Hardware

Some time ago I bought an old microchannel RS/6000 39H as a hobby toy. I mostly deal with newer Sun/Oracle equipment so I'm a bit out of my element.

The machine was running, AIX 4.1.3 I believe. Using it via IBM terminal. I stored it for what was apparently too long, and now it stalls out during built in testing.

I'm wondering if any IBM guys can help me solve this one.

Anyway, it dies out with flashing eights and I read out the error codes as 888-103-125-911-ccc-104-205-c09-888. I checked the old microchannel service documentation and I'm either not smart enough or am missing something as the codes didn't seem to translate correctly for me. I'm stuck.

I did all the obvious, reseated the boards, reseated the simms. checked the various power connections. My best guess is that it is some sort of memory issue.

If anybody has any insight I'd greatly appreciate it.

The important thing is what the LED displays when you turn it on: and what it displays during the boot process, without that information we have no clues on where your system is blocked...e.g. did you see displaying values 100-199 at the beginning? then what were the next values...
N.B
A server not running for a (very ) long time may not start because the boot disk fails to start... Ivw seen that a few times, and trying to get it started can be by tapping on it, using a hair dryer to heat the grease etc... there are some chances of success...
So listen carefully when you turn the key id you hear the boot disk start...

Its displaying 153 when it goes south. Within 10 seconds of power on, well before it touches the disks.

From what I remember LEDS flashing 888 is not good sign... Normally you would press on the reset button and by what you wrote in post #1 it displayed 103 which means possible software but also ( and more probable...) hardware issue (e.g. soft could be corrupted bootstrap...)
Now I remember hter were here at this stage action where you would press again the reset button like pressing twice, but I have all forgotten...

What I remember is that you should be able to get more info by this means, and 2 cases should appear:
1) its Soft and you have generated a Number for IBM : Service Request Number
2) you got a FRU (Field Replaceable Unit ) which would give you the faulty device...

You are stuck in the BIST...So its HW... I would strip down to the motherboard and give a serious clean, and check each plugin after... Could be cards or cables...
That said I have no idea (cant remember ..) what a 39H is... I am no IBM person, but did put my hands on Bull escala series and I remember of an IBM 43P (which was no more MCA...)

I am tempted to move your thread in AIX if there is no more reply, to see any AIX collegues are more inspired... Let me know...