Re: Newbie questions: installing i5/OS V5R4M0 on a 9406-800; re-using installed license keys.

[Mark D <mdlkml@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think if you just set it to manual IPL it won't boot without a 
console.  Heck I doubt it'd boot without a console anyway.  I've never 
tried to switch mine out of manual.

Mine (820 with 12 drives) has repeatedly been subject to power outages 
as I don't have a UPS that could handle this monster. It's been ok so 
far.  It's pretty resilient.

Don't be TOO afraid of it, it's pretty hard to do permanent damage 
unless you're trying.  Mine would be dead by now.  I'd rather not have 
mine phone home for any reason so I configured the network without a 
default gateway when I finally got it booted up.  Now I can talk to it 
but it can't talk to the internet.

Oh and if you get any system password prompts, contact me privately.  
There is a simple workaround that should work on your old system too.

The only thing I won't do is install PTF's.  I'm not sure if they'll fix 
the "bugs" that have helped me out with certain issues.  Looking at 
mine, it's not TOO far out of date, but i don't want to chance it.

Btw, someone was asking about the serial number on these, if I had to 
guess the serial number is kept in the control panel.  They have a 
system password that goes off if you change much hardware so that 
prevents people from just changing out hardware willy nilly.  If you 
pretty much look at the system wrong it asks you to call IBM, who then 
asks you to cut them a check for $8K unless you have entitlements for 
the OS and such.  Hardly worthwhile for a hobby toy that costs more in 
electricity per month to operate than it's worth.

The nice thing is, all of the stuff you'll learn on this is the stuff I 
bet very few System i admins know.  Many just throw their hands up and 
call IBM as told.

Thanks,
Mark


On 12/8/2012 4:12 PM, Rene K. wrote:
> Hi Roberto,
>
> i don't have console access to the machine right now, they gave me just the machine, no cables or anything.
>
>
> I checked the machine, both cards you mentioned are installed (#2849 and #2746).
> Position C07 also has the WAN card (one phone plug, and a mini-centronics-ish connector), where the latter is used for the Operations Console cable if i recall correctly.
>
>
> You can probably imagine me being a bit cautious about firing the machine up without a way to access it. I know i can shut it down from the Control Panel if i really need to (function 8), but i'm unsure about the chance of corrupting filesystems and ruining the license keys if i were to shut it down like this.
> I think it's wise to set up a reliable way to access the machine before i start it up.
>
> Regards,
>
> Rene.