[rescue] Picked up an IBM / Tadpole RS6000/N40, xinit hangs system.

Mon Sep 8 20:25:30 CDT 2014

Really stupid question: did you try doing a bootlist -m both cd0 hdisk0 so
that it would boot off if the CD-ROM when you rebooted the box?

> On Sep 8, 2014, at 7:12 PM, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Thank you very much to everyone who responded!
>
> I now have media for Tadpole AIX, so I'm gonna fresh install to a
> different hard drive to see if X works on a stock install. With this,
> onto the next hurdle: This thing doesn't want to boot off any of the
> SCSI CDROM drives I've tried-- which is quite a few. They show up as
> "UNKNOWN CDROM" in the rom menu, but it doesn't seem to try and access
> any of them after the scsi bus is reset at boot time.
>
> Any tricks?
>
> Also the LCD in this has seen better days-- I think it's the same as
> in the SparcBook 3 (640x480) but not the 3GXes I have on hand
> (800x600) so if anyone has a broken SparcBook 3 to sell, or would
> consider trading a 3GX for a 3 so that I may keep a compatible
> replacement LCD on hand, I'd love to hear from you.
>
> Thanks again to Andy, Gaz, and Michael for the extensive amount of
> resources on this otherwise poorly documented piece of esoteri
>
> - Ian
>
>
>
>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 5:09 PM, Andy Wallis <rawallis at panix.com> wrote:
>> When you run X manually, does it show up in the process list on when you
>> telnet into the box?
>>
>>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 7:57 PM, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hmm. The xserver never starts despite the HFT hanging, so that's not
>>> it. (ps -e on my remote console shows no X process).
>>>
>>> The xinitrcs are all sane.
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>> The output of xinit is simply "1356-824  xinit: Unable to start the X
>> server"
>>>
>>> There is no difference in the process list from before I run xinit and
>>> after the hft terminal hangs.
>>>
>>> Weird stuff.
>>>
>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 4:46 PM, Andy Wallis <rawallis at panix.com> wrote:
>>>> Does control-alt-backspace work? By default, it will kill the X server.
>>>> Check /usr/lpp/X11/defaults/xinitrc to see if it is starting mwm and
>> aixterm.
>>>> /usr/lpp/X11/xinit should also be checked.
>>>>
>>>> Lastly, see if if $HOME/.xinitrc is OK.
>>>>
>>>>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 7:35 PM, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks Gaz & Andy for all for the help!
>>>>>
>>>>> The drivers appear to be installed-- diag for wgs0 passes, and the
>>>>> fbconfigurations file is sane. Same symptom persists.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tried bosboot -ad /dev/ipldevice and it still doesn't work. I tried #
>>>>> X > /tmplog ; and cat tmplog from my remote console.
>>>>>
>>>>> Doesn't seem to produce any errors or output.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any other ideas on how to potentially tell what is failing? X does not
>>>>> appear to be running after running I run xinit.
>>>>>
>>>>> - Ian
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 3:36 PM, Gaz God <gaz.god at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> One of the files i'm emailing is a fbconfigurations.N40.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But my ADSL is running at super slow!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Expect an email soonish Ian.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 11:34 PM, Andy Wallis <rawallis at panix.com>
>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It looks like the N40 originally ran a special version of AIX 3.2.5.
I
>>>> was
>>>>>>> thinking about the other RS/6000 laptop which had the AIX 4.2.1
special
>>>>>>> version. I do apologize for the confusion.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I did find this tidbit that could be useful.
>>>>>>> http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohlandl/7007/7007-n40.html
>>>>>>> "When you bring up NCE Display panel, no display types listed.
>>>>>>> Cause:  The /etc/fbconfigurations file can get zero'd out when
written
>>>>>>> back to
>>>>>>> disk from memory. Get fbconfigurations.N40 then make a copy just in
>>>> case."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Good luck.
>>>>>>> -Andy Wallis
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 6:23 PM, Andy Wallis <rawallis at panix.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If wgs0 comes back as available, then you might need to run the diag
>>>>>>> command
>>>>>>>> to run the tests for it.
>>>>>>>> Barring that, try running bosboot -ad as a sanity check.
>>>>>>>> -Andy Wallis
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 6:17 PM, Gaz God <gaz.god at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I have a copy of P2.upg.tar.Z which has a the drivers in it for the
>> N40
>>>>>>>>> here, if that is any help it.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Gaz
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 10:53 PM, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I'm running 3.3. NCE is installed so I thought it would be
>>>>>>>>>> tadpole-friendly. I have hft0, and wgs0 - "Standard colour
graphics
>>>>>>>>>> adapter"
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> So I guess that means I have no drivers...
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> :(
>>>>>>>>>> ;_;
>>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 2:44 PM, Andy Wallis <rawallis at panix.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> Try the following
>>>>>>>>>>> cfgmgr to initialize the installed device drivers.
>>>>>>>>>>> lsdev -C and see if the graphics card and lft/hft are Available.
If
>>>> it
>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>>> defined, the driver isn't loaded and just has an ODM entry(there
be
>>>>>>>>>> dragons).
>>>>>>>>>>> Are you running AIX 4.2.1 with the special Tadpole drivers or is
it
>>>>>>> 4.3?
>>>>>>>>>> 4.3
>>>>>>>>>>> dropped support for the Tadpole and you cannot run X due to that.
>>>>>>>>>>> -Andy Wallis
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Sep 7, 2014, at 5:01 PM, Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Ok... I can only run xinit from the local console- and when I do
>> so,
>>>>>>>>>>>> it hangs but my remote console still responds. Being an AIX
noob,
>>>>>>>>>>>> where are the logs I should be looking at.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Sep 7, 2014 at 1:38 PM, Barry Callahan <
>>>>>>> barryc at rjlsystems.com>
>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Start by hanging a serial console off the thing, so when the
>>>> console
>>>>>>>>>> locks
>>>>>>>>>>>>> up you can still interact with the machine and investigate?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Or put the thing on your network?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #/*****************************\
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #* Barry Callahan
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #* Technologist
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #* RJL Systems
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #* phone: 1 586 790 - 0200 x112
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #*        1 800 528 - 4513 x112
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #* fax:   1 586 790 - 0205
>>>>>>>>>>>>> #\*****************************/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 9/7/2014 4:33 PM, Ian Finder wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Recently picked this up, but running X or startx or xinit
causes
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> system console to hang / freeze completely.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Any good ideas on how to diagnose/fix?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm not an AIX guy :(
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> - Ian
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>>>> Ian Finder
>>>>>>>>>>>> (206) 395-MIPS
>>>>>>>>>>>> ian.finder at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>> Ian Finder
>>>>>>>>>> (206) 395-MIPS
>>>>>>>>>> ian.finder at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Ian Finder
>>>>> (206) 395-MIPS
>>>>> ian.finder at gmail.com
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>  Ian Finder
>>>  (206) 395-MIPS
>>>  ian.finder at gmail.com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>> _______________________________________________
>> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue
>
>
>
> --
>   Ian Finder
>   (206) 395-MIPS
>   ian.finder at gmail.com
> _______________________________________________
> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue