Got Ultra 5;what type of keyboard/mouse do I need?
Hi everyone. I want to learn Solaris and I just happened to find somene who was giving away a like-new U5 workstation. My problem is that it does not have a keyboard or mouse and it does not have USB ports although it does have a serial and something that looks like a ps/2 port but has more pins. I have found some k/b combos on eBay but I want to make sure I am buying the right one.
Can anyone help?Thanks a lot in advance.
[439 byte] By [
kansukeea] at [2007-11-27 10:26:48]
# 1
If you want to use a directly attached keyboard and mouse, you'll need to use Sun branded peripherals.
"type-5", "type-5c", and "type-6"(non-USB) peripherals will attach properly.
Those systems originally shipped with type-6 but the older ones will work.
The keyboard attaches to the system and the mouse attaches to the underside of the keyboard.
Stay away from the very old type-5 optical mouse.
It required a special metal mousepad that had a cross-hatched pattern on it.
If you run the computer without a keyboard/mouse set, all input and output goes through the serial port.
Here is the resource page for that system in the Sun System Handbook:
http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/Systems/U5/U5.html
You can find a link to all the manuals from there.
Take your time with your new toy. It's not a PeeCee.
As for the offerings on eBay?
I would have a preference for a keyboard with US key layout,
instead of a keyboard with a UNIX key layout.
That's only because the keyboards on my PeeCee's all have a "US layout".
The CAPS lock, Control, Shift, Backspace keys are positioned just enough different
to be a bother when moving back and forth among machines.
--
keyboard layout, as shown at a non-Sun web site:
http://www.sunshack.org/data/sh/2.1/infoserver.central/data/syshbk/Devices/Inpu t_Device/INPUT_Type6_Keyboard.html
# 2
Thanks a lot for your response!I have been using Mac OS X for the last 4 years and have become interested in learning more about UNIX since then. I ended up buying a combo type 5-c in like new condition. Also I plan on installing Solaris 10_is that going to be an issue?The machine has what looks like a 2 port SCSI PCI card as well_is there any way of finding the rest of the specs using the serial #?
# 3
Solaris 10(SPARC) will install just fine on that platform, if your hard drive is big enough.
Then again, you could just use that PCI card to connect to external storage.
Solaris 9 might be a good choice as well.
. http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/9/index.xml
There are no public Internet resources to cross-reference a system's serial to what hardware might be inside.Sun techsupport employees may have access to various databases, but that's it.
Everything will have a part number on a barcode paper sticker however...
the systemboard, the cpu, the PCI card, the DIMMs ...
... everything.
The usable part of those part numbers are the first seven digits.Ignore the rest.For example, using the "Full Components List" link of the Ultra-5's page in the Sun System Handbook, you could cross reference the PCI card to the 375-0005 card or the 375-0006 card.
Spend time with the system documentation.
Spend time in these forums.
Read and read and read until your eyes hurt.
<grin>
-
also,
here's a link to the OBP 3.x Command Reference Manual (# 806-1377) at Docs.Sun.Com
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/806-1377-10?q=openboot+command+reference
# 4
One last question:what kind of scsi drive would work in this machine so I can replace the internal 8.5 gb drive and boot from it?Would something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-36-4-GB-10K-RPM-SCSI-Drive-FRU-P-N-06P5759_W0QQitemZ300 130079916QQihZ020QQcategoryZ11160QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
...work?
Thanks!
# 5
By the time I tried to look at the eBay listing, it was already "gone".
The URL suggested it was a 36GB drive.
" http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-36-4-GB-10K-RPM-SCSI-Drive-FRU "
You'll need to tell us which SCSI card you have, first.
Then you'll be able to determine if it's going to be usable.
The 375-0006 card was only compatible with certain external peripherals.
The 375-0005 card could be used with any Single-Ended internal or external storage.
The easy and quick approach?
... just take a 20GB or 40GB or 80 GB IDE drive, jumper it the same as the current drive,
and the installation process will offer to format it as you go through the OS install.
( hint: the 20GB would be fine )
# 6
any scsi drive will work... it would be easier to buy a 68 pin drive, then you would not have to use a 80 pin adapter I use these only when I need to... also, you need to make sure the drive is set up with 512 sector instead of 520 sectors... and of course, you need a 68 pin internal scsi with an appropriate terminator...
this is all depends on which scsi pci card you have in your U5. 375-0005 (Low Voltage Differential) will work, I am not sure if the 375-0006 (High Voltage Differential) internal connectors will work.
does this make any sense to you? Google HVD vs LVD... normal scsi drives are LVD.... drive JBODs or array boxes are usually HVD because you can run longer cables...
haroldkarl
haroldkarl
# 7
Thanks guys!I ended up taking out the card and sure thing,it is a 375-0005 so I should be able to boot from it.
# 8
Give the Duke Stars to Harold.
He's a heck of a lot closer to "Silver" than I might ever be to "Gold".
Besides, he's been contributing to these forums for far too long to not reach that next plateau of recognition.
