[def13]

Hi everybody !

Since few months, my Octane 1.5 is not able to keep the right time.
So I think it's time to change the RTC Dallas module on the motherboard … two questions about it :

1- I found this compatible module and it looks really popular in the SGI's owners community. Is that a good one ?
2- Is it an easy thing to do ? Except being careful with compression connectors do I have to pay attention to another thing ? I don't want to kill my Octane.

The second point is about the "battery system NVRam" on the front board (called System Identification Module in the owner guide - p184-185). Is it a good idea to change it too ?

Thanks by advance for your answers.

[weblacky]

The linked RTC should work fine, also last I checked the original epoxied versions were still produced, but that was two years ago. But it can be extremely helpful to blank your NVRAM if you get into trouble with fiddling with all the boot parameters. So I’d recommend the removable battery RTC version versus the original analog devices version anyway.

The PCB location on the front board you’re referring to is mislabeled.  That thing you think is a battery is your system’s numerical system identity if you destroy or remove it may never be able to use that identity again and you’ll have to scavenge one from a dead octane in order to have a system identity anymore. Please don’t touch it, don’t remove it, don’t even look at it funny if you can help it. That small battery looking thing is meant to be popped out of the board if you were to move octanes and need to move your software with you for activation. For example, if you had needed a replacement octane machine because your old one died you would be able to transfer those one wire button cell identification chips between the machines and use your old software licenses to reactivate your software packages from third-party vendors without having to re-license and pay for a whole new machine’s worth of software keys.

In short, it’s not a battery, not even close to one. It just looks like one and is mislabeled on the board so people inadvertently destroy it or try to change it and damage their octane and also lose all proprietary software access that they may have had if they had a license for that ID as well. Even putting a battery in that socket may or may not do damage since it’s not supposed to be a battery to begin with.

Cheers!

[def13]

Thank you SO MUCH for your precious advices !!!

[stormy]

Yes the Glitchworks model on tindie is highly recommended. I have 3x now and they're top quality.

Once you install the new NVRAM just follow the NVRAM initialisation procedure:
https://bukosek.si/hardware/collection/s...l#mods-rtc

Just ignore the o2 specific jumper stuff. Just follow the information about initialising the NVRAM in the PROM information.

[def13]

Thanks a lot for this advince … why have I forget nothing on SGI is automatic ? XD

[weblacky]

Thanks a lot for this advince … why have I forget nothing on SGI is automatic ? XD

You're supposed to have a half $1 million SGI support contract.