Netfinity 4000R - PCI video 1

[RebBreinholt]

We had someone donate 2 Netfinity 4000R servers to a local High School. They did not come with the KVM cables. Can we get the servers to run by installing a PCI video card and using a USB keyboard and mouse? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tympanicman]

I am by far not an expert on the Netfinity 4000R but I have had a simular problem. I just bought a Netfinity 4000R and like you had no way of hooking up a keyboard, Mouse or monitor. What you want is this part number 21P8574 This part comes in two forms a single cable that hooks to the FRU port and terminates to a keyboard , mouse and monitor connectors and a cable that connects to the FRU and terminates to a breakout box for a keyboard, mouse and monitor. IBM has this part for $50.00 this is a big jump from the other posts in this forum that state this part is only $ 17.00 (Three years ago) You can find these on ebay, where I just bought mine for $30.00. Now they are not listed every day so just keep checking. Being that a PCI video card is not ver expensive you may want to try your soultion, but I think you will find the BIOS is set to boot the onboard video, and the only way to change this is to get to the BIOS using a keyboard hooked to the FRU by a 21P8574.... Hope this helps.... Let me know.... I am looking for upgrade information on the CPU's mine is a 650Mhz 100Mhz buss can I go to a 1Ghz 133 Mhz buss??

 

[RebBreinholt]

I tried a PCI card, but it appears Tympanicman is correct, in that the BIOS must be configured to see the video card.
I will try to locate a KVM cable.