Hi all,
I'm new to sun hardware. So, I am planning to get to know it, by buying Netra X1. But, I learn that to install Solaris O/S on Netra X1, you need install server, etc. I don't want to wipe my WinXP in the laptop by Installing x86 Solaris.
Is it possilbe for me to buy an internal CDROM (not necessarily Sun Slimline), attach to the Hard Drive IDE interface ?
any thought is welcome
thanks,
martin
Internal?No.
There's no room in the chassis.None.
There's no provision for any external access to any drive until you take the computer apart.
That is why Sun soon discontinued the X1 and replaced it with the V100 model.
Get whatever documentation is available from the Sun System Handbook.
http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/Systems/Netra_X1/Netra_X1.html
If you want to temporarily attach a standard drive for the installation procedure?
Theoretically, it would be possible.
You would need to be prepared with more hardware than just an IDE optical drive.
To begin with, leave the hard drive layout alone as far as jumpers are concerned.
At least be very careful to note which drive is where, and how they're jumpered for their ID's.
Write it down and diagram it for yourself.Then check it all again.
Observe good antistatic protocols and habits while you work with an open computer chassis.
You would need replacement IDE cables with additional drive connectors.
I suggest you get them long enough for convenient positioning
as you work with the system pulled apart and spread out on your bench.
You would need extensions and Y-adapters for the drive power cables,
so as to have enough length to make all this convenient.
Then you would need to configure the optical drive as secondary slave.
IDE0 is on the right side of the systemboard.
IDE1 is at the front left of the systemboard.
The X1 has the device path for secondary slave hard-coded as "CDROM" into OBP.
Whenever you type boot cdrom the computer will expect to find it as secondary slave.
If you don't set it as secondary slave you would need to learn to manually use device paths at the OBP level.
(which can sometimes be confusing for a novice)
-
I hope this Netra X1 was a really, really good bargain (meaning real cheap) !
A V100 is the same computer with a chassis large enough to already include an optical drive inside, thus avoiding this entire exercise.
As I am typing this, there are a number of V100's on EBAY.
Some are going for less than $200.00
