Ultra 20 M2 keyboard and monitor

I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
will work with it OK.

Reading the maintenance manual, I see the notation to be sure that a
type 7 keyboard is attached. Is there something different between the
type 6 and type 7 that will prevent my using the keyboard I have?

The two monitors I have are a Sun Sony 17" that came with an Ultra 10
and a 17" NEC multisync. Both run fine on Creator graphics cards at
1280X1024 on Ultra 60's and 10's, and I've assumed one of these will
be plug-and-play.

Not really looking forward to using a box that has a BIOS instead of
an OBP, but it looks to me like I'm going to have to go with X86 for
anything really "next generation."

Hank

On 2009-08-27, HankVC <> wrote:
> I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
> made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
> will work with it OK.
>
> Reading the maintenance manual, I see the notation to be sure that a
> type 7 keyboard is attached. Is there something different between the
> type 6 and type 7 that will prevent my using the keyboard I have?

Hmm ... two possibilities -- without my ever having seen a
Type-7 keyboard:

1) The Type-7 is supposed to have a USB hub built in so the
mouse can be plugged into the keyboard (like the older DIN
connectored Sun keyboards) instead of having to be plugged into
the back of the computer.

Does the computer have two USB sockets? If not, a Type-6 and a
4-port hub will probably do -- if this is the problem.

2) Maybe the Type-7 has some extra keys.

O.K. A quick google search took me to this:

http://www.virtualbox.de/attachment/...5/Image070.jpg

a photo of the Type-7, and the keycaps seem to be the same as my
Type-6.

And this came up when I added "Ultra 20 M2" to the search:


================================================== ====================
Keyboard and Mouse

The Sun Ultra 20 M2 workstation comes standard with Sun Type-7 keyboard
and mouse, and is fully validated with 27 different country kits to
localize it to different countries and languages. The Type-7 keyboard is
available in both UNIX and PC layouts, with different layout for
non-standard keys such as ESC, Backspace, Caps Lock, and Control
functions. The Sun Type-7 mouse provides three-button control with
optical tracking and a scroll wheel. The optical sensor records motion
more precisely than a traditional mouse for intricate point placement
and adjustment, and no mouse pad is needed for this device.
================================================== ====================

So -- this says that the U-20 M2 *comes* with the Type-7
keyboard, but nothing about it not working with other USB interface
ones. If you got the U-20 M2 from Sun, it should have the proper
keyboard with it. But if you need the scroll wheel to make things work,
go for the Logitech Trackball. It is USB and works fine with Solaris
10.

O.K. Six USB 2.0 ports -- so you should not need the extra hub
to use the Type 6 and mouse with it. However, the cut-and-paste
information above says that the mouse includes not only three buttons
but also a scroll wheel, which the mice with the USB form of the Type-6
keyboards did not have. Note that I am using a Logitech trackball with
wheel (IIRC, it calls itself "Wheelman" on the bottom, but that is
currently covered with Velcro to keep it on the arm of my chair, so I
can't check easily.) It works fine with Solaris 10 without needing any
special drivers from Logitech's CD-ROM.

> The two monitors I have are a Sun Sony 17" that came with an Ultra 10
> and a 17" NEC multisync. Both run fine on Creator graphics cards at
> 1280X1024 on Ultra 60's and 10's, and I've assumed one of these will
> be plug-and-play.

They probably will be. Which will be better depends on what the
framebuffer connector is.

Hmm ... the card the system comes with is a weird connector with
an adaptor which forks off to two DVI connectors. To use your older
monitors you would apparently need a DVI to VGA -- and for the 17" Sun
Sony, you would also need a VGA to 13W3 adaptor. The NEC would take
fewer adaptors. But if you have been using the NEDC on a Creator-3d
card, you probably already have the VGA to 13W3 adaptor.

> Not really looking forward to using a box that has a BIOS instead of
> an OBP, but it looks to me like I'm going to have to go with X86 for
> anything really "next generation."

Well ... I don't feel a need to go "next generation". I'm quite
happy with my Sun Blade 2000, so that changeover will have to happen
later, if at all.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Email: <> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

(HankVC) writes:
>I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
>made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
>will work with it OK.

>Reading the maintenance manual, I see the notation to be sure that a
>type 7 keyboard is attached. Is there something different between the
>type 6 and type 7 that will prevent my using the keyboard I have?

There should be zero issues. I've plugged just about every kind of USB
keyboard into the later Sun models here and never had any problem.
USB HID profile is pretty bog standard. The Type6 and Type7 are so
simular beasts, it should be just plug and go. I wouldn't worry.

>The two monitors I have are a Sun Sony 17" that came with an Ultra 10
>and a 17" NEC multisync. Both run fine on Creator graphics cards at
>1280X1024 on Ultra 60's and 10's, and I've assumed one of these will
>be plug-and-play.

Yes, should be. Again, the later x86 machines have all been pretty bog
standard for graphics output. Nothing like the days of making sure you
had the Sun ECL monitor connected to the right frame buffer.

>Not really looking forward to using a box that has a BIOS instead of
>an OBP, but it looks to me like I'm going to have to go with X86 for
>anything really "next generation."

So, it has a BIOS, but how often do you do anything in OBP anyway?
The servers all have a SP as well, which lets you do lots of fun
and interesting things.

On 2009-08-28, Doug McIntyre <> wrote:
> (HankVC) writes:
>>I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
>>made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
>>will work with it OK.

[ ... ]

>>Not really looking forward to using a box that has a BIOS instead of
>>an OBP, but it looks to me like I'm going to have to go with X86 for
>>anything really "next generation."
>
> So, it has a BIOS, but how often do you do anything in OBP anyway?
> The servers all have a SP as well, which lets you do lots of fun
> and interesting things.

Hmm ... how about (in the eeprom settings):

================================================== ====================
use-nvramrc?=true
nvramrc=devalias cdrom1 /pc1@8,700000/scsi@2,1/disk@6,0:f
================================================== ====================

to allow booting from an external DVD-ROM drive on an added SCSI bus,
simply by typing:

boot cdrom1

instead of:

boot /pc1@8,700000/scsi@2,1/disk@6,0:f

which has a lot greater chance for error -- especially since you are
likley to be doing it more than once while playing around with the
booting -- plus it makes sure that the devalias is re-installed each time
the system resets -- otherwise, if you hand typed the devalias and then
typed "boot cdrom1", you would lose the devalias when the system resets
during booting.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: <> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

In article <4a973fdf$0$38478$> ,
Doug McIntyre <> wrote:
> (HankVC) writes:
>>I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
>>made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
>>will work with it OK.
>
>>Reading the maintenance manual, I see the notation to be sure that a
>>type 7 keyboard is attached. Is there something different between the
>>type 6 and type 7 that will prevent my using the keyboard I have?
>
>There should be zero issues. I've plugged just about every kind of USB
>keyboard into the later Sun models here and never had any problem.
>USB HID profile is pretty bog standard. The Type6 and Type7 are so
>simular beasts, it should be just plug and go. I wouldn't worry.
>
>>The two monitors I have are a Sun Sony 17" that came with an Ultra 10
>>and a 17" NEC multisync. Both run fine on Creator graphics cards at
>>1280X1024 on Ultra 60's and 10's, and I've assumed one of these will
>>be plug-and-play.
>
>Yes, should be. Again, the later x86 machines have all been pretty bog
>standard for graphics output. Nothing like the days of making sure you
>had the Sun ECL monitor connected to the right frame buffer.
>
>>Not really looking forward to using a box that has a BIOS instead of
>>an OBP, but it looks to me like I'm going to have to go with X86 for
>>anything really "next generation."
>
>So, it has a BIOS, but how often do you do anything in OBP anyway?
>The servers all have a SP as well, which lets you do lots of fun
>and interesting things.
>
Thanks for the comments. I'd assumed that this box was standard PC
hardware with the "plus" that all of it is supported in Solaris x86.
Major reason for getting it is to configure Solaris x86 to support a
Mailman application I'm now serving with Ultra 60's. The U60's are
getting pretty long in tooth, and I need to bring much newer hardware
on line. Seems fairly obvious to me that Sparc hardware isn't going
to be the wave of whatever future Sun will have with Oracle.

My gripe about not having the OBP is that the new machine won't have
the serial console and diagnostic support through it that made
problems with Sparc hardware easy to diagnose. I have downloaded the
latest version of the utility DVD, but running it requires a machine
that is sound enough to boot up.

Hank

(HankVC) writes:
>My gripe about not having the OBP is that the new machine won't have
>the serial console and diagnostic support through it that made
>problems with Sparc hardware easy to diagnose. I have downloaded the
>latest version of the utility DVD, but running it requires a machine
>that is sound enough to boot up.

Yeah, the workstations don't have it, but all the Sun x86 servers have the
service processor system working side-by-side, giving ILOM, and a full
suite of management options (ie. ssh, web, IPMI, SNMP, etc).

A bit slow and clunky to work with, but gives you more than enough
diag and operational capabilities.

DoN. Nichols wrote:
> On 2009-08-28, Doug McIntyre <> wrote:
>> (HankVC) writes:
>>> I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
>>> made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
>>> will work with it OK.
>
> [ ... ]
>
>>> Not really looking forward to using a box that has a BIOS instead of
>>> an OBP, but it looks to me like I'm going to have to go with X86 for
>>> anything really "next generation."
>> So, it has a BIOS, but how often do you do anything in OBP anyway?
>> The servers all have a SP as well, which lets you do lots of fun
>> and interesting things.
>
> Hmm ... how about (in the eeprom settings):
>
> ================================================== ====================
> use-nvramrc?=true
> nvramrc=devalias cdrom1 /pc1@8,700000/scsi@2,1/disk@6,0:f
> ================================================== ====================
>
> to allow booting from an external DVD-ROM drive on an added SCSI bus,
> simply by typing:
>
> boot cdrom1
>
> instead of:
>
> boot /pc1@8,700000/scsi@2,1/disk@6,0:f
>
> which has a lot greater chance for error -- especially since you are
> likley to be doing it more than once while playing around with the
> booting -- plus it makes sure that the devalias is re-installed each time
> the system resets -- otherwise, if you hand typed the devalias and then
> typed "boot cdrom1", you would lose the devalias when the system resets
> during booting.
>
> Enjoy,
> DoN.
>
The Ultra 40 M2s I work with came with a DVI-VGA adapter and a DVD drive.
Only 1 PCI slot if thinking of reusing old cards.
Would not expect a problem with the older USB keyboard and mouse.

They do pump out a lot of heat

$> prtdiag -v
System Configuration: Sun Microsystems Sun Ultra 40 M2 Workstation
BIOS Configuration: Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 1.20 04/24/2007

==== Processor Sockets ====================================

Version Location Tag
-------------------------------- --------------------------
AMD CPU0-Socket F
AMD CPU1-Socket F

==== Memory Device Sockets ================================

Type Status Set Device Locator Bank Locator
------- ------ --- ------------------- --------------------
DDR2 empty 4 C0_DIMM3 Bank 1
DDR2 empty 3 C0_DIMM2 Bank 1
DDR2 in use 2 C0_DIMM1 Bank 0
DDR2 in use 1 C0_DIMM0 Bank 0
DDR2 empty 8 C1_DIMM3 Bank 3
DDR2 empty 7 C1_DIMM2 Bank 3
DDR2 in use 6 C1_DIMM1 Bank 2
DDR2 in use 5 C1_DIMM0 Bank 2

==== On-Board Devices =====================================

==== Upgradeable Slots ====================================

ID Status Type Description
--- --------- ---------------- ----------------------------
1 available PCI PCI0 Slot
0 in use PCI Express PCIE0 Slot
0 in use PCI Express PCIE1 Slot
0 available PCI Express PCIE2 Slot
0 available PCI Express PCIE3 Slot
$> prtdiag -v
System Configuration: Sun Microsystems Sun Ultra 40 M2 Workstation
BIOS Configuration: Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 1.20 04/24/2007

==== Processor Sockets ====================================

Version Location Tag
-------------------------------- --------------------------
AMD CPU0-Socket F
AMD CPU1-Socket F

==== Memory Device Sockets ================================

Type Status Set Device Locator Bank Locator
------- ------ --- ------------------- --------------------
DDR2 empty 4 C0_DIMM3 Bank 1
DDR2 empty 3 C0_DIMM2 Bank 1
DDR2 in use 2 C0_DIMM1 Bank 0
DDR2 in use 1 C0_DIMM0 Bank 0
DDR2 empty 8 C1_DIMM3 Bank 3
DDR2 empty 7 C1_DIMM2 Bank 3
DDR2 in use 6 C1_DIMM1 Bank 2
DDR2 in use 5 C1_DIMM0 Bank 2

==== On-Board Devices =====================================

==== Upgradeable Slots ====================================

ID Status Type Description
--- --------- ---------------- ----------------------------
1 available PCI PCI0 Slot
0 in use PCI Express PCIE0 Slot
0 in use PCI Express PCIE1 Slot
0 available PCI Express PCIE2 Slot
0 available PCI Express PCIE3 Slot
$> prtdiag -v
System Configuration: Sun Microsystems Sun Ultra 40 M2 Workstation
BIOS Configuration: Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 1.20 04/24/2007

==== Processor Sockets ====================================

Version Location Tag
-------------------------------- --------------------------
AMD CPU0-Socket F
AMD CPU1-Socket F

==== Memory Device Sockets ================================

Type Status Set Device Locator Bank Locator
------- ------ --- ------------------- --------------------
DDR2 empty 4 C0_DIMM3 Bank 1
DDR2 empty 3 C0_DIMM2 Bank 1
DDR2 in use 2 C0_DIMM1 Bank 0
DDR2 in use 1 C0_DIMM0 Bank 0
DDR2 empty 8 C1_DIMM3 Bank 3
DDR2 empty 7 C1_DIMM2 Bank 3
DDR2 in use 6 C1_DIMM1 Bank 2
DDR2 in use 5 C1_DIMM0 Bank 2

==== On-Board Devices =====================================

==== Upgradeable Slots ====================================

ID Status Type Description
--- --------- ---------------- ----------------------------
1 available PCI PCI0 Slot
0 in use PCI Express PCIE0 Slot
0 in use PCI Express PCIE1 Slot
0 available PCI Express PCIE2 Slot
0 available PCI Express PCIE3 Slot


Bill

In article <h77347$65f$>, HankVC <> wrote:
>I have a new Ultra 20 M2 that is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I've
>made the assumption that the Type 6 USB country kit keyboard and mouse
>will work with it OK.
>
>Reading the maintenance manual, I see the notation to be sure that a
>type 7 keyboard is attached. Is there something different between the
>type 6 and type 7 that will prevent my using the keyboard I have?
>
>The two monitors I have are a Sun Sony 17" that came with an Ultra 10
>and a 17" NEC multisync. Both run fine on Creator graphics cards at
>1280X1024 on Ultra 60's and 10's, and I've assumed one of these will
>be plug-and-play.
>
The machine arrived late yesterday. I unpacked it and set it up, with
the type 6 keyboard and mouse and Sun Sony 17" monitor. It came right
up with those peripherals, no problem whatever.

Hank