IBM

IBM AS400 E series 170

MrBill
From Vero Beach, Florida
Who joined Dec. 28, 2012, 12:50 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 7:24 a.m...
Picked this up a couple weeks back, I have not managed to get much done with it yet. It is much different than anything I have ever worked with. Boots up to a login screen, It may have valid working software license. 3 login attempts and then it becomes a loud doorstop from what I am told. I tried popping the scsi disks into a linux server and made images of all the drives, in the hopes that i could make some sense of what is on there and get the password. Now the machine no longer boots up. Not sure what the issue is. Any helpful advice is appreciated, although i still have much more reading to do.
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ClassicHasClass
Donor
From Sunny So Cal
Who joined July 25, 2012, 7:12 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 8:03 a.m...
Admit it: you're just trying to beat pentium at this AS/400 game. :D But, speaking from ignorance, isn't there a way to do a service boot if you're at the physical console? All the RS/6000s I've dealt with, you just turn the key to service mode modulo booting from recovery media. I'd be surprised these don't have such a facility.

(I wish I had {the space for} an AS/400.)
smit happens.

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uunix
Donor
From Stourbridge / England / UK
Who joined March 27, 2011, 12:48 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 8:09 a.m...
qsecofr
qsecofr
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Hey Ho! Pip & Dandy!
:Octane2: :O2: :Indigo: :Indy:
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jan-jaap
Donor
From Wijchen, The Netherlands
Who joined June 17, 2004, 11:35 a.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 8:10 a.m...
Oh boy, is having a mainframe in your basement going to be the next big thing? :shock:

I'm glad I've restricted myself to MIPS/IRIX, or I might have been tempted. A divorce would be the inevitable outcome...
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uunix
Donor
From Stourbridge / England / UK
Who joined March 27, 2011, 12:48 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 8:23 a.m...
MrBill wrote: I tried popping the scsi disks into a linux server and made images of all the drives, in the hopes that i could make some sense of what is on there and get the password. Now the machine no longer boots up. Not sure what the issue is.

This would not have been my plan of actions. Maybe though the disks are in the incorrect positions?
Where the disks mounted RO ?
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Hey Ho! Pip & Dandy!
:Octane2: :O2: :Indigo: :Indy:
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MrBill
From Vero Beach, Florida
Who joined Dec. 28, 2012, 12:50 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 9:05 a.m...
Tried qsecofr-qsecofr. No dice.

I wrote the position of each drive down, and double checked before powering it back on. not the case.
The disks were not even mounted. I just used the sgutils package under linux to make images of the drives.

you just turn the key to service mode
My system is not cool enough to use a key, although there should be some way to do it from that front panel, not sure yet. More reading needs to be done.

I ran into the issue of the machine being started up to the login screen, and locking myself out with too many incorrect tries, and the power button does not shut the machine back off. Its loud and it was late, And the thing is next to my bed, after 3 days i got fed up with the noise and unplugged the thing. I did that a couple of times, it would throw some errors on the front panel, and after a long time would start back up.
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MrBill
From Vero Beach, Florida
Who joined Dec. 28, 2012, 12:50 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 9:10 a.m...
Admit it: you're just trying to beat pentium at this AS/400 game. :D


That is a hard machine to trump with my current space and power limitations. Also my machine is not taller than me, or big enough to lean on, so he has me beat there. Come to think of it, his signature has a pile of stuff too. not trumping that any time soon either.

My signature is getting bigger in the sgi department though, I need to make a little As400 icon.
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astouffer
Who joined Jan. 29, 2011, 5:52 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 5:52 p.m...
uunix wrote: qsecofr
qsecofr


Isn't one supposed to be all uppercase?
MrBill
From Vero Beach, Florida
Who joined Dec. 28, 2012, 12:50 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 10, 2016, 8:59 p.m...
If i can get it to load up back to the login screen i can try it in upper / lower case.
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astouffer
Who joined Jan. 29, 2011, 5:52 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 11, 2016, 6:14 a.m...
uunix wrote: This would not have been my plan of actions. Maybe though the disks are in the incorrect positions?
Where the disks mounted RO ?


I wonder if they were indeed written to? AS/400 formats the drives in really odd sector sizes of 520 bytes or even 528 bytes. The drives also have unique firmware with extra commands/features.

The bad part is qsecofr might not even be the correct account. It is the default but in AS/400 land there is no such thing as root. You can name the admin account anything.

If you really want to dig into the architecture there is a great book called "Inside the AS/400". These systems are a fundamental change from how typical hardware interacts with the operating system.
uunix
Donor
From Stourbridge / England / UK
Who joined March 27, 2011, 12:48 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 11, 2016, 7:31 a.m...
Wish I still had mine now..
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Hey Ho! Pip & Dandy!
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MrBill
From Vero Beach, Florida
Who joined Dec. 28, 2012, 12:50 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 11, 2016, 7:42 a.m...
I wonder if they were indeed written to? AS/400 formats the drives in really odd sector sizes of 520 bytes or even 528 bytes.


I am uncertain if the drives were written to. I never attempted to mount them. I was told DD would not be up to the task, so i used sgutils instead to make the Disk images. Some of the older versions of as/400 seem to have used DES as the encryption scheme, i am not sure if that still apply s to the version I am using. My plan was to dig around and see if i can find the hash and crack it. probably a lost cause.

I will look into buying the book. I want to understand how it works a little better.
The guy at the resale place i bought it from said I would never get in, that is what has been driving me to get it up and running.
I am not really sure what to even do with it if I get it going. Any other good books on the system?
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pentium avatar
pentium
From Kamloops, BC
Who joined Aug. 28, 2006, 6:29 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 11, 2016, 10:28 a.m...
Admit it: you're just trying to beat pentium at this AS/400 game.

His IPL's. He's already way ahead of me. ;)
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ClassicHasClass avatar
ClassicHasClass
Donor
From Sunny So Cal
Who joined July 25, 2012, 7:12 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 11, 2016, 5:53 p.m...
Victoly!
smit happens.

:Fuel: bigred , 900MHz R16K, 4GB RAM, V12 DCD, 6.5.30
:Indy: indy , 150MHz R4400SC, 256MB RAM, XL24, 6.5.10
:Indigo2IMP: purplehaze , 175MHz R10000, Solid IMPACT
probably posted from Image bruce , Quad 2.5GHz PowerPC 970MP, 16GB RAM, Mac OS X 10.4.11
plus IBM POWER6 p520 * Apple Network Server 500 * RDI PrecisionBook * BeBox * Solbourne S3000 * Commodore 128 * many more...
pentium avatar
pentium
From Kamloops, BC
Who joined Aug. 28, 2006, 6:29 p.m.
Wrote the following at May 11, 2016, 11:43 p.m...
By the looks of it if QSECOFR is disabled or the password changed you need a DST to reset it.

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1019462

Resetting OS/400 QSECOFR Password Using DST - Version 5 and Higher

Resetting QSECOFR with an Unattended IPL

This method is used when:
o You can wait a while before you must to use QSECOFR
o You cannot interrupt the machine for an IPL, and no one will be available to operate the system when the system is IPLing


To reset the system password, you should do the following:
1. From the front panel of the machine, put the system into Manual mode.
2. Use the arrow keys to get to function 21, and press the blue Enter button.
3. On the console, a dedicated service tools (DST) sign-on screen is shown. Sign on with the System Service Tools (SST/DST) QSECOFR user ID and password.
4. Select Option 5, Work with DST Environment, from the Use Dedicated Service Tools menu.
5. Select Option 6, Service Tools Security Data.
6. Select Option 1, Reset operating system default password.
7. The Confirm Reset of System Default Password display is shown. Press the Enter key to confirm your request.
8. You receive a confirmation message telling you the operating system password override has been set.
9. Continue pressing F3 (Exit) to return to the Exit Dedicated Service tools.
10. Take the system out of Manual mode.
The system resets the Operating System QSECOFR user profile to the default shipped value when it is next IPLed. The IPL may be a normal (unattended) one. You must have the system scheduled to IPL or have someone (an operator or someone with authority to power down the system) do it. If you do not, you will have to power down the system from the front panel, and start it from there.


Resetting QSECOFR with an Attended IPL

This method is used when:
o You can not wait, and you need to use QSECOFR now.
o You are available and ready to IPL the system now.


To reset QSECOFR with an attended IPL, you should do the following:
1. With the keylock switch in the Manual position, start an attended Initial Program Load (IPL).
2. When the system displays the IPL or the Install the System menu, select Option 3, Use dedicated Service Tools.
3. On the Dedicated Service Tools (DST) sign-on display, sign on with the System Service Tools (SST/DST) QSECOFR user ID and password.
4. Select Option 5, Work with DST Environment, from the Use Dedicated Service Tools (DST) menu.
5. Select Option 6, Service Tools Security Data.
6. Select Option 1, Reset operating system default password.
7. The Confirm Reset of System Default Password display is shown. Press the Enter key to confirm your request.
8. You receive a confirmation message telling you the operating system password override has been set.
9. Continue pressing F3 (Exit) to return to the Exit Dedicated Service Tools menu.
10. Select Option 1, Exit Dedicated Service Tools.
11. The IPL or Install the System menu is shown. Select Option 1, Perform an IPL.
12. The system continues with a manual IPL. The procedure for performing a manual IPL is described in the System Operation manual.
13. When the IPL has completed, return the system to the Normal mode.


For Both Methods

After the password has been reset, change the password. On the operating system command line, type the following:

Caution: Do not leave the QSECOFR password set to the default. This poses a security exposure. This is the value shipped with every system and is commonly known.

CHGUSRPRF QSECOFR

Press the F4 key to prompt the command. Type a new password, and change the status of the profile to *ENABLED if it is set to *DISABLED. Press the Enter key to have the changes take effect.


Also, an IPL (Initial Program Load is the IBM nerd's slang for "boot" ;) ) normally takes eons because they are not designed to be power cycled often. You IPL'd and the machine remains up for months or even years.
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