Very Computer

Hi

from google i have found that i need to install freebsd on sparc using
a serial console but dont know how  ,freebsd.org docs says i
should use only COM1 but i have a DB25 NULL-MODEM cable ..can someone help
me?

--
if you are gonna sing and play a banjo why dont you learn to tune it--Hank
The Cowdog

You might have indicated just what machine you want to use.

Sun machines have a DB-25S connector at the rear of the chassis, just as
an off-the-shelf modem.  PeeCees have a DE-9P connector on the chassis.
Buy a modem cable to match those connectors, then go to Radio Shack and
get a 9 pin Null Modem adapter.  Connect the 25 pin end to "A" on the
SPARC and thru the Null Modem to COM1 on the PC.

Next bring up HyperTerminal on your Windows box and configure it for 8
bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, 9600 and point it to COM1.

Remove the keyboard connector from the Sun machine and turn on power.

Read this also.

http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/General/OBP.html

OTOH, why do you not want to use Solaris on that machine?

Since you have a framebuffer and monitor, why not connect a keyboard and
mouse?  They are available quite inexpensively.

With a keyboard connected you can use Stop-N to reset the NVRAM to factory
defaults.

Quote:> and then nothing happens more ,i get nothing on the hyperterminal
> i have connected serial portA on my sun to COM2 on my win98  laptop
> by a db25-m to db9-f cable,terminal setting is  9600 8N1,i connect
> the terminal before switching the sun on......

9600 8N1 is the default setting for the serial ports.  It may have been
changed by a previous owner/user.

Do you have a null modem adapter on that serial line?  I bought mine at
Radio Shack for $7.02 including tax.  Perhaps there are no Radio Shack
stores in Berlin, but surely you have some such store.  The Radio Shack
part number seems to be 26-264 and is advertised at $6.59 USD.

Quote:> i am quite new to solaris but i feel its very slow on a machine with
> 2*ULTRA SPARC 64 and 2G ram....so i just wanted to make a comparison...
> what do you say?

FreeBSD was developed primarily for the x86 and Alpha platforms with the
strongest emphasis on x86.  I have no idea of their justification to waste
their effort on the UltraSPARC when Solaris is available for the platform.

I have tried using OpenBSD and NetBSD on this old and slow Ultra 1/170E.
Neither has the performance of Solaris.  I have used Solaris 8 on Ultra
5/330MHz machines and its performance is entirely acceptable for
workstation use.

The real advantage of the 64 bit processor and bus is in dealing with huge
objects such as databases.  Yet even an Athlon at 1.2GHz will compile
emacs faster than an 8-way Sun machine running at 450MHz.