Hellocan someone tell me if there are any special tricks at hand t set up Solaris 10 on a Enterprise 3500? I`ve tried with different cd`s, burnt on different speeds, and also with bought one`s. All give the same result after boot cdrom, it starts but freezes right after the license message.And really freezes....stop-a doesnt work anymore neither. Solaris 8 sets up beautifully, and maybe a 3500 cant handle 10? Please help me ?
The Sun page for the Enterprise 3500 shows Solaris 10 is supported. A quick search of the Web shows that people have successfuly loaded Solaris 10 on Enterprise 10 systems.
So something else is going on ...
Is your dvd/cdrom drive ok?
Can probe it at the ok prompt first successfully?
Set auto-boot to false, diag-level to min and diag-switch to false. At the ok prompt, do printenv and copy the output somewhere. Then do set-defaults and reset-all command at the ok prompt.
Off/on the server. Insert the OS cd into the drive.
At the ok prompt, type boot cdrom -v
Try booting from the cd with minimal configuration on the server, meaning, remove unused PCI cards etc, so to isolate where the problem is.
This is the kind of step I would take...
Yes, so I figured, I have moved the processorboards around, tried with only one processorboard, changed disks and placements of them, changed fibercables, changed cdrom, tried with dvdroms, tried to install to scsidisk, all the same.........with Solaris 10 disks working perfectly on other systems, the installation dies after the License message.
I suppose it must be something "setenved" wrong but I cant think of what it could be.My machine has 4 cpus 8 gig memory and to keep it simple , now one 146 gig fiberdisk.
Ive added a framebuffercard from a sparcstation20 and Im using a sun monitor and keyboard/mouse.
Could it be I have to install with a serial cable and no monitor attached,weird..........
Help !!!!
Yes, use serial connection.. DId you do set-defaults as instructed..?
Do that and try, boot cdrom -v and post the output, only can be done by serialling in using your notebook. The monitor attached wont be able to capture and it will go blank for a long time before you scren come up with the boot message as what you see now.
If time allows, set the diag-level and diag-switch to max and true respectively and capture the POST output from your notebook. It will be easyto find from there, if your system pased all devices or had any h/w failure or not..
And the system previously uses any licensed items, such as Veritas Volume Manager? Cos it would be tied with the EEPROM (NVRAM) chip on board.. Just FYI
Here is the output with diag-level =min, diag-switch? =false and auto-boot =false.
here it is :
�Hardware Power ON
5-slot Sun Enterprise E3500, No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.2.30, 8192 MB memory installed, Serial #10563790.
Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved
Ethernet address 8:0:20:a1:30:ce, Host ID: 80a130ce.
{a} ok
{a} ok
{a} ok bootcdrom -v
bootcdrom ?
{a} ok boot cdrom -v
Boot device: /sbus@3,0/SUNW,fas@3,8800000/sd@6,0:f File and args: -v
|Size: /-\|/-\|0x704c8+/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\0x1b8d2+|/-0x2e1ba Bytes
\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/module /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/unix: text at [0x1000000, 0x10704c7] data at 0x1800000
module misc/sparcv9/krtld: text at [0x10704c8, 0x10889e7] data at 0x1849a90
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/genunix: text at [0x10889e8, 0x11cd177] data at 0x184eec0
module /platform/SUNW,Ultra-Enterprise/kernel/misc/sparcv9/platmod: text at [0x11cd178, 0x11cd7b7] data at 0x18a0050
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/cpu/sparcv9/SUNW,UltraSPARC-II: text at [0x11cd7c0, 0x11d982f] data at 0x18a0880
SunOS Release 5.10 Version Generic 64-bit
Copyright 1983-2005 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/Ethernet address = 8:0:20:a1:30:ce
Using default device instance data
-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/ �
�Hardware Power ON
5-slot Sun Enterprise E3500, No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.2.30, 8192 MB memory installed, Serial #10563790.
Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved
Ethernet address 8:0:20:a1:30:ce, Host ID: 80a130ce.
{a} ok
{a} ok
{a} ok bootcdrom -v
bootcdrom ?
{a} ok boot cdrom -v
Boot device: /sbus@3,0/SUNW,fas@3,8800000/sd@6,0:f File and args: -v
|Size: /-\|/-\|0x704c8+/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\0x1b8d2+|/-0x2e1ba Bytes
\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/module /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/unix: text at [0x1000000, 0x10704c7] data at 0x1800000
module misc/sparcv9/krtld: text at [0x10704c8, 0x10889e7] data at 0x1849a90
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/genunix: text at [0x10889e8, 0x11cd177] data at 0x184eec0
module /platform/SUNW,Ultra-Enterprise/kernel/misc/sparcv9/platmod: text at [0x11cd178, 0x11cd7b7] data at 0x18a0050
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/cpu/sparcv9/SUNW,UltraSPARC-II: text at [0x11cd7c0, 0x11d982f] data at 0x18a0880
SunOS Release 5.10 Version Generic 64-bit
Copyright 1983-2005 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/Ethernet address = 8:0:20:a1:30:ce
Using default device instance data
-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/ �
And here is theoutput with diag-switch?= true, diag-level = max:
Software Power ON
@(#) Ultra Enterprise 3.2 Version 30 created 2002/10/25 14:03
CPU = 0000.0000.0000.000a
Probing keyboard Done
5,0>
5,0>@(#) POST 3.9.30 2002/10/25 14:04
5,1>
5,0>Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
5,1>@(#) POST 3.9.30 2002/10/25 14:04
5,0>
SelfTest Initializing \(Diag Level 10, ENV 00004001\) IMPL 0011 MASK 20
5,1>Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
5,0>Board 5 CPU FPROM Test
5,1>
SelfTest Initializing \(Diag Level 10, ENV 00000000\) IMPL 0011 MASK 20
5,0>Board 5 Basic CPU Test
5,0> Set CPU UPA Config and Init SDB Data
5,0> SRAM Mode = 22, Clock Mode = 4:1, PCON = 6b3, MCAP = 0
5,0>Board 5 MMU Enable Test
5,0> DMMU Init
5,0> IMMU Init
5,0> Mapping Selftest Enabling MMUs
5,0>Board 5 Ecache Test
5,0> Ecache Probe
5,0> Ecache Tags
5,1>Board 5 CPU FPROM Test
5,1>Board 5 Basic CPU Test
5,1> Set CPU UPA Config and Init SDB Data
5,1> SRAM Mode = 22, Clock Mode = 4:1, PCON = 6b3, MCAP = 0
5,1>Board 5 MMU Enable Test
5,1> DMMU Init
5,1> IMMU Init
5,1> Mapping Selftest Enabling MMUs
5,1>Board 5 Ecache Test
5,1> Ecache Probe
5,1> Ecache Tags
5,0> Ecache Quick Verify
5,1> Ecache Quick Verify
5,0> Ecache Init
5,1> Ecache Init
5,0> Ecache RAM
5,1> Ecache RAM
5,0> Ecache Address Line
5,0> Configure Ecache Limit
5,0>Ecache Size = 00400000, Limited to 00400000
5,0>Board 5 FPU Functional Test
5,0> FPU Enable
5,0>Board 5 Board Master Select Test
5,0> Selecting a Board Master
5,0>Board 5 FireHose Devices Test
5,1> Ecache Address Line
5,1> Configure Ecache Limit
5,1>Ecache Size = 00400000, Limited to 00400000
5,1>Board 5 FPU Functional Test
5,1> FPU Enable
5,1>Board 5 Board Master Select Test
5,1> Selecting a Board Master
5,0>Board 5 Address Controller Test
5,0> AC Initialization
5,0> AC DTAG Init
5,0>Board 5 Dual Tags Test
5,0> AC DTAG Init
5,0>Board 5 FireHose Controller Test
5,0> FHC Initialization
5,0>Board 5 JTAG Test
5,0> Verify System Board Scan Ring
5,0>Board 5 Centerplane Test
5,0> Centerplane Join
5,0>Setting JTAG Master
5,0>Clear JTAG Master
5,0>Board 5 Setup Cache Size Test
5,0> Setting Up Cache Size
5,0>Board 5 System Master Select Test
5,0> Setting System Master
5,0>POST Master Selected (JTAG,CENTRAL)
5,0>Board 16 Clock Board Test
5,0> Clock Board Initialization
5,0> Clock Board Temperature Check
5,0>Board 16 Clock Board Serial Ports Test
5,0>Board 16 NVRAM Devices Test
5,0> M48T59 (TOD) Init
5,0>Board 5 System Board Probe Test
5,0> Probing all CPU/Memory BDA
5,0> Probing System Boards
5,0> Probing CPU Module JTAG Rings
5,0>Setting System Clock Frequency
5,0> CPU Module mid 10 Checked in OK (speed code = 7)
5,0> CPU mid 11 Version=00170011.20000507
5,0> CPU Module mid 11 Checked in OK (speed code = 7)
5,0> CPU mid 18 Version=00170011.20000507
5,0> CPU Module mid 18 Checked in OK (speed code = 7)
5,0> CPU mid 19 Version=00170011.20000507
5,0> CPU Module mid 19 Checked in OK (speed code = 7)
5,0>System Frequency (MHz),fcpu=336, fmod=168, fsys=84, fgen=336
5,0>TESTING BOARD 1
5,0>Board 1 JTAG Test
5,0> Verify System Board Scan Ring
5,0>Board 1 Centerplane Test
5,0> Centerplane Check
5,0>Board 1 Address Controller Test
5,0> AC Initialization
5,0>Setting Freq to 25MHZ
5,0> AC DTAG Init
5,0>Board 1 FireHose Controller Test
5,0> FHC Initialization
5,0>Board 1 NVRAM Devices Test
5,0> M48T59 (TOD) Init
5,0>TESTING BOARD 3
5,0>Board 3 JTAG Test
5,0> Verify System Board Scan Ring
5,0>Board 3 Centerplane Test
5,0> Centerplane Check
5,0>Board 3 Address Controller Test
5,0> AC Initialization
5,0>Setting Freq to 33MHZ
5,0> AC DTAG Init
5,0>Board 3 FireHose Controller Test
5,0> FHC Initialization
5,0>Board 3 NVRAM Devices Test
5,0> M48T59 (TOD) Init
5,0>TESTING BOARD 7
5,0>Board 7 JTAG Test
5,0> Verify System Board Scan Ring
5,0>Board 7 Centerplane Test
5,0> Centerplane Check
5,0>Board 7 Address Controller Test
5,0> AC Initialization
5,0>Setting Freq to 33MHZ
5,0> AC DTAG Init
5,0>Board 7 FireHose Controller Test
5,0> FHC Initialization
5,0>Board 7 NVRAM Devices Test
5,0> M48T59 (TOD) Init
5,0>Re-mapping to Local Device Space
5,0>Begin Central Space Serial Port access
5,0>Enable AC Control Parity
5,0>Hotplug Trigger Test
5,0>Init Counters for Hotplug
5,0>Board 5 Cross Calls Test
5,0>Board 5 Environmental Probe Test
5,0> Environmental Probe
5,0>Checking Power Supply Configuration
5,0>Power is adequate, load 5 ps 3
5,0>Use existing memory configuraton
5,0>TESTING IO BOARD 1
5,0>Board 1 I/O FPROM Test
5,0>@(#) iPOST 3.4.30 2002/10/25 14:03
5,0> TESTING IO BOARD 1 ASICs
5,0> TESTING SysIO Port 0
5,0>Board 1 SysIO Registers Test
5,0> SysIO Register Initialization
5,0> SysIO RAM Initialization
5,0>Board 1 SysIO Functional Test
5,0> Clear Interrupt Map and State Registers
5,0>Board 1 OnBoard IO Chipset (SOC) Test
5,0> TESTING SysIO Port 1
5,0>Board 1 SysIO Registers Test
5,0> SysIO Register Initialization
5,0> SysIO RAM Initialization
5,0>Board 1 SysIO Functional Test
5,0> Clear Interrupt Map and State Registers
5,0>Board 1 OnBoard IO Chipset (FEPS) Test
5,0>IO BOARD 1 TESTED
5,0>TESTING IO BOARD 3
5,0>Board 3 I/O FPROM Test
5,0>@(#) iPOST 3.0.30 2002/10/25 14:03
5,0> TESTING IO BOARD 3 ASICs
5,0> TESTING Psycho Port 0
5,0>Board 3 Psycho Basic Test
5,0>Board 3 Psycho Functional Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 3 Psycho Error Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 3 OnBoard IO Chipset (Cheerio) Test
5,0> Init Cheerio
5,0> TESTING PSYCHO Port 1
5,0>Board 3 Psycho Basic Test
5,0>Board 3 Psycho Functional Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 3 Psycho Error Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 3 OnBoard IO Chipset (ISP1040) Test
5,0> ISP PCI Configuration Space Validation
5,0>IO BOARD 3 TESTED
5,0>TESTING IO BOARD 7
5,0>Board 7 I/O FPROM Test
5,0>@(#) iPOST 3.0.30 2002/10/25 14:03
5,0> TESTING IO BOARD 7 ASICs
5,0> TESTING Psycho Port 0
5,0>Board 7 Psycho Basic Test
5,0>Board 7 Psycho Functional Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 7 Psycho Error Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 7 OnBoard IO Chipset (Cheerio) Test
5,0> Init Cheerio
5,0> TESTING PSYCHO Port 1
5,0>Board 7 Psycho Basic Test
5,0>Board 7 Psycho Functional Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 7 Psycho Error Test
5,0> Init Psycho
5,0>Board 7 OnBoard IO Chipset (ISP1040) Test
5,0> ISP PCI Configuration Space Validation
5,0>IO BOARD 7 TESTED
5,0>Probing for Disk System boards
5,0>Board 5 System Interrupts Test
5,0>
5,0> System Board Status
5,0>-----------------------------------------------------------------
5,0> Slot Board Status Board Type Failures
5,0>-----------------------------------------------------------------
5,0> 0 | Not installed | |
5,0> 1 | Normal | IO Type 1 |
5,0> 2 | Not installed | |
5,0> 3 | Normal |+IO Type 3 |
5,0> 4 | Not installed | |
5,0> 5 | Normal |+CPU/Memory |
5,0> 6 | Not installed | |
5,0> 7 | Normal |+IO Type 3 |
5,0> 8 | Not installed | |
5,0> 9 | Normal |+CPU/Memory |
5,0> 16 | Normal | Clock Board |
5,0>-----------------------------------------------------------------
5,0>
5,0> CPU Module Status
5,0>-----------------------------------------------------------------
5,0> MID OK Cache Speed Version
5,0>-----------------------------------------------------------------
5,0> 10 | y | 4096 | 336 | 00170011.20000507
5,0> 11 | y | 4096 | 336 | 00170011.20000507
5,0> 18 | y | 4096 | 336 | 00170011.20000507
5,0> 19 | y | 4096 | 336 | 00170011.20000507
5,0>-----------------------------------------------------------------
5,0>System Frequency (MHz),fcpu=336, fmod=168, fsys=84, fgen=336
5,0> Populated Memory Bank Status
5,0> bd # Size Address Way Status
5,0> 5 2048 0 4 Normal
5,0> 5 2048 2 4 Normal
5,0> 9 2048 1 4 Normal
5,0> 9 2048 3 4 Normal
5,0>
5,0>
POST COMPLETE
5,0>Entering OBP
Switching to high addresses
Setting up TLBs Done
MMU ON
PC = 0000.01ff.f000.1cb8
PC = 0000.0000.0000.1d24
Decompressing into Memory Done
Size = 0000.0000.0006.d8c0
ttya initialized
Using POST's System Configuration
Setting up memory
Starting CPU ID 11
Starting CPU ID 18
Starting CPU ID 19
fhc ac simm-status environment sram flashprom SUNW,UltraSPARC-II SUNW,UltraSPARC-II
fhc ac simm-status environment sram flashprom SUNW,UltraSPARC-II SUNW,UltraSPARC-II
Probing UPA Slot at 2,0 sbus fhc ac environment flashprom eeprom sbus-speed counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at 3,0 sbus counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at 6,0 pci pci fhc ac environment flashprom eeprom sbus-speed counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at 7,0 pci pci counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at e,0 pci pci fhc ac environment flashprom eeprom sbus-speed counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at f,0 pci pci counter-timer
Probing /sbus@2,0 at d,0 SUNW,soc
Probing /sbus@2,0 at 1,0 cgsix
Probing /sbus@2,0 at 2,0 Nothing there
Probing /sbus@3,0 at 3,0 SUNW,hme SUNW,fas sd st
Probing /sbus@3,0 at 0,0 SUNW,socal sf ssd sf ssd
Probing /pci@6,4000 at 1 pci108e,1000 SUNW,hme
Probing /pci@7,4000 at 3 SUNW,isptwo sd st
Probing /pci@6,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Probing /pci@7,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Probing /pci@e,4000 at 1 pci108e,1000 SUNW,hme
Probing /pci@f,4000 at 3 SUNW,isptwo sd st
Probing /pci@e,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Probing /pci@f,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Using POST's System Configuration
Setting up memory
Starting CPU ID 11
Starting CPU ID 18
Starting CPU ID 19
fhc ac simm-status environment sram flashprom SUNW,UltraSPARC-II SUNW,UltraSPARC-II
fhc ac simm-status environment sram flashprom SUNW,UltraSPARC-II SUNW,UltraSPARC-II
Probing UPA Slot at 2,0 sbus fhc ac environment flashprom eeprom sbus-speed counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at 3,0 sbus counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at 6,0 pci pci fhc ac environment flashprom eeprom sbus-speed counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at 7,0 pci pci counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at e,0 pci pci fhc ac environment flashprom eeprom sbus-speed counter-timer
Probing UPA Slot at f,0 pci pci counter-timer
Probing /sbus@2,0 at d,0 SUNW,soc
Probing /sbus@2,0 at 1,0 cgsix
Probing /sbus@2,0 at 2,0 Nothing there
Probing /sbus@3,0 at 3,0 SUNW,hme SUNW,fas sd st
Probing /sbus@3,0 at 0,0 SUNW,socal sf ssd sf ssd
Probing /pci@6,4000 at 1 pci108e,1000 SUNW,hme
Probing /pci@7,4000 at 3 SUNW,isptwo sd st
Probing /pci@6,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Probing /pci@7,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Probing /pci@e,4000 at 1 pci108e,1000 SUNW,hme
Probing /pci@f,4000 at 3 SUNW,isptwo sd st
Probing /pci@e,2000 at 2 Nothing there
Probing /pci@f,2000 at 2 Nothing there
5-slot Sun Enterprise E3500, No Keyboard
OpenBoot 3.2.30, 8192 MB memory installed, Serial #10563790.
Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved
Ethernet address 8:0:20:a1:30:ce, Host ID: 80a130ce.
Rebooting with command: boot cdrom -v
Boot device: /sbus@3,0/SUNW,fas@3,8800000/sd@6,0:f File and args: -v
Loading ufs-file-system package 1.4 04 Aug 1995 13:02:54.
FCode UFS Reader 1.12 00/07/17 15:48:16.
Redirected to slice: 1
Loading: /platform/SUNW,Ultra-Enterprise/ufsboot
Loading: /platform/sun4u/ufsboot
|Size: /-\|/-\|0x704c8+/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\0x1b8d2+|/-0x2e1ba Bytes
\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/-\|/module /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/unix: text at [0x1000000, 0x10704c7] data at 0x1800000
module misc/sparcv9/krtld: text at [0x10704c8, 0x10889e7] data at 0x1849a90
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/sparcv9/genunix: text at [0x10889e8, 0x11cd177] data at 0x184eec0
module /platform/SUNW,Ultra-Enterprise/kernel/misc/sparcv9/platmod: text at [0x11cd178, 0x11cd7b7] data at 0x18a0050
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/cpu/sparcv9/SUNW,Ultra
Obvious thelast part didnt get copied, so here it is :
module /platform/sun4u/kernel/cpu/sparcv9/SUNW,UltraSPARC-II: text at [0x11cd7c0
, 0x11d982f] data at 0x18a0880
SunOS Release 5.10 Version Generic 64-bit
Copyright 1983-2005 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
Ethernet address = 8:0:20:a1:30:ce
Using default device instance data
/
and here the machine stops again.
Then I turned the machine off for about 20 minutes, turned it back on again, connected screen and keyboard and told it to boot cdrom, and now I got this message afterthe license-message:
WARNING: status `fail`for`/fhc@2/f8800000/eeprom@0,300000` on board 1.
But it continues with the install.... Tell me what this meant if you know, is that a failing memorystrip, or is it something I can fix ? I will go on installing Solaris 10 now( if itworks), thanks for all your patience with me, so far.:rolleyes:
I don't know if you had set-defaults at the ok prompt..
Anyway, I guess, it could be the NVRAM chip mulfunctioned.
But if you do have a system board onthe other slots, move any of it to this particular one and try (both methods, using its own NVRAM chip and with the one we're talking abt). From here we can isolate if the problem is with the board , firmware or not
Yes I had set-defaults, this chip that is malfunctioning , do you know how to fix it or do you know if it is serious? You said something about Veritas?:rolleyes:
set-defaults will flush out any "inconsistencies" in the NVRAM chip and will be set to factory defaults.. But if its still at fault, the only thing I can think of is to replace it or use my advise as mentioned above to isolate the issue.
I finally put in a new "board 1" with the error message about a faulty eprom, this after trying to flush-erase-overwrite it in any way i could think of, and now the machine is humming away perfectly.
I later heard there are two different boards looking identical, but you can only use a graphics card on one of them, and since i am doing that, maybe the first board was of the "wrong" kind. If anybody know how to tell the difference between thoose two, please tell me.And if someone can tell me why this machine (Sun Enterprise 3500 with 8 gig memory, 4x 330MHz sparc-cpus and a 147 gig fiberchannel harddisk) is so much faster as webserver than my Dell (2x2,4 GHz Xeon cpu`s, 2 gig memory and 2x18 gig scsi-disks).Is it because of the 4 Mb cache on the sparcs in comparission to the 512Kb on the Xeon`s?
I've no idea dude. But as suspected, the problem was the board in fact..