[CB_HK]

I ran dbx on the vmcore of the kernel crash and got:

Code:

____ Trace & Exception Frame Registers _________________________________________

SP=800fe030 fp=0 pc=800284f0
>  0 syncreboot(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x800fe070, 0xc001) ["prf.c":709, 0x800284ec]
   1 icmn_err(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0xc001, 0x80028dd8) ["prf.c":197, 0x80026344]
   2 cmn_err(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x800fe198, 0x1c) ["prf.c":84, 0x80025ffc]
   3 panicregs(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x800fc3c4, 0x3000141c) ["trap.c":171, 0x80028dd4]
   4 k_trap(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1df00000, 0xa0000000) ["trap.c":291, 0x8002915c]
   5 .trap.trap(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0) ["trap.c":326, 0x800291d4]
found VEC_trap, using trap frame to find next function

  0: 800fe198 ffffb0a0 0000f804 3000141c
  4: 00000001 00000000 540be400 00000010
  8: 00000000 0000ff34 00000400 9805f000
 12: 00000000 801213a8 20000038 20000030
 16: ff87c700 0000000c 1df0000c 00000006
 20: bf840003 1df00000 a0000000 800fb2a0
 24: ffffb0a0 0000ff34 ffffec0c bdf0000c
 28: 8001fc88 00000000 ffffec0c 0000fc01
 32: 800fe244 00000000 8001fd00 0000f804
 36: 9805f000 00000000 10012000 3000141c
 40: 8001fd1c 00000000 8001eaf8
 Frame Pointer 0x800fe244 pc 0x80018b58
   6 vme_dispatch(0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x801213a8, 0x8001fbd8) ["IP4.c":292, 0x8001fd18]
   7 vme_intr(0xff34, 0xffffec0c, 0xbdf0000c, 0x8001fc88, 0x156, 0x80347ab8) ["IP4.c":261, 0x8001fc9c]
   8 intr(0xff34, 0xffffec0c, 0xbdf0000c, 0x8001fc88, 0x0, 0x0) ["IP4.c":196, 0x8001fbd4]
   9 VEC_int(0xff34, 0xffffec0c, 0xbdf0000c, 0x8001fc88, 0xffffffff, 0xffff0000) ["IP4.O/clocore.s":3313, 0x80018998]

I'm crashing in a VME interrupt handler. Had a look at the backplane jumpers for VME IACK and VMA BG (bus grant) and they were not at all like  "this old SGI" documents. Changed them to be exactly like the 4D FAQ, even moved the ENET card to slot 6, and it doesn't crash anymore!

Unfortunately, it also still doesn't start the graphics desktop  :(  Starting from the graphics console (textport), it simply blanks the display when it should start the graphics login screen. Login using serial console or telnet works. I'm getting closer, but no cigar yet ...

Awesome! I'm glad to see that you've been able to solve that issue.

As for the lack of graphic console, this may be a silly idea, but does the system need an "install" for the new graphics boards? I've read that IRIX will throw a fit if you swap out graphics systems and don't force a new kernel build so that it knows what graphics are installed and how to address them. No doubt you're familiar with that already--just wanted to mention it.

Good luck!