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New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - MindWalker - 11-30-2024

Hi everyone.

I've just joined the world of SGI computers (and these forums) after a purchase of two SGI Octanes. (How I got them actually started by me looking for a Sun keyboard on an email list, then a local collector sent me a message and while I didn't buy any of his Sun machines, I ended up buying the two Octanes instead...). The deal was very reasonable and included a safe transport onto my doorstep so I grabbed these, you know, who wouldn't have when given a chance...

I have been into vintage Unix machines for some time, and I do have some experience with Sun, NeXT and AIX (I still consider myself a Unix newbie though), I just love the high-end hardware...

The seller had no idea what's inside the two machines (he had gotten them at some point without any peripherals and never tested them) and I know nothing about SGI machines (yet). I have only just got them carried in (which was... hard but tolerable once I removed the PSU's and the card cage first and carried them separately) and had a superficial look at them.

   

The plastics and doors seem intact and only slight scratches here and there, I presume these should clean up nicely. I am not sure if the front panels are original, I thought the-just-'Octane'-case should have the older SGI logo on the bottom part?

Both machines have all the drive slots filled with drives, one has a Sony SDT-9000 DDS tape drive! Couple drives had SGI stickers on them.

   

The left machine seems more "stock" whilst the right one appears to have several additions; the card cage has what I presume two SCSI cards (one of the two cables hanging out has a sticker SERIAL though?) and something on the right-most expansion slots with a row of BNC connectors (I presume this is something to do with analog video as one of the connectors has a 75Ohm terminator plugged in). I did not have a closer look on that board, I only noticed it now reviewing my photos. What is this card with the BNC connectors and/or the one below it (which has something that looks like two 9-pin D-connectors with one hole plugged for some reason)?

What should I know or check before I attempt to power these up? One PSU has something loose inside (I presume parts from the missing handle) so that'll surely need addressing. The cards I pulled out looked all clean, there was just some slight corrosion on the card cage exterior surface (and the dangling cable looks a bit loose). I guess those Dallas chips (I've dremeled and added a battery on some of these on other machines) will eventually need replacing too. I guess once I've futher cleaned and inspected these, I could try connecting a serial terminal to see if there is any life?

I do not have a 13W3-to-VGA cable yet (I just ordered one of those universal cables from eBay, but it'll take some time before it arrives). I have a cable for my Sun Sparcstation 4, but I presume that wouldn't happen to compatible here?

How well did I score?-) I am hoping to get at least one working machine out of these to keep, and I probably sell the other as I really can't afford the space to keep both.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - Raion - 11-30-2024

It's impossible to say what they're configs are without powering them up. I would definitely remove the rear of the power supply that has the broken handle and remove the piece before starting it.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - jpstewart - 12-01-2024

(11-30-2024, 04:14 PM)MindWalker Wrote:  and something on the right-most expansion slots with a row of BNC connectors (I presume this is something to do with analog video as one of the connectors has a 75Ohm terminator plugged in). I did not have a closer look on that board, I only noticed it now reviewing my photos. What is this card with the BNC connectors
That appears to be the Octane Digital Video (DIVO) option board.

MindWalker Wrote:and/or the one below it (which has something that looks like two 9-pin D-connectors with one hole plugged for some reason)?
That's an old-school fibre channel board using copper cabling. 1Gbit/sec, first generation fibre channel, and not really interoperable with fibre channel that uses fibre optic cabling. They were used for connecting directly to fibre channel storage.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - robespierre - 12-01-2024

The machine on the left has newer assemblies and could be referred to as an Octane2 notwithstanding the front logo. It has an Odyssey (VPro) graphics card and a silver-handle IP30 which was typically used with R12000 processors. The right machine has a Mardi Gras graphics card and the black-handle IP30, usually used with R10000 processors.
You could identify the PCI cards if you pull the shoebox out again.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - echo - 12-01-2024

when you took the power supplies out you may have made a mistake. the psu with a handle on it is almost certainly supposed to go into the machine on the left. i think vpro is supposed to require a cherokee psu.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - vishnu - 12-01-2024

(12-01-2024, 02:36 AM)echo Wrote:  i think vpro is supposed to require a cherokee psu.

That is correct, vpro requires the 747 watt Cherokee power supply.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - MindWalker - 12-01-2024

Thanks for all the comments!

Regarding the PSUs: I had some blurry photos from during the carry-up that show that the PSUs were in this configuration. Of course they may have been swapped before I got them, I'll sure check the PSU labels before any power-up attempts. I think at least one of the PSUs said Cherokee on the stickers (which looked pretty much identical between the two units).

The DIVO board sounds neat.

I'll have another look on the Octanes (they are not at my home currently) and try figure out more.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - jan-jaap - 12-01-2024

The right system, with the SCSI-like cables dangling out the PCI box: beware that's likely not SCSI, but a SONIC audio breakout. It's got some sort of digital video option instaleld as well. I'd guess it's an old Discreet Fire system. They came in two versions: regular audio using Octane RAD audio or Sonic

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - MindWalker - 12-02-2024

A bit of progress...

First of all, sorry I mixed the photos of rear/front; the machine with the card cage is the one with 'silicon graphics octane' on front panel.

The PSU without the handle is a Cherokee. I took it apart and removed one long screw that was loose inside. Other than a little dusty, it looked just fine.

I powered the left machine with a serial cable attached (hard drives disconnected). The red light on the front panel came up (and all of the green diag leds on the front panel bottom-right corner), and I got the service menu over the serial. However it didn't accept any input and after a reset I got only un-ending string of dots, then nothing. Also the machine won't turn off from the front panel button at all, so I have to unplug it from the wall. Also now it keeps turning on as soon as it's plugged in (it didn't do it on the first boot) and the red light on the front does not illuminate. Three green diag leds (top one on the left column of four leds and the bottom two on the right column of three leds) light up, but there is no activity. I took out the PSU, main board and re-seated the RAMs etc. but to no avail. Bummer.

I then powered the right machine (admittedly I forgot the check the PSU, but I *believe* they are both Cherokee as they looked identical), and it booted into the service menu right away, and I was able to get into the prompt and I run 'hinv' which gave me specs of IP30, 2x 300 Mhz R12000 and 768MB RAM. The front panel lights work (even both of the incandescent bulbs) and the power button turns it off as it should.

I opened the card cage and the boards are QLogic SCSI controller (SGI p/n 9980983) and indeed a Sonic board (with break-out cables labeled SCSI and SERIAL). For now I left the boards in but detached the break-out cable.

So; one machine worked for a minute but is now dead, one appears to be working.

RE: New member with two Octanes signing in (with questions) - vishnu - 12-06-2024

Octanes were often setup in very individualistic configurations for whatever needs the customer may have required, what does the hinv command tell you about this hardware?