Getting Sun Sparcstation 10 to recognize its graphics card

Jonathan Katz jon at jonworld.com
Wed Jan 10 01:44:44 CST 2018


SGIs did sync on green. Sun uses a dedicated signal. SGI trinitron-based
(Sony OEM) monitors should handle both. If you boot your SS10 to the point
where you think it is dead and then unplug/replug the keyboard it should
bring you back to the “ok” prompt. Shows the system is still running OK
without output.

On Wed, 10 Jan 2018 at 07:40, Alan Perry via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org>
wrote:

> Jonathan may be on to something here. I only deal with Sun stuff and am
> mostly unfamiliar with SGI stuff. However, I use LCD displays with
> 13W3-to-VGA adapters on my Suns and, relevant to this discussion, I know
> that the adapters used with Suns are different from the ones with SGIs,
> though I don't know the details.
>
> alan
>
> On 1/9/18 4:01 PM, systems_glitch via cctech wrote:
> > Bill,
> >
> > Are you sure the SGI monitor will work with the Sun graphics adapter?
> Just
> > because the plug fits doesn't mean the monitors are compatible, when it
> > comes to 13W3. It may be just transferring control to the video console
> and
> > *appear* to be locking up, and you're not getting anything out of the
> > display as a result.
> >
> > Do you get diagnostic LED patterns on the keyboard LEDs?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Jonathan
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 9, 2018 at 4:18 PM, william degnan via cctech <
> > cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Working from this page to configure my sparcstation 10 after NVRAM
> >> replacement:
> >> http://www.obsolyte.com/sunFAQ/faq_nvram.html
> >>
> >> ...but curious is there an installation manual or whatever specific to
> the
> >> video card in my system, a TurboXGX with STP3010GPA chip
> >>
> http://vintagecomputer.net/sun/SparcStation-10/Sun_STP3010PGA_TURBOXGX.jpg
> >>
> >> I have Solaris 4 installed.  I am guessing around trying different
> things.
> >> With help I have the OS installed but so far I can't get the system to
> >> recognize the video card and Sun keyboard.  With these installed it
> freezes
> >> the system...so, I am using a serial terminal to interact with the
> system.
> >> The video display I have is an SGI GDM-20D11
> >>
> >> Eventually I'll poke through to the solution, this is my first Sun box,
> up
> >> to this point they were "too new" but I'd like to learn how to perform a
> >> system install.
> >>
> >> If I find the answers I am looking for I'll post here.
> >>
> >> Bill
> >>
>
> --
-Jon
+44 7792 149029


More information about the cctech mailing list