The Vanishing Act of VA Linux Hardware Docs? 57
Joshua Johnston asks: "Yesterday, my roommate and I picked up a used (and slightly abused) VA Linux 2231 2U server system at a computer show here in New Hampshire. Given the manufacturer, I had expected that support documentation would be a piece of cake to locate. Unfortunately, I couldn't have been any further away from the truth. Only the
Internet Archive copies of the VA Linux/VA Software website had any information whatsoever on the system, with even Google striking out badly on almost any reference material. This comes as a complete surprise, as I had expected much more to be available in regards to a system once touted as a success for the Open Source movement. The current VA Software site has nothing even mentioning the fact they once made some solid server-class hardware, let alone a buried archive of the PDF manuals. What kind of options still remain for reviving some kind of community archive of these files? In the span of three years, are we left with nearly no trace of information on these machines?"
California Digital (Score:5, Informative)
Did you try contacting them?
The six servers (of three flavors) that I had were all Intel server motherboards, Intel CPUs, popular raid controllers (I forget brand/model), and VXA standard tape drives. What's confusing about that?
Look at who owns VA's hardware business now... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:California Digital (Score:5, Informative)
VA Linux Legacy Parts
California Digital acquired the Systems Division of VA Linux in November 2001. We continue to support VA's award winning line of Linux Server and Cluster products. If you are the owner of an existing VA Linux product, please contact us to determine if you can purchase extended warranty and support coverage.
In addition to providing support for warranty holders, we stock almost all of the replacement components for VA Linux products. The items listed here are available for immediate delivery. If you have a need for an part not listed below, please contact us at sales@californiadigital.com.
Re:Japan (Score:5, Informative)
Ehh they're fairly proprietary once you open the case. Here's what Ive found - I've only looked into their 2u and smaller cases so larger ones may be more brown-bag:
-Case specific power supplies in some models (cant replace)
-Model specific PCI risers
-Short ATX mobo header cables (wont reach some boards)
-Proprietary power/reset/LED headers (unusable unless cut and spliced - good luck tracing through multi-layered PCB)
With a little work though they do make kick-ass cases and can usually be had on the cheap since no one wants to waste time modding them.
Re:Look at who owns VA's hardware business now... (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.californiadigital.com/legacy_parts.sht
My VA Linux Ebay Story (Score:3, Informative)
I thought about bidding on some VA units on Ebay [I'm sure the dude still has them up for sale].
Again, no online documentation. Fortunately, the guy was kind enough to go open a case and give me the motherboard part number [kudos to him for doing that].
Turns out VA just took a basic Intel boxed motherboard, with six PCI slots, slapped it into a two unit rackmount, and put in a riser card to give you [at least theoretical] access to two ["risen"] PCI slots.
Anyway, to make a long story short, in my decision to purchase or not purchase, I just used the Intel site for documentation, since VA was, in essence, just serving as one big Intel reseller.
Re:This isn't just a VA Software problem. (Score:3, Informative)
There are non-nuclear EMP devices, you know. Also, to quote from the link the grandparent provided:
"A large device detonated at 400-500 km over Kansas would affect all of CONUS. The signal from such an event extends to the visual horizon as seen from the burst point."
Usual airburst detoniation for an ICBM (at least from what I found on Google) is in the 4-20 km range. That is to say, once could take out a lot of computers while causing relatively little physical damage.
Re:Slightly OT (Score:3, Informative)
VA never -made- computers - they just assembled them into boxes and loaded Linux.
So just treat it like you would a Dell, or a Gateway, an E-Machine, or anything from any number of other assembly-line vendors - treat it like there's no name -at all- on front of the box.
And then begin a bit of research.
Look for a model number on the motherboard, and a manufacturer name. If you can't find a manufacturer, look up the FCC ID (it's always printed on there somewhere, if sold in the US) to find out the particulars of who made the board.
Then dig on their website. It doesn't take very much browsing ("Gee, MSI only ever made one dual-370 board with U160 SCSI - that must be the one") and picture-comparison to find the one you posess.
After that, load up the manual in Acrobat, and print yourself a set of jumper settings, dip switches, and header labels.
Who cares if VA assembled the box?
If you really, really strike out, get on the phone and start talking to the people who originally designed the stuff. This involves people skills, but engineers usually aren't hard to find.
(If anyone really has any further specific troubles with this topic after following these concise instructions, please just ask Google. Really.)