Hardware Wanted

I've managed to upgrade my Octane2 and while Linux runs like a dream on it, sadly I think I need to re-install and/ or upgrade IRIX to deal with the newer processor. While I know I could try to do it via network, I think a CD drive would make this task easier and help a lot with other software installation and just day-to-day use. A couple questions:

1) My question is what type should I get? I assume any 68 pin and 50 pin w/ adaptor will probably work but always helps to double check.

2) Did SGI ever make any themselves? I won't mind a matching or branded enclosure.

3) If not, anyone know a model that's reasonably quiet? I used one on someone else's Octane which made almost as much noise as the Octane.

tillin9 wrote:
1) My question is what type should I get? I assume any 68 pin and 50 pin w/ adaptor will probably work but always helps to double check.

2) Did SGI ever make any themselves? I won't mind a matching or branded enclosure.

3) If not, anyone know a model that's reasonably quiet? I used one on someone else's Octane which made almost as much noise as the Octane.

1- use a 50pin -68pin self terminated cable and a 50 pin ext enclosure
2- sgi makes external cd for octanes
3- the sgi one has external pwersupply and makes no noise -except the spinning cd-

i have sgi external enclosures for hdd-68pin cd-dvd-50pin dds-3 dat-50pin floppy-50pin
all have internal psu except cdrom one

Why not get an external SCSI CDRW? I've got several Yamahas of varying speeds that work as boot devices <a few needed a firmware update>, and I seem to recall some Plextors are also known to work:
http://www.vigyan.com/~blbates/sgi/hard ... Mpoll.html
http://futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/cdtips.html
BTW, if you leave a CDRW disk in the drive while IRIX is booting, it will briefly complain, but continue to boot. If the messages bother you, empty the drive before rebooting.

radrob wrote: the sgi one has external pwersupply and makes no noise -except the spinning cd-

If anybody ends up with an external SGI drive that needs a power supply, drop me a line. I bought an entire case of new ones a while back to get two.

Sorry, I guess I didn't quite phrase this quite right. I'm more interested in the enclosure. I have a spare Plextor 12/10/32 known to work with SGIs, and if all else fails, I do have a spare O2 CD-ROM I could use.

I'm surprised I never saw a picture of the SGI branded one. Anybody who has one mind snapping one?

Sure, here's a SGI branded DVD-ROM (not for sale):





I also have a SGI DDS4 in the same style enclosure (interlocks nicely on top).

tillin9 wrote: I've managed to upgrade my Octane2 and while Linux runs like a dream on it, sadly I think I need to re-install and/ or upgrade IRIX to deal with the newer processor.

Umm, ?? I went from an r10k-195 all the way thru an overclocked 360 without reinstalling anything. Why do you think you need to reinstall Irix ? You're running 6.5.22 or better, right ?

Btw 2, an O2 makes a great external CD-ROM. In fact, sometimes I think that's about all they're good for

Neko, thanks for the pic. Looks a little more plain that I expected. I happen to like my Zip650 on top of my Indigo (although connected to my PC) since its a matching purple, and My Jaz next to my Octane as they're both green (I'm probably the only one with all the insides of an Octane2 in a set of green skins).

Naw, I still have an old dirty 6.5.11 I didn't install. I have 6.5.22 overlays, but never got around to using them on the Octane.

Can I do an install over network from an O2's CD? That would work.

tillin9 wrote: Can I do an install over network from an O2's CD? That would work.

I don't see why not. I installed on the Origin300 from my Octanes external cdrom.

Regan

Care to share how it was configured? Or is this just a normal network install?

Besides iSCSI, I can't think of a good way to share the device.

tillin9 wrote: Care to share how it was configured? Or is this just a normal network install?

Besides iSCSI, I can't think of a good way to share the device.

just a normal network install

I just blindly followed Ians futuretec blinken lights web page.

Regan

SGI's peripherals come in granite as well, and they are designed to stack.
Here is my CDROM (the one in my O2 was giving errors), DDS3, Floppy, and another CDROM for an Octane under the desk. They all use Centronics 50-pin SCSI connector.


Sorry about the quality. I had to use a camera phone, my digital camera batteries need charging.

tillin9 wrote: Besides iSCSI, I can't think of a good way to share the device.

As root on the O2, rmb on the CD-ROM icon. Choose "Share with Network". Fill out the blanks. Now you're good to go.