Video cards

[raven_8]

Has anyone had luck getting non-standard video cards to work in the tru64 server? I've got a Diamond Stealth (pN ST64VDVRM PCI E3 220 2+) a Diamond S60, and a matrox something-or-other card (yeah, real specific, I know).

Basically, I just want *something* so when tech support dial's in they can be on the box "locally" (via KVM, or VNC, or whatever).

Thanks again guys.

[Michael Schulte zur Sur]

Hi,

I try to get the connection between the two requests. I don't see any. Can you explain?
You can not use a graphics card in an Alpha like in a PC. HP has a number of cards they support and anything else is good look.
Have you had a look in the list of supported cards?

greetings,

Michael

[Han Pilmeyer]

The list of supported graphics card uses "classic DEC" names. It won't be easy to map those to the OEM cards. And even if you could map the names, we may have changed firmware or something like that. If you want a graphics head on your system, buy one from HP that is still supported in the release that you're running.

However VNC doesn't require a graphics head and it works just fine. I use it every day to connect to systems without graphics heads. For console access you will still need to use the serial lines, perhaps hooked up to some console management system (there are some good commercial and open sources ones available).

[Ralf Puchner]

this is not a pc, please only use certified options with certified firmware or it will not work or sideeffects like crashes etc. may occure!

[raven_8]

Mike: The graphics head is for a connection to our KVM switch.
Han: thanks for the help.
Ralf: Spoken like a true tech. Try to think outside the box, you'll go far.

If we end up trying the video card, I'll let you guys know how it works.

[Ralf Puchner]

If it is only for playing around then good luck, but if it a production system you will get no support at all in case of a problem!

E.g. our engineering team certifies cards, firmware levels and slots for each machine. If the card is not on the supported option list it failed testing so leading to side effects like PCI problems, crashes, interrupt problems etc.

Professional administrators will not leave the supported way because if machine fails and your business stops you are at your own because HP engineering will not fix problems on unsupported machines! It is up to you to risc your job...

Btw. why not using the com ports connected to a terminal server? It is faster than any graphical connection.

[raven_8]

1) I don't expect support in non-supported configurations.
Being a service representative myself, I'm keenly aware of how annoying it is when users expect support for something they broke.
2) I am using the com port, but I was told that the support personnel for the product we're installing on this like a "direct" connection via KVM. Not sure why.

Can you check to see if they tried those particular cards and what happened when they were installed, or why they weren't put on the list?

[Ralf Puchner]

there are only a hand full of cards supported with specific chipsets. Due to firmware modifications from HP side normal PC cards will not work!

No lists of failed products exists because engineering validated only specific cards replacing old DEC-like products. Maybe it is better to get an original product which works if it is listed on the supported option list of your machine. Some validated original cards also doesn't work in specific machine types so be careful!