[comp.unix.aix] Taking memory out of an RS/6000

matt@karazm.math.uh.edu (Matt Emerson) (05/29/91)

For complex reasons, I needed to take 8Mb of ram (one memory card) out
of an RS/6000 model 320.  Now that it has only 8Mb of ram left, it won't
boot. It gives error 949 on the red 3-digit display (means direct-attached
disk isn't responding, or some other seemingly irrelevant problem).

Is there anything I can do to avoid reinstalling AIX?

--
Matt Emerson
matt@karazm.math.uh.edu

shair@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Bob Shair) (05/29/91)

A special version of the kernel is built on 8MB systems,
which uses somewhat less memory.  This kernel will also
run with more memory, but not the other way around.  

My first computer had 2000 6-bit words.  Doesn't seem
THAT long ago.  Anyone want to place bets on when the 
first operating system which won't boot in 1GB RAM will
be shipped?
-- 

Bob Shair                          shair@chgvmic1.vnet.ibm.com
Scientific Computing Specialist    SHAIR@UIUCVMD (bitnet)
IBM Champaign

jona@iscp.Bellcore.COM (Jon Alperin) (05/29/91)

|> My first computer had 2000 6-bit words.  Doesn't seem
|> THAT long ago.  Anyone want to place bets on when the 
|> first operating system which won't boot in 1GB RAM will
|> be shipped?
|> -- 
|> 
|> Bob Shair                          shair@chgvmic1.vnet.ibm.com
|> Scientific Computing Specialist    SHAIR@UIUCVMD (bitnet)
|> IBM Champaign

   Better yet...does anyone want to bet it will probably come
from IBM?????? :-}
-- 
Jon Alperin
Bell Communications Research

---> Internet: jona@iscp.bellcore.com
---> Voicenet: (908) 699-8674
---> UUNET: uunet!bcr!jona

* All opinions and stupid questions are my own *

marc@stingray.austin.ibm.com (Marc J. Stephenson/140000;1C-22) (05/29/91)

In article <1991May29.024542.1596@menudo.uh.edu> matt@karazm.math.uh.edu (Matt Emerson) writes:
>For complex reasons, I needed to take 8Mb of ram (one memory card) out
>of an RS/6000 model 320.  Now that it has only 8Mb of ram left, it won't
>boot. It gives error 949 on the red 3-digit display (means direct-attached
>disk isn't responding, or some other seemingly irrelevant problem).
>
>Is there anything I can do to avoid reinstalling AIX?
>
>--
>Matt Emerson
>matt@karazm.math.uh.edu

Yes, there is something that can be done - you will need to edit 
/usr/bin/bosboot and then rerun bosboot -a.  If you can temporarily get back
that 8MB card to get back to 16MB, then you won't need to boot in maintenance
mode; otherwise, you will.

After you've booted your machine, (after running /etc/continue if in 
maintenance mode), edit /usr/bin/bosboot.  Look for a comment which will say
something like "If there is only 8MB of memory, must compress the RAM disk".
Comment out the "if [ "$sizemem" -le 8192 ]" the "then" that follows, then
the "fi" which follows that.  Write the file back to disk.  sync if you
are in maintenance mode.  Then, run bosboot -a.  You should then have
a system which will boot in 8MB.
-- 
Marc Stephenson		      IBM PSPA (Personal System Programming - Austin,TX)
DISCLAIMER: The content of this posting is independent of official IBM position.
marc@stingray.austin.ibm.com 	VNET: MARC at AUSVMQ  	IBM T/L: 793-3796

geoff@ugc.uucp (Geoff Coleman) (05/30/91)

In article <1991May29.061523.7008@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> shair@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Bob Shair) writes:
>
>My first computer had 2000 6-bit words.  Doesn't seem
>THAT long ago.  Anyone want to place bets on when the 
>first operating system which won't boot in 1GB RAM will
>be shipped?
>-- 
>
>Bob Shair                          shair@chgvmic1.vnet.ibm.com
>Scientific Computing Specialist    SHAIR@UIUCVMD (bitnet)
>IBM Champaign

	Nope but I sure will bet on which company will come up with it :-)


Geoff Coleman

fangchin@elaine54.Stanford.EDU (Chin Fang) (05/30/91)

In article <1991May30.002443.192@ugc.uucp> geoff@ugc.uucp (Geoff Coleman) writes:
>In article <1991May29.061523.7008@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> shair@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Bob Shair) writes:
>>
>>My first computer had 2000 6-bit words.  Doesn't seem
>>THAT long ago.  Anyone want to place bets on when the 
>>first operating system which won't boot in 1GB RAM will
>>be shipped?
>>-- 
>>
>>Bob Shair                          shair@chgvmic1.vnet.ibm.com
>>Scientific Computing Specialist    SHAIR@UIUCVMD (bitnet)
>>IBM Champaign
>
>	Nope but I sure will bet on which company will come up with it :-)
>
You know the answer, I know the answer and he knows the answer.  The company's
name is spelled as I?M [ middle char left out so their attonies won't be 
able to nail me :-). BTW, if they happen to know regexp, I would change my 
face to :-( ]

Have a nice day.

Chin Fang
Mechanical Engineering Department
Stanford University
fangchin@leland.stanford.edu