SUMMARY: Invalid ID PROM

From: John Bradley (john.bradley@sunman.chinalake.navy.mil)
Date: Wed Oct 23 1996 - 18:27:49 CDT


Thanx for the responces from :

Mikey Garcia <MJGARCIA@us.oracle.com> (former co-worker)
doong@aharinc.com (Tom Doong)
Peter.Bestel@uniq.com.au (Peter Bestel)
Milt Webb <milt@iqsc.com>
poffen@San-Jose.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger)
Benjamin Cline <benji@hnt.com>

Answer:

You can't fat finger back in the hostid and ethernet on a 3/160, like
you can on newer arch's. I called in our hardware support people, and
it seems to be a bad PROM. They are calling an outfit to burn us a new
PROM. Benjamin and Milt pointed out a FAQ.

 http://www.squirrel.com/squirrel/sun-nvram-hostid.faq.html

that was real helpful in figuring out what the problem was.

Original:

>HELP!!
>
>I have a dinosaur SUN 3/160. I boot it and it tells me:
>
>ID PROM Invalid
>...
>INVALID FORMAT TYPE IN ID PROM
>DEFAULTING MACHINE TYPE TO SUN3_160
>...
>INVALID FORMAT CODE IN ID PROM
>...
>
>I now have no hostid or ethernet address and who knows what else I'm
>missing.
>
>Is there a way to add/change the hostid/ethernet? Is there a way to fix
>this.
>
################

Replies:

So, here's a clip from a previous summary, but I'm not sure if it's
SPARC only:
 
>You can also get the NVRAM chips from Mauser Electronics
>(800-346-6873) or any SGS-Thomson distributor. The SGS-Thomson part
>number is M48T02-20PC1. They're cheaper from an SGS-Thomson
>distributor (~$16/chip), but you have the program them yourself
>(takes about five minutes, instructions are in nvram.info in
>change-sun-hostid-1.4.8.tar.gz available from
>ftp.netcom.com:/pub/he/henderso
>ftp.wimsey.com:/pub/crypto/netcom-mirror
 
Good Luck!!
 
Mike Garcia
mjgarcia@us.oracle.com

###########

I recently had to have the ID PROM replaced on a Sparc 1.
I called Rave Computers, a Sun Authorized reseller of used/
refurbished equipment. I don't kow if they can help with a
Sun 3 Box, but it may be worth a try.

I deal with Lori Galant, 1.800.966.7283

-tom doong

###########

You'll need to order a new chip from Sun and install. No
other way out of this problem.

Cheers,

        Peter B.
###########

Unlike the new systems, which use an integrated NVRAM with built-in
battery,
these systems had a separate battery, which obviously has gone dead.
This
battery is replaceable. If you pull the CPU board, it should be obvious.

Once replaced, the info will have to be restored. There is quite a bit
of info
on some web sites, but I don't have it handy. Check past sun-managers
archives
for some info.

Russ Poffenberger Engineering Specialist

###########

Sounds like you need a new PROM chip (unlike the NVRAM chips in the
SPARCstation class of machines, the PROM chip _shouldn't_ go bad).
Probably the cheapest way to fix it would be to find someone with a dead
3/100 series CPU card, and use their PROM chip. Take a look at the Sun
NVRAM FAQ for some more useful information
(http://www.squirrel.com/squirrel/sun-nvram-hostid.faq.html)

        benji

-- 
*** John Bradley                           ***
*** Sun Admin.                             ***
*** Tel:619.939.5887 fax:619.939.9581      ***
*** email: john.bradley@chinalake.navy.mil ***



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