3 Aug
2008
3 Aug
'08
2:09 p.m.
A friend of mine told me he just got an IBM Powerstation 320h system
and wants to know if I want it, but I can't seem to find any
information on it. Anybody here got some typical specs and/or opinions
on the computer?
Thanks
John
--
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
3 Aug
3 Aug
2:55 p.m.
John Floren wrote:
A friend of mine told me he just got an IBM
Powerstation 320h system
and wants to know if I want it, but I can't seem to find any
information on it. Anybody here got some typical specs and/or opinions
on the computer?
It's a variant of the 7012-320 - IBM's first desktop POWER system.
IBM didn't publish MHz specs then, but suffice it to say that the thing
is *slow*. It'll run AIX 5.1, if you like pain, but v4.3 or even v3.2
is much more its speed. No pun intended.
One detail of note: try to get the key with it. That lock not only
keeps the case closed but determines the boot mode. It's also a DAMNED
GOOD lock - not likely you'll pick it with a pocket-knife. If you have
to drill it out, plan to replace it with a 3-pos rotary switch.
Doc
5:02 p.m.
On Sunday 03 August 2008, Doc Shipley wrote:
John Floren wrote:
Actually, they did publish the clock speed. According to my copy of the
IBM RS/6000 price list from Sept 21, 1993, the 7012-32H was withdrawn
on 8/18/93, had a list price of $11,750, and a CPU speed of 25MHz.
It's one of the slowest RS/6000 systems that IBM ever produced.
Pat
--
Purdue University Research Computing --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/
The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org
A friend of mine told me he just got an IBM
Powerstation 320h
system and wants to know if I want it, but I can't seem to find any
information on it. Anybody here got some typical specs and/or
opinions on the computer?
It's a variant of the 7012-320 - IBM's first desktop POWER system.
IBM didn't publish MHz specs then, but suffice it to say that the
thing is *slow*. It'll run AIX 5.1, if you like pain, but v4.3 or
even v3.2 is much more its speed. No pun intended. 
11:22 p.m.
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
On Sunday 03 August 2008, Doc Shipley wrote:
But it was reasonably high-end when it came out. It's a pretty early
machine.
Peace... Sridhar
John Floren wrote:
Actually, they did publish the clock speed. According to my copy of the
IBM RS/6000 price list from Sept 21, 1993, the 7012-32H was withdrawn
on 8/18/93, had a list price of $11,750, and a CPU speed of 25MHz.
It's one of the slowest RS/6000 systems that IBM ever produced. A friend of mine told me he just got an IBM
Powerstation 320h
system and wants to know if I want it, but I can't seem to find any
information on it. Anybody here got some typical specs and/or
opinions on the computer?
It's a variant of the 7012-320 - IBM's first
desktop POWER system.
IBM didn't publish MHz specs then, but suffice it to say that the
thing is *slow*. It'll run AIX 5.1, if you like pain, but v4.3 or
even v3.2 is much more its speed. No pun intended. 
4 Aug
4 Aug
1:14 a.m.
be sure to ask for cables too. the serial cables are the same as RT
ones, but are not Dsub cables. also whatever passes for video would be
good. you should be able to use ps2 mouse and kb if you dont get those
though.
You can start and run this completely serially, with no video, so don't
pass on it for that reason. not a real fun way to run it, but it will
run aix via serial just fine.
jim
Sridhar Ayengar wrote:
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
On Sunday 03 August 2008, Doc Shipley wrote:
But it was reasonably high-end when it came out. It's a pretty early
machine.
Peace... Sridhar
John Floren wrote:
Actually, they did publish the clock speed. According to my copy of
the IBM RS/6000 price list from Sept 21, 1993, the 7012-32H was
withdrawn on 8/18/93, had a list price of $11,750, and a CPU speed of
25MHz.
It's one of the slowest RS/6000 systems that IBM ever produced. A friend of mine told me he just got an IBM
Powerstation 320h
system and wants to know if I want it, but I can't seem to find any
information on it. Anybody here got some typical specs and/or
opinions on the computer?
It's a variant of the 7012-320 - IBM's first
desktop POWER system.
IBM didn't publish MHz specs then, but suffice it to say that the
thing is *slow*. It'll run AIX 5.1, if you like pain, but v4.3 or
even v3.2 is much more its speed. No pun intended. 
5 Aug
5 Aug
4:17 p.m.
be sure to ask for cables too. the serial cables are
the same as RT
ones, but are not Dsub cables. also whatever passes for video would be
good. you should be able to use ps2 mouse and kb if you dont get those
though.
I beg to differ. The keyboard looks just like a PS/2 keyboard, but it
isn't, and they don't interchange! The genuine keyboard has an ID
number printed in white in the margin of the piece of trim that covers
the Num Lock / Caps Lock LEDS.
I found that out the hard way, after an office move in which two
keyboards got swapped. We called the service engineer out and after he
had changed the mother board (ugh!) to no effect, he retrieved the
correct keyboard from the PC on a colleague's desk (said colleague was
away on holiday at the time) and it worked fine.
But a PS/2 mouse works fine. I used an RS/6000 mouse on my PC for some
years - it was detected as Logitech...
Philip.
6 Aug
6 Aug
2:37 a.m.
Philip Belben wrote:
*Some* IBM PC keyboards will work on that box, most not.
Doc
be sure to ask
for cables too. the serial cables are the same as RT
ones, but are not Dsub cables. also whatever passes for video would
be good. you should be able to use ps2 mouse and kb if you dont get
those though.
I beg to differ. The keyboard looks just like a PS/2 keyboard, but it
isn't, and they don't interchange! The genuine keyboard has an ID
number printed in white in the margin of the piece of trim that covers
the Num Lock / Caps Lock LEDS.
10:32 a.m.
Philip Belben wrote:
I believe that AIX recognizes the PS/2 keyboard just fine past version
4.2.1. You only run into problems with < 4.2.1. Anyway, the only
differences are a couple of layout issues, and the embedded speaker.
Peace... Sridhar
be sure to ask
for cables too. the serial cables are the same as RT
ones, but are not Dsub cables. also whatever passes for video would
be good. you should be able to use ps2 mouse and kb if you dont get
those though.
I beg to differ. The keyboard looks just like a PS/2 keyboard, but it
isn't, and they don't interchange! The genuine keyboard has an ID
number printed in white in the margin of the piece of trim that covers
the Num Lock / Caps Lock LEDS.
I found that out the hard way, after an office move in which two
keyboards got swapped. We called the service engineer out and after he
had changed the mother board (ugh!) to no effect, he retrieved the
correct keyboard from the PC on a colleague's desk (said colleague was
away on holiday at the time) and it worked fine.
But a PS/2 mouse works fine. I used an RS/6000 mouse on my PC for some
years - it was detected as Logitech...
3 Aug
3 Aug
11:20 p.m.
John Floren wrote:
A friend of mine told me he just got an IBM
Powerstation 320h system
and wants to know if I want it, but I can't seem to find any
information on it. Anybody here got some typical specs and/or opinions
on the computer?
25MHz POWER. Will run everything up to AIX 5.1 slowly, if memory
serves. Four 32-bit Microchannel slots. Basically the fastest member
of the first generation of RS/6000s.
Peace... Sridhar
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8 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
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doc＠mdrconsult.com -
jws＠jwsss.com -
pat＠computer-refuge.org -
philip＠axeside.co.uk -
ploopster＠gmail.com -
slawmaster＠gmail.com