jmtd → log → geek → hardware → Sparcstation 5 BIOS hack

I am planning on writing a proper update about what I'm up to at the moment in the near future (I promise!). Every aspect of my life (both geek and student) have had some seriously cool events as of late.

However I'm keeping this brief. I'm trying to learn my way around a Sun Sparcstation 5 (ancient piece of kit). Anyway, I have no mouse or keyboard, no password for the operating system or the boot sequence (like a PC BIOS but more advanced) etc. etc. so its a bit of an uphill struggle.

I can talk to the boot procedure and the OS via a serial link and a null modem cable. Getting past the boot password was fun:

<ul>
    <li>boot with serial console setup</li>
    <li>send the break signal</li>
    <li>remove the PROM chip whilst the machine is powered on</li>
    <li>hit <em>n</em> to get to the <em>ok</em> prompt (no password is requested)</li>
    <li>replace the PROM chip</li>
    <li>use <em>setenv security-password newpass</em> and <em>setenv
        security-mode none</em> to remove the password challenge in future</li>
</ul>

Many thanks to Pete Shervington and Lewis Green for making sure I didn't electrocute myself whilst doing this.