SGI: Hardware

Surplus has an Octane2 sitting there smiling at me. Problem is, $180?

By #s it's a 400 R12K (CMN B015AN G400). Not sure how to tell if it's a dual w/o opening it. Being rusty as I am, and never having better than a V6 *sob* myself, I need help IDing this gfx option. And... is it worth $180? $140? (after 2 weeks), $100? (2 more weeks), etc., etc.


It's nekked backside


The gfx option in questshun


Name, Rank, and model number.

Thanks all

The ones around here won't allow the case to be opened, but all most all of them will allow you to power it up if for no other reason than to confirm it works.

I'd suggest taking a laptop and null modem cable to get an hinv, but also take a list of Octane VPro, processor module and DIMM part numbers. Run an hinv if possible <it's quicker and offers more detail>. If they won't allow a power up but will let you open it pull the graphics carrier first. If it's a V12, take it. If it's not, then pull the system board and decide if what's there is worth it to you.

I guess what I'm asking is essentially, is there any way to differentiate the 4 VPRO cards from looking at the back? Does V8/12 still just have 2x BNCs and the one 13w3? Any version sporting DVI connectors, etc.?

If you see an Octane with DVI connectors for less than $200 buy it without a second thought. All vPro, though, basically look the same from the back. You need to either look at hinv, or physically get the part number off the board. The DVI ports are an option called a dual-channel display adapter (DCD) that plugs into any of the vPro boards, but is worth a couple of bucks on its own.

If you can look at the top of the board it will give memory size, printed on the PCB: ODY32 or ODY128. Sadly, there's no way to ID a particular Vpro from the outside (a la SE/SSE/MXE).

(edited - trying to banish "though" since I overuse it).

For what they're asking, I'd be inclined to take it, but then, I'm weird.

As others have suggested, see if they'll let you power it up and do a PROM hinv. From there, take it if it's a V12 for sure. V10 is hard to find (in an Octane. It's trivial in a Fuel), and V8 is almost as good as V12 for a lot of things, so I'd take it if it's a V8/10. V6, your call. If the machine's a dualie, or has more than 2GB of RAM, that's more points in the 'take it' column.

A dual R12k/400 with 2GB of RAM and a V6 is worth $100, IMHO, maybe more to the right person. The same spec with a V12 is worth considerably more than the asking price.

Got a fresh look at the back of my Octane2s last night while rearranging my office a bit. I remembered a V6 looking a little different.
Bottom line is, I guess I'll have to take a mini LCD w/ a 13w3 adapter in there on Friday (the place is only open one day a week) and see if I can fire it up and get a look at hinv. Thing is, if it sits for a while with no interest, it'll get cheaper. Last SGIs I bought there was a whole pallet of Indigo2s (couple extremes and R10k SIs, with stands) and 5 Octanes+2 Octane2s, one Octane2 which now resides in my office was sporting a shoehorn with a DuoIO card and a QLogic FC card. Too bad they wipe the disks, the few that slipped through the cracks with intact filesystems, where pretty much worthless stock installs.

Anyway, I'll check it out Friday and go from there. Thanks for the input guys.

brainstorm wrote: Bottom line is, I guess I'll have to take a mini LCD w/ a 13w3 adapter in there on Friday (the place is only open one day a week) and see if I can fire it up and get a look at hinv.

In that case you might take a keyboard and mouse too <or borrow them there>. If you fire it up out without a kb&m, the PROM will direct the system output to the serial port <rather than the monitor>.

Why can't I find SGI kit as cheap as that, here in the UK?

Megatron-UK wrote: Why can't I find SGI kit as cheap as that, here in the UK?

'Cos I ain't had time to list anything on eBid yet. ;D

Btw, there's no point using the hinv command in the PROM to identify a VPro card, it doesn't
give enough detail. Use the 'system' command instead, and take a note with of the various
possible gfx board SGI part numbers.

Ian.

SALE UPDATE: ...I was hoping to land it for under $100...
This place is only open on Friday. So I go in the first Friday after Christmas break to <hopefully> snag up the Mac G5 quad for a beautiful tag of $550. I got the G5, but it came with no media, only a fresh install, but I'm told they'll talk to IT and try to land a OEM G5 Install disk or a [*legal*] backup copy anyway. Missed the next Friday, but came in the Friday after that. There sits the Octane w/ fixin's, in a shopping cart by the checkout area. I almost walked out without asking but I doubled back. "A guy bought it last week for $100 and brought it back in today, said it won't bring up anything..." I'm told. "you want it?" he added. To which I reply "how much?" "Ten bucks and it's yours, just don't bring the damn thing back here." SOLD! My wife had just asked me about which of our (my) machines would be good to learn 3D animation on, so I had her buy it.

Kinda pisses me off she got the same thing I paid $225 for a couple years ago and hers even has 2GB RAM in it. {although mine came with a shoehorn, neener neener neener... }
Turned out to be fine just had a jacked-up, half-network-dependent system on it. So, that brings us to... now go read my post in IRIX/Software about how I screwed it up already.

Megatron-UK wrote: Why can't I find SGI kit as cheap as that, here in the UK?

Invite a big commercial/military aircraft company to move into your neighborhood. Sometimes I see things at these places that REALLY make me wonder. Water tastes kinda funny around here, too.

Oh yeah, full specs
Octane2, blue skins w/ late sgi logo
400 MHz R12k, cherokee PS, xbow 1.4, V6, 2x 512MB + 4x 256MB RAM, 1x 18GB 10kRPM HD w/ IRIX 6.5.x, charcoal roundback kbd, 13w3/13w3 vid cable.
all fer 10 bucks!