[windows95se]

I got a 2000 model O2 (with the new font and orange writing) with a 1600SW card installed. It worked before I had to reset the drives, with it booting to the login screen on IRIX. It ran 6.5.30 and that’s what I’m attempting to install onto it again. However, after it finishes copying the installation files to the disk, the computer goes to a black screen and won’t let me turn it off by the power button (thus leaving me no choice but to unplug the power supply). After each failed install, I’ve had to reformat the drives. 

I’ve seen people do two things:
- Buy a new motherboard
- Install via terminal and serial

Since I don’t want to deplete the supply of working motherboards (that are too out of my price range anyways), would it work in my case to install from terminal? If so, how? 

Also, I only have two computers that have serial ports, one being a 1996 O2 and the other being a Dell running Windows 10. Would any of these work?

Thanks.

[alphaaxp]

Yesterday, I asked almost the same question in the IRIX software section. Someone told me that the reason is when installing the system, the graphics card only has analog output, and there is no digital output, But I use an DVI to HDMI converter. When I use the DVI to VGA converter, there will be a display. I wonder if this is the case with you

[blacksmith]

Happened to me 2 or 3 times when I’ve used both graphics outputs VGA and whatever digital for 1600SW (openLDI). It seams that the monitors, in my case, are starting with different speeds (1600SW is somehow slower) and the signal gets stuck. My solution was to take out the adapter for 1600SW and start only with VGA then shut it down and reinstall the digital (openLDI) adapter. Now I don’t use the VGA output and it was OK so far.

[windows95se]

Happened to me 2 or 3 times when I’ve used both graphics outputs VGA and whatever digital for 1600SW (openLDI). It seams that the monitors, in my case, are starting with different speeds (1600SW is somehow slower) and the signal gets stuck. My solution was to take out the adapter for 1600SW and start only with VGA then shut it down and reinstall the digital (openLDI) adapter.  Now I don’t use the VGA output and it was OK so far.

I just tried to install IRIX without the 1600SW card installed but it just had the same results of the machine completely freezing and outputting a black screen on just VGA. Should I try to install via serial, as that is an option and I’ve had no luck with monitors working?

[weblacky]

I own two O2s and only recently got one with a flat panel adapter, but I don't own a flat panel :-(. It starts in VGA mode just fine on my old SOG LCDs. I'm not really convinced you have a hardware problem...I think you have a "settings" problem. I had similar things happen with other stations (Indigo2 in my case) where the previous owner screwed with the screen settings and console settings....no amount of NVRAM reset commands seemed to work. I couldn't get to the PROM, Black Screen (SGI granite CRT) all the time, once Irixed loaded (from old owner install), the login screen would appear (with wrong resolution). Couldn't get graphical PROM, but serial PROM responded all the time.

I tried all the graphics console PROM commands over serial, NOTHING! Tried changing all the variables, it still didn't matter, like the settings didn't even matter. It still booted with good chime with black screen until OS was fully loaded, then appeared. Super irritating!

Yeah you could do an env print...won't help, you could try an nvram reset....won't help. Only reinstalling the OS helped in my case (solved completely as New Irix installs defaults everything!).

First off, I don't see your monitor info...please post model info so we can check monitor datasheet for issues. Then, install OS by Serial terminal! All the way, my personal experience is the Irix first-time boot does the resetting. When I had my "black screen issues", I installed the entire OS via terminal all the way to finish and restart, then on first boot...everything came back up exactly as it's supposed to...zero issues afterwards (or since). Graphical PROM was back and things work normally.

I think that's what I'd try here, this really doesn't sound like a hardware issue, because your symptoms haven't proven anything freezes at all. You lose video signal and instead of typing blindly or scripting install, you try to turn off the machine...and end up forcing it because the software driven power button won't work. Normally doesn't work for me while I'm in a PROM option (only on the main menu does my power button press do anything on my machines).

So the previous owner screwed with the defaults, only way to get them back is reinstall via serial, then the new install should reset everything.

I think you'll find things change on reboot from install and suddenly this stuff stops happening. I find it extremely annoying that there are graphical and monitor options I can't see or do anything about on these machines when all the docs claim a couple simple NVRAM options do it....they don't, there is more that isn't seen, trust me...I spent 5 hours on something similar to this. Your mainboard isn't likely broken at all.

wipe and install irix OS.

[windows95se]

I own two O2s and only recently got one with a flat panel adapter, but I don't own a flat panel :-(.  It starts in VGA mode just fine on my old SOG LCDs.  I'm not really convinced you have a hardware problem...I think you have a "settings" problem.  I had similar things happen with other stations (Indigo2 in my case) where the previous owner screwed with the screen settings and console settings....no amount of NVRAM reset commands seemed to work.  I couldn't get to the PROM, Black Screen (SGI granite CRT) all the time, once Irixed loaded (from old owner install), the login screen would appear (with wrong resolution).  Couldn't get graphical PROM, but serial PROM responded all the time.

I tried all the graphics console PROM commands over serial, NOTHING!  Tried changing all the variables, it still didn't matter, like the settings didn't even matter.  It still booted with good chime with black screen until OS was fully loaded, then appeared.  Super irritating!

Yeah you could do an env print...won't help, you could try an nvram reset....won't help.  Only reinstalling the OS helped in my case (solved completely as New Irix installs defaults everything!).

First off, I don't see your monitor info...please post model info so we can check monitor datasheet for issues.  Then, install OS by Serial terminal!  All the way, my personal experience is the Irix first-time boot does the resetting.  When I had my "black screen issues", I installed the entire OS via terminal all the way to finish and restart, then on first boot...everything came back up exactly as it's supposed to...zero issues afterwards (or since).  Graphical PROM was back and things work normally.

I think that's what I'd try here, this really doesn't sound like a hardware issue, because your symptoms haven't proven anything freezes at all. You lose video signal and instead of typing blindly or scripting install, you try to turn off the machine...and end up forcing it because the software driven power button won't work.  Normally doesn't work for me while I'm in a PROM option (only on the main menu does my power button press do anything on my machines).

So the previous owner screwed with the defaults, only way to get them back is reinstall via serial, then the new install should reset everything.

I think you'll find things change on reboot from install and suddenly this stuff stops happening.  I find it extremely annoying that there are graphical and monitor options I can't see or do anything about on these machines when all the docs claim a couple simple NVRAM options do it....they don't, there is more that isn't seen, trust me...I spent 5 hours on something similar to this.  Your mainboard isn't likely broken at all.

wipe and install irix OS.

I'm currently trying to install via serial but the machine is stuck at 'copy complete' and hasn't changed in 15 minutes. I've uninstalled the flat panel card and the network card in the expansion bay, have shorted the jumpers near the RTC, and have swapped the CD-ROM with the one in my other O2 because it seemed like a termination issue. Nothing still. 

I've also wiped the drive before each install to no avail.

[weblacky]

Assuming you can actually standard (not quick) format the drive without error, then I’d not think it’s a termination issue.

Try these things:

1. Use the First OS install disk to run diagnostics using the serial terminal. Try quick then if that works go through extended diagnostics, focus on extended memory tests first. But do CPU and mainboard too afterwards.

2. If that comes up good, then I’d check that you have parity enabled on all scsi devices (I assume O2 does this like the previous models).

3. Your drive could still be problematic if you’re not doing a full (hours long) format is the filesystem.

Old scsi devices don’t have anything Like SMART, so either you find bad spots using scsi low-level formatting to reset and check the drive block defect list...or your filesystem detects bad spots and marks them in the cluster info. However if you’re not getting drive errors then I’d suspect you’re not having a drive problem.


If you really are freezing then (outside of something exotic) you have a memory/cache issue, a source file/CDROM problem, or a power supply issue. If the copy freezes at the same place every time then I’d suspect source or memory problem.

If the process freezes when it starts the copy (but no actually files are copied), then I’d suspect a PSU or source problem.

Try the usual suspects of minimizing RAM if you have a lot of it, the first bank might have issues. So you could try removing a swapping higher modules into lower positions temporarily. I had a bad memory stick on an O2 long ago when I got it, took awhile to find it because it was intermittent for me.

Low hanging fruit would be to start with CDROM diagnostics and see what comes up.

[Jacques]

Just checking, have you reset the environment variables in the PROM? 'resetenv' ?

What display do you have?

When you wiped the drive, did you launch fx with the 'fx.ARCS -x' or 'fx.ARCS --x'

[windows95se]

Just checking, have you reset the environment variables in the PROM? 'resetenv' ?

What display do you have?

When you wiped the drive, did you launch fx with the 'fx.ARCS -x' or 'fx.ARCS --x'

I have tried 'resetenv' numerous times but no change. 

I have a 17” 1600SW. I have removed the flat panel adapter since. 

I launched fx with 'fx.ARCS --x'. Sorry for the confusion with that. My phone auto’s two hyphens as ‘—‘.