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IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - indigofan - 08-07-2021

Well, finally got the battery replaced, now on to getting a drive formatted and looking for ways to load IRIX. Don't have a CDROM, and the DVD player in my Fuel won't work in the Indigo. So, from research since I have a DAT drive in my Fuel, I can make a tape to load IRIX from. Since it has been ages since I have had one of these machines, thoughts on the best version of IRIX to run? Looking to run older apps, so would assume IRIX 5.3 would be best and avoid 6.2 or 6.3 which I think was the last release to support the Indigo.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - jpstewart - 08-07-2021

Why won't the Fuel DVD work in the Indigo?  I know I used a Pioneer slot-load DVD-ROM drive to install IRIX on my R4K Indigo.

For IRIX you have a wide range of options from 4.0.x all the way up to 6.5.22 on the R4K.  If you max out the RAM (192MB on R4K, IIRC) IRIX 6.5.22 is useable.  Not fast, but useable.  If you have less RAM, use something older for sure.  I run 4.0.5F on mine, and that feels super fast and responsive.  But not a lot of software is available and building open source stuff on an OS that old is a challenge these days.  (But I like that challenge, personally.  Maybe you will, too.)  If you're already leaning towards IRIX 5.3, that's probably a good middle ground between the extremes:  it'll let you run the "older apps" you mention without feeling too archaic.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - Raion - 08-07-2021

IRIX 5.3 is going to be pretty fast, 6.2 less so. 6.5.22 is the latest to support it.

5.3 is the last release to support ECOFF (so compatibility goes as follows):

4D1 (IRIX early versions) to IRIX 3.x - Compatible
IRIX 3.x to 4.x - Not compatible
IRIX 4.x to 5.3 - Compatible
IRIX 5.3 ELF to 6.5 - Compatible

Apps are generally not compatible in the other direction.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - robespierre - 08-08-2021

(08-07-2021, 11:50 PM)jpstewart Wrote:  Why won't the Fuel DVD work in the Indigo?  I know I used a Pioneer slot-load DVD-ROM drive to install IRIX on my R4K Indigo.

The R3000 Indigo (IP12) has an older PROM version and doesn't understand optical media. The CDROMs that support it have special firmware (when appropriately jumpered) that pretends to be a hard disk.
The R4000 Indigo (IP20) is more similar to an Indigo2 or Indy in this regard and will work with a wider set of optical devices.

You can refer to the Texas A&M University SGI FAQs for questions like this.
https://www.siliconbunny.com/mirrors/www-viz.tamu.edu/sgi-faq/index.html

(08-07-2021, 05:01 PM)indigofan Wrote:  So, from research since I have a DAT drive in my Fuel, I can make a tape to load IRIX from.
Beware, I think the boottape tools weren't supported after 5.3.

Quote:IRIX 5.3 would be best and avoid 6.2 or 6.3 which I think was the last release to support the Indigo.
The last release with support for the R3000 Indigo is 5.3 w/ XFS.
The last release with support for the R4000 Indigo is 6.5.22.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - soviet - 08-08-2021

If you can install using network:
Booterizer for the PI is an amazing piece of work try it, after you get a hand about it you will never get back to cds:
https://github.com/unxmaal/booterizer#raspberry-pi-version

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - indigofan - 08-08-2021

(08-08-2021, 05:05 AM)soviet Wrote:  If you can install using network:
Booterizer for the PI is an amazing piece of work try it, after you get a hand about it you will never get back to cds:
https://github.com/unxmaal/booterizer#raspberry-pi-version
Cool thanks for all the input, will drop in the DVD drive and check it out. Sure will save me a bunch of time for sure. Just need a few more parts to show up to get this box up and running. Put in a 15K HD and now it gets past blinking amber to solid green. 

Found a mouse, just need a keyboard, ALPS with the pass through is what I am trying to hunt down. If anyone has one that they can part with, it would be greatly appreciated.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - Raion - 08-08-2021

booterizer doesn't help for the most part as it isn't designed for 5.x IRIX. It's mostly designed for 6.5.30 (which only works on a small subset of systems. Callahan has a fork that does it, but it's not an RPi version last i checked. You can honestly do it yourself quite easily if you're familiar with basic *NIX services.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - indigofan - 08-08-2021

(08-08-2021, 02:03 PM)Raion Wrote:  booterizer doesn't help for the most part as it isn't designed for 5.x IRIX. It's mostly designed for 6.5.30 (which only works on a small subset of systems. Callahan has a fork that does it, but it's not an RPi version last i checked. You can honestly do it yourself quite easily if you're familiar with basic *NIX services.
Maybe, waiting on a 25pin serial port to RJ-45 adaptor so that I can get the machine on the network as trying to find the SGI original part is next to near impossible. Also waiting to hear back if someone has the 10/100 Network board for the machine. Either way it has to get on the net one way or another.
(08-08-2021, 05:05 AM)soviet Wrote:  If you can install using network:
Booterizer for the PI is an amazing piece of work try it, after you get a hand about it you will never get back to cds:
https://github.com/unxmaal/booterizer#raspberry-pi-version
Found this which is quite helpful.

https://bukosek.si/hardware/collection/sgi-indigo/indigo-service-manual.pdf

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - Raion - 08-08-2021

It's an AUI transceiver. You can get them cheap.

RE: IRIS Indigo R4K - the re-build... - robespierre - 08-09-2021

(08-08-2021, 09:54 PM)Raion Wrote:  It's an AUI transceiver. You can get them cheap.
The CentreCOM AT-210T was a popular model of 10baseT transceiver, now available from your friendly neighborhood price gougers for over a thousand, or from Hong Kong for $12 delivered.