[aix thinkpad] IBM Thinkpad PowerSeries 820

[Stefan Tibus]

Hi Juergen.

> Norden, Ostfriesland, Niedersachsen
...quite far from here: Konstanz, Bodensee

> > Hmm, just took a look, the problem seems to be related with IBM
> > restructuring their website (think the Sales Manual has moved, but for
> > that one could go to www.rootvg.org - IBM Sales Manual - and search
> > for them).
> thanks, found a HTML version it.  But it's not too helpful. 
Yes, the sales manual just give an idea what's in the box and 
what it may be used for...

> Oh, without a CD-ROM drive I would have been lost anyway.  Now, I just
> ran out of CD-Rs as it refuses to read CD-RWs.
Well, I connected an external CD-ROM (thanks to SCSI) to do the 
installation etc. For playing around with Linux I used a Fujitsu MO 
drive, in HDD mode one may even boot from it (using 512Byte/sector media).

> I bought it on ebay and it's still on it way...  The picture looks like
> one from ADTX (http://www.adtx.com/us/conv-SCSI-IDE.html).
> 
> Guess gsmexpress has more of these.  I've seen at least 4 units sold,
> since I'm watching.  There's currently an auction ongoing, if anyone
> else is interested
>
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11150&item=4134413060).
Hm, looks interesting...ACARD also had one, but it looks like it's 
no longer being produced. How much are the shipping costs for that 
thing?

> Anyway, without some documentation about the wiring I'm probably lost
> there too.
I have some good news regarding this. Inspired by your questions I 
opened a hard drive caddy/frame (whatever that plastic boxes are 
called). Inside I found an IBM DVAS-2810 (TravelStar). The external 
60 pin connector is straight 1:1 to the drive's 50 pin connector 
(the upper 10 pins are left unconnected). The SCSI pinout for the 
drive is available at Hitachi now:
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/dhas/dhaseis.htm
(This actually is an older smaller drive, but I think the pinout is 
standardized and the connectors actually look the same.)
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/dvas/dvaseis.htm
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/dvas/dvaseis.htm

Judging from the auction's picture, the connector in front is the 
SCSI connector, with pin 17 cut and the 8 rightmost pins are for 
ID setting. In IBMs adaptor box, this is connected using one single 
50 pin connector. I have no idea what happens to the ID lines, 
they're probably left open. There also exists a frame for a second 
hard drive to be mounted in place of the CD-ROM and it has some 
dip switches, most probably for setting the SCSI ID. It would make 
sense to have the ID jumpers on that 60 pin connector available then.

I guess the hard thing now is getting the correct connectors (or an 
empty hard drive box).

> > > Does the firmware have network support (e.g. for remote boot)?
The 860 with IBMs Credit Card Ethernet Adaptor does not.
 
> Yes.  http://www.3klix.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?id=1148&cid=1798&ct=2 As
> But as I'm probably going for Linux eventually and there's no firmware
> support anyway...
But for Linux you may use ordinary PC PCMCIA cards...

cu,
Stefan

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