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

[Ian Finder]

Yep, no dice :[ But cd0 passes diagnostics... This IBM stuff is kinda
painful, huh?

Maybe the image of the N40 CD that I have isn't bootable / lacks a
bootblock... It appears to have all the correct files in it though.

On Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 6:25 PM, Andy Wallis <rawallis at panix.com> wrote:
> 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
> _______________________________________________
> rescue list - http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/rescue



-- 
   Ian Finder
   (206) 395-MIPS
   ian.finder at gmail.com