Ultra 80 memory upgrade
Tried to add 1GB of memory (removed from a second, working, Ultra 80) but the additional memory seems not to be recognized by OBP. I tried both banks 2 first and then both banks 1. Since it still boots, and shows 1GB, presumably the riser is mated properly, and undamaged.
OBP: 3.23 Version 0 created 1999/06/30 13:53
The OBP documentation for the Ultra-450 mentions OBP commands such as asr-enable, but these do not seem to be available for the Ultra-80. Is there some undocumented invocation to enable additional memory on a Ultra-80, or can anyone suggest an alternative path of action? The patchlist for flash-update-Ultra80-latest doesn't seem to include anything relevant.
Thanks -- Frank Middleton
[730 byte] By [
Frank-M] at [2007-11-26 11:36:05]
# 1
the memory placement pattern is on the U80 door.. half the memory goes on one half of the slots and the other goes in the corresponding half of the memory insert...
page 189 of the manual...
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/805-6618-11.pdf
and the memory has to go in certain order.
haroldkarl
# 2
Yes, I am sure I have the memory in the correct slots - trust me, I did RTFM. On page 9-7 at the bottom, the note specifically says load the memory in the order 2,1,3, which is confusing, to put it mildly...
Presumably the memory boards themselves are all the same. so any board can go anywhere so long as the correct memory banks get filled. Me next step would be to move all the CPUs, disks, and memory from this Ultra-80 to the other (currently empty) Ultra-80, but removing and installing the memory riser is not for the faint hearted, so that would be a last resort..
I guess a different question would be what happens if the memory riser is incorrectly seated and.or damaged? Would OBP see the the 1GB on the main board?
-- Frank
# 3
you will need to install 4 matched memory "boards" in order for the U80 to post... I don't think the box will boot without the riser installed correctly. yes, the position of each set is weird, it just works.
in order to install any memory, you have to remove the memory riser... just be slow and steady...
haroldkarl
# 4
The memory is from a second Ultra 80 that also had 1GB in it, so I am sure the memory is from Sun and that it works, and that they must be matched, or it would not have booted. The two U-80s are about the same vintage..
The first box is still booting properly, but both the OBP and prtdiag show 1024 Megabytes and "No Failures found in System". I tried removing and reinstalling the riser, with no change in results. I've been messing around with Suns since my first Classic, to an E450, and never been so stymied! I am trying to replace my trusty Ultra 10, which is maxed out with memory, and I need more horsepower; 2GB with 4 processors sounded good to me.
So why won't it recognize the additional 1 GB? I will try running diagnostics with it set to max and see if that gives me anything, but I doubt it. It really feels like I'm missing something really obvious...
I think I will try moving everything to the other Ultra-80. Maybe something funky happened to the riser. But if you think of anything please let me know!
-- Frank
# 5
if there was something wrong with the riser, I don't think it would see any memory.. most of the time there is one or two memory sticks/boards that do not seat properly... check this... all it takes is one!there is always something to slow a person down....haroldkarl
# 6
It was an incorrectly seated memory card - just one on the motherboard.
You'd think the diagnostics would have said something...
Now the OBP says 2GB and I'm going to get 2 more.
You wouldn't happen to know if the afb can do 1600x1200x76 like the later creator 3d cards could? I killed an ffb trying, so I'm reluctant to experiment....
Thank you so much for persevering.
Regards -- Frank Middleton
# 7
sorry, I don't know what the "afb" frame buffer is... Elite3D? the Elite3D-m6 X3665A reportedly only maxes at1280 x 1024:76 Hz (according to CNET of all places! http://reviews.cnet.com/X3665A_EOL_8_4_00/4507-8902_7-1612707.html?tag=nav)good luck with your U80!haroldkarl
# 8
I'd just like to make a note concerning the memory on US II systems. Some memory modules may seem as if it is fully seated, but in fact it is not. To save time I usually run the system through extended diags after each bank of memory is installed. At the end of the diagnostic run the computer displays each memory bank configuration, if one is not seated and no memory errors show up in the test, it would be a good indication that the module is not seated properly.
The graphics card is limited to the resolution listed above, to improve display resolution use a Expert3D lite card P/N 375-3052.
