[recondas]

Sorry to hear you're having problems vvuk, but I think jan-jaap has given some excellent advice (as usual). Hope you're able to get it up and running, it's a great system and I glad the person you got it from found someone who'd appreciate it.

If you're curious, the chassis of that g-brick started life as part of of O2k based Reality Monster at a University in North Carolina. I purchased two graphics modules still mounted in a single O2k rack from a dairy farmer who acquired the entire Reality Monster as surplus to resell on eBay. By the time I got there all of the graphics boards were already gone, so both graphics modules were empty other than the power supplies, MSC's and IO6Gs.

I started by adding a single IR2E board set to one of the graphics modules and connected an 8x200 O2k. Ran it like that for some time and slowly morphed it into a IR3 system. Along the way I discovered that the chassis of an O2k graphics module and that of an O3k G-Brick are the same. The O3k L1 controller attaches to the same system board interface as the MSC in the O2k-era module; once that's in replace the Cray-link based K-Town interface with a NUMA-link compatible K-Town-2 and trade the purple plastic skins for the blue metal o3k style fascia. The hardest part (for me) was obtaining the pinout for the serial-to-USB cable that connects the L1 in the G-Brick to the L2 controller. When all that was finally done I initially ran the now re-minted G-Brick with a 16P O300, and later replaced that with a quad 800 O350.

[vvuk]

Hi recondas, yep, system is definitely in a good home And that's super interesting history, we were just talking about the Reality Monster in Discord. Kind of fascinating that you were able to morph it that way!

Everything is back up and running -- I got a replacement DG5-2 and that's all it took. Still no idea what went wrong with the original, and really no effective way of diagnosing. I've got some queries out to some folks, but no replies yet. At least now I know that it's something on the board itself and not, say, backplane or KTOWN comms or something.

I'm going to be mounting everything into a rack either today or next weekend. Will post some pictures once that's done.

[Raion]

Recondas:

I think I purchased some of your systems from a gentleman named Mike in North Carolina.

Apologies to Vlad for bringing in a bit of off topic spice I hope you personally don't mind.
If it bothers you let me know and I'll split the discussion off into a new thread.

Just to give you an update unfortunately the origin 2000 had too much damage to the chassis from rust and plastic rot but it got reincarnated into my onyx 2 desk side which apparently comes from South Atlantic University or something like that I forget what the exact name is but I have to check the asset tag. The rack system was given to Terrh and I still have a significant number of parts from it that he didn't need. So in no way did your system go to scrap other than the fact that I unfortunately was not able to keep the rack because SiliconClassics was graciously holding the storage unit for me until he started to pick up and move to a different part of North Carolina. At that point I came down and we got all the stuff out and I managed to sell it to some gentleman for what purpose I don't remember.

It was really awesome though to be able to save those systems and I hope to be able to do some more as they come up on the East Coast and eventually if I move away from the East Coast I will still perform rescues wherever I am.

[recondas]

Hi recondas, yep, system is definitely in a good home And that's super interesting history, we were just talking about the Reality Monster in Discord. Kind of fascinating that you were able to morph it that way!

Everything is back up and running -- I got a replacement DG5-2 and that's all it took. Still no idea what went wrong with the original, and really no effective way of diagnosing. I've got some queries out to some folks, but no replies yet. At least now I know that it's something on the board itself and not, say, backplane or KTOWN comms or something.

I'm going to be mounting everything into a rack either today or next weekend. Will post some pictures once that's done.

I look forward to seeing it in its new home, I'll be sure to watch for them.

Recondas:

I think I purchased some of your systems from a gentleman named Mike in North Carolina.

Apologies to Vlad for bringing in a bit of off topic spice I hope you personally don't mind.
If it bothers you let me know and I'll split the discussion off into a new thread.

Just to give you an update unfortunately the origin 2000 had too much damage to the chassis from rust and plastic rot but it got reincarnated into my onyx 2 desk side which apparently comes from South Atlantic University or something like that I forget what the exact name is but I have to check the asset tag. The rack system was given to Terrh and I still have a significant number of parts from it that he didn't need. So in no way did your system go to scrap other than the fact that I unfortunately was not able to keep the rack because SiliconClassics was graciously holding the storage unit for me until he started to pick up and move to a different part of North Carolina. At that point I came down and we got all the stuff out and I managed to sell it to some gentleman for what purpose I don't remember.

It was really awesome though to be able to save those systems and I hope to be able to do some more as they come up on the East Coast and eventually if I move away from the East Coast I will still perform rescues wherever I am.

That O2k Deskside came from the NASA Ames Research Center. The guy got if from had two identical O2k D/S from there; both still had the sys name labels, one was 'Mars', the other 'Venus'. As hamei quipped at the time, I chose love not war. I think Mike also got the other IR graphics module (mentioned above from the RealityMonster). BTW, SiliconClassics actually moved a few miles up the road from me - great guy.

[Raion]

Yeah, SiliconClassics is a good man! Been his friend since he came on and was selling the Acclaim systems. At the time, someone was verbally going after him on Facepunch and other forums for refusing to leak stuff, I came to his defense and we ended up having a friendly conversation from it. I have hung out with him a few times.

[Shiunbird]

At the time, someone was verbally going after him on Facepunch and other forums for refusing to leak stuff, I came to his defense and we ended up having a friendly conversation from it.

I still find weird that these days (or perhaps, always?) people get attacked for doing the right thing.
...

[chulofiasco]

The hardest part (for me) was obtaining the pinout for the serial-to-USB cable that connects the L1 in the G-Brick to the L2 controller.  

Does anyone have this pinout?

I've lit many candles for recondas's return, however they have not been met with success.

Should anyone be able to help, kindly reach out!

Thanks!