USB option for Sun Ultra 10?

MG

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 10:13:09 AM11/19/11

to

Is it possible to add USB, with a PCI card, to a Sun Ultra 10?
(I run Solaris 9.) If so, which part numbers should I start
looking for?

I've been looking into this, but I haven't been able to find
any information. Most people with USB in their Ultra 5/10
systems seem to run Linux, BSD or something else than Solaris.

- MG

Richard B. Gilbert

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 11:05:30 AM11/19/11

to

It should be *possible*! AFAIK Sun/Oracle don't support it but I've
never really looked for it That means that you may have to write your
own device driver and any other supporting software that might be
required. It's not impossible but it's not easy either. If you are
rich, you can pay someone to do it for you. It's probably easier and
cheaper to buy hardware and O/S with native support for it. If you are
really lucky, you will find that someone has already written the
necessary software and will share or will sell you a license, media and
documentation.

MG

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 11:23:52 AM11/19/11

to

On 19-11-2011 17:05, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> It should be *possible*! AFAIK Sun/Oracle don't support it but I've
> never really looked for it That means that you may have to write your
> own device driver and any other supporting software that might be
> required. It's not impossible but it's not easy either. If you are rich,
> you can pay someone to do it for you.

Sorry, I hate to be rude, but 'no' would've sufficed for an answer
here.

(I know and I'm well aware that drivers can be programmed. I also
know that devices don't just magically work just like that, they do
indeed need drivers. Also, if I were 'rich', why would I be using
an Ultra 10?!)

> It's probably easier and cheaper to buy hardware and O/S with native
> support for it. If you are really lucky, you will find that someone
> has already written the necessary software and will share or will
> sell you a license, media and documentation.

Cheaper...? (Seriously though, do I really sound like I'm powering
a business, with my ~15+ year old Ultra 10?)

- MG

MG

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 11:30:19 AM11/19/11

to

On 19-11-2011 17:05, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:

> It should be *possible*! AFAIK Sun/Oracle don't support it but I've
> never really looked for it That means that you may have to write your
> own device driver and any other supporting software that might be
> required. It's not impossible but it's not easy either. If you are rich,
> you can pay someone to do it for you.

Sorry, I hate to be rude, but I think 'no' would've sufficed for an
answer here.

(I know and I'm well aware that drivers can be programmed. I think
I also *roughly* know how computers work that devices don't just

magically work just like that, they do indeed need drivers. Also,
if I were 'rich', why would I be using an Ultra 10?!)

> It's probably easier and cheaper to buy hardware and O/S with native
> support for it. If you are really lucky, you will find that someone
> has already written the necessary software and will share or will
> sell you a license, media and documentation.

Cheaper...? (Seriously though, do I really sound like I'm powering

a business, with my nearly 14 year old Ultra 10?)

- MG

Casper H.S. Dik

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 1:06:25 PM11/19/11

to

At one point in time, I really wanted to have a scroll mouse
and Sun weren't selling them. I bought a cheapo PCI card
(VIA uhci/ehci) combo and, of course, there was no support in Solaris
(uhci/ehci wasn't supported, and it was needed for keyboard &
mouse)

Since we did have a uhci driver for x86 I ported it to SPARC and
I think I as running it under Solaris 9. I made sure that the
fruits of my labor made it into Solaris 10.

So if you want USB under Solaris on an Ultra 10, there are two
options: Solaris 10 or you try to find an ohci card but those are
hard find.

Casper
--

John D Groenveld

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 1:10:23 PM11/19/11

to

In article <4ec7c787$0$6876$e4fe...@news2.news.xs4all.nl>,

MG <marc...@SPAMxs4all.nl> wrote:
>Is it possible to add USB, with a PCI card, to a Sun Ultra 10?
>(I run Solaris 9.) If so, which part numbers should I start
>looking for?

Can you upgrade to Solaris 10?
I suspect you can use any of the USB 2.0 controllers on
the Solaris 10 HCL.
<URL:http://developers.sun.com/solaris/developer/support/driver/usb.html>

John
groe...@acm.org

Nomen Nescio

unread,

Nov 19, 2011, 2:25:42 PM11/19/11

to

MG <marc...@SPAMxs4all.nl> wrote:

> On 19-11-2011 17:05, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> > It should be *possible*! AFAIK Sun/Oracle don't support it but I've
> > never really looked for it That means that you may have to write your
> > own device driver and any other supporting software that might be
> > required. It's not impossible but it's not easy either. If you are rich,
> > you can pay someone to do it for you.
>

> (I know and I'm well aware that drivers can be programmed. I also
> know that devices don't just magically work just like that, they do
> indeed need drivers. Also, if I were 'rich', why would I be using
> an Ultra 10?!)

Because some rich people *do* have good taste? ;-)

> > It's probably easier and cheaper to buy hardware and O/S with native
> > support for it. If you are really lucky, you will find that someone
> > has already written the necessary software and will share or will
> > sell you a license, media and documentation.
>
> Cheaper...? (Seriously though, do I really sound like I'm powering
> a business, with my ~15+ year old Ultra 10?)

Maybe you're rich, have good taste but are still very frugal.

MG

unread,

Nov 21, 2011, 8:23:10 AM11/21/11

to

On 19-11-2011 19:06, Casper H.S. Dik wrote:
> So if you want USB under Solaris on an Ultra 10, there are two
> options: Solaris 10 or you try to find an ohci card but those are
> hard find.

That's clear, I think I'll learn to live without it. Solaris 10
will, most likely, become too much of a performance penalty on
the Ultra 10. If I do see an affordable OHCI card come by (if you
perhaps have part number or two, of known working OHCI cards, I'd
really appreciate it of course) on the usual auction sites, I will
definitely consider it.

- MG

MG

unread,

Nov 21, 2011, 8:26:09 AM11/21/11

to

On 19-11-2011 19:10, John D Groenveld wrote:
> Can you upgrade to Solaris 10?

My Ultra 10 has the full gigabyte of memory installed, so
I should. But, I've heard that Solaris 9 performs better.
Also, I don't have Solaris 10 CD media. (With the whole
Oracle debacle, it doesn't always seem too clear what is
and what isn't 'permitted'.)

- MG

Chris Ridd

unread,

Nov 21, 2011, 8:55:36 AM11/21/11

to

When I got my copy of the Solaris 11 media kit, I was amused to be told
that the shrink wrapping was the crucial part! As in, breaking the
shrink wrapping...

--
Chris

John D Groenveld

unread,

Nov 21, 2011, 9:12:28 AM11/21/11

to

In article <4eca5172$0$6983$e4fe...@news2.news.xs4all.nl>,

MG <marc...@SPAMxs4all.nl> wrote:
>Also, I don't have Solaris 10 CD media. (With the whole

<URL:http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/solaris10/downloads/>

John
groe...@acm.org

George

unread,

Nov 21, 2011, 11:24:55 AM11/21/11

to

On 11/21/2011 08:26 AM, MG wrote:
> On 19-11-2011 19:10, John D Groenveld wrote:
>> Can you upgrade to Solaris 10?
>
> My Ultra 10 has the full gigabyte of memory installed, so
> I should. But, I've heard that Solaris 9 performs better.

I ran Solaris 10 on a 440-MHz Ultra 10 for several years (after having
run Solaris 9 for years before that). I used the machine for light
development and general administration -- performance did not seem to
degrade. (I also had a PCI USB card but not every USB device is
handled. Not all USB chips are USB -- see previous threads.)

G

Michael Laajanen

unread,

Nov 23, 2011, 9:10:11 AM11/23/11

to

Hi,

I don't think Larry will hunt you down for playing with a u10 running S10 :)

If he has that time the board should fire him IMHO and not be upset with
you :)

Michael Laajanen

unread,

Nov 23, 2011, 9:11:25 AM11/23/11

to

Hi,

S10 is no problem for the u10, I have not noticed anything exept booting
with zfs takes longer time than ufs but that is only booting.

Nomen Nescio

unread,

Nov 23, 2011, 12:12:07 PM11/23/11

to

> I don't think Larry will hunt you down for playing with a u10 running S10
:)

Yeah but when he does you will forget you said that.

> If he has that time the board should fire him IMHO and not be upset with
> you :)

Larry is not on the board, he owns the company.
>
>

Doug McIntyre

unread,

Nov 23, 2011, 5:47:37 PM11/23/11

to

Nomen Nescio <nob...@dizum.com> writes:
>Larry is not on the board, he owns the company.

???

While he seems to be the largest single share holder, ORCL financials
say that insiders and 5% owners hold only 22% of the shares of the company.

That leaves him only ~20% owner of Oracle..

Jeffrey O. Henley is chairman of the board.
Larry is CEO and is on the board of directors.