Apple Network Server 500 lives (sort of)

[CTB]

So I managed to acquire a ANS 500 with 96MB RAM but no hard rive. It started up first time into Open-Firmware. I am now learning a lot about this weird piece of Apple history. I believe it is the only Apple computer sold without an Apple operating system. It has a very weird physical locking system with keyed locks back and front. The locks are also electrically active and the server will only perform certain functions depending on the position of the key. As an example you can install the OS unless the front key is in the service position. So guess what, I need to install the OS as it didn't come with a drive AND the front lock is seized. I had to do a bit of detective work with a multimeter but I managed to work out what pins did what on the lock so was able to hot wire the thing. Now time to actually install the OS. I will keep you posted.

 

[ScutBoy]

Nice! Be aware that with the battery out (which is a good idea, ask me how I know) the NVRAM may not hold the boot device string. Make a note of it if you can. For example, with my ANS with RAID card, the boot command is

boot pci1/dac960/sd@8:aix

You can set this in NVRAM with the setenv command if you keep a battery in. The actual syntax of the command is not top of mind; let me know if you need me to figure it out.

 

[CTB]

Good point. Thank you. I will put a PRAM battery in for now and once I get it working I will note the boot device string.

 

[aplmak]

ScutBoy your absolutely correct! You need to make sure you know the boot string.. especially if you have the raid card. And yes that PRAM battery is a ticking time bomb on that board placed right at the top.. lol.. I bought those cool little adapters for coin batteries for mine. I forget the name of them but they are out there.

Keep in mind on they key switch there is service mode, normal mode and locked mode. The key switch should use the same key as the one to lock it in the back I’m pretty sure. If you need a new key switch with a key let me know I know a place where you can buy one.

Congrats on your ANS 500!!!

 

[aplmak]

By ticking time bomb I mean you don’t want to leave it in there and forget it.. over time it could leak and destroy your main board and other stuff.

 

[CTB]

ScutBoy your absolutely correct! You need to make sure you know the boot string.. especially if you have the raid card. And yes that PRAM battery is a ticking time bomb on that board placed right at the top.. lol.. I bought those cool little adapters for coin batteries for mine. I forget the name of them but they are out there.

Keep in mind on they key switch there is service mode, normal mode and locked mode. The key switch should use the same key as the one to lock it in the back I’m pretty sure. If you need a new key switch with a key let me know I know a place where you can buy one.

Congrats on your ANS 500!!!

I definitely need a new lock set and keys.

 

[aplmak]

ScutBoy hey just an fyi you may want to remove that battery on the daughter card on the raid board. I removed mine, it just unplugs. I disabled the battery feature in the raid setup utility. Since this is not really a production server I’m not too worried about that cache battery more than protecting the boards. Lol

 

[ScutBoy]

ScutBoy hey just an fyi you may want to remove that battery on the daughter card on the raid board. I removed mine, it just unplugs. I disabled the battery feature in the raid setup utility. Since this is not really a production server I’m not too worried about that cache battery more than protecting the boards. Lol

Oh yes - done and done! I had thought I removed the battery from my ANS, but a new logic board/CPU/RAID card later were the price for not checking! Was able to source the logic board and CPU as Apple parts, but had to get a generic Mylex RAID card and move over the Apple specific ROM from the other card to make it work.

Like you, I didn't see the need for battery back-up on the RAID, so I took that out as well.

 

[aplmak]

Scutboy hey I have dumped the Mylex RAID ROM if you need it for the card. I've reproduced some extra copies. Just a heads up.

 

[ScutBoy]

Scutboy hey I have dumped the Mylex RAID ROM if you need it for the card. I've reproduced some extra copies. Just a heads up.

Good to know! I'm OK for now, but will hit you up if I ever fall down this hole again!

 

[shadedream]

Man I love these things... my wife will not be happy if I ever stumble upon one locally...

 

[Byrd]

They’re just a little bit oversized Put a fridge door on it and say it’s that for partner approval

 

[shadedream]

They’re just a little bit oversized Put a fridge door on it and say it’s that for partner approval

some big bumpons and a piece of glass and it's an end table!

 

[aplmak]

CTB these are the 3V battery adapters I bought for my ANS’s and other Macs from France! I love them.

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[CTB]

Haha. I have exactly the same one already installed.

 

[aplmak]

Haha. I have exactly the same one already installed.

They are ingenious little things! Totally worth it!!! Highly unlikely that coin cell will leak... It's been a long time since I've seen a coin cell leak. And if so the damage is not nearly as bad as the regular PRAM batteries... especially the Maxell... (I cringe when I see one of those) If it wasn't for keeping the Mylex RAID board settings on boot in memory I would leave no batteries inside. I also used a label maker to put the boot line you need to enter ontop of the metal front of the machine. After not using one of these servers for a long time you forget the boot string for the RAID card.

 

[CTB]

So I managed to acquire a ANS 500 with 96MB RAM but no hard rive. It started up first time into Open-Firmware. I am now learning a lot about this weird piece of Apple history. I believe it is the only Apple computer sold without an Apple operating system. It has a very weird physical locking system with keyed locks back and front. The locks are also electrically active and the server will only perform certain functions depending on the position of the key. As an example you can install the OS unless the front key is in the service position. So guess what, I need to install the OS as it didn't come with a drive AND the front lock is seized. I had to do a bit of detective work with a multimeter but I managed to work out what pins did what on the lock so was able to hot wire the thing. Now time to actually install the OS. I will keep you posted.View attachment 58689View attachment 58690View attachment 58691View attachment 58692View attachment 58693

It lives. Finally a fully operational Apple Network Server 500. After having to source a new lock, internal SCSI interconnect board, Wide SCSI to 50-pin cable, new floppy drive, a crash course in AIX and an adventure in solid state SCSI solutions (spoiler: blueSCSI failed badly, scsi2sd is solid as a rock) the ANS 500 is now fully functional and on my network. Next is to get the classics macs to talk to it. Stay tuned

 

[joshc]

Congrats! This is awesome.

 

[ClassicGuyPhilly]

Way to go! Congratulations!

 

[ScutBoy]

Congrats!