One of my friend gave me an old IBM 44P Model 170 (I've planned to use it to learn AIX that I don't know at all) (I know a bit GNU/Linux (Debian, Archlinux, Red Hat, Slackware)).
But, unfortunately, the computer doesn't start properly and I don't have any idea why ;(.
If it helps, you can see the output of the screen below.
And that's it. I can't do anything. The keyboard doesn't seem to respond.
Now, the questions :
Does that mean the computer is dead?
Also, there is no "press xx to access the BIOS". Is there a way to get an access to it?
As you can see on the screen above, there is 1 = SMS Menu, 5 = Default Boot List etc..., but when I press F1, F5 or 1, 5, nothing is happening. Is that normal?
Is there a way to boot from another media like a cdrom so I can try to install another system?
Also, when I turn ON the computer, it takes at least 2 minutes before anything appears on the screen. Is that normal? When the screen appears, I see "1 = SMS Menu, 5 = Default Boot List etc..." then it does the tests (memory, keyboard, network, scsi, speakers).
Please, let me know if you need more informations about my hardware/problem.
Thanks a lot in advance.
That is some old hardware. IBM RS/6000 44P Model 170
It is Power 3 stuff. The current hardware is Power 7. Everything on that box is going to be slow - "Choice of 333, 400 or 450MHz POWER3-II processors". Get use to waiting. The link above says it can run AIX 5. Do you have the installation media? Maybe it needs to be reinstalled.
you need to press 1, 5 or 6 as soon as it starts counting up
memory keyboard network scsi speaker
most likely it is trying from a corrupted or non-existing boot image. You might try to fix it but you need to boot from cd or network to get into maintenance mode.
You can try to change the boot disk by pressing 1 - sms menu - and than get into boot options and select another disk
and - THERE IS NO BIOS ON AIX --- we have the sms menu
When the choices arrive on the screen 1 SMS Menu and so on you would normally press 1 to go into SMS. On younger RS/6000 models SMS is built into an internal memory device. However with the older machines like yours a System Management Services floppy disk was supplied with each 43P. You will need one of these to boot into SMS.
Right when you see the "1=SMS Menu, 5 = Default Boot List...", press "F1", not "1". Keep tapping it a few times - that is what I do. You should then be able to navigate those menus and select the appropriate boot disk.
So, I really want to thanks everyone of you for your help and very quick replies. This forum looks very active filled with very nice/competent people. I'm already adicted.
Unfortunately, it looks like the computer doesn't work properly, when I press any of the keys (tapping few times F1 or 1 at boot, nothing is happening, can't go to the SMS Menu). And at the end of the boot, the computer is frozen (the keyboard doesn't respond).
Also, the friend who gave me the computer doesn't have any floppy disk or media installation disk.
So, I think I'll just give up with that computer :(.
Thanks again for your help.
ps : sorry for my bad English (this is not my native language).
