Archive for July, 2007

Is there an OpenBoot PROM cheat sheet or reference sheet?

Saturday, July 28th, 2007

A: Ask and you shall receive. Use this handy-dandy OpenBoot PROM or OBP Reference Guide courtesy of Sun Microsystems as a refresher. I didn’t write it, but it’s about as thorough and useful as it would be if I did.

When I start up my machine, I get a message that says: ‘mfg-options’ environment variable invalid How do I fix this?

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007

A: From the OK prompt (a.k.a. OBP or OpenBoot PROM) you need to setenv mfg-options to the right value.

Whenever I log into my machine and I try to hit the backspace key, it does not erase characters like I expect it to. Instead, it prints a ^H for each keypress. How do I erase?

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007

A: Solaris gurus don’t ever make mistakes. That’s why the backspace key doesn’t work! KIDDING! Seriously, though — similar to this solution, you should only be getting this error if you are consoled into a machine via a null modem cable, if you have telnet-ed into a remote machine or if you are using a […]

I’m trying to use vi, but instead of clearing the screen and allowing me to view my file, it jumbles the file and none of the commands react as expected; or in more general terms, “In console (command line) mode, I’m trying to use any application that requires use of the full screen (SunVTS, vi, etc) and when I launch it, it doesn’t correctly show the entire screen. It looks like a garbled version of the application I’m trying to use.”

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007

A: If you are using CDE, Gnome or another GUI, you should not be experiencing this problem. If you are, I’m not quite sure what the problem is, but this solution probably won’t help you. Still, you’re free to try. This solution is only needed by those either consoled into a machine via a null […]

How do I save a file in vi? How do I make changes in vi? How do I move around in the vi editor?

Monday, July 16th, 2007

A: Read detailed explanation below.

How can I establish a serial connection (aka tip hardwire session) from one Sun machine to another?

Friday, July 13th, 2007

A: Depending on which Sun machines you are connecting, you will need a certain type of null modem cable suited to that machine. Most older Sun machines (UltraSPARC II and some III) will require a DB25 male connector on the end. Newer ones (some UltraSPARC III and IV) will need RJ-45 serial connections.

How can I establish a serial connection from my Windows PC to my Sun Solaris machine?

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

A: Depending on which Sun machine you are connecting to, you will need a specific type of null modem cable suited to that machine. Most Sun UltraSparc II-class machines will require a DB25 male connector on the Sun end. Sun’s UltraSPARC III-class and higher machines have a healthy mix of DB25 and RJ-45 connectors. Plus […]

How do I make my own RJ-11 or RJ-45 cable?

Monday, July 9th, 2007

NOTE: Article not complete. Coming soon: Photos Links to pinouts for specific cable types A: You’re going to need a few items: RJ-11 or RJ-45 crimper with built in cable cutter RJ-11 or RJ-45 connector tips a resource to look up the proper pinouts for the cable you’re making After you’ve got the necessary items […]

Standard Disclaimer a.k.a. How to tell when you should NOT be experimenting with your system.

Sunday, July 8th, 2007

You can seriously disable your system and render it unusable by incorrectly using this information. Heck, even if you use it correctly I can’t guarantee I didn’t make a mistake while writing it. In short, do not use these tutorials/commands/information on a live, production system.

Introduction / How These Tutorials Are Written

Sunday, July 8th, 2007

Welcome to Sun SPARC and Solaris Tips! A boring name, yes — but a useful site for those that need it. I’ll be posting useful tips, diagrams and tutorials for anyone that works on Sun hardware, be they total Solaris newbies, part-time Solaris admins who need some hardware help, IT Managers looking to brush up […]