UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I picked up a handful of used SPARCstation10s & 20s and I would like to set it up. I connected a regular PC vga monitor using sun video adapter "1395-SUN". Everything seems to turn on fine...but I get this on the screen and there is absolutely nothing I can do to get out of it.

Lost Carrier (transceiver cable problem?)
use PROM command....
Timeout waiting for ARP/RARP packet.

How do I get out of this to do anything on it? I do have solaris 2.5 OS, if I need to use it.

Looks like the box is trying to boot over the network.

Power off
Disconnect any keyboard and screen
connect serial terminal to serial port A at 9600,n,8,1 to watch it boot up
Power up

Can you confirm that there is a local disk installed?

Can you break to the OBP (stop-a or break from serial) and
From the ok> prompt what does

Code:

printenv boot-device

return?

I guess I'm not quite sure what you mean by "connect serial terminal to serial port A at 9600,n,8,1" That just went way over my head. If I disconnect the screen, how can I verify it is booting up? This is one of those questions that I know has an obvious answer and am almost embarrased to ask

How can I "break"? I tried hitting all combination of keys on the keyboard and I just can't seem to get out of that loop. The box does have local hard disc installed.

On the back of the machine you should find a serial port marked A, connect this port to a another computer running a terminal emulator. Set the terminal emulator to 9600 baud, no parity, 8 databits, 1 stop bit. If the machine has no keyboard it should use this terminal as the system console.

It sounds like it wants to boot the network, this can be if th diagnostic environment variable has been set, this can happen if the CMOS battery is dead.

Can you recommend a good terminal emulator for a PC? Something easy to use. How is "powerterm interconnect"?