How can I install on enterprise 3500 without video buffer

[biafran]

my e3500 is connected to a cable modem and also attached to ibm laptop by null modem.Below is the specs on the server

2 cpu/mem boards
+ 4 400mhz/8mb US-II cpus
+ 3 gb RAM
+ 1 sbus / io board
+ 1 10/100 ethernet port
+ 1 Scsi port
+ 2 fiber channel interfaces w/ 2 GBIC's
+ FC interface board to drives w 2 GBIC's
+ 4 18 gb fiber Channel drives
+ cdrom
+ 3 power/cooling modules
there is no video buffer how can i see the server to interact and install. thanks a lot.

 

[bfitzmai]

Was the graphics IO Board removed? The docs from Sun show a graphics board on the default configuration.

http://sunsolve.sun.com/handbook_pub/Systems/E3500/component.rear.html

 

[biafran]

yes the graphics IO was not supplied. the spec above is exactly what came with the machine.

 

[bfitzmai]

Okay... Hopefully the NVRAM is set correctly. There are 2 entries in NVRAM, input-device and output-device. By default (with no video board), these entries should be set to ttya. Connect your Laptop through a NULL Modem to the E3500 Serial Port A. Start a hyperterminal session. Baud Rate: 9600, 8 Bit, Parity set to NONE. Re-boot your E3500. If this doesn't work, let us know.

 

[biafran]

Using hyperterminal on com 3 it connected but I could not interract with the server. There is no os on it and that is what I would like to do.

 

[KenCunningham]

How do you mean 'couldn't interact?'. Are you getting to the OK prompt?

 

[biafran]

No I am not getting to ok prompt. In the hyperterminal window it just says connected.That is it.

 

[coffeysm]

Is it powered on already?

 

[biafran]

yes it is powered on. I bought it used.

 

[coffeysm]

Hmm, well it could be it still thinks the video card is there and was set in the EEPROM. That might be why you are not getting a display back. Some admins also disable Serial Console access when Solaris gets up and booted. If it is not in production I would power it off and on again, with the laptop attached. It should then start spitting out to the console, then I would hit CTRL or SHIFT + BREAK (I can't remember which one), and that will send it to the OK prompt. Then type in set-defaults to restore the default settings in the EEPROM. Also do a boot -s and check the /etc/inittab for the sc line.

 

[huebs]

Do you have a sun keyboard? You could connect it to the control board and hold down STOP-N while powering on to reset the nvram settings.