ultra enterprise 450 server - keyboard

I collected a Sun Ultra Enterprise 450 server from the garbage at a
public storage unit. It powers up,
and sends data effectively to a monitor I connected to it. But
there's no keyboard or mouse--and the only message you get on screen
is that there's no input device. So, I can't really tell whether it
works.

So my question is what my options are for a keyboard (and mouse).
There's one input that appears
to be a 8-pin din connection. That appears to rule out ibm-style
keyboards. And I assume the mouse
will connect via the keyboard.

*what type of unix keyboard works? (type 5 is my best guest)

*are there solutions for non-sun keyboards like adapters and such?

*is there any other quick way to evaluate the health of the machine
without an
"input device"?

Thanks

Ken

Ken <> writes:
>I collected a Sun Ultra Enterprise 450 server from the garbage at a
>public storage unit. It powers up,
>and sends data effectively to a monitor I connected to it. But
>there's no keyboard or mouse--and the only message you get on screen
>is that there's no input device. So, I can't really tell whether it
>works.

Old Sun machines fall back to using TTYA as the console if there's no
keyboard hooked up, if you connect up over serial you'll be into the machine..

>So my question is what my options are for a keyboard (and mouse).
>There's one input that appears
>to be a 8-pin din connection. That appears to rule out ibm-style
>keyboards. And I assume the mouse
>will connect via the keyboard.

Yes. A sun Type-5 keyboard interface, using a Sun type-5 keyboard and
mouse (or Type-6 with the Sun interface). Yes, the mouse connects to
the keyboard over the same type of interface.

>*what type of unix keyboard works? (type 5 is my best guest)

Yes, Sun type-5 keyboard. (or serial console). Many available on eBay.

>*are there solutions for non-sun keyboards like adapters and such?

Yes, but they are more expensive than a type-5, and more a problem,
like any sort of hardware translator would be.

>*is there any other quick way to evaluate the health of the machine
>without an
> "input device"?

Yes, connect to TTYA with a serial comm program, 8N1, 9600 baud.
You'll need a null-modem cable to connect your machine to it.

On 2009-09-28, Ken <> wrote:
> I collected a Sun Ultra Enterprise 450 server from the garbage at a
> public storage unit. It powers up,
> and sends data effectively to a monitor I connected to it. But
> there's no keyboard or mouse--and the only message you get on screen
> is that there's no input device. So, I can't really tell whether it
> works.

Hmm ... usually in the absence of a keyboard, most Suns switch
to using a serial terminal on the TTYA port on the back. It is too
late (and I am too tired) to dig into the FEH to make sure that the 450
has the TTY ports.

> So my question is what my options are for a keyboard (and mouse).
> There's one input that appears
> to be a 8-pin din connection. That appears to rule out ibm-style
> keyboards.

Yes -- it is (almost) unique to Suns. (Solbourne made a SPARC
desktop system with the same connector, but a different pinout,
resulting in plugging either system's keyboard into the other system
result in a blown fuse. (At least, back in those days, they used bi-pin
fuses so they were easy to replace -- not the more recent surface mount
fuses.

> And I assume the mouse
> will connect via the keyboard.

Yes.

> *what type of unix keyboard works? (type 5 is my best guest)

Pretty much any Sun keyboard with the right connector. The ones
for the Sun-2 machines used a RJ-45 connector IIRC (with a separate one
for the mouse), and the latest Suns use USB keyboards where anyone's
keyboard will work, but many don't have the special keys which make some
things easier.

There was someone offering a Sun keyboard and mouse on freecycle
(local free transfer of ownership in place of throwing things away) a
couple of days ago. Look on Craigs List, and eBay and other such places
for old Sun keyboards.

> *are there solutions for non-sun keyboards like adapters and such?

Probably -- but a *lot* more expensive than finding an old Sun
keyboard and mouse. (Be careful that a lot of the earlier mice were
optical, and required a special mouse pad.)

> *is there any other quick way to evaluate the health of the machine
> without an
> "input device"?

Yes -- the serial port and a serial terminal (or another
computer running some form of terminal emulator program). Anything
which pretends to be a VT-100 should work well, though the install
scripts offer other types of terminals as well.

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 ---

Many thanks to both of you--I will attempt to connect with my laptop
into the serial port--assuming there is one
I'm not with the machine right now. I do have a null modem cable.
Not sure whether I can do this from my ubuntu
command line but I'll snoop around.

Ken

On Sep 28, 12:43*am, "DoN. Nichols" <dnich...@d-and-d.com> wrote:
> On 2009-09-28, Ken <cambi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I collected a Sun Ultra Enterprise 450 server from the garbage at a
> > public storage unit. *It powers up,
> > and sends data effectively to a monitor I connected to it. *But
> > there's no keyboard or mouse--and the only message you get on screen
> > is that there's no input device. *So, I can't really tell whether it
> > works.
>
> * * * * Hmm ... usually in the absence of a keyboard, most Suns switch
> to using a serial terminal on the TTYA port on the back. *It is too
> late (and I am too tired) to dig into the FEH to make sure that the 450
> has the TTY ports.
>
> > So my question is what my options are for a keyboard (and mouse).
> > There's one input that appears
> > to be a 8-pin din connection. *That appears to rule out ibm-style
> > keyboards.
>
> * * * * Yes -- it is (almost) unique to Suns. *(Solbourne made a SPARC
> desktop system with the same connector, but a different pinout,
> resulting in plugging either system's keyboard into the other system
> result in a blown fuse. *(At least, back in those days, they used bi-pin
> fuses so they were easy to replace -- not the more recent surface mount
> fuses.
>
> > * * * * * * And I assume the mouse
> > will connect via the keyboard.
>
> * * * * Yes.
>
> > *what type of unix keyboard works? (type 5 is my best guest)
>
> * * * * Pretty much any Sun keyboard with the right connector. *The ones
> for the Sun-2 machines used a RJ-45 connector IIRC (with a separate one
> for the mouse), and the latest Suns use USB keyboards where anyone's
> keyboard will work, but many don't have the special keys which make some
> things easier.
>
> * * * * There was someone offering a Sun keyboard and mouse on freecycle
> (local free transfer of ownership in place of throwing things away) a
> couple of days ago. Look on Craigs List, and eBay and other such places
> for old Sun keyboards.
>
> > *are there solutions for non-sun keyboards like adapters and such?
>
> * * * * Probably -- but a *lot* more expensive than finding an old Sun
> keyboard and mouse. (Be careful that a lot of the earlier mice were
> optical, and required a special mouse pad.)
>
> > *is there any other quick way to evaluate the health of the machine
> > without an
> > *"input device"?
>
> * * * * Yes -- the serial port and a serial terminal (or another
> computer running some form of terminal emulator program). *Anything
> which pretends to be a VT-100 should work well, though the install
> scripts offer other types of terminals as well.
>
> * * * * Good Luck,
> * * * * * * * * DoN.
>
> --
> *Email: * <dnich...@d-and-d.com> * | 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 ---