Suns-at-home

Jonathan Ewing | 1 Feb 2004 19:11

Ultra30 - Console via Creator Graphics 3, 13W3M adapter, PC VGA multi-synch monitor

I recently acquired a refurbished Ultra30 for the purpose of learning Solaris 
admin task and (mostly) to do self development with some commercial apps not 
available on Linux. My understanding is the Ultra30 should self-configure to 
use the frame buffer card as console if there is no serial terminal.  

I do not have a serial terminal hooked up; the multi-synch monitor reports no 
signal.

Can anyone advise me on the best approach to determine if I have a blown 
Creator Graphic 3 card, if 12W3m adapters just don't work with CG3. Is there 
some PROM setting that I should make via serial terminal to enable usage of 
the frame buffer for console? I do not have a serial terminal at hand.

Many thanks for sharing your experience and insights,

Jon Ewing    
jjewing_at_mindspring_dot_com

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Phillip Tong | 3 Feb 2004 10:39

Re: Ultra30 - Console via Creator Graphics 3, 13W3M adapter, PC VGA multi-synch monitor

Jonathan Ewing wrote:
> My understanding is the Ultra30 should self-configure to use the
> frame buffer card as console if there is no serial terminal.

Actually, this would be the other way around - if there is no frame 
buffer card *and* keyboard connected, it will use a serial terminal (off 
the first serial port).

> I do not have a serial terminal hooked up; the multi-synch monitor 
> reports no signal.
> 
> Can anyone advise me on the best approach to determine if I have a 
> blown Creator Graphic 3 card, if 12W3m adapters just don't work with 
> CG3. Is there some PROM setting that I should make via serial 
> terminal to enable usage of the frame buffer for console? I do not 
> have a serial terminal at hand.

To get the monitor to show anything, you also need a Sun keyboard 
connected. If you have one connected and nothing shows then it's time to 
start checking things (like monitor refresh rates - you do need a fairly 
high spec monitor by default - make sure it can show 1280x1024x76Hz or 
you'll have to run a config utility - ffbconfig in Solaris - to change 
the resolution).

But if all you want is a terminal to see the console, another machine 
(Sun or PC) with a null-modem cable and terminal emulation software 
(HyperTerminal on Windows, for example) will do. Just set the viewing 
terminal to 9600 baud, 8 bit, no parity, 1 stop bit.

> Many thanks for sharing your experience and insights,

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