Rhapsody DR2 on a Workgroup Server 8550/132

[iamdigitalman]

Hey all. My new pet project is getting my workgrkroup server 8550/132 set up as a server. Not sure what I want it to do yet, probably hook up the color stylewriter 2500 and have it be another printer for all the machines in my house, or as a file server for part of my files. I will figure that out later.

Anywho, I was looking over the system requirements for Mac OS X Server 1.0, and did not see my machine on the list (though I did see the beige G3, one of which I happen to have in begging to be a server tower form). So, I stepped things back to Rhapsody DR2, since I have a copy, plus it's basically unix, and I can run some server software off of it.

I popped in the CD, and it refused to boot, instead of booting the CD, it booted 7.6. I opened the case up, and switched the SCSI ID, and it booted right off the CD. After installing in the Mac OS, it rebooted into the rhapsody installer, and it sat there and installed for a bit. It requested a reboot, and I told it too. Upon reboot, it died. I got the power light, and the fans, and the HD was spinning, but the monitor never came out of standby, and I could not hear the HD reading.

Frantic, I rebooted and pressed C. Surprisingly, it booted to the Mac OS install on the rhapsody CD. The install is now hosed I think...

What gives? Isn't the 8550 just a modified PM 8500? There is a G3 upgrade in this beast, but from what I have read, it should still work and show up as a fast 603. I do have the original 604 card I think, in the newpower G3 box, I could swap that back in.

Specs:

Workgroup Server 8550/132

G3 of unknown speed

224 mb RAM

17gb SCSI HD

Apple Fast Ethernet PCI card

Would this machine also work with MOSXS 1.0+? If so, I would like to make it work. Ideally, I would like it to run 1.2v3, but I can't find a copy, only 1.0 and 1.1.

-digital

 

[wood_e]

I would try putting in the original 604 card as a test.

 

[Cory5412]

In Mac OSX Server 1.0/1.1/1.2 there's a little checkbox. You boot the CD, open the installer and go to the special menu, and there's an option for unsupported machines. you check the box for "install anyway" (I haven't done this for many many years) and OSX 1.0/1.1/1.2 should install just fine.

Also, I agree on putting in the original 604 card if you have it, especially for installation. G3 may work fine for everyday running though.

 

[iamdigitalman]

great, I will swap that back in later. I actually have 2 of them in 2 nupower boxes, not sure if they are identical or not, or what the speed is. Who knows, I might have one of the 200mhz beasts.

 

[iamdigitalman]

Ok, I popped in one of the 2 cards, and it installed just fine. Oddly, I had a different installer this time around, where the first part is in what appears to be the loading bar, and the second in a next-like window. The first time around reminded me of the x86 version, where it's in a white terminal like window with a black box.

I checked under the about box, and it says it's a 195mhz 604e, so it looks like I have a 200mhz card, the other I still don't know, though it has a identical connector, and there is a 1995 copyright date on it.

I did notice the system is somewhat unstable, proving to hard lock up every now and again, and I can't get the machine hooked to my network. I thought this was built on a crashproof unix foundation, but then again, it is a beta release.

Now I need to track down a copy of OSX server 1.2v3 and string a 100 foot ethernet cable to the garage, so I can set up a descent hotline server.

-digital

 

[iamdigitalman]

Well, I hate to say it, but this project is on ice. I was trying to add in a second HD (a smaller one dedicated to the OS, the large one would be for the hotline server.

However, when I was playing around with the drives, I must have not hooked something right, and the next thing I get is a familiar burning corn smell. Luckily no magic smoke, and the overload protection circuit killed the machine. I did get a bong. I pulled the drive out,and on the underside, the controller board had a bulge. One of the chips fried. I assume the HD would still work if I had a identical board, but being sans this part (and it likely being made out of unobtanium), I can not continue. I also have no other SCSI drives asside from an 80mb and a 250mb.

I will ask around on the LEM swap and see if anyone has any large (10gb+) SCSI drives. I would like 2, but beggars can't be choosers.

-digital

 

[porter]

How does one connect a SCSI drive up incorrectly? Both connectors are keyed.