Johan SANCHEZ wrote:
quoted text
> On Fri, 23 May 2008 11:08:32 -0400
> Christopher Sean Hilton <chris@vindaloo.com> wrote:
> 
>> On May 23, 2008, at 11:06 AM, Christopher Sean Hilton wrote:
>> 
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > I inherited an E450 from my old job. It booted Solaris just fine but  
>> > I was never able to get any of (Free|Net|Open)BSD to install on it.  
>> > I feel that this is probably more do to me than anything else. As  
>> > time has passed it's become pretty obvious between the problems with  
>> > the install and the cost for power to run, my chances of running  
>> > this machine in my environment are NULL. I'd like to make just one  
>> > more attempt at getting the machine running. But ultimately I will  
>> > have it carted away.
>> >
>> > This is what I have:
>> >
>> >     Sun E450
>> >
>> >          4 x 400 MHz UltraSparc II processors (Sun P/N 501-5446)
>> >          4 x DC power regulator boards (Sun P/N 300-1322)
>> >          4GB of RAM (16 x Sun P/N 501-4743)
>> >
>> >     Spare E450 Mainboard
>> >          2 x 300 MHz UltraSparc II processors (Sun P/N 501-4849)
>> >          2 x DC power regulator boards (Sun P/N 300-1322)
>> >          4GB of RAM (16 x Sun P/N 501-4743)
>> >
>> > I'm going to spend an hour today working on this to see if I can get  
>> > a working install but even if I do the whole things going to have to  
>> > go away. If anyone is interested in any of this equipment please  
>> > feel free to email or xmpp me (chris@vindaloo.com)
>> >
> 
> Can i ask what is the problem you are experiencing with this ?
> what version of OBP are you using and what OBSD version did you
> tried ?
> 
> Johan
> 

I do believe you will find OpenBSD will Just Work, and bsd.mp
should spin up all four processors.
I seem to recall there was some work done relatively recently on
the sensors on an E450, and one usually has to be fully functional
on a system before you worry much about the sensors. :)

HOWEVER...  IF you have only worked with PCs, Sun systems are
different.  Also, the average E450 has sucked a lot of dust through
its CDROM drive, and functional SCSI CDROM drives are relatively
rare in most people's spare parts pile.  Fortunately, Suns offer a
lot of other options for bootstrapping the system, but none of the
rest are something the average PC user has ever done before.

But man, E450s are big.  But I'm sure you have noticed that. :)

Nick.