Frequently Asked Questions about Sun NVRAM/hostid/IDPROM
Mark C. Henderson
to answer the following frequently asked questions. Please send suggestions
and comments to ma...@wimsey.bc.ca
DRAFT Version 0.1 - 18 Jan 96
The information in this document applies to the following Sun architectures:
sun4c, sun4m, sun4d, sun4u, sun3x (but not to sun4, sun3)
1. When I turn on my Sun it doesn't boot and I get output which looks
something like:
Sun Workstation, Model Sun-3/80 Series.
ROM Rev 2.9.2, 8MB memory installed
ID PROM invalid.
Testing 0 Megabytes of Memory ... Completed.
Auto-boot in progress...
ERROR: missing or invalid ID prom
le: No Carrier
Requesting Internet address for 0:0:0:0:0:0
How can I fix this?
2. The clock on my Sun has stopped working. When I turn off the machine
it loses track of the time. What can I do?
3. How do I change the hostid and/or ethernet address of my Sun workstation?
4. My Sun is in full-security mode (can't even boot without password) and
I don't know the EEPROM password. How do I fix this?
The simple answer to 1,2,4 is that one can fix these problems by purchasing
a new NVRAM chip, installing it in the system, and programming a hostid
and ethernet address into the NVRAM chip. For 3, you don't need to purchase
a new chip, but can proceed directly to the NVRAM chip programming steps.
USE THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. IF THIS INFORMATION IS ABUSED OR INCORRECT
YOU CAN RENDER YOUR COMPUTER UNBOOTABLE AND MY BET IS THAT SUN WILL
CHARGE A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX THE DAMAGE.
The information in this document is distributed in the hope that
it will be useful, but without any warranty; without even the
implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular
purpose. You use this document at your own risk. The author
disclaims responsibility for any damages that might result from the
use of this document, even if they result from negligence or errors
on the part of the author.
Placed in the public domain by the author - Jan 1996
- Mark Henderson <ma...@wimsey.bc.ca>
Thanks to Kevin Murty for the use of an SS1000 (and to the Sun FE
Handbook for the magic "update-system-idprom" command). Other contributors
are noted in the body of the text.
The most up to date version of this document can be obtained by anonymous
ftp from
ftp.netcom.com:/pub/he/henderso/sun-nvram-hostid.faq
ftp.wimsey.com:/pub/crypto/sun-stuff/sun-nvram-hostid.faq
It is also distributed as part of a larger package for spoofing the
hostid on Sun workstations called change-sun-hostid. You'll also find
change-sun-hostid available for anonymous ftp in the above directories.
i.e. ftp.netcom.com:/pub/he/henderso/change-sun-hostid.tar.gz
ftp.wimsey.com:/pub/crypto/sun-stuff/change-sun-hostid.tar.gz
I've broken this document into the following parts.
I. Introduction and Hardware
II. General sun4c, sun4m, sun4d, sun4u IDPROM Programming
III. A Quick-and-Dirty Guide to Restoring the NVRAM of a sun4c/m Machine
IV. The Sun 3/80
V. Examples
VI. Odds and Ends
-----
I. Introduction and Hardware
Every Sun 3/80, sun4c, sun4u, and sun4m architecture machine contains
an NVRAM chip (not to be confused with the NVRAM in Prestoserve). This
NVRAM chip stores various configuration parameters (e.g. boot device,
amount of RAM to test), maintains the clock, and also contains the
IDPROM data, which is composed of the ethernet address, date of
manufacture, hostid, a version number, and a checksum. The name IDPROM
is historical. On older machines such as the sun2, sun3, and sun4
architecture machines the hostid and ethernet address were stored in a
PROM.
sun4d machines (e.g. SS1000) also have an NVRAM chip. However, the
IDPROM information is stored in a flash EEPROM and is downloaded into
the NVRAM during POST. You can also upload information from the NVRAM
chip to the flash EEPROM. So you can change the value of the flash
EEPROM by merely changing the NVRAM and uploading the new values.
This document is for people who want to accomplish one of the
following tasks
1. Install a virgin NVRAM chip in a Sun 3/80, sun4c, or sun4m machine.
Usually this will be due to NVRAM failure or loss of the NVRAM password in
full security mode.
2. Change the hostid/ethernet address of a Sun 3/80, sun4c, sun4m, sun4u or
sun4d machine.
3. Restore a machine with a corrupted NVRAM chip in a Sun 3/80, sun4c,
sun4u, sun4m machine to working order.
I'm going to focus on methods that involve reprogramming the chip from
the FORTH OPENPROM monitor ("ok" prompt).
The NVRAM chip has a usually will have a barcode on it (except for
sun4d). Given the barcode, Sun can reconstruct your original hostid
and ethernet address. I have no idea how this is done, but the barcode
serves as an easy way to identify the chip.
The NVRAM chips are SGS-Thomson Timekeeper (formerly Mostek) chips. They
contain an embedded battery with a fixed life. When the machine is off,
the battery runs down. It is very common for the battery embedded in
the Timekeeper chip in an older Sun (sun4c, sun3x) to fail.
Architecture Chip Type
sun3x (3/80) M48T02
sun4c M48T02
sun4m M48T08
sun4d M48T08
sun4u M48T08 ??
The NVRAM chips used to be designated Mostek MK48T02 etc.
These chips come in various speeds. The SGS-Thomson part numbers are
M48T02-200PC1 for the 200ns M48T02, M48T08-100PC1 for the 100ns M48T08.
200ns is adequate for any Sun, but often the faster chips are easier to
come by, and there is no harm in buying them. If you have trouble
tracking down a local SGS-Thomson distributor, Mauser electronics sells
the SGS-Thomson Timekeeper chips (800-346-6873, 817-483-5712). The
Mauser part numbers as of 1995 are slighly different and are as
follows:
Part no. Mauser part no. speed capacity
M48T02-200PC1 511-M48T02-20PC1 200ns M48T02 2kB
M48T02-150PC1 511-M48T02-15PC1 150ns M48T02 2kB
M48T02-120PC1 511-M48T02-12PC1 120ns M48T02 2kB
M48T08-150PC1 511-M48T08-15PC1 150ns M48T08 8kB
M48T08-100PC1 511-M48T08-10PC1 100ns M48T08 8kB
As of Oct 1995, the prices for these chips from Mauser range from
US$16.00-23.12. I have no affiliation with Mauser other than as a
customer
Dallas Semicondutor makes a clone of the SGS-Thomson M48T02 chips, the
DS1642. I've had mixed experience using the Dallas chips in a Sun. My
experience is that these chips do NOT work properly in the following
machines: 3/80, SS2, IPX (they fail POST, but otherwise seem OK)
However, I have successfully used them in an SS1 and an IPC. I have no
idea whether the Dallas chips work properly in the following: SLC,
ELC, SS1+. You can order the DS1642 chips in 120ns or 150ns speeds
(150ns is fine) directly from Dallas in quantities up to 10 by calling
1-800-336-6933 and giving Dallas a credit card number. Data sheets and
distrubutor lists for Dallas are available from http://www.dalsemi.com
Other sources for M48T02 chips are:
In the U.K.: (thanks to simon...@cix.compulink.co.uk)
Farnell Electronic Components (01132 636311)
Maplin Electronics (01702 554161)
(Please send me additional sources)
-----
II. General sun4c, sun4m, sun4d, sun4u IDPROM Programming
If you have a valid NVRAM chip installed (IDPROM is ok) then
before doing anything else, write down a copy of the nvram IDPROM
information. You can get it under Sun OS 4.1.x by running
/usr/etc/devinfo -vp (on Solaris 2.x, /usr/sbin/prtconf -vp) or at
the Openprom monitor "ok" prompt by typing the command
.idprom
(yes the "." is part of the command)
You'll need this information if the NVRAM gets screwed up and you need
to try and back out.
Step 1.
Go to the OpenBoot monitor (ok prompt). You can do this by turning on
your machine, pressing L1/Stop-A to interrupt the boot sequence, and
entering "new command mode". Alternatively, if your machine is running,
just shut down your operating system.
If you are installing a virgin NVRAM type
set-defaults
Generally a machine will reset the NVRAM to the default values (excluding
the IDPROM information) when it detects a virgin NVRAM. Still, it is
good to do a "set-defaults" just in case this fails.
--
Step 2.
The command to reprogram the IDPROM part of NVRAM is "mkp". The format
for the command is
<value> <location> mkp
where location is read off the following table (all values are in hexadecimal)
byte contents
0 01 - version number - always 01
1 first byte of hostid (system type)
2-7 6 byte ethernet address (first three bytes are 08,00,20)
8-b date of manufacture. Often all 0s. Doesn't matter.
c second byte of hostid
d third byte of hostid
e fourth byte of hostid
f IDPROM checksum - bitwise xor of contents of bytes 0-e
You can look at the complete idprom by executing .idprom
Alternatively the command
<location> idprom@
returns the IDPROM value of byte <location>
so
<location> idprom@ .
prints the IDPROM value of byte <location>
Now make the changes using mkp. Be very careful and be sure to
compute the checksum after making changes. If you don't, you'll get
nasty warnings about an incorrect IDPROM checksum on boot.
A quick and dirty way to compute and store the checksum in location f
is to execute the following at the "ok" prompt _after_ you have
made your changes to locations 0-e.
0 f 0 do i idprom@ xor loop f mkp
I'm know repeating myself, but don't change the first byte of the
hostid to something that doesn't correspond to your system type (see
table below) or the first three bytes of the ethernet address from
(0x08,0x00,0x20). The first byte of the hostid is often used to
determine the architecture when booting from CDROM on most current Sun
models. If you alter the first three bytes of the ethernet address you
might get message which say that you have a defective motherboard (but
then I don't know of any other consequences of changing this to some
_reasonable_ value, especially avoid ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff !)
e.g. modify the hostid of an IPX to be 57c0ffee and the ethernet address
to be 08:00:20:c0:ff:ee.
at the forth monitor prompt (ok)
1 0 mkp
57 1 mkp
8 2 mkp
0 3 mkp
20 4 mkp
c0 5 mkp
ff 6 mkp
ee 7 mkp
0 8 mkp
0 9 mkp
0 a mkp
0 b mkp
c0 c mkp
ff d mkp
ee e mkp
0 f 0 do i idprom@ xor loop f mkp
--
Step 3.
If you are on an SS1000, type
update-system-idprom
at the ok prompt.
For any of the above machines, now type reset at the ok prompt. Your
machine should then attempt to reboot with your new hostid/enet addr.
--
Here's a table which matches system models with the first byte of the
hostid. This is from a posting to comp.sys.sun.admin by
Andy.B...@coat.com
01 2/1x0
02 2/50
11 3/160
12 3/50
13 3/2x0
14 3/110
17 3/60
18 3/e
21 4/2x0
22 4/1x0
23 4/3x0
24 4/4x0
31 386i/150 or 386i/250
41 3/4x0
42 3/80
51 SPARCstation 1 (4/60)
52 SPARCstation IPC (4/40)
53 SPARCstation 1+ (4/65)
54 SPARCstation SLC (4/20)
55 SPARCstation 2 (4/75)
56 SPARCstation ELC (4/25)
57 SPARCstation IPX (4/50)
61 4/e
71 4/6x0 (670)
72 SPARCstation 10,20
80 SPARCclassic, LX, SPARC 5, SPARC 4, SS1000, Voyager
-----
III. A Quick-and-Dirty Guide to Restoring the NVRAM of a sun4c/m Machine
This is for folks who need to replace their NVRAM chip in a sun4c/m
machine and don't want to bother with XOR calculations or the details
above with mkp. I am assuming that you have a brand new NVRAM chip in
hand.
All numbers below are in hex.
Decide what ethernet address you want to use and what you want for the
last three byte of the hostid. The ethernet address must begin with
08:00:20. There are no restrictions on the last three bytes of the
hostid. Say the ethernet address is 08:00:20:E3:E4:E5 and the last
three bytes of the hostid are H1, H2, H3. The first byte of the hostid
will automatically be set according to the system type.
Turn off the machine. Remove the old NVRAM chip (note the
orientation). Insert the new NVRAM chip. Be sure to insert it in the
correct orientation as installing it in the wrong orientation and
powering on the machine will generally destroy the chip. Power up the
machine and bring it to the "ok" prompt.
now at the "ok" prompt...
set-defaults
setenv diag-switch? false
8 0 20 E3 E4 E5 H1H2H3 mkpl
mkpl expects some input (but it doesn't prompt you). The input is a
Control-D followed by a Control-R. If mkpl does _not_ print a copyright
notice, then it changed the IDPROM, but you can look at the idprom after
doing this with the command
.idprom
to make sure that things look sane.
e.g.
8 0 20 13 de ad c0ffee mkpl
will set the last three bytes of the hostid to c0ffee and the ethernet
address to 08:00:20:13:de:ad.
N.B. mkpl will only work if the IDPROM checksum is _invalid_. Otherwise
it will simply print a copyright notice after you type the Control-R.
You can invalidate the IDPROM checksum in an NVRAM with a valid IDPROM
checksum by executing
f idprom@ 1 xor f mkp
-----
IV. The Sun 3/80
Here's a way to modify NVRAM IDPROM info on a Sun 3/80 (people have
to do this because of the usual battery problem, as with the sun4c
machines)
This may not be the most elegant procedure, but this should allow you
to modify the NVRAM IDPROM info on a sun 3/80. At first glance you
might think that the q command would work, but it doesn't seem to
actually modify anything when given addresses >= 0x7d8
Hit L1-A after you turn it on
N.B.: ^t is a command. Don't try control-T.
Only tested with 2.9.2 PROMS.
> ^t fef04000
you'll get output which includes the following (samples included)
TIA entry = 33FA500
TIB entry = 33FB80A
PTE = 64000049
Write these values down!!
now change the TIA entry for fedfa000 to match the above
> m a fedfa000
TIA MAP FEDFA000 [...] ? 33FA500
hit control-D at next ? prompt
now change the TIB entry to match the above
> m b fedfa000
TIB MAP FEDFA000 [...] ? 33FB80A
now change the pagemap entry to match the above
> p fedfa000
PageMap FEDFA000 [...] ? 64000049
> o fedfa7d8
...
now enter new IDPROM values. You need to get the checksum right.
byte contents
fedfa7d8 01 - version number - always 01
fedfa7d9 first byte of hostid (system type, 42 for sun 3/80)
fedfa7da-df 6 byte ethernet address (first three bytes are 08,00,20)
fedfa7e0-e3 date of manufacture. Often all 0s
fedfa7e4 second byte of hostid
fedfa7e5 third byte of hostid
fedfa7e6 fourth byte of hostid
fedfa7e7 IDPROM checksum - xor of contents of bytes d8-e6
After you have put in the values you want with the o command, execute
k 2
to reset the computer. It should come back up with the desired hostid
and ethernet address.
Note if you have SUN OS 4.1.1 booted (i.e. you're doing this for some other
reason than an IDPROM with invalid data), you can just write values into
fedfa7d8 ... fedfa7e7 with the o command. You don't need to do all the
mapping stuff.
If you are installing a virgin M48T02 chip, you'll also need to initialise
the other values in NVRAM, e.g. boot device, memory, etc. Unlike the
sun4c machines, the Sun 3/80 does not set these parameters to sane
defaults when it detects a virgin M48T02. To modify the rest of NVRAM
you can use the "q" command in the monitor. See the table below.
When Sun OS 4.1.x boots, it will kick-start the clock. The first time it
boots it will complain that the TOD is not initialized. It shouldn't
complain the second time the machine boots). However, if you are using
Sun OS 4.1 a bug that was fixed in 4.1.1 will prevent the OS from being
able to use the NVRAM clock. The fix is easy, change the line in
/usr/include/sun3x/devaddr.h and /usr/kvm/sys/sun3x/devaddr.h from
#define V_CLK1ADDR 0xFEDFC7F8
to
#define V_CLK1ADDR 0xFEDFA7F8
and then rebuild the kernel. Thanks to simon...@cix.compulink.co.uk
for this information.
The following table of memory locations in NVRAM for the Sun 3 series
machines is from the Sun Hardware Reference
by James W. Birdsall <jwbi...@picarefy.com>
I provide it here so you won't have to dig up the Sun Hardware Reference
to restore a 3/80 to working order.
SUN 3 EEPROM/NVRAM Parameters
0x14 Installed memory
Megabytes of memory installed
0x15 Tested memory
Megabytes of memory tested during power-on self test (POST)
0x16 Monitor screen size
0x00 1152 x 900 (standard resolution)
0x12 1024 x 1024 (1Kx1K)
0x13 1600 x 1280 (high resolution, see locations 0x50 and 0x51)
0x14 1440 x 1440
0x15 1024 x 768 (low resolution)
0x17 Watchdog reset action
0x00 invoke ROM monitor
0x12 imitate power-on reset (default)
0x18 Operating system boot device
0x00 poll (default)
0x12 boot from EEPROM/NVRAM specified boot device
0x19-0x1A SunOS boot device name (in ASCII)
0x78 0x79 (xy) Xylogics 450/451 SMD controller
0x78 0x64 (xd) Xylogics 7053 SMD controller
0x73 0x64 (sd) SCSI disk
0x69 0x65 (ie) Ethernet (Intel-based controller)
0x69 0x64 (id) IPI disk
0x67 0x6E (gn) ???
0x6C 0x65 (le) Ethernet (Lance-based controller)
0x1B-0x1D SunOS boot device controller, unit, partition numbers
0x00 0x00 0x00 (0,0,0) (default)
0x1F Primary terminal
0x00 monochrome framebuffer
0x10 serial port A
0x11 serial port B
0x12 VMEbus and 3/60-P4 color frame buffers (configure
locations 0x60C-0x613 when VX and MVX graphics options
are installed)
0x20 non-3/60 P4 color frame buffer
0x20 Power-up banner
0x00 Sun logo display
0x12 custom banner stored in 0x68-0xB7
0x21 Keyboard click
0x00 OFF
0x12 ON (default)
0x22-0x23 Diagnostic boot device name (in ASCII)
Used when NORM/DIAG switch in DIAG position. As 0x19-0x1A, or
0x00 0x00 to invoke ROM monitor.
0x24-0x26 Diagnotic boot device controller, unit, partition numbers
Used when NORM/DIAG switch in DIAG position. As 0x1B-0x1D.
0x28-0x4F Diagnostic boot path
Used when NORM/DIAG switch in DIAG position. ASCII codes for
path and filename(?) to boot, or all zeroes to invoke ROM
monitor.
0x50 High resolution number of columns
0x51 High resolution number of rows
0x58 Serial port A default baud rate
0x00 9600 baud
0x12 use rate stored at 0x59-0x5A
0x59-0x5A Serial port A baud rate
The baud rate as a 16-bit number, MSB first (e.g. 0x04 0xB0
for 1200, 0x12 0xC0 for 4800, 0x25 0x80 for 9600).
0x5B Serial port A DTR/RTS
0x00 assert DTR and RTS signals
0x12 do not assert DTR and RTS signals
0x60 Serial port B default baud rate
0x00 9600 baud
0x12 use rate stored at 0x61-0x62
Note that when the NORM/DIAG switch is in the DIAG position,
port B runs at 1200 baud and the settings of locations
0x60-0x62 are ignored.
0x61-0x62 Serial port B baud rate
The baud rate as a 16-bit number, MSB first (e.g. 0x04 0xB0
for 1200, 0x12 0xC0 for 4800, 0x25 0x80 for 9600).
0x63 Serial port B DTR/RTS
0x00 assert DTR and RTS signals
0x12 do not assert DTR and RTS signals
0x68-0xB7 Custom banner
ASCII codes for desired banner, padded with spaces and ending
with 0x0D, 0x0A in locations 0xB6 and 0xB7
0x111 Sun386i CPU revision level
0x01 P1.5 CPU (should not be in the field)
0x02 501-1241/1324-xx
0x03 501-1413/1414-xx
0x112 Sun386i CPU revision level
0x00 P1.5 CPU (should not be in the field) ([0x111] = 0x01)
0x00 <= 501-1241-02 Rev 15 ([0x111] = 0x02)
<= 501-1324-02 Rev 15
0x02 >= 501-1241-02 Rev 16 ([0x111] = 0x02)
>= 501-1324-02 Rev 16
0x00 501-1413/1414-xx ([0x111] = 0x03)
0x154 Sun386i SCSI spin-up delay (boot ROM >= 4.5 only)
0x00 no delay (default)
0xnn delay nn seconds
0x162 Sun386i password mode select (boot ROM >= 4.5 only)
0x01 command secure mode
0x5E fully secure mode
other non-secure mode
0x163-0x16A Sun386i password
Eight bytes of password in ASCII.
0x18F Logo type
0x00 normal Sun logo
0x06 3D logo for cgsix framebuffers
0x12 custom logo
0x492 Sun386i power-on mode
0x02 bypass mode
0x06 diagnostic boot
0x07 normal boot
Sun-3 and Sun-4 password mode select (boot ROM >= 2.7.1 only)
0x01 command secure mode
0x5E fully secure mode
other non-secure mode
0x493-0x49A Sun-3 and Sun-4 password (boot ROM >= 2.7.1 only)
Eight bytes of password in ASCII. If the ROM is 2.8, enter a
'@' character before each letter of the password. Enter one
letter per location, followed by <Return>. If the password is
less than eight letters, enter 0x00 in the remaining
locations. The hexadecimal values of the letters can also be
used to enter the password.
0x494 Sun386i autoconfig message flag
0x00 no messages
0x01 Sun-3 (UNIX expert type messages)
0x02 verbose messages
0x60C-0x60F VX and MVX options boot code
0x31 0x40 0x00 0x00 use the VX/MVX as the system console
0x610-0x61e VX and MVX options bus type
0xFC 0x00 0x00 0x00 use the VX/MVX as the system console
0x70B 3/80 power-on mode (boot ROM >= 2.3 only)
0x06 normal boot
0x12 diagnostic mode
other full diagnostic boot
-----
V. Examples
N.B. AS I'VE SAID ABOVE, YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL THAT THE FIRST BYTE OF THE
HOSTID MATCHES YOUR SYSTEM TYPE.
1. modify the hostid of an IPX to be 57c0ffee and the ethernet address
to be 08:00:20:c0:ff:ee
at the forth monitor prompt
01 0 mkp
57 1 mkp
08 2 mkp
0 3 mkp
20 4 mkp
c0 5 mkp
ff 6 mkp
ee 7 mkp
57 8 mkp
0 9 mkp
0 a mkp
0 b mkp
c0 c mkp
ff d mkp
ee e mkp
29 f mkp
Notice the simplification in the above example. If you make the
ethernet address 08:00:20:H1:H2:H3 and the four bytes of the hostid
ST,H1,H2,H3 resp. where ST is the system type byte, and you put
ST,0,0,0 in the date of manufacture field, then the IDPROM checksum
will always be 29 (remember all of these numbers are hexadecimal).
This make things a bit easier, you can, in general, just enter
01 0 mkp
ST 1 mkp
08 2 mkp
0 3 mkp
20 4 mkp
H1 5 mkp
H2 6 mkp
H3 7 mkp
ST 8 mkp
0 9 mkp
0 a mkp
0 b mkp
H1 c mkp
H2 d mkp
H3 e mkp
29 f mkp
without worrying about the checksum
2. modify the hostid of an SS10 to be 72c0ffee and the ethernet address
to be 08:00:20:c0:ff:ee
at the forth monitor prompt
01 0 mkp
72 1 mkp
08 2 mkp
0 3 mkp
20 4 mkp
c0 5 mkp
ff 6 mkp
ee 7 mkp
0 8 mkp
0 9 mkp
0 a mkp
0 b mkp
c0 c mkp
ff d mkp
ee e mkp
0 f 0 do i idprom@ xor loop f mkp
3. modify the hostid of an SS1000 to be 80c0ffee and the ethernet address
of 08:00:20:c0:ff:ee
at the forth monitor prompt
01 0 mkp
80 1 mkp
08 2 mkp
0 3 mkp
20 4 mkp
c0 5 mkp
ff 6 mkp
ee 7 mkp
80 8 mkp
0 9 mkp
0 a mkp
0 b mkp
c0 c mkp
ff d mkp
ee e mkp
29 f mkp
update-system-idprom
4. Install a virgin NVRAM in an IPX. Set the hostid to 57c0ffee and the
ethernet address to be 08:00:20:c0:ff:ee
Remove the old NVRAM
Install the new NVRAM (correct orientation!)
at the forth monitor prompt
set-defaults
setenv diag-switch? false
08 00 20 c0 ff ee c0ffee mkpl
^D^R
(where ^D represents Control-D etc.)
-----
VI. Odds and Ends
Resetting the NVRAM (when L1-N doesn't do it)
You might want to do this to recover from the loss of an NVRAM password
(in full security mode) or if you mess up your nvramrc. My take on this
situtation is that the safest thing to do is pay the $20 for a new
Timekeeper chip. But several people have reported to me that it is safe
to hot-swap the NVRAM when the system is on.
do...@cs.colorado.edu (Stephen Dowdy) writes:
> (this may apply to other SPARC models.)
> IPC -- remove NVRAM, power-up without. *carefully* hot-plug it in when OK
> prompt comes up (after it says CHECKSUM failure). do:
> OK set-defaults
> OK set-defaults
> then power-cycle
>
> SS2 -- you need to boot from a good NVRAM, then hot-swap the "bad" one
> and "set-defaults". Only if the L1-N (or is it L1-D) thingy
> doesn't work for you.
--
Mark Henderson -- ma...@wimsey.bc.ca, hend...@netcom.com (personal accounts)
ViaCrypt PGP Key Fingerprint: 21 F6 AF 2B 6A 8A 0B E1 A1 2A 2A 06 4A D5 92 46
cryptography archive maintainer -- ftp://ftp.wimsey.com/pub/crypto
ftp://ftp.wimsey.com/pub/crypto/sun-stuff/change-sun-hostid-1.6.1.tar.gz