[Irinikus]

If the Fuel forms part of the chimera series, such as the Tezro, the PROM is NOT autoupdated with a fresh IRIX install.

After installing IRIX, you flash the PROM with the following command line: "flash -a usr/cpu/firmware/ip35prom.img"

If you want verbose output on the flashing process, use the command line: flash -v -a usr/cpu/firmware/ip35prom.img

[weblacky]

I know Octane(2) & O2 are updated via Irix install.

For fuel I only found a single online reference to a PROM upgrading after Irix install, I found no statements counter to this (If you have a source, please provide it): https://sites.google.com/site/tingox/fue...ntDialog=1


Granted, I’ll admit it’s likely you will only be forced a required minimum version on your machine for a given Irix install, and not the latest. But you have a PROM that has at least a 10+ gap of the minor version number. I’d assume you will undergo a minimum upgrade if you install a later Irix version (like 6.5.23 or higher).

[Irinikus]

My apologies, you're right!!!

The PROM is autoupdated with a fresh IRIX install, but the L1 controller isn't. (I know for a fact that this has to be updated manually through personal experience, when I installed the IP59 in my Tezro.)

The reason I thought this was because I flashed the PROM on my Tezro to PROM version "6.211",which is post IRIX 6.5.30 and found in the following patch: "Patch_SGI0007149: System Controller Firmware/Software Updates for IRIX 6.5.24 - 6.5.30."

However, if the OP has a corrupted PROM, he can maybe try to flash it manually first, as it will be allot less painful that reinstalling IRIX! (Seeing he gets no visuals in the PROM at this point, I think a manual flash from the console within IRIX is his only option here!)

I have tried installing IRIX by issuing commands over a serial console in the past without success. (This was on my Onyx2)

[indy99]

It's at least remotely possible the issues of PROM level graphics corruption and disabled memory are related.

You could test this theory by clearing the power-on diagnostic (POD) logs to re-enable the disabled memory.

Boot the system with a serial terminal enabled and stop in the PROM.

At the PROM command line enter:
    "pod"
    "go cac"
    "clearalllogs"
    "initalllogs"
    "flush"
    "reset" the system will reset/restart.
When it restarts, stop in the PROM, run "enableall",followed by "update" at the PROM command line.
Reboot one more time via serial terminal and run an an hinv at the PROM command line to check the status of the disabled memory.

If the memory is still disabled it's likely you have either bad RAM or system board issues. You could try replacing or removing the disabled memory and repeating the POD clearing process, but to err on the side of caution I'd suggest leaving the know good memory set in their original positions. It would be unfortunate to inadvertently swap bad memory into the only working slots and have the POD routine disable those too.

BTW, you do have some very basic access to the PROM while IRIX is running.  The IRIX command "nvram" or "sgikopt" will print your systems non-volatile RAM variables to the console.  Likewise you can access the L1 controller via an IRIX console or shell with the "l1cmd" command, though this one requires root level access.  See "man nvram", "man sgikopt", or "man l1cmd" for details.

[weblacky]

I hope I’m not the only one that noticed and confirmed, the user asked about his RAM layout and his HINV confirms his layout is against recommended interleaving right now, as-is!

If you don’t correctly layout the RAM (just like in any normal PC memory table), nothing has a chance of clearing or changing.

The link I provided clearly states that same-density modules should not be side-by-side and in fact should be interleaved. First (slot 0) and third (slot 2) sockets are bank 1, second (slot 1) and fourth (slot 3) sockets are bank 2.

Right now HINV claims to each bank has one 512MB and one 256MB jammed in it.

The SGI Fuel manual (pg. 31-32) confirms that the system must have:

Minimum of two modules on bank 1 (slots 0 & 2).
Both modules (combined) must add up to 512 MB at least.
DIMMs in the same pair MUST BE the same density.

According to the HINV, you don’t meet these rules.

Before anything, please adjust the physical DIMM module ordering in the RAM slots. Then see what it says, if it’s still disabled, then follow the clearing advice in the link I posted early, if that fails, then use the CAC POD clearing instructions posted.

[dancingfools]

Over the weekend I do some tests and then I keep you updated. Anyway thanks to everyone for the info.

[dancingfools]

Finally everything settled. I installed irix 6.5.30 and then it was the prom with old firmware. Thanks for the info to all of you.