Troubles connecting Sony Multisync/Multiscan 400PS 19'' monitor to O2

[Cabal]

Hi,

I am trying to connect a Sony 400PS monitor (professional edition,
was top of the line some years ago), but no luck. The monitor has auto
sync-on-green, I checked the original manual, so it should
theoretically work with the O2 vga port. I also saw this monitor
listed as being tested and working with Indy. I tested the monitor
with a PC and it works fine, however I haven't tested the O2 with
another monitor (since I don't have others), so i am wondering if it
is a problem with the O2. I am using a regular VGA cable (which should
be enough, if the monitor has syn on green I think).

Oh. also I should mention that I have no hard drives in the O2 right
now, since I am waiting for the new one to arrive and the old one my
company threw away. Is this the problem? Or shouldn't it still show at
least a startup screen or error? I also tried putting a bootable 6.5
CD in it, but no picture again. The O2 makes this sound like playing
the scale when it starts up (without sending picture to the monitor),
and the sound is the same with or without the bootable CD in the
drive. I do know for sure that the O2 worked fine before, since it
was used at my work for a server.

Any ideas? :)

thanks!

[Toni Grass]

Post by Cabal
Hi,
I am trying to connect a Sony 400PS monitor (professional edition,
was top of the line some years ago), but no luck. The monitor has auto
sync-on-green, I checked the original manual, so it should
theoretically work with the O2 vga port. I also saw this monitor
listed as being tested and working with Indy. I tested the monitor
with a PC and it works fine, however I haven't tested the O2 with
another monitor (since I don't have others), so i am wondering if it
is a problem with the O2. I am using a regular VGA cable (which should
be enough, if the monitor has syn on green I think).
Oh. also I should mention that I have no hard drives in the O2 right
now, since I am waiting for the new one to arrive and the old one my
company threw away. Is this the problem? Or shouldn't it still show at
least a startup screen or error? I also tried putting a bootable 6.5
CD in it, but no picture again. The O2 makes this sound like playing
the scale when it starts up (without sending picture to the monitor),
and the sound is the same with or without the bootable CD in the
drive. I do know for sure that the O2 worked fine before, since it
was used at my work for a server.
Any ideas? :)

Hm, my first idea was probably the output is redirected to serial port.

Toni

[Cabal]

Hi Toni,
Thanks for your reply. I am not sure I understand what you meant by
output being redirected to serial port? Is that possible with a video
signal? I am pretty sure this machine was connected to some kind of
monitor while it was operational at my company's server farm, but
nobody remembers now.

thanks
BG

Post by Toni Grass
Hm, my first idea was probably the output is redirected to serial port.
Toni

[John-Paul Stewart]

Post by Cabal
Hi Toni,
Thanks for your reply. I am not sure I understand what you meant by
output being redirected to serial port? Is that possible with a video
signal?

It's not the video signal itself gets sent to the serial port. IIRC the
PROM on SGI machines disables (or at least can be told to disable) the
video output when attached to a serial console.

Post by Cabal
I am pretty sure this machine was connected to some kind of
monitor while it was operational at my company's server farm, but
nobody remembers now.

If it was part of a server farm, then it is quite likely to have been
configured to use a serial terminal IMHO. The serial terminal's monitor
might be what you're remembering.

Hook up a serial console (or a PC running a terminal emulator and using
a null-modem cable) to the first serial port on the O2 and see if you
get into the PROM from there.

[Cabal]

Thanks guys! I appreciate your replies, but my masters degree in
computer science does not help me understand what exactly I need to
do :) .. I definitelly do not have access to a serial console, and all
the other PCs at home are laptops, is that ok? They have modem ports,
but I have no idea what is null-modem cable and how to get it? As to
terminal software, is telnet like putty one of them? Also what part do
I connect on the O2 to the modem plug on the PC? THe O2 has no modem
ports, and I am not sure if serial-to-modem cable is something overly
exotic?

Any instructions 'for dummies' woudl be much appreciated :) Now that I
injured my knee over the weekend I will have quite a bit of time to
fiddle with this at home :)

thanks!
BG

[Joerg Behrens]

Post by Cabal
Thanks guys! I appreciate your replies, but my masters degree in
computer science does not help me understand what exactly I need to
do :) .. I definitelly do not have access to a serial console, and all
the other PCs at home are laptops, is that ok? They have modem ports,

You need a serial cable which is named "null modem" because you would
like to connect 2 computer and not one computer to a telefon network. In
you case it have nothing to do with a 'modem'.

The serial port on the O2 is a DB9 pin. So you need a female DB9. Most
modern laptops have no serial ports anymore but a serial -> usb adapter
works. But if you have a standard pc around use this one. Windows comes
with the Hyperterm programm which is more than enough for the beginning.


regards
Joerg

[BG]

Hi All,

I finally found a laptop with serial port and a null modem cable and
connected the O2, I press escape during boot and get the maintanenace
menu in my hyperterm (yay!!).. This is my printenv, my attempt to run
diagnostics and my attempt to install the OS from the IRIX 6.5
installation CD (I have it in the CD), unfortunatelly I get a weird
error :((( I have pasted all the output below ..

I have an empty 36GB Ultra160 SCSI drive in the bay one that I jsut
bought especially for the O2. I also have a USB keyboard connected
through a usb to ps/2 converter to the O2, but it seems not to see it
anyway?

I also still wasn't able to switch the output to the VGA monitor
instead of the serial port, is there a special command for this, or do
I need to install the OS first?

thanks!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


System Maintenance Menu

1) Start System
2) Install System Software
3) Run Diagnostics
4) Recover System
5) Enter Command Monitor

Option? 5
Command Monitor. Type "exit" to return to the
menu.

printenv

AutoLoad=Yes
console=g
diskless=0
dbaud=9600
volume=80
sgilogo=y
TimeZone=PST8PDT
netaddr=10.10.2.18
monitor=h
SystemPartition=pci(0)scsi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(8)
OSLoadPartition=pci(0)scsi(0)disk(1)rdisk(0)partition(0)
OSLoader=sash
OSLoadFilename=/unix
cpufreq=180
eaddr=08:00:69:05:d5:46
NoAutoLoad=CONSOLE OPEN FAILED.
ConsoleOut=serial(0)
ConsoleIn=serial(0)

version

PROM Monitor (BE)
Wed Oct 15 16:52:13 PDT 1997
VERSION 4.4
O2 R4600/R5000/R10000
IRIX 6.3 IP32prom IP32PROM-v4

System Maintenance Menu

1) Start System
2) Install System Software
3) Run Diagnostics
4) Recover System
5) Enter Command Monitor

Option? 3


Starting diagnostic
program...

Press <Esc> to return to the
menu.

Checking for Distribution CD-ROM on
pci(0)scsi(0)cdrom(4).
Booting IDE from Distribution CD-
ROM.


Exception: <vector=Normal>
Status register:
0x34010082<CU1,CU0,FR,DE,IPL=8,KX,MODE=KERNEL>
Cause register:
0x8008<CE=0,IP8,EXC=RMISS>
Exception PC: 0x0, Exception RA:
0x0
Read TLB miss exception, bad address:
0x0
Saved user regs in hex (&gpda 0x81060768, &_regs
0x81060968):
arg: 81070000 0 810541e0 8105f950
tmp: 81070000 a13fb468 8ff91020 0 a13faff8 810483f4 810483fc
31
sve: 81070000 c13720e0 0 460cc6a9 0 0 0
80ee80d5
t8 81070000 t9 0 at 0 v0 0 v1 0 k1
0
gp 81070000 fp 0 sp 0 ra 0

PANIC: Unexpected exception

[Press reset or ENTER to restart.]Cannot connect to keyboard -- check
the
cable.

Cannot open keyboard() for input
Cannot connect to keyboard -- check the
cable.
Cannot open keyboard() for input




System Maintenance Menu

1) Start System
2) Install System Software
3) Run Diagnostics
4) Recover System
5) Enter Command Monitor

Option? 2


Installing System
Software...

Press <Esc> to return to the
menu.



1) Remote Tape 2) Remote Directory 3)[Local CD-ROM] X) Local
Tape
*a) Local SCSI CD-ROM drive 4


Enter 1-4 to select source type, a to select the source, <esc> to
quit,
or <enter> to start:


Insert the installation CD-ROM, then press
<enter>:


Exception: <vector=Normal>
Status register:
0x34010082<CU1,CU0,FR,DE,IPL=8,KX,MODE=KERNEL>
Cause register:
0x8008<CE=0,IP8,EXC=RMISS>
Exception PC: 0x0, Exception RA:
0x0
Read TLB miss exception, bad address:
0x0
Saved user regs in hex (&gpda 0x81060768, &_regs
0x81060968):
arg: 81070000 0 810541e0 8105f950
tmp: 81070000 a13fb458 8ff91020 0 a13fafe8 810483f4 810483fc
31
sve: 81070000 c13720e0 0 460cc6a9 0 0 0
80ee80d5
t8 81070000 t9 0 at 0 v0 0 v1 0 k1
0
gp 81070000 fp 0 sp 0 ra 0

PANIC: Unexpected exception

[Press reset or ENTER to restart.]Cannot connect to keyboard -- check
the
cable.

Cannot open keyboard() for input
Cannot connect to keyboard -- check the
cable.
Cannot open keyboard() for input

[Joerg Behrens]

Post by BG
Hi All,
I finally found a laptop with serial port and a null modem cable and
connected the O2, I press escape during boot and get the maintanenace
menu in my hyperterm (yay!!).. This is my printenv, my attempt to run
diagnostics and my attempt to install the OS from the IRIX 6.5
installation CD (I have it in the CD), unfortunatelly I get a weird
error :((( I have pasted all the output below ..
I have an empty 36GB Ultra160 SCSI drive in the bay one that I jsut
bought especially for the O2. I also have a USB keyboard connected
through a usb to ps/2 converter to the O2, but it seems not to see it
anyway?

Use a standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse and not modern stuff. Your
machine is 10 years old. Keep that in mind and handle your machine with
care ;)

Post by BG
I also still wasn't able to switch the output to the VGA monitor

Maybe the CRT doesnt Support SoG or the Crime GFX is just broken. The
diagnostics dont tell you the whole story... so dont trust them if they
say its all ok.

Post by BG
instead of the serial port, is there a special command for this, or do
I need to install the OS first?

Sure... with your new disk you have to create a partion first :)
Read http://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/disksfiles.html#INSTOS

Youre looking to boot -f dksc(1,4,8)sashARCS dksc(1,4,7)stand/fx.ARCS --x

About this error... i see it earlier... but cant remember to detail.
Check google again.
regards
Joerg

[BG]

I did try to do that though my SCSI CDROM is (0,4), otherwise I did
the exact same command, and got the TLB miss error.. I looked around
google, but except one page dealing with NetBSD, saying that it
*possibly* means the CDROM is dead, I could find nothing else :(

I guess if teh CD is dead one possibility would be to put the IRIX CDs
in my windows laptop, then connect it to the O2 with a crossover cable
and try network install, but what would the synthax for the path to
the windows CD ROM be then?

thanks
BG

Post by Joerg Behrens
Sure... with your new disk you have to create a partion first :)
Readhttp://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/disksfiles.html#INSTOS
Youre looking to boot -f dksc(1,4,8)sashARCS dksc(1,4,7)stand/fx.ARCS --x
About this error... i see it earlier... but cant remember to detail.
Check google again.
regards
Joerg

[Joerg Behrens]

Post by BG
I did try to do that though my SCSI CDROM is (0,4), otherwise I did
the exact same command, and got the TLB miss error.. I looked around
google, but except one page dealing with NetBSD, saying that it
*possibly* means the CDROM is dead, I could find nothing else :(
I guess if teh CD is dead one possibility would be to put the IRIX CDs
in my windows laptop, then connect it to the O2 with a crossover cable
and try network install, but what would the synthax for the path to
the windows CD ROM be then?

Thats not possible. First you need to find a windows tools which can
read the EFS format which is used for IRIX boot cds. After that i never
heard that someone used a Windows machine for a network installation.

Use a *BSD or Linux machine. IF you have luck a knoppix live CD have all
the tools which are needed.


regards
Joerg

[akfoote]

Post by BG
I also still wasn't able to switch the output to the VGA monitor
instead of the serial port, is there a special command for this, or do
I need to install the OS first?

see earlier posts..
IIRC if you do not have valid kb/mouse setup (which is your case usb
via ps2 converter) then all I/O will
be done through the serial console..
I think this is pretty common practice with all sgi/sun boxes