On Fri, 29 Dec 2000, Carl Wilhelm Soderstrom wrote: > Anyone know how to break into an SVR4 system, where I have console access? > > I just got ahold of 1992 NCR System 3400. it's a 486DX/50, with 64MB of RAM. > the case is built like a bank vault. must weigh about 100lbs. no flimsy > metal here; the frame is probably 14-gauge steel, the base is a block of > cast steel (no flimsy plastic feet!), and the cover is on roller bearings, > just like your desk drawers. it's microchannel, and has a 10base-T ethernet > board and (I think) 2 16-port serial boards (which I don't have cables for). > also has a QIC tape drive of some sort, and 2 SCSI drives (one 5.25" full > height, the other a 3.5" HH). > > I've got it up & running; the dmesg wasn't very helpful. > > as I understand it, these things were orginally designed by AT&T (NCR is an > AT&T company, according to the label on this thing) as telephony servers. > they do build those things ruggedly. :) > > this thing is seriously geeky-cool. :) > > it's running NCR UNIX, which is honest-to-God SVR4, as I understand it. > only problem is, I have no idea what usernames/passwords are on this thing. > so I need to break in somehow. :) > > what occurs to me is to make some sort of boot disk (which would need to > support microchannel, and whatever the SCSI adapter is, and UFS, I think), > and hack /etc/passwd; but I don't even know if this is possible. > > the other possibility is to pull out the disks, and mount them on some other > box (it's just regular narrow SCSI, AFAIK), then hack up /etc/passwd. > > I really don't want to blow away the OS, at least not before looking around. > especially since this may have the only handy device drivers for itself. > :) > > I know Tom Cross in St.Cloud has a similar model. Tom, what can you tell us > about these monstrosities? :) NCR is no longer an AT&T company. Sorry a little nit pick, but I *HAD* to correct that... Somewhere I have the pin-outs for the serial ports. Also, I should be able to make "dd" copies of the NCR Unix boot disks I have laying around. There has been lots of work lately to get MCA SCSI and MCA ethernet drivers working under Linux so it might be possible to get linux working nicely with it. About mounting the drives on a linux box I have no idea. I've never tried that. Hmmmm..... They are *NICE* machines. Built VERY solid. No doubt they were meant to be servers. Um, after you've had your way with it... Interested in getting rid of it? :) -- Tom Cross Voice: 320-253-1020 FAX: 320-253-6956 System Administrator E-mail: tomc at kendeco.com Airgas Kendeco Tool Crib http://www.kendeco.com --> Now with new and improved extension number 207!!! <-- St Cloud Area Linux Users Group: http://www.scalug.org