Re: IBM 7026-H50 problems?
On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 02:50:07 +0200, dtutty@porchlight.ca wrote:
>Hello,
>
>I've been wanting to switch to the PowerPC architecture to keep the
>excellent reliability I've had from my now 15 year old IBM server (486).
>The best deal I have found for $750 CDN is a 7026-H50 in an S00 rack.
>I think I've finished my research and think it will work with Debian.
>I couldn't find anything in the archives of this list that mentions it
>either way. Before I buy it, I want to check to see if anybody has any
>input on this unit and its suitability.
>
>Here are the details on this unit:
>
>7026-H50 a.k.a. RS/6000 Enterprise Server H50
>PowerPC 604e (1-4) I'll start with 2
> with X-5 cache system
>Ram: 128MB-3GB 10ns SDRAM (I'll start with 256)
>9GB SCSI boot drive (can take 12 more SCSI hotswap)
>SCSI CDROM
>floppy
>PCI: 9 slots on 3 busses
>ISA: 2 slots, also runs keyboard, mouse, floppy
>serial x 3, paralell x1, ethernet, SCSI x 2 busses all integrated
>sold from 1998-2000.
>
>The manual says that to access the firmware menus you need to use
>the terminal.
See below how to use firmware.
>
>I thought I read somewhere, but now I can't find it, something about the
>terminal it needs being line-based as opposed to character-based and so
>I'm assuming that Minicom from another computer won't work. Does
>anybody know? The manual says to use an IBM 3161, although a 5085 or
>3164 should also work without needing to refer to a translation table.
Any character-oriented terminal or VT100/IBM3151/WYSE60 etc emulator connected
via serial port 1 will do (even standard Windows terminal!). When machine starts
and displays E1F1 on the LCD, push '1' on the emulator/terminal to make it
current console and drop into firmware menus. If you have graphics adapter -
then you can use standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse and any Vesa/DDC compliant
monitor to be used as console / start X server when system starts; in this case
press F1 key on the keyboard when you see 'E1F1' on LCD. Get IBM GXT-130P
adapter (re-branded Matrox MG200), don't go with GXT-110 - it is not fully
compatible with X and causes crashes.
Note: to boot from CD, press '5' (on emulator) or F5 (on graphical console if
any) at 'E1F1' on LCD display to temporarily set CD as first device in boot
sequence. PXE network boot should work as well, but check your firmware level
from firmware or SP menu and upgrade to latest if necessary (www.ibm.com has all
firmwares available for download).
>
>I've never actually managed to get the 3.1 Sarge Debian-Installer to run as
>none of my computers has enough memory. When I need to swap drives
>around I end up installing 3.0 via boot-floppies and upgrading.
>
>I'm not asking for a step-by-step here, now. What I'm needing to know
>is if someone knows a reason that it may not be possible on this
>machine. I would not reject the computer if its just that 3.1 installer
>doesn't work and I'll have to do a more labourious 3.0 install (which
>could be more fun and satifying after all).
You should be fine installing Sarge, unless you have got any SCSI RAID
controller in H50 machine, they seem to be not reallyl supported on Powerpc
platform (although driver, called IPS, exists). I filed a bug about this issue
with kernel developers.
Standard F50/H50 SCSI controllers (SCSI-2, ULTRA-2 and ULTRA-3) based on LSI
chipset are working OK.
>
>As this is a 604e, I'm assuming that its a PReP rather than CHRP.
Th IS a CHRP machine, same as my 7025-F50 (they are very similar).
>
>I'll be doing a base-install followed by internet rather than pure
>network install.
>
>I've downloaded the 3.1r2 netinst.iso file but have yet to burn it.
>
>If nobody has any negative comments, I'll get the computer and install,
>keeping a log and asking questions if required. If anyone is interested
>in the log (perhaps for a HOWTO specific for this computer), they are
>welcome to it.
Be careful and patient with boot CD if you use stable distro rather than
development, it might not boot at first (wrong location of yaboot.conf file or
yaboot.conf recorded as YABOOT.CON on the CD). There are few articles on the
internet about modding the boot CD image to start properly on RS6000 machines.
I done modding myself according to articles and everything worked.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Doug Tutty,
>Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
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