I'm tempted to pick up an old LX or Classic on Ebay. Serious unix in a
small form factor plus "classic car" computer geek syndrome would be my
reasons.

Only bit that worries me is the possibility of NVRAM battery dying
(these are OLD boxes after all). Are replacements available? If yes,
can they be installed by a determined non-expert? If no, how long
might one of these reasonably expected to keep going?


Thanks.

Moss Hart

(Afterthought, are they noisy?)

On 18 Jan 2004 20:24:41 -0600, Moss Hart <act1@operamail.com> wrote:

> I'm tempted to pick up an old LX or Classic on Ebay.

Keep in mind the things are now 1/10 the clock speed of contemp. Suns. My
LX got too slow for "real" work.

> Only bit that worries me is the possibility of NVRAM battery dying (these
> are OLD boxes after all). Are replacements available? If yes, can they be
> installed by a determined non-expert? If no, how long might one of these
> reasonably expected to keep going?

I *think* (but check with docs.sun.com) these use an ST Timekeeper chip to
power the NVRAM. The 386i and early SPARCs did. My 386i went from 1989 to
1995 (at least) on the same chip. I had to change the one in my 1991
Sparc2 (OK, ancient!) last year. My replacement had been in the fridge
since '95, (along with some leftovers I'd forgotten! It works fine!
HTH,
TW

Tim Wood wrote:

|> I *think* (but check with docs.sun.com) these use an ST Timekeeper chip to
|> power the NVRAM. The 386i and early SPARCs did. My 386i went from 1989 to
|> 1995 (at least) on the same chip. I had to change the one in my 1991
|> Sparc2 (OK, ancient!) last year. My replacement had been in the fridge
|> since '95, (along with some leftovers I'd forgotten! It works fine!

I have piggy-backed standard Lithium button cells onto the Timekeepers
of my 386i and two 3/80s. Work fine, much cheaper than buying new ones,
and guaranteed not to introduce the compatibility problems sometimes
caused by recently (FSVO) produced ones finally adhering to the specs.

--

"I'm a doctor, not a mechanic." Dr Leonard McCoy <mccoy@ncc1701.starfleet.fed>
"I'm a mechanic, not a doctor." Volker Borchert <v_borchert@despammed.com>