david@msri.org (David Mostardi) (08/15/90)
Is it *really* true that a Sparcstation 1 won't boot if there are any devices (say, modems) attached to the serial ports? The techie at Sun believes this is true. Is there any way around this incredible problem? David Mostardi Systems Administrator david@msri.org Mathematical Sciences Research Institute 1000 Centennial Drive, Berkeley CA 94720 (415) 643-6071
alen@crash.cts.com (Alen Shapiro) (10/08/90)
In article <1990Aug23.225050.9705@rice.edu> david@msri.org (David Mostardi) writes: >Is it *really* true that a Sparcstation 1 won't boot if there are any >devices (say, modems) attached to the serial ports? The techie at Sun >believes this is true. Is there any way around this incredible problem? I found this to be true but only when my Microcom modem was connected. The problem does not occur on an identically configured SS1+. I did not track the problem down with a breakout box but it did not occur when either mac+ or Jasmine-Backpack modem were connected (to the SS1). >From what I remember, switching from ttya to ttyb made no difference. The SS1 would break-out to the microcode monitor with the keyboard disabled for further input during auto-boot at the point after the "dma0 at Sbus" message was printed. (obviously a new definition of auto-boot that we have not yet come across :-)) When I reported the problem sun-800 did each of the following (in turn) 1) deny there was a problem 2) claim there was something wrong with my modem 3) suggest I disconnect the modem during boot 4) close the service request I was less than happy with this response but that's another (longer) story. --alen the Lisa Slayer (trying to turn a SPARC into a flame) alen%shappy.uucp@crash.cts.com (a mac+ uucp host - what a concept!!) alen@crash.cts.com
dav@genisco.gtc.com (David L. Markowitz) (10/08/90)
david@msri.org (David Mostardi) writes: >Is it *really* true that a Sparcstation 1 won't boot if there are any >devices (say, modems) attached to the serial ports? The techie at Sun >believes this is true. Is there any way around this incredible problem? It is true that serial interrupts onb ttya during boot can cause an SS1 boot to fail, but there is a fix. Sun has a newer boot prom which patches this bug. David L. Markowitz Genisco Technology Corporation dav@gtc.com
jipping@cs.hope.edu (Mike Jipping) (10/08/90)
david@msri.org (David Mostardi): > Is it *really* true that a Sparcstation 1 won't boot if there are any > devices (say, modems) attached to the serial ports? The techie at Sun > believes this is true. Is there any way around this incredible problem? Well...I know that incorrectly wired serial devices will "freeze" the machine when connected. We've done this with printers -- miswire some of the pins and the whole machine freezes up after connecting the unit to a serial port. However, I believe a SS-1 will boot with correctly wired units. Ours boot with printers attached. Mike Jipping Internet: jipping@cs.hope.edu Hope College BITNET: JIPPING@HOPE Department of Computer Science Voice: Hey!