Configure pSeries 615 with no video card

[fieryhail]

Question, I received a used pSeries 615 (7029-6C3) with no video card and no hard drives. I installed 4 hard drives but am unsure as to how to connect to configure BIOS or install AIX. I'm familier with using a console connection as with Cisco devices but am unsure as to how this will work on a pSeries server. I have tried plugging in to COM1 on the back, I do NOT have an HMC. Is it possible to use a standard PCI VGA card just to configure BIOS? Is there a way to do it entirely headless with no VGA card by only using the serial connection with Hyperterminal? From my understanding, the settings should be 19200, 8N1, with flow control off. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[rclarke250]

It does not need a video card, You go through com1, If you don't have an application that can emulate the ibm 3151 terminal, you can use hyperterm set emulation to vt100, Also you need a null modem cable to make the serial connection. I can't remember the speed might be 9600, the rest looks right.

 

[fieryhail]

I'm using a DB9F to DB9F serial cable connected to COM1 on the pSeries, and connected to COM1 on an IBM NetVista running XP and Hyperterminal. I changed the settings to 9600 but no output whatsoever on the hyperterminal side. I have an AIX disc to use to install, but can't get that far. It's possible that the serial cable I'm using is a straight-thru, it was a serial cable pulled from a box of old parts. If it IS a straight-thru serial, would that cause the symptoms of nothing on the hyperterminal session? Also, if necessary, will make a null-modem cable, I'm assuming a null-modem with handshaking, correct? Sorry if the questions seem stupid, the pSeries platform is entirely new to me. Thanks again for your advice.

 

[fieryhail]

I tried using a null-modem cable with handshaking ability, connected to COM1 on pSeries 615 and COM1 on NetVista (Windows XP), opened hyperterminal with settings of 9600, 8N1, hardware flow control, and no output whatsoever. There is no keyboard plugged into the pSeries. The LED panel on the front stated "OK" so it appears there's nothing wrong with the system itself. I also tried with the same settings except for 19200 for baud rate, same thing. Possibly need a reboot into SMS? But not sure how to accomplish this. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Is it possible I'm doing something wrong with powering the system on itself? Any guidance would be extremely helpful.

Also, I was looking for video adapters on eBay, would a GXT3000P work for this system? Even if only enough to setup console access? It's very frustrating lol.

 

[rclarke250]

Only video adapter I could find was:IBM fc 2849 Slot: G1 type:Short GXT135P Graphics Accel

 

[fieryhail]

Further research I've been doing keeps mentioning the ASMI via a web interface which can then be used to control th serial port settings, etc. I believe that there should be a way to reset the ASMI password from inside the system if necessary. IS there an ASMI system on the pSeries 615? I've seen reference to it on p5 and p6 servers but not so far on the p4, although I haven't seen anything stating that there is NOT one for the p4 series. Also, there are the 2 HMC serial interfaces on the 615, there are 2 ethernet ports are well, but they are not labeled HMC1 and HMC2, are these ethernet interfaces "mirrors" of the HMC1 and HMC2 serial ports? If so, I'd assume that I would need to install additional NIC interfaces for network connectivity such as internet, etc. Are Intel Pro/1000 NICs supported on these systems? Thanks again.

 

[rclarke250]

ok, lets see, the enet ports, are just that, enet ports. The one farthest from the hmc connectors is a 10/100 and the one closest is 1gb. Serial port 1 is the serial port by itself, next to the mouse port.

It has a service processor, it does not have ASMI. Also an OK in the LED window doesn't mean it is powered on, it means it is ready for you to press the power button to turn it on. After applying power, it takes awhile for the system to get to a ready state for power on, than you press the power button, and you will see the power LED blink fast, and the fans kick on full force, and it will start to display the checkpoint numbers in the LED window.

But when OK is displayed you should still get a terminal output to hyperterm. When the LED says OK, you should be able to press 1 on the terminal keyboard, and SMS should start.