DNR, the rodeo, and the server

Post by **DNR** » 18 Aug 2009, 20:39

Well I went to our local community country fair. We drove into town and we had to pay for parking and walk into the fairgrounds.

Lo and behold, I spy something put out for trash. I knew it was a computer from afar, but as I got closer I saw it was a damn SERVER!
Of course the wife says - "we got no place for it, we are going to the fair! How are you going to carry that around!"
So I wept.

We get to the fair, check out all the cool animals, food, and some rides.
Of course my eye is always tuned to the techy stuff -
Can you identify this?

The rodeo was fun and had its moments.

But I couldn't get my mind out of the gutter - I was thinking about the server that was set out in the gutter -so I convinced the wife to let me leave her there and run the server home (I only live 5 min away)!

A bit closer, you can see why I am so interested.

It still has a HDD in the caddy - the caddy I removed and placed on top to show. The back, the insides look clean and dry, with a little dust. Tomorrow I will plug in my keyboard, mouse, and monitor and see if it works! So check in later!

Oh that shiny metal thing -

DNR

Post by **Gogeta70** » 18 Aug 2009, 21:32

Dayum! Nice find!

Hope you had fun at the rodeo.

Post by **ph0bYx** » 19 Aug 2009, 04:37

lol @ picture 1

Hope it works!

Post by **bad_brain** » 19 Aug 2009, 04:55

sweet, I am really curious already if it's working and what is/was on the HDD....

DrVirus · Post by **DrVirus** » 19 Aug 2009, 05:58

U can find servers in trash cans in US ?? Wait I'm applying for Visa !!!

/* Starts begging the passport officer */

Post by **DNR** » 19 Aug 2009, 07:43

its about 9:30am EST, I figure by 3pm EST I'll have a report on it.
I did see a tag on it ref 1997, but close inspection I'm finding it very clean. Since I have working computers that are older (20yrs) I have some faith it might work.

If the machine won't boot, I will remove the HDD and put it in another machine.

I will take more pictures.

Yea, I suspect the house that it was in front of might perhaps be a free-lance IT, and he had a customer that wanted a server upgrade. It is also illegal to dispose of electronics and computers in to the trash - it is considered hazardous waste and has to be taken to a trash center.

DNR

Post by **ayu** » 19 Aug 2009, 10:48

awww, someone threw the server away : (

you have to show it a lot of love!
Also on a side note, I can't figure out what's so special about the bomb-looking device on your satellite dish is ^_^

Post by **DNR** » 19 Aug 2009, 11:00

Some prior research:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlphaServer

AlphaServer was the name given to a series of server computers, produced from 1994 onwards by Digital Equipment Corporation, and latterly by Compaq and HP. As the name suggests, the AlphaServers were based on the DEC Alpha 64-bit microprocessor. Supported operating systems for AlphaServers are Tru64 UNIX (formerly Digital UNIX), OpenVMS and Windows NT (on earlier systems, with AlphaBIOS ARC firmware), while enthusiasts have provided alternative operating systems such as Linux, NetBSD, OpenBSD and FreeBSD.
--
The model 5/400 reference to a specific family
Noritake Family

5/400 Noritake-Primo 21164A
(EV56) CPU 400
1 PCI-X/EISA Mini-tower (can be converted to rackmount) 1997-04-14

http://h18002.www1.hp.com/alphaserver/support.html

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/alphant/

-----

Ok, I set up a suitable workspace to plug in the machine and check it out.
Because I saved all my old stuff, I had a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse and a power plug.

Nothing like an open air office eh?

Now on initial inspection you can find some useful nfo: This helped me correctly guess it was built in 1997.

Boy, I was excited after plugging everything in, now alls left to do is BOOT UP! The buttons are obvious on the front, and I watched the screen on the front self-test - looks good!

On the monitor the results are positive, I let it cycle completely through the first boot without stopping it. It takes me to a login for WinNT4

the other screens on booting:

The self-test and boot screens with NO error messages except for no network detected.

I rebooted and stopped it at the System Setup by hitting F2
The results for this machine:

System Type: Alpha Server Family
Digital Alpha Server 1000 model 5/400 (# PB78D-XA)
Processor: Digital Alpha 21164 rv 7.2
Speed:400mhz
cache:2mb
memory:384mb

HDD - SCSI 8.67mb with 3 partions
partion 1 2000mb
partion 2 6672mb
partion 3 6mb

Windows NT 4 sp3

I don't have the gear to swap out this HDD

I think this is a double or triple platter setup because of how thick it is. I am sure this machine was state of the art back in its day 1997.

I plan to burn a nux disk to boot to, so I can get the hash off the machine and feed it to Cain & Abel. It has a 3.5 and CD-ROM, a NIC and other ports.

more later.
DNR

Post by **DNR** » 19 Aug 2009, 11:44

I just love the sturdy case, its like its twice as heavy as a regular PC box. I bet you can shoot a .22, a .38, a 9mm and neither will go through the box. This is a heavy machine. Now, I perform my alien autopsy..

The top of the server slides off partway, then lift.

The case top had a little nfo about the box, the cables tied up tight like it should be. This is typical for servers, a higher standard of construction, ISO 2002 etc.

You can check out the mobo, the processor hidden under the silver heatsink, the board looks clean with no corrosion - a good sign. See the bottom left of photo, the mobo SN#. Ain't it funny - the big nuts to secure the heat sink!

The side panel then comes off, here is the full view of the huge mobo

Check out the massive dual bank of memory chips - this particular feature is what makes this a server class machine. This is 384mb.

Since the HDD is in its own caddy, and I don't have plugs for the caddy system - inside you can find extra plugs to try to match and install your own HDD to boot to. I think I saw a switch on the old HDD to make it the slave.

No photo, it has a chamber for the PSU, and the PSU is huge. You still have room to install another backup PSU in the chamber.

What next? Try to boot to another HDD..

DNR

Post by **Gogeta70** » 19 Aug 2009, 15:40

This is getting really interesting...

Post by **ayu** » 19 Aug 2009, 16:01

gogeta70 wrote:This is getting really interesting...

I totally agree ... I honestly didn't think it would boot

EDIT: This is pr0n for me, getting excited here ... more pics! GET THOSE SIDES OFF!

Post by **floodhound2** » 20 Aug 2009, 08:26

Well I have been reading this and its great to follow. Kind of, a nerd soap opera and I am desperately waiting for the next show. I anticipate that booting a Linux disk will be hit or miss. My main concern is "DRIVERS", however I am chewing on my nails DNR. Lets get that data!

If that wont work perhaps I can send you my cable converter.

Post by **DNR** » 20 Aug 2009, 10:23

actually since it is Win NT 4, I plan on using something like a boot cd with NTFSDOS, and just delete the SAM. This should be ok since the Data protection stuff was not implemented until XP and is optional.

It is amazing what people throw out, I also find plenty of PCs, and many still have the OS on it. I save everything, parts keep the older systems running - for kicks.

I have also found a PC that was burned in a fire - the HDD works fine!

I started coming down with H1N1 so its a little rough to get started and setup the workspace again. The machine has a terrible smell, something is electronically burnt (you don't have to feel for caps, when they leak, they smell) Since the mobo and boards look clean, and that I had a sucessful boot - I suspect the PSU. It failed to boot yesterday

I guess they threw it out for a reason.

Also the HDD swap is not going to work, I got IDE stuff, this is SATA stuff with wider pins. So the only way I will see what is on the disk is by booting and bypassing login.

It is still fun though.

DNR

Post by **bad_brain** » 20 Aug 2009, 11:18

it's not SATA buddy, when that server was built there was no SATA around yet...the plug looks like IDE but if it don't fit it must be SCSI...which was the standard for servers for a long time...

have you tried to boot from a CD? if you could boot a Linux live distro you could surely mount the HDD and check the content...

f4Gg0t_43 · Post by **f4Gg0t_43** » 20 Aug 2009, 12:38

This is very interesting keep posting more DNR. Also I didn't know you looked like FPS Doug in real life haha