IBM rs/6000 7026-c2

UNIX AIX
1

I have just purchased an old IBM RS/6000 7026-C2 with the intention of installing AIX 5.2 to do some testing.
I have no AIX or RS/6000 experience, but I have managed to access the console/service menu through a hyper terminal console via the com port.
I get the service processor menu and I can't seem to get past that, it goes into all the sub menus, but if I select power on or power off it does nothing.
I have a 7 disc set of AIX 5.2, but the server doesn't boot from the CD, would I need some sort of floppy boot disk or can I start an install from the service menu in the console?

2

I would select the power on option and wait for a few minutes. You should get output from the POST (Power On Self Test) displayed as sets of numbers.

How far does it get?

Robin

3

I will give that a try when I'm back in the office on thursday and let you know the result. I did try the power on and power off, but only waited about a minute at the most before trying something else from the menu.

4

This link might help you. Do not worry if this is not your exact model, the M80/H50/M50/H50 were quite similar in handling.

Check the firmware release(s) before attempting to install any OS, you might have to update first.

Usually there is a "Diag" disk along with the OS copy. Xou can boot from that and check the hardware with the diagnostics routines there.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

5

Thanks for the link, its starting to make a bit more sense now. The menu I was in was like ILO on an HP server.

I'm assuming that if I can get the server "powered on" (If there is an OS on there already) then I will get a login prompt at the console rather than the menu I currently get? I have the serial cable plugged into 5 (serial 1) and I'm guessing all video output will come out of that port?

I had to buy the aix 5.2 from ebay and only got the 7 cds. I looked online for 5.3 which is the version I really needed but couldn't find the software unless I subscribed to IBM.

6

Yes, these are similar things: RS/6000 systems have a "service processor", which runs once the system is connected to AC power. It presents some menus and you can boot the system from there. If your OS CDs do not boot you might ahve to change the boot list, which is somewhere in these menus.

Yes.

Problem is: 5.3 is already out of its life cycle. 5.2 is its predecessor and, honestly, i'd prefer the even older 5.1 over 5.2 any day and twice on sundays. 5.2 was far worse than 5.1 or 5.3. I suggest you go hunting for some 5.3. media. You won't get any support from IBM, but i think it is still possible to download some "last level" of 5.3 from IBMs web site. You have to have installed the base level filesets (on the CD) to be able to install the update-filesets, therefore you still need the CD(s) even if you effectively install the updates from the IBM website.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

7

I managed to get AIX 5.3 but the server still won't start after power-on.

I found some system firmware and chose reprogram flash eprom menu, this ran through the floppies and said it was successful.

Service Processor Firmware
Version: CM060505
 Copyright 2000, IBM Corporation

I found there is a service processor hardware failure message and I also get service processor firmware failure messages.

1.  01/03/1960 02:32:37     Service Processor Hardware Failure
    B1094622

Would this stop the server from attempting to boot?

8

Yes, this looks like it is the reason.
Here is the link to the reference guide for a M80 which should fit to your box:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/systems/hardware_docs/pdf/380571.pdf

On page 341 there is the description for your code where the 09 has xx. It says there is a fault with the operator panel.

Please use code tags when posting code, logs, etc. so it is visually easier to distinguish from descriptive text, thanks.

1 Like
9

I had a code on the operator panel

1011 8430 V/S COMM cable not connected properly Check cabling

I don't have anything plugged into the V/S comm port, what would the V/S Comm cable connect to? How can I disable this?

10

You might want to check this IBM document (especially p53) for further reference.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

1 Like
11

So I only have the CEC drawer by the looks of it and I guess this is never going to work without the I/O draw and the jtag + V/S comm cables.

12

Do you have some internal disk in the CEC? If so, then you might have a chance, but you will be pretty limited with space unless you can add some SAN disk, or perhaps cable up a local SCSI array.

If the CEC has already been used it will remember what it was and perhaps partitions allocated, so you might need to find your way through the Service Processor menus to 'Reset to Factory Settings' or something like that to clear out any definitions of LPARs, devices, HMCs etc.

Don't leap into that though. I've never done it and it would be worth waiting for other opinions to ensure that you don't break something else by doing this. I suppose if you have a hardware support contract, they might be able to verify what the CEC is capable of and guide you through firing up for the 'first time' so you can install.

Another thing to try is to plug a laptop into the port marked HMC1. Set the laptop to be a DHCP server and then open a browser https session to the IP address allocated to the CEC (although I must admit I don't know how to determine this) This will hopefully bring up the ASMI page from where you can explore a bit too.

I must admit that I'm a bit sketchy, because it's not really the sort of thing one does very often, if ever.

I hope that this helps,
Robin

13

Yes, it has two 9.1gb scsi drives internally. I might take the whole thing apart and check it there is a loose cable anywhere.