[OT] IBM RS/6000 43P-133 up for grabs

[Paul Mora]

Hi Everyone.

I've got an old IBM RS/6000 model 43P-133 available to anyone who
wants to come and pick it up.  Here's the specs:

Processor: PowerPC 604e - 133MHz
Memory: 128Mb
Disk: 2 x 4Gb SCSI disks, IDE CD-ROM drive, diskette drive
Network: onboard 10Mb Ethernet, plus 2 x 10Mb ISA Ethernet cards
Other: 2 x serial, 1 x parallel, 1 x game port, integrated sound card
Operating System: AIX 4.3.3 ML11
Case size: Mid-tower
BONUS: IBM G76 17" CRT monitor

Notes:  This machine is a nice little box that would be perfect for
anyone who needs or wants to learn about AIX, IBM's flavour of UNIX.
While it's not the latest/greatest release, the core OS concepts are
all there.  Memory expansion is limited (256Mb max), but as long as
you're not running any kind of graphical environment, it should work
just fine as a little web/db server (would run Drupal nicely).  You
can also add pre-compiled GNU software from www.bullfreeware.com.  The
other kinda neat feature is that it has both integrated SCSI and IDE
adapters, so you could expand the disk space quite nicely.  It uses
standard PS2 style mouse and keyboard, and works perfectly through a
KVM.  The onboard ethernet card doesn't work for some reason, but
there are two ISA ethernet cards that work just fine.

The machine comes with the AIX 4.3.3 install CDs, plus the SMS
(firmware) diskettes, and an ancient copy of Windows for Workgroups
3.1.1 PowerPC Edition.  Hardware manuals can be downloaded in PDF
format from www.ibm.com/pc/support (search on 7248-133).  The hardware
is supported up to AIX 5.1, but in my experience, this machine runs
best with 4.3.3.

And, if you're REALLY adventurous, you CAN actually install Linux on
it (so this post is not entirely off-topic). None of the modern
distros work I think, but there was once upon a time a version of
Slackware that worked with it.  The HOW-TO may still be on
www.tldp.org; check it out.

I'd really like to see the machine go to someone that will use it or
learn from it.  Please contact me off list; first one that comes to
get it gets it.

pm

-- 
Paul Mora
Registered Linux user #2065 <http://counter.li.org>
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