Blade 1000 motherboard in Blade 2000.

"DoN. Nichols" <> writes:

>>>> I have a Sun Blade 2000 (2 x 1200 MHz, 8 GB RAM), which got hit by
>>>> lightning. The Ethernet connector on the motherboard has blown up.

> [ ... ]

>> It had a SunPCi card too, which suffered the same fate - blown Ethernet
>> port.

> Which suggests that the phone line (if your net connection comes
>in via phone) or cable (if that is the path for the net connection) is
>what really got hit, instead of the power line -- though a power line
>hit still is most likely to take out the items connected between the
>phone line and the power line).



I always put a switch between the modem, be it the DSL or Cable ilk,
and the rest of the LAN. It's a good sacrifice to Murphy.


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Huge wrote:
> On 2009-10-16, Tristram Scott <> wrote:
>> In comp.sys.sun.hardware Dave <> wrote:
>
> Dave, I'm sorry I missed the original posting, but I have a S/B 2000 with
> 2x1.2GHz Cu processors, 2Gb (or it might be 4Gb, I forget!) of memory and
> 2 x 73Gb disks here not doing anything that you're welcome to for a price
> which we can discuss. You'll have to collect, though, you know how much the
> damn things weigh...
>
>

Sorry, but I did not see your post until now.

I'd rather not thank you. I've got a pair of 147 GB disks, 8 GB RAM, XVR-1000,
etc etc. My insurance company wrote it off after it got hit by lightning, but if
I can sort out a suitable motherboard, I can get it back to a working condition.

The Ultra 27 they replaced it with is faster and uses less power, but I'd like
to keep a decent SPARC box.

DoN. Nichols wrote:

>>>> so want to repair this. (As all the slots were used, and I had
>>>> to pull out a PCI card so I could fit a quad fast ethernet card, I
>>>> decided to try to repair this, rather than leave a QFE board in it.
>>> O.K. Did it work with the QFE? It should, unless some other
>>> part of the system board was also damaged.
>> It had a SunPCi card too, which suffered the same fate - blown Ethernet
>> port.
>
> Which suggests that the phone line (if your net connection comes
> in via phone) or cable (if that is the path for the net connection) is
> what really got hit, instead of the power line -- though a power line
> hit still is most likely to take out the items connected between the
> phone line and the power line).

I'm 99% sure in my own mind the phone line was hit. I do not think it was power
lines, though they are overhead.


>> But otherwise it works fine with the QFE card. I'm well aware lightning
>> can cause latent damage that does not show immediately, but so far
>> nothing has gone wrong.
>
> Only things close to the ethernet are very likely to have been
> damaged.

That is what I thought. It seems ok.

>>>> I bought a used Blade *1000* on eBay, with no disks and 1 GB of RAM. It
>>>> cost me £43 which was less than I could buy a motherboard for!
>>> O.K.
>>>
>>>> The part number on the motherboard is 501 4143.
>>> The oldest of the system boards
>> Yes, I thought that.
>>
>>>> Does anyone know what the differences between these 4 part numbers is?
>>> Other than the different SCHIZO numbers -- no. I know that the
>>> SCHIZO is a chip on the board -- but I have no idea what it does, or
>>> what effect the older versions have.
>> A Google did not help me find what this SCHIZO thing is
>>
>> http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/docum...hclause=101458
>>
>> is a patch needed for specific SCHIZO's, and the link above even shows
>> how to get the version of the SCHIZO from prtdiag -v, for some systems.
>> But it does not work on my Blade 2000, so I don't know what I have in
>> here.
>
> Hmm ... was that "prtdiag -v | grep -i 'schizo'" ? In my
> Sun Fire 280R system, I get:
>
> Schizo 8 ok 5
>
> While the Sun Blade 2000 gives nothing.
>
> However -- to find your current system board, try this:
>
> prtfru | grep "Sun_Part_No: "
>
> and the first number returned will be the system board. Other part
> numbers include each DIMM. and I forget the rest.
>
>> I will at some point open the case, but I obviously need to shut
>> the machine down for that.
>
> But just to find the part number for the system board, the above
> will work.



>>>> Were there any issues with the earlier boards for the Blade 2000?
>>>
>>> The board you have is the only one listed in my dead-tree
>>> edition of the FEH (Field Engineer's Handbook). The on-line one from
>>> SunShack in OZ lists five system boards, the four you have listed, and
>>> 501-6768.
>>> The board you have is not compatible with the Sun Fire 280R,
>>> presumably because it lacks the connector for the RSC/LOM card. This is
>>> no problem for the Sun Blade 1000 or 2000.
>> Good.
>>
>>> But the most important ones are these from the UltraSPARC III Cu
>>> notes:
>>>
>>> 3) The 900 MHz "UltraSPARC III Cu" requires OPB >= 4.4 Version 6
>>> 4) Support for 1 GHz processors is in OPB 4.5 Version 16
>>> 5) The minimum recommended OBP for 1015/1050 MHz is 4.5 Version 16
>>>
>>> which suggests to me that the 1.2 GHz CPUs (which are also "Cu" type)
>>> need the same versions as the 1015/1050 MHz ones.
>> The type of CPUs in the Blade 2000 is 'Cu' too - it says that on them.
>
> O.K. Though the auction which you show has some interesting
> things based on the photos:
>
> 1) Only one of the two CPUs is a "Cu" type -- the second one is
> missing the green sticker. (Though it could still be "Cu", and
> examination of the orange barcode on the CPU module will be
> needed to be sure -- and that requires a shutdown and removal of
> the CPU modules to be able to see that.
>
> 2) The color of the case is that of a SB-2000. The SB-1000 has a
> gray front panel, and a lighter size color. But the Bezel
> around the DVD-ROM drive is SB-1000, both by marking and color.
>
> 3) The Torque screwdriver supplied is that for the SB-1000 (second
> photo -- the green thing between the two FC-AL disk slots is the
> carrier for the formed loop torque driver supplied with the
> SB-1000. The SB-2000 usually comes with the later
> torque-limiting screwdriver style which lives in a bright green
> clip in the compartment were the DVD-ROM drive is mounted.
>
> 4) The screen shot says "Sun-Blade-1000", but it does so even on
> SB-2000 systems, so that is no true indicator.
>
> 5) The screen shot does say OBP 4.5.
> Though your 4.5 will probably work, since it does with the 900
> MHz CPUs. (If only one is a "Cu" 900 MHz, then you are using a mix of
> Cu and non-Cu types, which the FEH says is not supported. (But I do know
> that a mix of 900 MHz Cu and 1200 MHz Cu works for me, even though it is
> listed as not supported. :-)

It certainly looks a 1000 to me. The colour is very different to my 2000.

>>> Does your used system come with CPUs? If so, I strongly suggest
>>> that you upgrade the firmware (flash it) using the old CPUs before
>>> moving the board to the SB-2000, as I get the impression that you can't
>>> run well enough with the old OBP firmware and the new CPUs to install
>>> the firmware patch.
>> Yes, it has a pair of 900 MHz CPUs. I've got some other FCAL disks
>> around, so will install the latest firmware before trying it with the
>> newer CPUs.
>
> Good practice, even if not needed.
>
>> I had to decide which Blade 1000 to buy. There was this one with a pair
>> of CPUs but no disks for £43
>>
>> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=400077588472
>
> Comments above about that after examining the auction.
>
>> and this one, with a 36 GB disk, but only one CPU for £603.
>>
>> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=310120972774
>
> And -- he does not say whether it is a "Cu" or non-Cu type. The
> 900 MHz speed is the only one made in both styles.

They are both Cu, but I've decided not to swap the motherboards. The fact these
have much older motherboards is a bit worrrying. Also, since the Ultra 27 has
Gigabit ethernet, it would be nice to connect it to the Blade 2000 via Gigabit
ethernet. Hence I have since bought a quad gigabit card. I'll take the QFE card
out I put in it, and put a quad Gigabit card.

>> Perhaps the seller of the latter auction is hoping to find a Sun fan
>> that has escaped from a lunatic asylum. Who else would pay around $1000
>> for a used Blade 1000?
>
> :-)
>
> I presume that you were limiting your searches to those auctions
> local to the UK?

Carriage costs on complete systems are very high. Too high to make it economical
on a Blade 2000 now. I originally bought the Blade 2000 from the USA, but that
was when they were a lot more expensive than they are now, so carriage was a
reasonably small fraction of the overall cost. In 2009, the carriage costs would
exceed the cost of buying the machine.

I'm a bit worried about buying just a motherboard - you never know how carefully
it has been removed - anti static precautions etc. Static (and lightning) can
cause latent damage, which does not appear immediately.

I recall about 25 years ago making a small radio frequency pre-amp for amateur
radio use. I had a Saturday job, but the GaAS FET cost about a months working in
the Saturday job. I sure made damm sure I took all the anti-static precausions I
could with that. Given it worked to 40 GHz or so, the capacitance on the gate is
very small, and so a small charge can produce a large potential.

I doubt most dealers removing motherboards take too much care. Hence is some
ways, advantage in buying a complete working machine.

>> It's strange this system. Its either not been used, or been used in a
>> very clean environment, as there is no dust inside it at all.
>
> Or -- it has been built up using components from multiple boxen,
> and each has been blown free of dust before re-assembly. The very old
> system board, the SB-1000 bezel, and the front panel and side panel
> colors matching the SB-2000 suggest this. Hmm ... while the colors are
> for the SB-2000, the logo is for the SB-1000. I wonder what may have
> been done in PhotoShop with those images.
>
> It also looks as though it has two framebuffers -- likely the
> Creator-3D ones, leaving all four PCI slots free.
>
>> Also, the
>> number of power cycles is only 25, and I reckon 5 of them must have been
>> me.
>
> From the OBP prompt, type:
>
> setenv #power-cycles 0
>
> and see what that does. If not that, you can reset it from the eeprom
> command from a booted Solaris. (I forget which actually works, or
> whether both work.)
>
>> So for a used machine to have only been power cycled 20 times seems
>> quite low. (Most I have bought have been in the hundreds).
>
> Most have not had the count reset as part of the testing. (And
> perhaps the "reset-all" reset it too.
>
> Enjoy,
> DoN.
>

Having got the machines, I am pretty convinced they have not been used. For
example, the power cables which go to the DVD etc were tied proporly behind the
panel. It is clear they have never been connected to a DVD drive, as they would
not reach.

The panels are all Blade 1000. They are not 2000. I suspect the seller got one
of the photos from elsewhere, as it shows the front panel, which he states is
missing. You can see that in the more detailed photographs.

Anyway, I'm not quite sure what I will do with these. I suspect they are worth
more in parts than as complete systems actually, and they are a damm lot easier
to shop as parts.

Dave

On 2009-10-31, Dave <> wrote:
> DoN. Nichols wrote:

[ ... ]


[ ... ]

>> 4) The screen shot says "Sun-Blade-1000", but it does so even on
>> SB-2000 systems, so that is no true indicator.
>>
>> 5) The screen shot does say OBP 4.5.
>> Though your 4.5 will probably work, since it does with the 900
>> MHz CPUs. (If only one is a "Cu" 900 MHz, then you are using a mix of
>> Cu and non-Cu types, which the FEH says is not supported. (But I do know
>> that a mix of 900 MHz Cu and 1200 MHz Cu works for me, even though it is
>> listed as not supported. :-)
>
> It certainly looks a 1000 to me. The colour is very different to my 2000.

O.K. You mean what you received, not the auction photos I
presume?

The SB-2000 systems come out with two appearances in eBay
auctions. One if photographed by ambient light, and the other if
photographed by electronic flash, which almost causes the blue/purple
front panel to *glow*. :-)

[ ... ]

>>> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=310120972774
>>
>> And -- he does not say whether it is a "Cu" or non-Cu type. The
>> 900 MHz speed is the only one made in both styles.
>
> They are both Cu, but I've decided not to swap the motherboards. The fact these
> have much older motherboards is a bit worrrying. Also, since the Ultra 27 has
> Gigabit ethernet, it would be nice to connect it to the Blade 2000 via Gigabit
> ethernet. Hence I have since bought a quad gigabit card. I'll take the QFE card
> out I put in it, and put a quad Gigabit card.

O.K. But you still have the spare system board just in case.
it should work with no problems -- especially if you have updated the
OBP firmware.

[ ... ]

>> I presume that you were limiting your searches to those auctions
>> local to the UK?
>
> Carriage costs on complete systems are very high. Too high to make it economical
> on a Blade 2000 now. I originally bought the Blade 2000 from the USA, but that
> was when they were a lot more expensive than they are now, so carriage was a
> reasonably small fraction of the overall cost. In 2009, the carriage costs would
> exceed the cost of buying the machine.

Yes -- they are extremely heavy machines for their size. Same
for the Sun Fire 280R, which I tend to lighten for moving by first
unplugging the drives, the CPUs, the two hot-swap power supplies and the
top cover. Maybe even the system board, with its mounting bracket.

> I'm a bit worried about buying just a motherboard - you never know how carefully
> it has been removed - anti static precautions etc. Static (and lightning) can
> cause latent damage, which does not appear immediately.

Yes -- though a reasonable vendor of used equipment should know
how to prevent static damage.

One thing which I have been displeased with when buying
replacement system boards via eBay is that while my first one (for the
280R) came still screwed to the metal reinforcing frame and even with
the CPU cage, the later ones had been unscrewed from the metal
reinforcing frame -- making them cost less to ship, but to be a bit more
vulnerable to damage from flexing.

The number of screws needed to be removed and replaced
(exclusive of the CPU cage screws) if shipped with the metal frame is
three. It is closer to ten or so if the board has been removed from the
frame -- with a greater chance of dropping screws into the chips and
perhaps leading to static damage.

But all things considered, I have had good luck with purchased
system boards, even when shipped separate from the metal frame.

> I recall about 25 years ago making a small radio frequency pre-amp for amateur
> radio use. I had a Saturday job, but the GaAS FET cost about a months working in
> the Saturday job. I sure made damm sure I took all the anti-static precausions I
> could with that. Given it worked to 40 GHz or so, the capacitance on the gate is
> very small, and so a small charge can produce a large potential.

:-)

> I doubt most dealers removing motherboards take too much care. Hence is some
> ways, advantage in buying a complete working machine.

There is that -- but most of the dealers stand behind DOA boards
(at least for a month or so), so I suspect that at least minimal care is
observed. One thing which helps a lot is if the room where they are
removed and bagged has high humidity, which tends to minimize static
buildup.

>>> It's strange this system. Its either not been used, or been used in a
>>> very clean environment, as there is no dust inside it at all.

It may have been a spare -- waiting for another machine to fail,
and before enough machines failed, the company had moved to SB-2000 or
something later.

[ ... ]

> Having got the machines, I am pretty convinced they have not been used. For
> example, the power cables which go to the DVD etc were tied proporly behind the
> panel. It is clear they have never been connected to a DVD drive, as they would
> not reach.

O.K. It sounds as though you got some good buys.

> The panels are all Blade 1000. They are not 2000. I suspect the seller got one
> of the photos from elsewhere, as it shows the front panel, which he states is
> missing. You can see that in the more detailed photographs.

:-)

> Anyway, I'm not quite sure what I will do with these. I suspect they are worth
> more in parts than as complete systems actually, and they are a damm lot easier
> to shop as parts.

There is that. It also might be a good idea to keep the parts
in anti-static bags against future needs. That is what I tend to do.

Good Luck,
DoN.

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