I have a shot at picking up an ANS 700/200 running AIX. The big questions I have for all of you are:
[*]Can I run a native Mac OS on this machine? (No AIX or A/UX, just Mac OS)
[*]If not, where can I get ahold of A/UX?
[*]Where can I get MAE (Macintosh Application Environment)?
[*]What cards did this machine take (NuBus, PCI, etc) - I just do not know and am not finding it on google (but I am not done looking).
Thanks!
--DDTM
No.
AIX != A/UX. It runs the former, not the latter.
As for where to get it, hope the unit you buy comes with a CD. It's not legal to download, and it came with a special, custom version that doesn't run on *anything* else. (The unit is basically a hybrid between Mac technology and a low-end RS/6000.)
For alternatives, it will run Linux, or at least it used to, but it's apparently d*mn difficult to install.
So far as I know there never was a version for AIX.
*If* you could get Linux running on it, and *if* you could get X running on Linux, with either the lousy onboard video or a video card, you could probably run MOL on it.
PCI.
--Peace
(where the hey does that name come from anyway?)
Lots of info on the ANS machines here: http://www.shiner.info/
I have an ANS700 (and the AIX install disks)
I've talked to some ANS owners, some of them own more than one and can't get their hands on enough of them... and I can't figure out why... it's a boat anchor... but apparently, also a pretty reliable, although slow, server.
A good point to getting one... learning AIX is not necessarily a bad thing, although there are cheaper and better ways to do it (maybe). AIX is owned by IBM, so, technically, you'd have to pay for a copy, unless you get an old (hopefully cheap) RS/6000 that happens to have a copy installed. You see, the AIX on the ANS only goes up to v.4.1.5, and current is at least v5.1. AIX is a decent UNIX. But it is absolutely no fun.
The ANS won't run any other OS other than some version of linux (yuk!) and NetBSD (yea!). The ANS won't run any Mac OS (unless you consider the special AIX that runs it a "Mac OS". Ask Dr. Bob.
There were rumors that if you could find a ROM chip for a 9500 (apparantly the closest relative Mac, only the early ones had ROM chips that were removable, but this kills the 9500) that it would boot in some Mac legacy OS. Dr. Bob told me he tried and tried, but couldn't get it to work.
I've also heard that an early version of Rhapsody booted on an ANS. Good luck finding that (it would be pretty cool, though).
NetBSD is a great OS... can utilize the RAID card on the ANS... there are detailed instructions here for installation.
problems? Finding RAM. It will work with non-parity RAM, about $15 for 128MB DIMM these days from OWC, elsewhere, but using it kind of begs for massive data corruption. Finding parity DIMMs for this thing is hard, and expensive. Also, finding native SCSI drives for this thing is near impossible, too. I think every other SCSI drive seller on eBay is a just out to make your life miserable. I used to love SCSI... but now... I have too many scars on my knuckles and too many broken adapters to ever screw with it again unnecesarily.
BUT....
The box is so cool....
I haven't made measurements yet, but I'm keeping mine in the hopes that someday I can make a Mini Cluster, with hot swapable Mini nodes... and fill the rest of the box with fw drives...TONs of them... its just an idea right now, but I think it would be pretty neat, and the beauty of it is all the Mini's would stay intact... the idea is the Mini would just 'plug' into some custom interface where the RAID drives live... just an idea... just a dream...
ah, well...
"True Two-Form Tooth"
http://www.pterosaur.co.uk/species/UTP/Eudi/Eudimo-ranzii.htm
One of the oldest known Triassic pterosaurs, unique for having multi-cusped teeth.
A self-portrait:
(Of course, this doesn't have a lot to do with ANS-es.) ;^>
--Peace
I had oft wondered about the name myself. Figured it was something similar, bit not so cool as it actually is.
This is all some really good info and links. Thankyoumuch!
I have the option of picking up a working ANS or a non-working ANS (both 700/200). I *may* be able to pick up a copy of YDL, but was hoping to run some Classic Mac OS. If I got the working one, I would turn it into a Mac server and do some good stuff. If I got the non-working one, it would become the new case for a Quadra 950 with about 6 internal CDs, plus several drives.
I am kinda leaning towards the non-working one right now, since that lets me do more 'Mac' stuff. AIX is cool, but it may be more than I have time to deal with just yet.
--DDTM
and is not mature yet... it changes almost every freaking day, breaks itself when you're not paying attention (God that is annoying)... its like shooting yourself in the foot (but if you really like fanatics and poison kool aid... go for it).
NetBSD is the way to go with the ANS. The RAID card is supported. Do some research.
Doesn't NetBSD put me within reach of running OS X?
If so, has anyone actually gotten that to work?
And, er... you're *not* a fanatic?
--Peace
Linux is neat... it is... but its not the second coming... really, its not... but thats what I hear from the penguinistas.
I think its a decent desktop, I just would not want to ever admin a server running it. I think I layed it on a little too thick... because they're everywhere and its driving me nuts, and I guess I feel I've taken up the cause, to give balance to the universe, to trash it every chance I get.
Though I am more than a little fanatical about OS X... I just love it... I think I'm going to ask it to marry me... (fat chance, I know)
btw I've been shot down asking the same question about NetBSD and the ANS. That server won't run OS X. But NetBSD, being a BSD, like OS X is a BSD, is similar to Darwin. I thought running Darwin on an ANS would be a great idea, but there are no drivers for the RAID card. But I swear I didn't dream this, I really heard that one of the early developer releases of Rhapsody ran on the ANS... and if so, it probably supported the RAID card. Of course, the ANS will run without using that RAID card, but then you'll be selling the whole thing short.
It's amazing how having a job where you *have* to work with BSDs, Linux, Windows, Macs, *and* the occasional Solaris box and make them all cooperate with each other will completely burn out your tolerance for operating system fanatics.
Frankly the evangelists would do themselves a favor if they at least made a token stab at keeping their advocacy constructive. The strident, accusatory sort turns off far more people then it impresses.
--Peace
ax0n once told me that in his opinion, if a person can learn AIX well, they'd be quite well on the path of using/understanding just about any other UNIX. FWIK it's got it's quirks, but it's a fairly constistent layout.
It helps that almost all modern unices (yes, I did just make up that, and yes, it is the plural of unix) comply to a few different standards and are nearly always partly BSD.
uh... I was
here first
March 10, 2004
and
here second
December 3, 2004
but I didn't coin this... some old geezer unix guru did...
otherwise... I have to agree, it does help.
Just curious - why is this thread in the 68k forum?
Matt
Whoops, sorry about that, I think. I did make it up on the spot, though. I wouldn't read a thread about something as dreary as partitioning.
I posted it here because I did not think it belonged in "Other Computers" because it was technically Apple and the question was about running a Mac OS or hacking a Quadra into the case of an ANS700. The topic has strayed a bit. The point is now moot for me as the ANS was not available to me due to circumstances beyond anybody's control and sheer chance.