Here's a summary without a question in the hope that it'll help someone
upgrading an E450 with 400MHz CPUs with 4Mb of cache (abbreviation 400/4):
1) They won't fit in the card cage without first removing the plastic
covers. You'll also have to partially remove a metal bracket that is used
to stiffen the plastic CPU cage to install a couple of the processors, then
put it back into it's original position when the CPUs are installed.
And Yes, Sun support will give you all kinds of grief about running the
CPUs without the plastic covers. Then they'll settle down and go about
their business. IMHO, running without the covers just improves airflow.
There is enough airflow to keep the CPUs cool.
2) Motherboard. Check the first 7 digits of your motherboard (mobo) before
ordering any 400/4 CPUs. If the first 7 digits of your mobo begin with
5012996 you are SOL. This mobo will not work with the 400MHz CPU with 4Mb
of cache. We believe that the problem is specific to the 4Mb cache - the
2Mb cache version should work -- but I have not personally verified this.
You need a mobo with 5015270 as the 1st 7 digits.
3) You need to change jumper J2701 to jumper pins 2 & 3. If you look at a
5012996 mobo, you'll notice that there are no header pins installed in
J2701!! That's your first clue! :)
BTW: J2701 is the jumper that the Sun documentation says you should not
change and that the default position (1 & 2 jumpered) will work for all
UltraSPARC CPUs!
4) At this time the 400/4 CPU is not offered by Sun as an upgrade path for
the E450. So this means that if you want to use it, and your system is
under hardware support, you'll have to change out the mobo at your own
expense - both time & materials.
Further Recommendations: If you are ordering a new E450, I would strongly
recommend that you specify that it must be based on the new 5015270 mobo!!
Hope this helps someone in SunLand. Corrections/comments appreciated.
Regards
Al Hopper Logical Approach Inc, Plano, TX. al@logical-approach.com
Voice: 972-379-2133 Fax: 972-379-2134
Gauges in the green - No warning lights.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Fri Sep 28 2001 - 23:13:20 CDT