Date: Sun, 14 Jun 98 15:51:17 EST From: Dwight McKay (The Moderator) Reply-To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V11 #20 To: Suns-at-Home-List Suns-at-Home Digest Sun, 14 Jun 98 Volume 11 : Issue 20 Today's Topics: HELP with SPARC II (3 msgs) motif xwindow program for Win95 Problems getting Sun IPX to use new external SCSI disk Suns-at-Home Digest V11 #19 System Auto Log Outs +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Submissions: suns-at-home@net-kitchen.com | | Requests: suns-at-home-request@net-kitchen.com | | WWW Archive access: http://www.net-kitchen.com/~sah | +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 07 Jun 1998 09:31:02 -0400 (EDT) From: "Brian E.W. Wood" Subject: HELP with SPARC II To: (The Moderator) > Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 23:30:11 -0400 (EDT) > From: Bobby > Subject: Help with SPARC II > To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com > > I have recently acquired at SPARC 2 with 48mb Ram, running SunOS 4.1.3, > also has DC 600 type tape drive and cdrom. My quandary, what OS?: > > 1. Stay with SunOS: I like SunOs, but I need to fix Openwin (files > missing) and need to find/install all of the GNU stuff I am used to with > Linux (anyone out there has burned a cd with binaries for this?) > 2. If I go with RH Linux, I understand I can't run any of the large > binaries (Netscape) for SunOS... that would be limiting, but It would be > somthing I am familer with and the directory stucture etc would be similar > to my RH 5.0 machine. This is not true. I run Netscape on an IPX, an ELC and a Sparc-2, both under RedHat 4.2 with no problems. Of course you need the SunOS libraries (and a license for them) in order to do this. RedHat says that 5.1 for the Sparc will be out this summer but don't hold your breath:-) > > Software I eventually want on the machine includes Netscape, Lynx, Pine, > Midnight Commander, ncftp, gimp, bash, slrn, gzip, zip, ircii-epic, maybe > samba. I will be keeping my Linux/i386 machine also, so I have the option > of running some software from that box and have the output go to that > nice 20" Sun monitor :) Another question: Do any of these os's support > virtual text based consoles? I use that feature a lot now. I have run all of these programs under Sparc/Linux. There is a pre-compiled version of Samba out on the net for Sparc/Linux, sorry I can't remember where. I've run SunOS, Solaris and Linux on the Sparc machines and much prefer Linux. --- Brian E.W. Wood beww@intac.com - ------------------------------ Date: 8 Jun 98 08:50:53 EDT From: DBell@mobile.bam.com Subject: Help with SPARC II To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com Here's my $.02 on this: >1. Stay with SunOS Works fine as far as still being able to get commercial software. Doesn't work so well as far as getting bugs patched or security holes fixed, at least as far as Sun's active involvement goes. On a sparc2, performance will be pretty good, but you'll have to put up with broken resolver libs, lousy X (old Openwin version...), etc. Compiling software is reasonable if you use gcc, but the bundled compiler is seriously broken. (At least it has one, Solaris doesn't...) 2. Red Hat Linux - fine if you like linux. No commercial support, but it should be easy to build whatever the distribution doesn't come with as far as freeware goes. I've never run linux on a sparc2, but on an elc, performance was quite comparable to SunOS. >3. Go with BSD - I really, really like OpenBSD, and it performs better than SunOS on my sparc2 (which dual boots OpenBSD/Solaris 2.5.1). The only negative I can think of is the lack of support for commercial software. I know it's possible to run SunOS & Solaris binaries, but it's a bit involved to set up, so I've never bothered. The OpenBSD team is very active as far as bug/security fixes go, and the ports collection makes adding software pretty easy. The install is also really easy (a little easier, in my opinion, than redhat's). >4. Go with Solaris - The only way you'll get commercial software (although much of it requires more than a Sparc2. Performance will be the poorest of any of the above options. Solaris is also quite expensive. My sparc2 has a Weitek cpu upgrade (I belive to 80mhz) and 64mb ram, and it's still noticeably slow (but certainly useable) under Solaris 2.5.1. It's performance under OpenBSD is almost twice as good (subjectively). I keep Solaris around because I admin it at work, and I like to have a system on which I can hack around. Again, use gcc as it's not worth paying the extra money for the unbundled compiler (pre-compiled versions are available on the web. Use one, or if you're a purist, use one to build your own compiler). As far a virtual consoles, I don't know whether or not linux for sparc supports this, but it's probably the most like candidate if you want that functionality. Anyone know for sure? I hope this helps. -- Daniel Bell Sr. Member of Tech. Staff Bell Atlantic Mobile - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 21:42:51 -0700 From: Pete Harbeson Subject: Help with SPARC II To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com I can't speak for BSD, but I switched from Solaris to RH Linux on my Sparc II, and it's working fine so far. Very easy installation, and the package manager seems to work well. The directory structure seems to be identical to my Linux PC, and altogether I've found Sparc Linux to be quite painless (for Linux). Sparc Linux supports virtual terminals just the same as the Intel versions. - ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 21:48:34 -0500 From: "Brian Scott" Subject: motif xwindow program for Win95 To: Does anyone know of a shareware or freeware program that will allow me to admin my Solaris 2.5.1 machine from a Win95 machine? I'm a bit new to Solaris, having come by a used Sparc5 to replace my aging Redhat 386 machine. Great digest!!! Thanks in advance! Brian Scott - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 12:19:14 EDT From: HughesMJ@aol.com Subject: Problems getting Sun IPX to use new external SCSI disk To: suns-at-home@net-kitchen.com Hi, I am having trouble getting my Sun IPX to recognize a new SCSI disk. Here is as much info as I know Sun IPX 32MB External Seagate Barracuda 4.5 SCSI disk model ST15150WC. This is contained inside an external Sun disk housing (SN:602G3228) which I believe auto terminates the drive. On the back of the housing I can set a little counter switch to indicate SCSI id which I have set to 1 (I have tried others also). I have connected it up with good quality cables to the IPX and when I boot up I can here the new disk power up and start spinning. However I then get the message: Can't Clear ESP Interrupts, Check SCSI Term. Power Fuse. If I disconnect the external box and reboot, I have no problems I have been advised to check the SCSI power fuse on the IPX's motherboard but I can't find anything like a fuse. Does anyone know: - Where about the fuse is? - Where can I get a replacement or can I freak it some other way?! - Is this the problem ? Should I try something else? I have been struggling with this for some weeks in my spare time and am getting desperate! Any help would be most appreciated. Many thanks, Martin hughesmj@aol.com - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 08:21:57 -0500 From: The Big CaT Subject: Suns-at-Home Digest V11 #19 To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com Dwight, Please change your records for my new email address. kobe@kobeco.com [Done. --ddm] Also, I have two SUNS for sale. One SS20 and one SS5 both with 20" digital control monitors. Reasonable offers requested. Please post that this inof to the group. Thanks Kobe - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 08 Jun 1998 00:04:17 -0400 From: Howard Huntley Subject: System Auto Log Outs To: Suns-at-Home@net-kitchen.com I just installed the new Solaris v2.6 on my Sparc 1 with four disk drives as well as a newly installed Exabyte 8200 tape drive. When I do a root "/" back up, the progress will reach a point, stop and log me out of the system. Can any one tell me what is going on with this??? - ------------------------------ End of Suns-at-Home Digest ******************************