IBM Netfinity woes

[ratdude747]

I have an old IBM Netfinity that I can't seem to get any OS to run right on:

Linuxes: DSL boots fine, all others kernel panic (I read that it's due to a change of the memory allocation in later kernels for the PIII Katmai that the netfinity doesn't like)

Windows Sever 2000: Installs fine, my NEC usb 2.0 cards don't work right (all but one aren't detected at all (hot swap light off), one shows up but gives a device instance error when something is connected to the card. The onboard USB works fine.

Windows Server 2003 Standard: Won't install, PCMCIA.sys corrupted during install disc loading. I tried three different downloads (one direct from microsoft no less) and two different DVD drives (plus the original CD drive), same result every time.

I did find what appeared to be bad RAM, which I removed... but even after that memtest86 seemed somewhat hit and miss.

Suggestions? Or do I have a really cool looking paperweight on my hands?

[Topcat]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

I got win2k to run on it (assuming its my old netfinity 7000), it just got wonky over time.... Did you replace the faulty RAM?

[ratdude747]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

I got win2k to run on it (assuming its my old netfinity 7000), it just got wonky over time.... Did you replace the faulty RAM?

I did too (same unit), minus the fact I couldn't get the USB card I added to work right... they're 5V PCI slots too IIRC.

I removed the faulty RAM.

[stj]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

use that Linux version that compiles everything for the hardware.
i think it was Gentoo

[ratdude747]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

use that Linux version that compiles everything for the hardware.
i think it was Gentoo

The issue isn't booting the install, it's booting the live media needed to perform the install in the first place.

Given that there server 2003 drivers on IBM's site for the unit, I'm thinking it's cooked... oh well, I'll keep it as a collectible if nothing else. Not like these are super common.

(:soap: IBM )

[stj]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

gentoo has a commandline insall image that runs on a 486 and probably will work.

if not, i think they have an installer you run on a running Linux - maybe DSL / Puppy / vector etc will run it.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

Disassemble the system, clean the motherboard, reseat all cards and RAM then reset the CMOS.

[ratdude747]

Re: IBM Netfinity woes

Disassemble the system, clean the motherboard, reseat all cards and RAM then reset the CMOS.

Will do at a later date. Too sore from surgery to mess with it right now.