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SGI Octane2

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SGI Octane2
SGI Octane2 front
An Octane2 in its blue case (Raion, CC BY-SA 3.0)
Specifications
ManufacturerSilicon Graphics, Inc.
TypeWorkstation
Released2000[1]
DiscontinuedProduction ended 25 June 2004[1]
CPUOne or two MIPS processors on a single or dual CPU module[2]
Memory64 MB to 8 GB in eight DIMM sockets[3]
StorageThree internal 3.5-inch SCSI drive positions[4]
DisplayMonitor, StereoView, Genlock and Swap Ready ports on the VPro board[5]
SoundBuilt-in audio with analogue, coaxial digital and optical digital ports[6]
GraphicsVPro (V6, V8, V10 or V12) on the XIO Tri-Module[7][8]
ExpansionUp to three XIO option boards; optional PCI module with three slots[7][9]
Power100-240 V AC, 50-60 Hz, 10-4.2 A, 850 W[10]
Dimensions41.3 × 28 × 33.7 cm (H × W × D)[10]
OS / FirmwareIRIX 6.5.10 or later for VPro graphics[8]
PredecessorSGI Octane
SuccessorSGI Tezro
CodenameSpeedracer[1]
Model no.IP30 system board

The SGI Octane2 is the later version of Silicon Graphics' SGI Octane deskside workstation, sold from 2000 with VPro graphics as standard.[1][11] It keeps the Octane's chassis, modules and IP30 architecture. SGI revised the power supply, the system board and the Xbow crossbar on the frontplane, and gave it blue covers. The plastics fit either machine, and later Octanes received some of the same changes.[1][12] SGI withdrew the Octane2 from its price book on 26 May 2004, ended production on 25 June 2004 and ended support in June 2009; the SGI Tezro replaced it.[1]

Most maintenance and fault-finding is the same as for the Octane; the Octane guides hold the full procedures, and the Octane2 guides cover what differs.

Differences from the Octane

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Graphics and XIO

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The VPro graphics board sits on the XIO Tri-Module at the right rear of the machine, in slot A/B; slot B is a daughterboard slot on the other side of the VPro board. Up to three option boards fit in slots B, C and D, and blank panels must fill any empty slot. The Tri-Module has to go back in with the VPro I/O panel at the top, or the board can overheat.[7] The VPro board carries the monitor, StereoView, Genlock and Swap Ready ports.[5] SGI's note on monitors is that 1280 × 1024 works with VPro graphics only on the Sony G1 21-inch and 24-inch monitors at 96 Hz.[7]

VPro boards come in four versions. The V6 and V10 have 32 MB of memory, the V8 and V12 128 MB, and the V10 and V12 have twice the geometry performance of the V6 and V8.[1] The V10 and V12 need frontplane Xbow revision 1.4 or later and boot PROM 4.5; the V6 and V8 need PROM 4.0. All need IRIX 6.5.10 or later.[8]

Memory and system board

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The Octane2 takes up to 8 GB in eight 1 GB DIMMs, in four banks of two. The highest-density DIMMs go in bank 1 and the rest follow in descending size; banks are filled in order and each holds a matched pair or nothing.[3] New machines shipped with a DIMM bracket over the memory to protect it in transit. SGI says it is not needed in use, and should be refitted before the machine is shipped again.[13] The TechPubs Wiki identifies the 8 GB system board as part 030-1467-001, with a silver handle.[12]

Power supply

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SGI requires a supply that hinv -m reports as PWR.SPPLY.ER 060-0035-001 or later for VPro graphics, and its upgrade guide says that a machine already running VPro correctly has the right supply.[14][8] Owners on the IRIXNet forum identify this as the Cherokee 747 W supply.[15] The supply removes and refits exactly as on the Octane.[16]

Diagnostics

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SGI's field diagnostic Octane_ide covers the Octane2, but its graphics test does not test VPro boards. SGI's separate IRIX-based odydiags program does that.[17]

Specifications

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Octane2 physical and electrical specifications (SGI owner's guide, Table B-20)
Item SGI figure
Dimensions 41.3 cm high, 28 cm wide, 33.7 cm deep; 37.5 cm deep at the power supply and 41.3 cm at the PCI module
Input 100-240 V AC, 50-60 Hz, 10-4.2 A, 850 W
Heat 700 W, 2400 Btu/h
Operating temperature 13 to 35 °C
Relative humidity 10% to 80% operating, 10% to 95% not operating, non-condensing
PCI module 45 W in total for all boards; 3.3 V 10 A, 5 V 9 A, 12 V 1.5 A, −12 V 0.3 A

[10]

Known faults

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  • Power supply failure, as on the Octane. One owner whose Octane2 would not start with a Lucent supply fitted a Cherokee; the machine then booted, later shut itself down and finally cut out during start-up, while SGI's diagnostics found nothing.[18]
  • A supply that trips under heavy load. A dual 600 MHz R14000 Octane2 with V12 graphics cut out while running several games at once; the owner traced a burning smell to a yellow-wrapped component on the supply's output, which he took to be a resettable fuse. The machine has run normally since.[19]
  • Blank screen once graphics start, with IRIX otherwise running. On one V12 machine the cause was the Digital Channel Display (DCD) option board, which showed signs of fluid near its flash chip; it worked again after cleaning and reseating.[20]
  • Memory errors from dusty DIMMs and sockets, and a system module that would not seat because screws on its locking actuators had worked loose.[21]
  • A 030-1467-001 system board that powered the machine on as soon as the mains was connected; swapping in the Dallas real-time clock chip from another board stopped this.[22]

See SGI Octane2 Troubleshooting Guide, SGI Octane2 General Maintenance and SGI Octane2 Capacitor Replacement Guide.

Documentation

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Contents and coverage are on SGI Octane2 Documentation and SGI Octane Documentation.

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "SGI Octane", Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SGI_Octane. Octane2 dates (photo caption 2000-2004), code name, revisions, VPro board memory and performance, end of sale, production and support. The article carries no inline citations.
  2. ↑ SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 41-46. Single and dual CPU modules.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 47-49. Memory banks and population rules.
  4. ↑ SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 160-161. Internal drives.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 SGI, 007-4207-002, appendix B, pp. 237-241. VPro graphics board ports.
  6. ↑ SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 1-5, Figures 1-1 and 1-2. Front and back views and ports.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 107-109. XIO Tri-Module, slots, orientation and the 1280 × 1024 note.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Silicon Graphics, Octane/Octane2 Workstation VPro Graphics Upgrade Kit Installation Guide, 007-4210-003, 2003, pp. 1-6 (File:SGI Octane and Octane2 VPro Graphics Upgrade Kit Installation Guide (007-4210-003).pdf).
  9. ↑ SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 69-71 and 79. PCI module; three slots, the bottom one half-size.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 SGI, 007-4207-002, appendix B, Tables B-20 and B-25, pp. 242-244.
  11. ↑ Silicon Graphics, Octane2 Workstation Owner's Guide, 007-4207-002, 2000-2002, pp. xxi-xxii (File:SGI Octane2 Workstation Owner's Guide (007-4207-002).pdf). VPro graphics, memory up to 8 GB.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Octane", TechPubs Wiki (IRIXNet community), tech-pubs.net/wiki/index.php/Octane, retrieved 21 October 2026. Octane2 upgrades, interchangeable plastics, system board 030-1467-001. Community source.
  13. ↑ SGI, 007-4207-002, p. 50. DIMM bracket.
  14. ↑ Silicon Graphics, Octane Workstation VPro Graphics Power Supply Upgrade Instructions, 007-4208-001, 2000, p. 14 (File:SGI Octane VPro Graphics Power Supply Upgrade Instructions (007-4208-001).pdf).
  15. ↑ Raion and jwhat, "Need a fact check for Octane old vs new parts mixing", IRIXNet forum thread 4213, February 2024, forums.irixnet.org/thread-4213.html. Cherokee supply for VPro.
  16. ↑ SGI, 007-4207-002, pp. 61-68. Removing and installing the power supply.
  17. ↑ Silicon Graphics, Octane_ide Reference Guide, 108-0217-002, introduction and section 7.1 (File:SGI Octane ide Reference Guide (108-0217-002).pdf). Covers the Octane and Octane2; gfx does not test VPro (Odyssey) graphics.
  18. ↑ Ade2548 and Raion, "Octane2 Boot problem", IRIXNet forum thread 4951, June 2026, forums.irixnet.org/thread-4951.html.
  19. ↑ Irinikus, "Failure of an Octane2 power supply!", IRIXNet forum thread 1065, March to June 2019, forums.irixnet.org/thread-1065.html.
  20. ↑ jwhat, "VPro / Odyssey Diagnostic Disk (broken V12?)", IRIXNet forum thread 1573, October 2019, forums.irixnet.org/thread-1573.html.
  21. ↑ JannieVanZyl and CB_HK, "Octane2 (R14000/600, Odyssey): bad DIMM errors over serial, then completely dead", IRIXNet forum thread 5048, October 2026, forums.irixnet.org/thread-5048.html.
  22. ↑ MindWalker and Raion, "Seeking help with an Octane (2?) CPU repair/replacement", IRIXNet forum thread 4870, March to September 2026, forums.irixnet.org/thread-4870.html.


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