Ultra 80 PCI card voltages / video card possibilities?
Friends,
Just acquired an Ultra 80, and cannot get any video out...
Has a 3rd party PCI (LRI 2634) video card in it (which I believe is 5v), with a standard-looking 'SVGA' connector.
1. Does this thing output SVGA? Or is it SunVideo with a different connector?
2. Does anyone know the voltages of the Ultra 80 PCI slots? I understand different models have slots with different voltages / bus speeds.
3. If one of the slots is 3.3 volts (like a 'standard' Pee-Cee'), are we able to simply plug a PC video card into a 3.3v Sun PCI slot for testing purposes?
Yes, I'm in the process of digging up manuals or tech specs on line; thought I'd try here first.
Many thanks in advance - Lou
[744 byte] By [
DrLou] at [2007-11-25 23:07:34]
# 1
<a href="http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/805-6618-11.pdf " target="_blank"> http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/80 5-6618-11.pdf</a>
I imagine the card is this one? Sun PGX32 8/24-Bit Color Frame Buffer Sun X3668A... 3703753 on the board?
the slots should be listed on the door if I remember correctly... the above pdf doesn't have the motherboard drawing..
if it is a Sun frame buffer, then it should work... I am thinking the slots nearest the center of the motherboard... I just have never put that type of frame buffer in one of my U80s...
if it isn't a Sun frame buffer, it most likely won't work.
good luck,
haroldkarl
# 2
Lou,
Let's see if I can also point you toward some resources for your research.
<a href="http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub" target="_blank"><u>The Sun System Handbook</u></a> is a great source for info.
The free version has limited information, but that's usually enough.
You get access to more info if you have a login account to Sunsolve.
You would need a Sun service contract to get Sunsolve login access.
<a href="http://docs.sun.com" target="_blank">Docs.Sun.Com</a> is another great documentation site.
<a href="http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/Systems/U80/ U80.html" target="_blank"><u><b>Here's the Ultra-80</b></u></a> in the SSH.
Review the link to Related Documentation on that page.
Before responding to this post, I tried a brief Google search on that LRI 2634 card.
As HaroldKarl noted, it's probably the PGX32 card, but perhaps a 3rd party European rebranded version.
... which is OK because the Sun card is a rebranded <a href="http://techsource.com/products/datasheets/gfx8p.h tm" target="_blank">TechSource GFX card</a>, anyhow.
-
Your monitor is probably just having problems displaying Sun's default screen resolution of 1152x900 at 66Hz vertical refresh.
Also, the keyboard and mouse must be connected else all console output is redirected out the TTYa port in command-line mode.
If it is the graphics card that we suspect, try this trick -- install it to a Windows PC as an additional card.
The Sun PGX32/Techsource/GFX card is recognized natively by Win98 and newer as a 3Dlabs Permedia chipset.
See if MS-Win gets you any info.You won't even need to attach a monitor to it, just add it to a system, check Device Manager or run DxDiag, and then remove it.
# 3
All, Many thanks to all for your help so far...
It is the Tech-Source Raptor GFX; the url in your email is the correct card, though ours is labeled 'GFX', not 'GFX-8P'...
Per your suggestion, I have put it in a Linux x86 box as a test (dare I speak the heresy, this machine suffers under neither Intel nor Windows...), but never get past the BIOS POST. Get a series of motherboard 'alarm' beeps - and no display whatever from my already-installed AGP card when the Raptor is installed.
But again, if I'm barking up the wrong (proverbial) tree here: Specs on the raptor GFX say it's a 5v card; isn't an old Socket 7 motherboard's PCI bus running 3.3 volts? - or should I see something anyway? I haven't found PCI voltage specs on this AX59Pro yet, but the PCI bus is running 33 MHz.
If, as suggested, the card is defaulting to 1152 x 900, this may be it. Dunno if my ancient multisync CRT goes above 1024. And, keyboard is plugged in when testing in the Ultra.
Or, perhaps I simply have a dead Raptor card?
Next step is... what? Unplug the keyboard and wire up a null modem cable connection?
DrLou at 2007-7-5 17:58:34 >
# 4
As far as I know, only TechSource names their card as "GFX 8p"; it's their naming convention.Everyone else chooses their own preferred marketing name.
5-volt/32bit slots are actually the norm, with 3.3 volt slots simply a newer form-factor.
Using our friend GOOGLE once again, glance through this page:
<a href="http://www.tmc-uk.com/supports/general_faqs/riser_card.htm" target="_blank">http://www.tmc-uk.com/supports/general_faqs/riser_card.htm&l t;/a>
Note the position of the notches in various slots ? (3volt vs 5volt vs combo)
Note the overall lengths of the various slots pictured there ? (32bit vs 64bit vs combo)
That is how you can visually determine voltage and bus width capabilities of a slot.
(Notches are used in AGP slots as well.)
And, here is your Linux computer's motherboard:
<a href="http://global.aopen.com.tw/Products/MB/ax59pro.htm" target="_blank">http://global.aopen.com.tw/Products/MB/ax59pro.htm</a>
<a href="http://www.hwupgrade.com/motherboard/socket7_comparison/index5.html" target="_blank"> http://www.hwupgrade.com/motherboard/socket7_comparison/inde x5.html</a>
<a href="http://www.tomshardware.com/1998/07/31/socket_7_board_review_july_1998/pa ge2.html" target="_blank"> http://www.tomshardware.com/1998/07/31/socket_7_board_review _july_1998/page2.html</a>
If the card went into the Linux systemboard slot properly, then it would accomodate its voltages correctly.But, yes it is possible the card is broken.
--
Yup, next step for your U-80 is to TIP into it.
Are the card's drivers even installed ?
# pkginfo | grep TSI*
If they're not installed, you can find them on your Solaris installation media.
For Sol8 and Sol9, it's <a href="http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/Software/Sol aris_Ref/Solaris_9/solsw1of2.html" target="_blank"><u>disk #1 of 2</u></a>
Sun's package names are TSIpgx*
(Hmmmmm ...TSI for Techsource)
