how to install Linux on an IBM xserver 335 server without graphics card?

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SilverNodashi

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Hi All,

I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.

It has 2x GB NIC's, and what looks like a management port, but I can't figure out how to use it. SSH & HTTP connections to it was futile. OR, it was assigned a dedicated IP, on a different subnet than ours but it's not written down anywhere so I don't know what IP to connect to.

Does anyone know how to get Linux installed onto these devices? We have a PXE server in the office which I generally use for this setting up servers over the LAN, but they always have a VGA port.
 
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The_Unbeliever

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Does it have any internal PCI slots?

Then you can just drop a PCI VGA card in, do the installation and finish it.

Does it have a serial port? Chances are that you can connect a terminal to it and access it that way.

Weird. :/
 
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ChristopherB

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There is this new thing you can try, but it'll cost you money....USB Graphics...Your monitor receives graphic output via USB port, now it's not ideal for games, but for normal day to day office, it's perfect.

normally you can just temporally take the servers drive, pop it into a pc that has a working graphic station. install the content, then move the drive back into your other pc, bobs your uncle it's installed....but your situation sounds a bit different.

Send us a picture of how it looks...I'm trying to look on google images, but not much help there...
Send a picture with the back or front of it, we could probably come up with an idea.
 
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Cadavre777

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The_Librarian said:
Does it have a serial port? Chances are that you can connect a terminal to it and access it that way.
Click to expand...

That or purchase the C2T KVM cable. The chances of USB input devices being supported are low, so do things properly and you should be fine.
 
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SilverNodashi

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The_Librarian said:
Does it have any internal PCI slots?

Then you can just drop a PCI VGA card in, do the installation and finish it.

Does it have a serial port? Chances are that you can connect a terminal to it and access it that way.

Weird. :/
Click to expand...


It only has a PCI-X and I don't have a PCI-X card to put in.

The console doesn't output anything, already tried that.
 
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SilverNodashi

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ChristopherB said:
There is this new thing you can try, but it'll cost you money....USB Graphics...Your monitor receives graphic output via USB port, now it's not ideal for games, but for normal day to day office, it's perfect.
Click to expand...
I know those, but don't have one, and don't see it fit to search one now with many suppliers not getting new stock, etc


ChristopherB said:
normally you can just temporally take the servers drive, pop it into a pc that has a working graphic station. install the content, then move the drive back into your other pc, bobs your uncle it's installed....but your situation sounds a bit different.
Click to expand...

Yea, I thought of that too, but it has SCSI U320 type drives, and I don't have another spare machine with SCSI U320 ports - they're a bit old.

ChristopherB said:
Send us a picture of how it looks...I'm trying to look on google images, but not much help there...
Send a picture with the back or front of it, we could probably come up with an idea.
Click to expand...

This is the one:


http://server.com.ps/ibm/x335 front.JPG
 
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SilverNodashi

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ChristopherB

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Oh yeah I see, I noticed one thing on there that tells me that the IBM Server has display output capabilities, it's that rectangle with two lines on either side of the rectangle...see image for an example..

http://jump.fm/OJSFK

So all you need to do is find out how to do that :D

haha.... It's normally easier when a person has the gadget in front of you..

I found this video on Youtube of this guy that has a server like yours with a whole bunch of cable converters...and in he end got it working...maybe go make a visit at your local pc store.:whistling:
 
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ponder

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ChristopherB said:
Oh yeah I see, I noticed one thing on there that tells me that the IBM Server has display output capabilities, it's that rectangle with two lines on either side of the rectangle...see image for an example..

<snip>
Click to expand...

See post above yours.
 
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SilverNodashi

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Sadly, I've gotten no-where with this yet.

I installed CentOS onto another server's (I freed up an HP Prolaint DL360 with the same drive bays) drive, but it doesn't bootup the drive. I think it gives an error, but I can't tell. I also can't see it requesting an IP from the DHCP server, nor can I ping the hard coded IP (i.e. I first setup the installation with DHCP, then changed it to a hard coded IP).

I know this sounds funny, but I don't have a null-modem cable. Anywhere. I know we had one a few years ago but can't find it.
The PCI graphics card that I could get my hands on is too low so the VGA port is below the chassis. Short from ripping the motherboard out, it won't work. But, while googleing to see if I could fit a PCI graphics card in, I also found some posts where people say the PCI card's burnt some lanes on the PCI-X port, so I don't want to try this and find out it might blow a track.
No one that I could get open right now has a C2T cable in stock.
 
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