cleaned and photographed the SS 5 and 10.
Photos here.
http://easthope.ca/SPARCstation10display.jpg
http://easthope.ca/SPARCstation10interior.jpg
http://easthope.ca/SPARCstation5interior.jpg
Can try to improve resolution for the 5 interior next week.

Added dimensions and weights in the infoboxes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARCstation_5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARCstation_10
In fact the SS5 weighs 8.3 kg.  10 to allow for a HDD and video
card.

Both machines need attention to the clock/NVRAM.
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=71241
https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/sun-nvram-alternate-battery-clock-chip.76043/

Connected a monitor to the 10 through a 13w3 to VGA adapter cable
purchased years ago for a ss2.  As you see, it boots to Forth ok.

The 5 lacks a HDD and video card and I didn't try booting. If the
video card from the 10 will work in the 5, I can try that next week.
Ideas?

More about the Sparcs here.  http://www.obsolyte.com/

Postage calculation here.
https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/tools/find-a-rate.page

"2211 Wesbrook Mall V6T 2B5" should be enough for the origin.  Allow
for about 10 cm of foam around the machine.  Outside dimensions 62 x
62 x 12 cm.  Including packaging, the weight will be about 14 kg.

I don't need advance reimbursement for the postage but want to be
convinced of participation in a NetBSD mailing list before investing
time and money to send off a machine.

If anyone remains interested after seeing the postage estimate, I can
work on the project again next week.

Also a pair of IPXs to evaluate.

Regards,                       ... P.


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