Upgrading your Qube3 to a RAQ550
Required: Knowledge of the OS restore process
Gives: RAQ-550 OS on the Qube 3
Systems: Qube 3
Date written: -
Date revised: April 4, 2004
You can easily change your Qube3 system into a RAQ550 compatible hosting capable machine. In terms of performance the Qube is a much lighter machine, so putting 300 sites on it is probaly not a good idea, but with a recent 450Mhz 512Mb memory equiped Qube you will still end up with a quite capable machine. (Outperforming the older RAQ3/4 models)
!! You may have a hard time converting your machine back into a Qube 3 after upgrading to a 550 !!
First of all, you need to obtain the RAQ550 restore CD ISO. It can be downloaded from the SUN website here:
ftp://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/iso
The correct image to use is 259-3894-13-RaQ550 RaQ 550
- Start the OS restore process by booting the restore CD on a compatibel machine, and net boot your Qube.
- After the loading kernel message, the Qube will ask ERASE AND REBUILD? answer Y
- The Qube will report: NEED ROM 2.9.34 OR BETTER, and, SELECT HARDWARE.
- Make very sure to choose QUBE3 on the hardware display.
- Next, the Qube will suggest SELECT VERSION 2.9.34. Acknowledge this version.
- Before the flash process starts, the Qube will display one more time; 2.9.34 (y/n), answer with Y
- Next, you will see ERASING ROM, and, FLASHING ROM
- After the flash process completes, you will see the message: FLASH SUCCESS - Please reboot.
- Turn the Qube off and back on, and restart the OS restore process. The Qube will again prompt you with: ERASE AND REBUILD?. Acknowledge with Y one more time, and the restore process will start.
- Let the restore process run. after around half an hour it will be complete.
- Now, the OS restore processs SHOULD instruct you to power off or reboot the machine. If this is the case, all is well and you are done.
- Keep in mind during the initial boot and configuration that your Qube does not have the powerfull 1Ghz processor found in the real 550, so some steps in the web browser may react slower then you may expect.
In one occasion i have seen the Qube reboot, and come back to the ERASE AND RESTORE Question automaticaly, no matter what you do or choose on the boot menu. In this case, a cmos restore and starting the Qube once with no network cable attached solved this behaviour.
Next, install all relevant patches from http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/show.pl?target=cobalt/raq550.eng&nav=patchpage
to update your system.
All done !
* Pitfalls;
Some kernal patches release by SUN are compiled for the i686 architecture. You can NOT use these 686 patches on your i586 based Qube-550. If you do not offer shell access to the machines you can skip the patches, alternatively you can use the i486 compiled patches build by nuonce.net located here
There are reports that these patches FAIL with harddrives over 60Mb, so take care with non-standard harddisks.
The OS restore process does not start and displays "no compatible network card was found" : The network card on the PC you are using is not compatible with the system. This can occur even if it is listed. (eg. 3com b revision or c revision can make a huge difference)
The OS restore process does not start, a compatible network card was found : Keep in mind that the OS restore PC will function as a DHCP Server to supply the Cobalt with information. If you have another DHCP server on your network changes are big that things will be messed up. Preferably, use a crossover cable, or a hub with nothing more then the Cobalt and the OS Restore CD
I Use a big harddisk. The restore process runs fine, but i am unable to boot/use the system after it completes : This happens with harddrives bigger then 128 GB in your system, and is a bios limitation. You will have to use a harddrive of 120GB or less.