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vctsang

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Installing Solaris from the laptop without SUN monitor

Is anyone know how to install Solaris in the Sparc platform with out the Sun
monitor and use the laptop as the installing screen?
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munsie

you might be able to redirect your console out the serial port... but without a monitor, you won't be able to see the open firmware prompt to type the needed commands in.

try going to www.sunhelp.org for more info.

from my quick lookover, I didn't see any way of doing what you want.

I take it that you don't have a sun monitor available anywhere?  If that's the problem, you'll either have to arrange to borrow a monitor or have someone with access to a sun monitor install the OS for you.  You may want to try at a local university.  If you're looking to purchase a monitor, i would try www.ebay.com

good luck,
dennis
btw,

if for some reason you can't find anyone that can help you out, I can offer my services to help install.  The only problem is that I would need the machine temporarily to do the install.  If you feel confortable with this, and you are willing to pay shipping to and from (CPU only.. i have keyboards, mice, and monitors), then please let me know.

dennis
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festive

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Munise, I want to " thank you" for your suggestions and offering the installations.  

I am going to try Festive's method.  Festive, can you please prvide some instructions on how to setup the windows terminal to 9600 bps.

Thank you...
-Vincent
click start button - programs - accessories - hyperterminal.

double click hyperterm.exe
if it asks you to install a modem. just click cancel.

you should be prompted with a dialog box for naming the new connection:
type something like "Console for Sun", and choose an appropriate icon.

within the next window lablelled "Phone Number"
all options but "Connect Using" should be greyed out - in this choose the "Direct to Com X" where X is your com port that you intend to use.
click OK.

the "COMX properties" dialog box should appear - this is where you specify line speed etc, There are 5 settings here , generally speaking there are two main standards for comms 8N1, and 7E1
(ie 8 data bits, No parity, 1 stop bit or 7 data bits, Even parity, 1 stop bit) choose the former, and if you get partially correct output and every Nth character is weird, then change it to the other.

ie specify the following settings:
Bits per Second (BAUD) "9600"
Data Bits 8
Parity None
Stop Bits 1
Flow Control (try software Xon/Xoff first, otherwise hardware)

Click OK
you should now be in the terminal screen.

----Now the good stuff----

make sure that the system (SUN) is up and running, connect the systems using your null modem cable to the first com port on the back of the SUN initially.

within hyperterminal
1) hit enter : if no login prompt goto 2
2) hit ctrl-b : Go to step 1

(keep repeating the ctrl-b, up to 6 times, as this cycles terminal line speed)

If this does not work, you can try the following:
from the network : connect to the system and issue a command like this (with the above connected): echo "hello" > /dev/term/a

if this comes out on the screen, then you have got the terminal speed correct and the port monitors are not running on the sun,
type the following:

pmadm -l  

This will show the port monitors running, and should by default be ok, just check to see that there is a port monitor for /dev/term/a

it should look something like the following:

PMTAG          PMTYPE         SVCTAG         FLGS ID       <PMSPECIFIC>
zsmon          ttymon         ttya           u    root     /dev/term/a I - /usr/bin/login - 9600 ldterm,ttcompat ttya login:  - tvi925 y  #

try this (it should restart the port monitor):
pmadm -d -p zsmon -s ttya
pmadm -e -p zsmon -s ttya

where ttya is the SVCTAG as above.

now try some ctrl-D's and enters on the terminal screen to get a login.

once you are getting a login (and the eeprom settings are as previously mentioned) an orderly shutdown / reboot should do the trick, and the device should come up as the console.

let me know how you go.
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Adjusted points from 200 to 300
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Festive,
 
    It works, I have another questions. How do I do a Stop-A from the laptop key board if I want to boot from CD-ROM?  

thanks...

-Vincent
hit ctrl-break