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SGI Fuel

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Silicon Graphics Fuel
SGI Fuel front (Rules666)
Silicon Graphics Fuel (Rules666, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Specifications
ManufacturerSilicon Graphics, Inc.
TypeDeskside workstation
ReleasedJanuary 2002[1]
Discontinued29 December 2006 (end of general availability of SGI's MIPS systems)[1]
Intro priceUS$11,495 (list, at introduction)[1]
CPUOne MIPS R14000A at 500 MHz (2 MB secondary cache) or 600 MHz (4 MB)[2]; R16000 at 700 MHz and faster in later systems[1]
Memory512 MB to 4 GB DDR SDRAM in four DIMM sockets[2]
StorageUp to three Ultra160 SCSI hard disks (18, 36 or 73 GB, 10,000 rpm) and two 5.25-inch removable media drives[2]
Display—
Sound—
GraphicsVPro V10 (32 MB) or V12 (128 MB), DVI-I output[2]
ExpansionFour 3.3 V PCI slots on two buses[2]
Power430 W supply in SGI's guide; 100 to 240 V AC, 50 to 60 Hz, 7.0 to 3.0 A[3]
Dimensions48.3 × 22.6 × 49.3 cm (19.0 × 8.9 × 19.4 in)[3]
Weight19 kg (42 lb), base system[3]
OS / FirmwareIRIX 6.5.17 or later[1]
Model no.Model CMN 015 in SGI's guide[2]

The Silicon Graphics Fuel is a single-processor MIPS workstation that Silicon Graphics introduced in January 2002 at a list price of US$11,495. SGI ended general availability of all its MIPS systems, the Fuel included, on 29 December 2006.[1] Wikipedia describes the Fuel as essentially a single-node, single-processor Origin 3000.[1] Its larger sibling is the SGI Tezro.[1]

The Fuel's original power supplies have a poor reputation among owners, and a supply drifting out of regulation can damage the environmental monitoring chips on the system board, processor module and graphics board. Owners commonly recap the supply or replace it with a standard PC supply through an adapter.[4][5]

History

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SGI's Hardware User's Guide of February 2002 lists 500 MHz and 600 MHz R14000A processors.[2] A 700 MHz R16000 became available on 9 January 2003, followed by 800 MHz and 900 MHz parts; the 900 MHz part has an 8 MB secondary cache.[1] The Fuel was the first SGI system to support USB devices in IRIX, limited to audio and human interface devices.[1]

Specifications

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Silicon Graphics Fuel specifications (SGI Hardware User's Guide, 2002)
Item Specification
Processor R14000A, 500 MHz with 2 MB or 600 MHz with 4 MB secondary cache, on a PIMM board
Memory 512 MB to 4 GB DDR SDRAM; 256 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB DIMMs fitted in pairs
Disks Up to three internal Ultra160 SCSI drives, 18 to 219 GB in total
Removable media Up to two: 48× CD-ROM, 20 GB 4 mm DAT
Graphics VPro V10 (32 MB) or V12 (128 MB); optional Dual Channel Display daughterboard
Expansion Four 3.3 V PCI slots: bus E 64-bit 66 MHz, bus F 33 MHz
Ports Two 9-pin serial, IEEE 1284 parallel, PS/2 keyboard and mouse, 10/100 Ethernet, two USB, L1 (USB-B) port[6]
Power supply 430 W; 90 to 264 V AC, 47 to 63 Hz
Heat dissipation 1075 BTU/hour
Operating temperature 5 to 35 °C up to 5000 ft
Relative humidity 10 to 80% operating, non-condensing
Size and weight 19.0 × 8.9 × 19.4 in; 42 lb (19 kg)

[2][3]

Hardware

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System board and processor

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SGI's guide calls the system board the IP34. It carries the serial, parallel, keyboard, mouse, Ethernet and USB ports, a dual-channel Ultra160 SCSI controller, four PCI slots and the connector for the processor module.[2] IRIX reports the platform as IP35, and SGI's diagnostic manual names the IP35 PROM and the board's Bedrock, Xbridge and IOC3 parts in its test descriptions.[6][7] The processor and its secondary cache sit on a processor-integrated multi-module (PIMM) board; the system takes one processor only.[2]

Memory

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Memory is DDR SDRAM in four sockets, numbered 0 to 3 and grouped as two pairs. At least one pair must be filled, DIMMs go in pairs, and both DIMMs of a pair must be the same size. SGI notes that the Fuel's DIMMs are the same as those in the Origin 300, Origin 3000 and Onyx 3000, and do not fit the Octane, Octane2, O2, O2+, Origin 200, Origin 2000 or Onyx2.[2]

Graphics

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The VPro board sits in a shielded module at the bottom of the enclosure. It has 32 MB (V10) or 128 MB (V12) of memory, a DVI-I connector carrying both analogue RGB and digital video, and ports for Swap Ready, Stereo View and genlock. An optional Dual Channel Display daughterboard adds two more DVI-I outputs.[2]

Power supply

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SGI's 2002 guide rates the supply at 430 W, with outputs of 45 A at 3.3 V, 27 A at 5 V, 16 A and 18 A on two +12 V outputs, 0.6 A at −12 V and 3 A of +5 V standby. The combined 3.3 V, 5 V and 12 V output is limited to 300 W.[3] Owners have found four different supplies in Fuels, listed by IRIXNet member jwhat from the SGI Depot site:[4]

Fuel power supplies reported by owners
SGI part number Model Maker Rating
060-0140-004 GM430WTXW01SSV NMB 430 W
060-0140-005 GM430WTXW01SSV NMB 430 W
060-0140-007 HP-W460GC33 Hipro 460 W
060-0202-001 FSP460-60PFN Sparkle 460 W

A Hipro unit carrying the SGI label 060-0140-007 can be seen in Rules666's photograph of an opened Fuel.[8] jan-jaap describes the NMB unit as a WTX-format supply, and jwhat found that the Fuel follows Intel's variant of the WTX connector pinout. The supply reports a fan-speed signal to the system board for environmental monitoring.[4]

System controller and monitoring

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An L1 system controller runs from the +5 V standby supply and monitors voltages, temperatures and fan speeds.[9][7] SGI's guide says the Fuel switches itself off if any fan runs below 80% of its nominal speed, any temperature sensor reaches 70 °C, or any voltage moves 20% from nominal.[7] The monitoring uses Dallas DS1780 chips: three on the system board, one on the PIMM and one on the graphics board.[5] The L1's settings and clock are kept in a Dallas DS1742W timekeeping chip with an internal battery, and owners report that the Fuel will not start if that chip is faulty or missing.[10]

Known faults

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  • Power supply failure: the 12 V rail sagging until the L1 shuts the system down, bulged capacitors, and supplies that need several attempts to start after a long rest.[4] See SGI Fuel Capacitor Replacement Guide.
  • "ENV disease": failed DS1780 monitoring chips, which owners blame on supplies running out of regulation. The system powers up for a few seconds and then shuts down, and the L1 reports sensor errors.[5][11]
  • No response at all from the L1 or the power button, traced in one case to a DS1742W with a flat battery.[9][10]
  • PROM settings lost at every cold start, cured by fitting a new SNAPHAT battery cap to the real-time clock on the system board.[12]
  • Broken front door latch.[12]

See SGI Fuel Troubleshooting Guide and SGI Fuel General Maintenance.

Documentation

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Contents and coverage are on SGI Fuel Documentation.

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  • Side panel removed: Hipro power supply top left, system board and DIMMs centre, graphics module at the bottom (Rules666, CC BY-SA 4.0)
    Side panel removed: Hipro power supply top left, system board and DIMMs centre, graphics module at the bottom (Rules666, CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Rear panel with the L1 port, serial ports and VPro graphics connectors (Rules666, CC BY-SA 4.0)
    Rear panel with the L1 port, serial ports and VPro graphics connectors (Rules666, CC BY-SA 4.0)
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References

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  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 "SGI Fuel", Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SGI_Fuel (retrieved 2026-10-21). Introduction date and price, end of availability, Origin 3000 architecture, R16000 options and dates, IRIX 6.5.17, USB support, Tezro.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Silicon Graphics, Silicon Graphics Fuel Visual Workstation Hardware User's Guide, 007-4480-001, February 2002, chapter 3, pp. 25-44 (File:SGI Fuel Visual Workstation Hardware User's Guide (007-4480-001).pdf). Enclosure, IP34 system board, processors, DIMM rules, drives, VPro graphics, PCI buses, power supply, cooling, options.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 SGI, 007-4480-001, appendix A, Tables A-1 and A-2, pp. 120-122. Physical environment and power supply specifications.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 megaimg, jwhat, weblacky, jan-jaap, cz7asm and kubatyszko, "SGI Fuel PSU Replacement Options or Service the Original", IRIXNet forums, November 2021 to August 2022, forums.irixnet.org/thread-3233.html. Supply part numbers, 12 V sag, bulged capacitors, WTX format and fan signal.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 blacksmith, Raion and weblacky, "Dead Fuel", IRIXNet forums, October 2021, forums.irixnet.org/thread-3175.html. DS1780 monitoring chips and their locations, supply damage.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Silicon Graphics, Silicon Graphics Fuel Visual Workstation Diagnostic Reference Manual, 108-0350-002, July 2002, chapter 3 (File:SGI Fuel Visual Workstation Diagnostic Reference Manual (108-0350-002).pdf). L1 diagnostic port (USB-B), IP35 PROM tests, Bedrock, Xbridge and IOC3 tests.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 SGI, 007-4480-001, chapter 5, pp. 109-117. Environmental fault monitoring, LED light bar, power-on, offline and online diagnostics, example output showing IP35.
  8. ↑ Rules666, "SGI Fuel open", Wikimedia Commons, 2017 (File:SGI Fuel with side panel removed (Rules666).jpg). Hipro HP-W460GC33 supply with SGI label 060-0140-007.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 cz7asm and weblacky, "Fuel needs to be power cycled to start", IRIXNet forums, April 2021, forums.irixnet.org/thread-2797.html. L1 on +5 V standby, start-up failure traced to the DS1742W.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 cz7asm, jwhat and others, "DS1742 NVRAM Chip Replacement", IRIXNet forums, January 2022, forums.irixnet.org/thread-3360.html. DS1742W as L1 NVRAM and clock; Fuel does not start without a working one.
  11. ↑ stuart, Raion and Trippynet, "Fuel not powering-on from front-panel button", IRIXNet forums, January to February 2021, forums.irixnet.org/thread-2673.html. Monitoring faults shutting the system down after a few seconds.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 weblacky, jwhat, Raion and others, "The start of a LONG Fuel repair thread...", IRIXNet forums, October 2021 to January 2022, forums.irixnet.org/thread-3185.html. DS1780 replacement, SNAPHAT battery, door latch.


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