IBM AS/400 9401 150 V4R4 - worth to have?

[tingo]

Somebody in my country is selling an IBM AS/400 9401 150 V4R4. Here is a picture of such a machine.
Currently, I do not know anything more about it, I have asked questions (does it have ethernet interface? does it come with install media? and licenses?)

- is this machine vintage?
- would it be worth to have?

 

[mbbrutman]

V4R4 is probably not a supported release anymore - it's old enough where some of my code is running in it!

The iSeries (formerly AS/400) line is a midrange system - not terribly hacker or hobbiest friendly. The underlying architecture of the operating system is fascinating, but you'll never see source code for it unless you work for IBM. Do some reading on past threads here - this topic comes up often. There are also plenty of online resources that describe the machine.

And lastly, if you need truly insider information, I have friends.

 

[SteveH]

Th 9401 150s are nice little boxes, I've got one at home running OS/400 v4r5. I use it now and then, but then programming/administrating the AS/400 & iSeries systems is my bread and butter. Anyway, it's only when you get to v5r1 that you need a licence for the OS for this particular model - licences are terribly expensive though, don't go there. Although saying that, you are unlikely to be able to get v5r1 now as it is defunct. End of life for OS/400 is currently as follows:

v5r1 - Sep 2005
v5r2 - Apr 2007
v5r3 - Apr 2009
v5r4 - to be announced
v6r1 - to be announced (this is the most current release)

The one your link points to doesn't appear to have an ethernet card, so that would be more expense. It probably doesn't come with install media, but you can (and should) create your own complete system backup onto tape that can be used to re-build the system.

Is it vintage? I wouldn't call it vintage at circa 1997 for this model.
Would it be worth to have? Depends on why you want/would like it. I wouldn't spend the money on it that they are asking in your link. I've seen several of this model go on ebay in the UK for anywhere between GBP 100 and GBP 500 (I was lucky, I got mine 5 years ago for the price of a pint of beer :D).

 

[tingo]

Wow, lots of great info - thanks.

Th 9401 150s are nice little boxes, I've got one at home running OS/400 v4r5.

Is the machine silent?

The one your link points to doesn't appear to have an ethernet card, so that would be more expense. It probably doesn't come with install media, but you can (and should) create your own complete system backup onto tape that can be used to re-build the system.

I think that link is just to get a picture, the machine and the seller is in Norway.
I have asked the seller about install media, and about ethernet. We will see if / what he answers...

Would it be worth to have? Depends on why you want/would like it.

For fun, to play with. I have never been hands on with a AS/400 machine.
Of course, "for fun" also means that the price can't be very high...

One other question: is it possible to run other operating systems on these beasts? Something like [Free|Net|Open]BSD, Linux, or anothger opens source os? That way It could possible be useful even after I'm finsihed playing with it.

 

[mbbrutman]

If the machine can be partitioned then you can run a second partition with a PowerPC based Linux on it. I'm not too optimistic on that particular box being able to do that though - it is probably a single CPU machine and even though you can create partitions that use a fraction of a CPU, it's probably not enabled on that machine.


Mike

 

[SteveH]

Is the machine silent?

Not really. There is the constant hum form the fans and the drives chatter away when it's doing something. But it's probably just as noisy as a typical PC based server.

One other question: is it possible to run other operating systems on these beasts?

Not on this model. Later models can run linux and aix, but for those you are looking at serious money.

 

[gbhoffmann]

I also have a 9401-150 AS400.
I need help because my AS400 got corupted during a power failure and now will not IPL.
I do not have a bootable disk or IPL tape.
I developed a lot of RPGLE programs on the system and do not have a recent backup.
can you help me?

Thanks

 

[tingo]

FWIW, I never bought the machine in question. So, I still have no hands-on experience with AS/400, iSeries and OS/400. Sorry.

 

[barythrin]

I don't suppose there is a readily available linux boot cd that would work on that architecture and be able to mount the operating system? Just thinking outside the box and outside of the same old os/400 download searching that could be done.

 

[NeXT]

The AS/400 is a weeeeeeird beast.
From what I hear, IBM has never offered third-party OS support on these systems and never will.

 

[mbbrutman]

Not totally true. Linux runs very nicely in a partition. But yes, you need OS/400 (or i5 OS as it is known as now) around somewhere.

 

[tingo]

I don't suppose there is a readily available linux boot cd that would work on that architecture and be able to mount the operating system? Just thinking outside the box and outside of the same old os/400 download searching that could be done.

Perhaps this web page will explain how different OS/400 is to "normal" operating systems: AS/400 and LINUX Integration.