Getting an ibm as/400

Thu Apr 14 09:46:18 CDT 2016

Also, DD won't work on those disks; you'll have to use sg_utils and use raw
SCSI commands to dump the disks. Linux DD uses the system calls to read
block devices, and interestingly enough, they only support multiples of
512b for sector size on that.

Dumping those disks isn't impossible, but you need the right tooling.

Yvan

On Thursday, 14 April 2016, Dave Wade <dave.g4ugm at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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 <javascript:;>] On
> Behalf Of Mazzini
> > Alessandro
> > Sent: 14 April 2016 15:24
> > To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts'
> > <cctalk at classiccmp.org <javascript:;>>
> > 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 <javascript:;>] 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 <javascript:;>> </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 <javascript:;>> </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
> <javascript:;>>
> > 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:;>
> > > <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:;>
> <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:;>
> > > <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.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
>
>
>

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