[rescue] First steps on "new" rs6000?

[Robert Novak]

On Mon, 9 Jun 2003, Jonathan C. Patschke wrote:

> On Mon, 9 Jun 2003, Robert Novak wrote:
>
> > What are good first steps on bringing one of the RS6000 small machines
> > (i.e. desktop form factor/less than 100 pounds) up and finding out how
> > well it's configured?
>
> Well, if you have a diagnostics CD, you can do that.  I don't recall how
> complete the built-in diagnostics are on a 390, but many systems will
> give you the option to perform a full inventory/diagnosic output if you
> start the system with the key in the "service" position.

It's not a 390, to my knowledge... it's the one I described a few days
ago:

	I saw a RS6000 3CT, model 7030 today. Google's results suggest
	it's Power2 67mhz, 3 MCA slots, and 512mb max ram.  It appears to
	have 68pin scsi (says "SCSI-2 SE" above the wide port), a token
	ring card, and a 13w3 video card of some sort. The model sticker
	read "7030 26-AAKAC".

Turns out it's the weird IBM SCSI blade connector (mini-centronics-type)
and not HD68. But it has the key. I was able to open it up without any
pain or damage to me or the case.

> If you don't have a key for the system, and it's NOT in the "service"
> position, you're about to have a bad day.

Migraine type thing since about 10 minutes before I woke up, and a box
dropped on my window control on the way home and possibly sent a few
software boxes scattering in the parking lot of the auction house, but I
have the two keys and the ident # tag, so I should be okay. :)

> > I'm guessing I can pull the FB and run serial console, and I'm guessing I
> > don't have a handy monitor that will work with the FB that's in it (does
> > it use a SOGgy monitor?
>
> It's Sync-on-Green.  It should work with any SGI-compatible multisync
> monitor.

Oooh. Keyboard may be a curiosity but I do have an SGI monitor here. I may
go with serial console at first since I'm short on space to set up the
monitor right now. :) RS-232 9600N81 or the like, I'm hoping?

> Whew.  If you got the case open, you either have a key, or it's in the
> "service" position, so you can buy a new key+keyswitch assembly.

Yep. It's the former, two keys.

> Unless you have two memory cards, you have 8 SIMMs, and a minimum of
> 64MB of memory.  I -think- you can have a maximum of 512MB per card.

I saw two cards.

> > I also ended up with a metric decibuttload of Wordperfect 5.1 and 6.0 for
> > DOS, full boxes in shrinkwrap, and some other neat stuff.
>
> If you'd like to offload one of those 5.1 boxes, let me know what you'd
> like to trade for it.

I'm flexible, bug me offlist with what you've got to trade. I've got no
less than six complete boxes of 5.1, and 2-3 of 6.0.

Anyone else interested (DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE 2003[0]) bug me offlist
for trades or a cash contribution deal.


--Rob



[0] If you're reading this in the archives more than a few months after
June 2003, please don't write to ask if I still have the WP kits. I
probably either got rid of them, lost them, or recycled them within three
months.  Okthxbye :)


-- 
Robert Novak - rnovak at indyramp.com