Ok. I have had one of those desktop beasts sitting in my closet since
January and now have time to start playing with it. First of all, can it
take AIX 5.1? Second, well, let's talk about its serial ports. I plan
on booting it using a, say, PC laptop (or my Sun Sparc 20) as console.
So, which serial port should I connect it to and do I need to a null
modem or not? Also, once it is connected, how long do I need to wait,
key in service mode, until I see some hot action on the terminal window?

--
Mauricio raub-kudria-com
(if you need to email me, use this address =)

Mauricio Tavares wrote:
> Ok. I have had one of those desktop beasts sitting in my closet
> since January and now have time to start playing with it. First of all,
> can it take AIX 5.1?

Yes, the 7011-250 can run AIX 5.1, that's the last AIX level that can be
run on it. Check the hard drive size that's installed in the machine,
it might be too small for a typical AIX 5.1 installation.

> I plan on booting it using a, say, PC laptop (or my Sun Sparc 20) as
> console. So, which serial port should I connect it to and do I need to a
> null modem or not? Also, once it is connected, how long do I need to
> wait, key in service mode, until I see some hot action on the terminal
> window?

You want to attach to the first serial port, at 9600/8/N/1, and you need
the appropriate null modem configuration (see past posts for details on
the pin configuration, but a standard serial LapLink-type cable will
work). You should see the AIX installation screen within 2 minutes of
power-on, there should be a C3x code on the LED panel just before the
installation screen appears.

Rick Ekblaw

Rick Ekblaw wrote:
> Mauricio Tavares wrote:
>> Ok. I have had one of those desktop beasts sitting in my closet
>> since January and now have time to start playing with it. First of
>> all, can it take AIX 5.1?
>
> Yes, the 7011-250 can run AIX 5.1, that's the last AIX level that can be
> run on it. Check the hard drive size that's installed in the machine,
> it might be too small for a typical AIX 5.1 installation.
>
I also have the 4.3.3 CDs. Would that be a better deal? Also, can I
install it through the net (say, use a bootp/whatever server and then
tftp the boot image and then get stuff that was on the CDs off a
ftp/NFS/http server) or I need/should do the CD-swapping dance?

>> I plan on booting it using a, say, PC laptop (or my Sun Sparc 20) as
>> console. So, which serial port should I connect it to and do I need to
>> a null modem or not? Also, once it is connected, how long do I need to
>> wait, key in service mode, until I see some hot action on the terminal
>> window?
>
> You want to attach to the first serial port, at 9600/8/N/1, and you need
> the appropriate null modem configuration (see past posts for details on
> the pin configuration, but a standard serial LapLink-type cable will
> work). You should see the AIX installation screen within 2 minutes of
> power-on, there should be a C3x code on the LED panel just before the
> installation screen appears.
>
Dumb question: I have a laplink cable but it was for parallel port.
Would that be remotely useful or I would be better off hunting for the
pinout and make my own cable?

About the codes, would that be a sign the machine noticed there is
someone on its serial port? As of now all I get after a few minutes is
a 262 error code, which I found out means it cannot find the keyboard
(captain obvious sure walks amongst us).

> Rick Ekblaw


--
Mauricio raub-kudria-com
(if you need to email me, use this address =)

Mauricio Tavares wrote:
> Dumb question: I have a laplink cable but it was for parallel port.
> Would that be remotely useful or I would be better off hunting for the
> pinout and make my own cable?

Not really dumb. But don't try the parallel cable. Just go to the local
computer shop and ask for a "null modem serial cable with full modem
control".

Or create your own. Assuming 25pins on both ends: cross pins 2 and 3, 4
and 5, 6 and 20; wire pin 7 straight through; short pins 6 and 8 on each
end.

--
Alex.

Mauricio Tavares wrote:
> I also have the 4.3.3 CDs. Would that be a better deal? Also, can
> I install it through the net (say, use a bootp/whatever server and then
> tftp the boot image and then get stuff that was on the CDs off a
> ftp/NFS/http server) or I need/should do the CD-swapping dance?

Your choice, as long as your hard drive is 9 GB or larger, you should
have enough space either way (AIX 5.1 or 4.3.3). Do the CD-swapping,
it's not bad and setting up a NIM server to do an AIX network load is
not a task for someone just starting with AIX.

> About the codes, would that be a sign the machine noticed there is
> someone on its serial port?

C32 - A directly attached display (HFT) was selected.
C33 - A TTY terminal attached to serial port S1 or S2 was selected.
C35 - No console found.

Obviously, C35 is bad news. You'll probably see C33, if you see C32,
you'll want to attach a keyboard that the 7011 "likes" -- the older IBM
Model M keyboards are a good choice, if you can find a real RS/6000
keyboard (with a speaker on the back rather than an empty speaker
grille), that would be ideal.

Rick Ekblaw