🚀 go-pugleaf

In <32BE4886.3ED5@fernuni-hagen.de> Sven Hartrumpf <Sven.Hartrumpf@fernuni-hagen.de> writes:

>my private SPARC 1+ seems to have a lithium battery which must be
>replaced.

These machines have a Mostek or SGS-Thomson M48T02 2k x 8 timekeeper RAM
(usually called a NVRAM) which stores the ethernet address and serial
number data, as well as providing the real time clock function. 

They have in internal lithium battery, which lasts for approximately 5 to
8 years, to maintain the RAM contents, as well as run the clock, in the
absence of system power. It seems the NVRAM in your machine has a flat
battery, so it needs to be replaced. 

>2. If so, is the chip labelled ELMF (orange) (to its left there is a
>chip
>   AM27C0101) the internal clock with the battery?

Yes, that's the one. The other socketed chip is the bootrom. The barcode
on the NVRAM's sticker is how Sun reach into a database they maintain to
find the original data to program up a new chip. 

I always recommend that people keep a written record of the ethernet
addresses and serial numbers of their machines, since if you don't know
these you need to 'invent' suitable numbers when you program a fresh
NVRAM. 

>3. The SUN manual says that this chip is not "customer-replacable"
>(because of
>   the battery). As my SUN is a used computer (and I have changed
>continents)
>   I will not get much help from SUN, of course.

These NVRAM's are fairly simple to program, so why pay Sun big dollars
when you can buy a fresh NVRAM and using a few simple ROM monitor
commands, you can program the new chip yourself. 

Mark Henderson maintains a Sun NVRAM/IDPROM FAQ, which is on the web at 
'http://www.rahul.net/squirrel/sun-nvram-hostid.faq.html'. Before you do 
anything, you should read Mark's document to work out if you want to buy 
a new chip and program it yourself.

BTW, I provide an NVRAM programming service here in Australia for people
who prefer an experienced person to take care of it so you might be able
to find a place that's willing to obtain and program a new NVRAM chip for
you at a price far less than what Sun will ask. As a guide, I ask A$50 to
source, program, and mail a fresh NVRAM chip for a client. 

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
        Craig Dewick - craig@zeta.org.au - http://www.zeta.org.au/~craig  
            Professional Train Driver. Located in Sydney, Australia.
          Sun Ripened Kernels - http://www.zeta.org.au/~craig/srk.html
                Surplus and pre-loved Sun Microsystems equipment.