[Jacques]

I'm giving 6.3 a spin on my O2 (RM5200) for fun. I've copied the install media to my install server and I can load fx.ARCS via bootp fine. When I get to copying the installation files across it finishes the load bar and then drops me a message with "too many strings".

Any idea what this may be?

EDIT - Hmm, is the RM5200 supported under 6.3?

[Titox]

The RM5200 (300MHz) is not supported. I tried in my O2 installing via CD and I was able to install it but it didn't start on reboot, just blank screen.

[jan-jaap]

The RM5200 (300MHz) is not supported. I tried in my O2 installing via CD and I was able to install it but it didn't start on reboot, just blank screen.

I think this works but not using the original IRIX 6.3 discs. You have to boot from a sufficiently new 6.3 "recommended/required" patch CD. If you get one from late '99 it will probably support the RM5200.

[dexter1]

From the irisware ftp comes the 6.3_O2.tardist which includes Patch 3607 which is a firmware upgrade of the O2:

Code:

The checksum's (found through sum -r) of the files that you have received
(other than this README) are as follows:

38059      2 patchSG0003607.idb
10042      3 patchSG0003607
09454    542 patchSG0003607.ip32prom_sw
==========================================================================



 - 1 -



      1.  Patch_SG0003607_Release_Note

      This release note describes patch SG0003607 to IRIX 6.3-O2-
      R10K.  Patch SG0003607 replaces patches SG0001725 SG0002039
      SG0002489 SG0002774 SG0003015 SG0003106 and SG0003530.

      1.1  Supported_Hardware_Platforms

      This patch contains bug fixes for all O2 systems.  The
      software cannot be installed on other configurations.

      Upon exiting from inst in the miniroot, some harmless error
      messages from cp may appear on the console.  These messages
      are caused by insufficient space in the miniroot and will in
      no way affect the success of the installation.


      1.2  Supported_Software_Platforms

      This patch contains bug fixes for IRIX 6.3-O2-R10K on a
      system running IRIX 6.3 for IP32 The software cannot be
      installed on other configurations.

      1.3  Bugs_Fixed_by_Patch_SG0003607

      This patch contains fixes for the following bugs in IRIX 6.3
      Bug numbers from Silicon Graphics bug tracking system are
      included for reference.

 o 673149 - Support for the 270MHz frequency on the R12000
   processor.

      1.4  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0003530

 o 658881 - QED RM5271 processor support.

      1.5  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0003106

 o 585268 - Allow for easier PROM builds

 o 596826 - Support for future processor upgrades.

 o 632903 - Support for 1600SW Flat Panel monitor (adds
   1600x1024 @ 50 Hz timing).

      1.6  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0003015

 o 577129 - 6.3 options drive not recognized on 6.5 system
   - This prom spins up the drives on power on which
   alleviates this problem












 - 2 -



 o Fix for 225 MHz cpu hinv output

      1.7  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0002774

 o 495498 - Power cycling causes RTC time to drift

 o 560422 - O2 Prom displays 250Mhz cpu incorrectly

 o 525788 - NMI support for reworked IP32 boards and
   special symmon.

 o 545255 - Cleaner masking of CRIME register READs to
   support.

      1.8  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0002489

 o 510862 - autonegotiation problems in PROM

 o 494014 - no space left in stringtable

 o Fix for 1 gigabyte configuration

      1.9  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0002039

 o 445421 - O2 can't boot off external drive.

 o 480343,493351 - fx in the PROM will think that the
   drive "disagrees with existing volume header
   parameters"

 o 457333 - booting external system drive causes multiple
   errors during sash/unix load

 o 498336 - O2 R10K + 12x CD-ROM cannot auto-miniroot
   install

 o 418839,477129 - PROM: Command Monitor freezes when
   capslock pushed

 o 478539 - Changing PROM variable console=g to G causes
   power-on verification failure

 o Fix for 195 Mhz R10k cpu hinv output

 o Fix for video initialization

















 - 3 -



      1.10  Bugs_Fixed_in_Predecessor_Patch_SG0001725

 o 453227 - 32MB O2 won't boot.

      1.11  Subsystems_Included_in_Patch_SG0003607

      This patch release includes these subsystems:

 o patchSG0003607.ip32prom_sw.prom


      1.12  Installation_Instructions

      Because you want to install only the patches for problems
      you have encountered, patch software is not installed by
      default. After reading the descriptions of the bugs fixed
      in this patch (see Section 1.3), determine the patches that
      meet your specific needs.

      If, after reading Sections 1.1 and 1.2 of these release
      notes, you are unsure whether your hardware and software
      meet the requirements for installing a particular patch, run
      inst.  The inst program does not allow you to install
      patches that are incompatible with your hardware or
      software.

      Patch software is installed like any other Silicon Graphics
      software product.  Follow the instructions in your Software
      Installation Administrator's Guide to bring up the miniroot
      form of the software installation tools.

      Follow these steps to select a patch for installation:

1.  At the Inst> prompt, type

    install patchSGxxxxxxx

    where xxxxxxx is the patch number.

2.  Initiate the installation sequence. Type

    Inst> go

3.  You may find that two patches have been marked as
    incompatible.  (The installation tools reject an
    installation request if an incompatibility is
    detected.) If this occurs, you must deselect one of
    the patches.

    Inst> keep patchSGxxxxxxx












 - 4 -



    where xxxxxxx is the patch number.

4.  After completing the installation process, exit the
    inst program by typing

    Inst> quit



      1.13  Patch_Removal_Instructions

      To remove a patch, use the versions remove command as you
      would for any other software subsystem. The removal process
      reinstates the original version of software unless you have
      specifically removed the patch history from your system.

      versions remove patchSGxxxxxxx

      where xxxxxxx is the patch number.

      To keep a patch but increase your disk space, use the
      versions removehist command to remove the patch history.

      versions removehist patchSGxxxxxxx

      where xxxxxxx is the patch number.

      1.14  Known_Problems

In section 1.4 the RM5271 support is mentioned and the patch where it is first included: Patch 3530. 
There probably also are OS patches needed for full support of IRIX 6.3, but the above patch should at least get you into PROM and miniroot installations: However, this does require an R5000@ 180Mhz to install the new firmware in the first place.

[Jacques]

Thanks Jan-Jaap and Dexter. My latest patch disc is Oct 1997. I'll go and hunt down the other patches.

---

Actually, question : Does the patch change the O2's ROM? I'm on the latest 4.18. Or this is an IRIX OS level only patch?

[Jacques]

Thanks Jan-Jaap and Dexter. My latest patch disc is Oct 1997. I'll go and hunt down the other patches.

---

Actually, question : Does the patch change the O2's ROM? I'm on the latest 4.18. Or this is an IRIX OS level only patch?

It must be me but I can't see the 6.3_O2.tardist file on the ftp server?

[Jacques]

I dug out my software pack that came with my 1600FP adapter...it's got a bunch of 6.3 patch CDs, the latest being September 1999.

[Jacques]

6.3 Inst doesn't ask for the subnet mask, given that my install server is X.X.1.110 and my machine has an ip ending X.X.2.62, Inst just keeps complaining it cannot connect to the server. My install server is also my DNS server for my two SGIs.

Swapping the distribution to 6.5 is fine, everything works. Any ideas?

Edit - I can bootp() from the server just fine as I believe it refers to the O2's hardware MAC addresss. Loading the miniroot works fine as well. Inst just won't play along.

[Jacques]

I had to burn the 6.3 base install discs to CD-RW, then boot via the Sept 1999 patch CD, install via CDROM. Swap out my CPU for a 180Mhz R5k and then install all the patches and pop the 300Mhz PIMM back in to get it to run on the RM5271.

6.3 is much faster than 6.5. Most of the demos run about 25% faster on 6.3. It also clocks in at 700Mb for a full base install and uses 70Mb of RAM. I just wish there was a way to achieve the snappiness of 6.3 on 6.5.

Was fun trying it out though.

[dexter1]

Well done JacquesT.

My previous work had an O2 with IRIX 6.3 whose administration i was responsible for. The R5K@180MHz with 128MB memory fared well with that OS. It was just that lame 2GB IBM SCA disk i so hated that i threw in a Quantum Cheetah as soon as it was decommissioned and installed 6.5.

It was then when i saw the support for the R4600 in the O2 PROM dump of the IRIX 6.3 install. I still wonder if there are any R4600 CPU modules for the O2 out there...