Jump to content

SGI Visual Workstation 330 General Maintenance

From RetroTechCollection
SGI Visual Workstation 330 system board layout (User's Guide Figure 3-1)
The 330's M25D system board (SGI User's Guide, Figure 3-1): two processor sockets, three DIMM sockets, PWR1 and PWR2, battery BT1 and the Adaptec SCSI controller U46

Routine care for the SGI Visual Workstation 330, from SGI's Silicon Graphics 330 Visual Workstation User's Guide (007-4278-001).[1] The 330 shares its chassis, drive bays and fans with the SGI Visual Workstation 230. The side panel, bezel, drive rails and fans come out exactly as described in SGI Visual Workstation 230 General Maintenance, and the 330's guide repeats those procedures.[2][3] The differences on the 330 are the dual-processor M25D board with its two power connectors, the on-board SCSI, and the power supply fixings.

Before you start

[edit | edit source]
  • Turn the system off and unplug the mains cable from the wall and from the power supply.[2]
  • Wear a wrist grounding strap and leave parts in their antistatic packaging until you fit them. SGI's guide advises that the board procedures be done by a qualified technician.[4]
  • Check the power supply's 110 V / 220 V switch before plugging in.[5]
  • Keep hands and metal off the processor heat sinks while the system is running; they get very hot.[6]

Opening the case

[edit | edit source]

Undo the two thumbscrews on the back, slide the side panel towards the rear and lift it away. For the front drives, release the bezel's four tabs and swing it off.[2] The full sequence, with refitting, is on the 230 maintenance page.

Cleaning and fans

[edit | edit source]

The 330 has the same three fans as the 230: one at the front drawing air in, one on the rear panel and one in the power supply.[5] The rear fan is released by two buttons on the inside of the rear panel, and the front fan by one screw on the front panel and three clips; the steps are the same as on the 230.[3] The board has fan connectors JP2 and JP1 for the processor coolers on sockets 1 and 2, and CN15, CN26 and CNX7 for the system fans.[7] With two processors fitted, check both processor fans turn.

Power supply

[edit | edit source]

SGI's guide warns that the supply may hold dangerous voltages even when unplugged and has no user-serviceable parts, and treats it as a unit to swap.[8] On the 330:

  1. Unplug the mains cable and remove the side panel.
  2. Disconnect all the supply's cables from the system board (PWR1 and PWR2) and from the drives.
  3. Remove the three screws on the rear panel.
  4. Lay the system on its right side on a padded surface and remove the screws on the inside of the upper panel.
  5. Pull the supply out without touching other parts.

Fit the replacement with the system on its side, refit the screws, and reconnect both board connectors and the drive cables.[8][7]

Processors

[edit | edit source]

The board takes one or two Pentium III processors in FC-PGA sockets U20 (CPU 1) and U3 (CPU 2), on a 133 MHz system bus.[7][6] To fit one, line up pin 1 (the notched corner) with hole 1, push the socket lever down, clip the fan and heat sink bracket on one side then press down the other, and connect the 3-pin and 2-pin fan cables. Removal is the reverse.[6]

Memory

[edit | edit source]

Three DIMM sockets take 64, 128, 256 or 512 MB modules of 3.3 V ECC registered SDRAM, to a maximum of 1.5 GB. The board accepts 100 MHz or 133 MHz SDRAM, but SGI warns against using the two together, and it supports only memory SGI has tested. The sockets are independent, so capacities can be mixed.[7][9]

SCSI

[edit | edit source]

The on-board Adaptec AIC-7899 has two Ultra160 channels, A on CN25 and B on CN22.[7] Jumper JP3X sets channel A's termination (1-2 on, the default; 2-3 off).[7] The controller's settings are changed in Adaptec's SCSISelect utility, entered with Ctrl+A when its banner appears during start-up. The defaults are host adapter ID 7, parity checking on, automatic termination and boot from channel A, ID 0.[10]

Battery and BIOS settings

[edit | edit source]

The BIOS settings live in battery-backed CMOS RAM; the battery is BT1.[7][11] Setup is entered with Ctrl+Alt+Esc while the system is booting, and F8 switches it to the advanced level.[12] Write the settings down while the system is working, as SGI's guide recommends, and replace the lithium battery if the BIOS reports "CMOS battery bad" or keeps asking for Setup.[11] If the cell has leaked, see Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage.

System board removal

[edit | edit source]
  1. Remove the side panel and lay the system on its right side on a padded surface.
  2. Remove the AGP graphics card and all other expansion cards, and disconnect all cables from the board.
  3. Loosen the system board screw, pull the board away from the I/O gasket and lift it out.
  4. Refit by mounting the retaining bracket, hanging the board on its standoff hooks, tightening the screw and reconnecting the cables.

[13]

Maintenance checklist

[edit | edit source]
  1. Check the voltage switch matches the mains supply.
  2. Vacuum dust from the front, rear and power supply fans and from both processor heat sinks.
  3. Check every fan turns, including the second processor fan.
  4. Check both power connectors, PWR1 and PWR2, are fully seated.
  5. Record the BIOS and SCSISelect settings.
  6. Replace the CMOS battery if settings are lost.
[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ↑ Silicon Graphics, Inc., Silicon Graphics 330 Visual Workstation User's Guide, 007-4278-001, June 2000 (File:SGI Visual Workstation 330 User's Guide (007-4278-001).pdf).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 15-17. Removing the side panel and bezel.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 31-38. Replacing the rear and front fans.
  4. ↑ SGI, 007-4278-001, p. 62. ESD precautions; qualified technician caution.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 1-8. Fans, power supply and voltage switch.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 63-64. Installing and removing processors.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 55-62, Figure 3-1 and Table 3-1. M25D board, components, jumpers.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 28-29. Replacing the power supply.
  9. ↑ SGI, 007-4278-001, p. 65. Memory modules.
  10. ↑ SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 109-116, Table 5-1. SCSISelect utility and default settings.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 67-71. Error messages, CMOS battery, recording settings.
  12. ↑ SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 73-74. Entering Setup; basic and advanced levels.
  13. ↑ SGI, 007-4278-001, pp. 42-47. Replacing the system board.


Retrieved from "https://retrotechwiki.com/index.php?title=SGI_Visual_Workstation_330_General_Maintenance&oldid=29340"