Getting an ibm as/400

Thu Apr 14 09:32:55 CDT 2016

I don't think there is any point on imaging AS/400 drives. The original AS/400 OS had "single level storage" so basically a the disks were an extension to ram, or more that RAM is just a temporary disk buffer. SO just as a program in virtual memory can be spread across any location of physical memory, a "file" on an AS/400 can be spread across any number of disk sectors on any drive, which is probably why RAID is common. There is a less worse explanation here:-

http://search400.techtarget.com/answer/Single-level-storage-in-the-AS-400

Dave
G4UGM

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Mazzini
> Alessandro
> Sent: 14 April 2016 15:24
> To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts'
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: R: Getting an ibm as/400
> 
> I really doubt that it can be done, and the structure of the data is totally
> dissimilar from what you can see in windows/unix/vms.
> Moreover there are high chances of being on hw raid
> 
> -----Messaggio originale-----
> Da: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] Per conto di Sam O'nella
> Inviato: giovedì 14 aprile 2016 15:48
> A: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> Oggetto: Re: Getting an ibm as/400
> 
> Not sure about mounting the drive and reading the filesystem properly (not
> much bad could happen from trying) but that gives you the opportunity to
> back it up (dd) or to potentially hex edit the raw drive itself and overwrite the
> password hash with one you do know as long as its the exact same amount
> of characters. (Any different length of characters will shift the data that
> sectors are looking for ans corrupt the drive).
> 
> <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: devin davison
> <lyokoboy0 at gmail.com> </div><div>Date:04/13/2016  10:57 PM  (GMT-
> 06:00) </div><div>To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> </div><div>Subject: Re: Getting an ibm as/400
> </div><div> </div>The size of two pc towers. I am trying to figure out how to
> log in. I tried the account qsecofr with pass qsecofr with no luck. I might
> actually have a licenced os on this thing, it is very different from anything i
> have worked with before. Not sure really where to go from here.
> 
> The drives are scsi, are they in a standard filesystem format i could read in a
> seperate machine?
> 
> On Wednesday, April 13, 2016, Pontus Pihlgren <pontus at update.uu.se>
> wrote:
> 
> > Nice! I have a 170 (not up and running, no OS). Which variant do you have.
> > Is it
> > about the size of a PC tower or or two PC towers next to each other?
> >
> > /P
> >
> > On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 08:09:02PM -0400, devin davison wrote:
> > > Alright. Picked up the machine today. Much smaller than expected,
> > > but everything needed seems to be included. I got a terminal as well
> > > as a box of cables. I managed to boot the machine up to the login
> > > screen. However
> > I
> > > do not know the username or password. I was speaking with someone
> on
> > > the phone that was quite knowlegable, they said that after 3
> > > attempts to
> > login
> > > it becomes a potato. What do i do from here. I am going to try and
> > contact
> > > the original owners, however i believe they are unwilling to help.
> > > Im
> > quite
> > > amazed the main drive was not wiped. Anyhow, if i can not get the
> > password
> > > from the original owners, there does appear to be a working install
> > > on
> > the
> > > drives, how would I go about resetting the password to gain access
> > > to the machine? The machine is a ibm as/400e 170.
> > >
> > > pictures to follow once I find my camera.
> > >
> > > --Devin
> > >
> > > On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 4:45 PM, Mazzini Alessandro <mazzinia at tin.it
> > <javascript:;>> wrote:
> > >
> > > > You had it easy.
> > > >
> > > > Once upon a time, a place I was working for decided to get a new
> > > > development as/400. The toy was 2x the 270 you mentioned (hd cage
> > > > taking one
> > side)...
> > > > and the shipping original ibm box upped the weight to dunno...
> > > > king
> > kong.
> > > > It didn't fit in the elevator, and anyway exceeded the max weight.
> > > >
> > > > The office was 2 floors up....
> > > >
> > > > We pushed it up, I still have the nightmares
> > > >
> > > > -----Messaggio originale-----
> > > > Da: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org <javascript:;>]
> > > > Per
> > conto di Kevin
> > > > Monceaux
> > > > Inviato: mercoledì 13 aprile 2016 21:09
> > > > A: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
> > > > Oggetto: Re: Getting an ibm as/400
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 01:26:29AM -0400, Ian Primus wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 12:42 AM, Jason T <silent700 at gmail.com
> > <javascript:;>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > > In IBM-speak, it's a "Midrange."
> > > > >
> > > > > Which is a fancy word for "unusually heavy for its size".
> > > >
> > > > That's the truth.  In a previous reply I mentioned I have a "small"
> > > > 9406-270
> > > > in my living room.  I found it listed on eBay.  It was in New York.
> > I'm in
> > > > Central Texas.  It was listed with a flat $50 shipping fee.  From
> > > > the photos and shipping fee I was expecting something small enough
> > > > to be shipped
> > by
> > > > UPS
> > > > or FedEx.  I made the seller an offer $50 less than the list price
> > which
> > > > they accepted, so I basically got free shipping.  It was shipped
> > > > by UPS
> > > > - UPS Freight.  There was no way UPS Fright could get down my
> > > > driveway
> > so I
> > > > had to pick it up at their terminal.  Fortunately it was shipped
> > > > on a
> > tiny
> > > > pallet that just fit in the back of my mini-van.  It looks like an
> > > > oversized tower PC, but is definitely unusually heavy for its
> > > > size.  I have to
> > use a
> > > > dolly to move it around.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > > > Kevin
> > > > http://www.RawFedDogs.net
> > > > http://www.Lassie.xyz
> > > > http://www.WacoAgilityGroup.org
> > > > Bruceville, TX
> > > >
> > > > What's the definition of a legacy system? One that works!
> > > > Errare humanum est, ignoscere caninum.
> > > >
> > > >
> >