The collected works of ozpass

Hello all.

I'm struggling with a problem installing IRIX 5.3 on my Crimson. The problem is Crimson related - I'm fairly sure of that - but I'm not certain as to what's causing it.

I'm able to load SASH and fx the disk. When I subsequently go to software install and attempt to step the packages I get the following error:

PANIC: IRIX Killed due to MP Bus Timeout

PC:0x8000505c ep:0x801730f0 Physical Address 0x17fe0000

When I subsequently power the computer down (my only option - it's totally unresponsive) it wont restart. I have to switch it off at the mains and wait 5 minutes or so before it will power up and return to the same point.

I've removed the IP17 board and juggled / reseated the memory with no success.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Austin.

Hi Jan-Jaap.

It doesn't sound at all good, does it? More worrying still is the complete absence of reference to it on the internet....

I've spoken with you before regarding your IP17 board - if I remember correctly I was hoping to use the memory from it. I'll PM you for details anyway.

I'll try pulling the memory tonight. Which of the four banks (looking at the board from the "front", the part with the clips) counts as the first? I have 4 modules in each of the four banks....

-Austin.

Hmm. That's interesting.

In mine, banks 1 and 2 of each group are populated, so each group has 4 modules installed.

If I've read the instructions correctly then I should have two fully populated groups rather than having the modules spread over the four groups.....

-Austin.

P.S. Are these really "just" 80ns 72-pin ECC SIMMS? I was expecting something far more exotic.

OK.

So it would seem that the problem is unrelated to a fault on the IP17 board or the memory.

I've received a shiny new IP17 board complete with 64MB RAM from Jan-Jaap and I'm still experiencing the problem. At random times whilst installing IRIX I'm getting kernel panics due to the MP Bus timeout problem.

I can partition the disk just fine (using the 5.3 install media) but experience the kernel panics at random points whilst installing either 5.3 or 6.2 (so the problem doesn't seem to be due to dodgy install media).

As a matter of course now I'm going to strip down, clean and reseat each of the boards in the chassis but this seems like too lowbrow a solution to actually achieve anything. Could a problem with the VGX boardset cause this error? What about an irregular power supply? It does seem that the first time I switch the Crimson on after a while it gets further before producing the error, and I have to remove the power source at the mains before I can get it to reboot following one of the kernel panics.

Any and all advice greatly received!

-Austin.

Hello,

Considering thinning out some of my collection...

I'm not completely decided, but was wondering what the following might be worth:

1 x Crimson VGX, 150Mhz R4400 Processor, 128MB RAM

Also comes with a spare IP17 processor board with 64MB RAM, 100MHz R4400. Has IRIX 5.3 and 6.2 Install media, DB15-PS2 keyboard convertor, CDROM drive, tape drive and 2 x 5.25" HDD (can't remember capacity). Good skins, all present and correct.

The system currently has no OS installed, and whilst it boots it errors out whilst installing IRIX, as detailed in this thread ( viewtopic.php?f=7&t=16717992 ) - N.B. I never got round to cleaning the backplanes.

1 x Sun Microsystems Sunfire V880z, 3 x UltraSPARC III CPU's (900Mhz I think), ~24GB RAM, 6 x 36GB FC HDD

Again, currently no OS installed but I can stick Solaris on if needed. Very clean, very heavy

Numerous lunch-box Sun4c systems - SPACRCstation IPX, classic etc. OpenBoot PROM batteries dead, can replace if needed.

Numerous DEC Microvax 3100 boxes , can include 1GB SCSI HDD's if needed. Also a few VAXStations if memory serves.

Any kit would be tested and working, naturally.

Just thinking out loud really about offloading them, to gauge any interest. I'm not looking to make a killing, just recoup any money I myself spent on them. Worst case scenario I'll store them in my lock-up in France, to revisit in 20-odd years when my kids have grown up - just don't have the time anymore!! I also have a couple of Octanes, but I'd need some persuading to get shut of them.

Sorry, for some reason I thought my location was listed under the avatar (getting confused with other forums) the Crimson is at my house in the UK - near Manchester.

I meant 3 boards for the sun fire, old age and lack of sleep etc... 6 cpu's, 8 GB on each card.

Pontus wrote:

ozpass wrote: Sorry, for some reason I thought my location was listed under the avatar (getting confused with other forums) the Crimson is at my house in the UK - near Manchester.

Aha, I'll do some research on shipping costs and see if I can make a reasonable offer. I'm told shipping from the UK is quite expensive so we will have to see

This is of course assuming you are willing to go through the extra work of putting it on a pallet?

Did you by any chance get the machine from Mike Ross?

I fear it will be terribly expensive. I will happily pack / prepare / pallet the computer for free - just happy to see the beat going to a collector and being used.

I bought the computer from a nice Dutch gentleman living in Reigate, Surrey.

PymbleSoftware wrote: I suspect that the VAXen(*) would be far too expensive to ship to Australia, so I sent VAXMAN an email about them but I think he probably has enough of them already.

R.

* Plural form especially for Sykwriter

Yeah, the 3100's are very common amongst collectors, but much rarer on the "open market" (i.e. eBay) for anyone seeking to start a collection.

I like them - a proper VAX with very little power consumption (about 85W) - they're the only boxen I run VMS on for this very reason.