New subject: Question about TRW Swap Meet

11 Sep 1998

The System/34 is on wheels. You do need to lock the hard drive heads
if there's a hard drive. To do this: slide a coin or screwdriver
into the little slots on the sides of the machine to open the panels.
Once you've found the hard drive, there is one variety I can help
you with. In this one, there is a metal box to the right of the
motor, spindle, etc. On one side of this box is a single screw
which you have to remove. This will allow you to swing the metal box
out of the way on its hinges. Once done, you will find a white
plastic wheel on the bottom edge of the drive. TUrn it all the way
in the direction that it will turn. THere should be directions on the
metal box as well.
...
  plus some manuals and tapes.  Everything is supposed
to be in working
 order- they upgraded and pulled the plug.

 1.  How much do these things weigh?  The computer person there  estimated
...
  2000 lb. for the 34, 1000 lb. for the 36, 700 lb. on
the printers and  500
...
  lb. on the tape drives.  Does that sound about right?

The weights are about right. A good loading dock or a good forklift is
necessary.

 2.  How possible is partial dismantling for transport?  I didn't get  to
...
  tear into them to look.  Loading access is fairly good
in the building
 they are in, but unloading the 34 could be tricky.  It would help if I
 could lighten them up. 

Genarally they are on wheels and are not taken apart to be moved. I  don't know
...
 the configuation of  the 34. It is possible it could be
composed of  several
...
 parts, but looking at the model number I think it is
one piece.. I have  moved
...
 several of these systems and usually I rent a truck
with a railgate  type of
...
 liftgate on it. These have a larger deck and ride
flatter. Hopefully  the truck
...
 matches the dock. Use a flat dock plate. If there is a
mismatch put a  piece of
...
 sheet steel over the dock plate to reate a smooth
surface to roll on.  IBM made
...
 a little wire U shaped clip (bent at the bottom of the
U) that is used  to keep
...
 the wheels from rolling. This can hold the unit still
untill you can  tie it
...
 down. Remember there is lots of mass involved. It is
best to tie off  each
...
 machine.

 3.  What needs to be done before moving?  Head locking, moving or  removing
...
  anything, stuff like that.

At each corner near the wheels are leveling screws. these need to be  raised
...
 with a crescent wrench, all the way up.

 Other less important stuff that I'm curious about:

 4.  What kind of interface does it have to the terminals?

 5.  What kind of power does it need?  I'd assume 3 phase 220v.

It could be single phase.

 6.  How much computing power is this?  Compared to a VAX 11/750, say.

 7.  How will these things tolerate living in an unheated building over
 winter?  I live in IL.

They should survive if you don't try to power them up. They want to be  warm to
...
 run.

 Any other hints and tips would be greatly appreciated.  I'd really  like to
...
  be able to move these machines without damage (to the
machines or me).

 I went there today mainly as a recon mission, but they convinced me to
 take home a Wang word processing system.  The server is a model  OIS-60X,
...
  and it has 4 terminals hooked up by RS336 (?) over
coax (BNC  connectors),
...
  plus a laser printer.  I think the printer weighs more
than the  server. 
...
  I got a bunch of cartridges for it, and some Canon
copier cartridges  too,
...
  "because they're almost the same".  I
think not.
 > If the Laser printer is an LDP-8 then
the Canon Carts should work. The  engine
...
 is a Canon SX I think.

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IBM System 34 and 36 questions