Apple Network Server on eBay

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unknown1's picture
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Apple Network Server on eBay

This isn't technically a Mac but I didn't know where else to put it.

After reading this thread http://www.applefritter.com/node/22749#comment-54671 I am now hooked on ANS's! I want a case to make some kind of TeleTubbies Noo-Noo robot from! Or maybe install the guts of two or three Dual Quad Xeon MacPros in!

Anyway there is one on eBay but I bet his reserve is stratospheric:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-Apple-Network-Server-700-150-Collectible_W0QQitemZ260303227375

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ANS

I had the 200MHz ANS 700. I finally gave it away as it was cost prohibitive to ship. As neat as it was it was absolutly useless

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The eBay ANS

Unknown1,

Yes. I was up perusing for parts and happened to come across this particular item. I hadn't even known that Apple made network servers.
The description (refridgerator) seemed acurate. lol I also had never heard of the AIX Operating System. Was this OS something that was strictly used by Apple? Could you possibly run OSX on something like this?

Best Regards,

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ANS

As far as I know it would only run AIX. There are rumors that it could be made to run a Mac OS by changing out the rom and adding a Apple video card. however they are unfounded and I do not think anyone managed to get it done that I am aware of

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AIX for ANS

I've been down this road m'self. I have a ANS 700/200 (that macsane spotted me some RAM on). It is a neat machine, and not too terrible to shift around. I can pick it up bodily and move it. However, macsane's right. It ran a specific Apple-tweaked version of AIX (like 4.2 I think).

Also, as pointed out, several folks tried some ROM swaps but got nowhere. There's also an urban legend that Apple had an Apple-internal version of Rhapsody that would run on the ANS. I have no idea where that one got started, but no one has ever clamped eyes on such a thing.

I do know that you can run NetBSD on the machine with some caveats, and Yellow Dog Linux. I have not tried either, but have read about successful installs. Somewhere I have a pdf about installing NetBSD on the beast. There is a website devoted to the ANS, which is still up:
shiner.info

Neat box, but at this point mainly just for tinkering. Shipping will be a bear. If the seller has any sort of reserve on the eBay ANS, he's kidding himself.

good luck.
mike

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Wow...

It's nuts that it's been bid up to over $500, and even more nuts that such a figure is still under its reserve. Unless you're the sort of person that's goofy enough to think every single piece of garbage that shipped with an Apple logo pasted to it is intrinsically valuable you'd be crazy to pay that.

If you were looking for one planning to hack the case in some interesting way most companies made similar cube-format servers, both x86 and "other". Sun made some huge-fat cubes like the Ultra Enterprise E450 for instance, which go for *maybe* $200 on the street these days. As for an old Pentium Pro box of similar form factor from Hewlett Packard or the like, you'd probably have to pay someone to haul it away for you.

--Peace

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Wow... is right

I'm with Eudi. Wow. $505? I think that auction copy should be a textbook example of how to drum up some interest. I paid $1 for my ANS, and if I tried to sell it on ebay, that's just about how much it would have sold for!! I guess I need work on my *ahem* marketing skills.

Maybe I'll list mine on eBay Wink I'd like to buy a Mac mini with that money!

mike

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Re: Wow... is right

I'm with Eudi. Wow. $505? I think that auction copy should be a textbook example of how to drum up some interest. I paid $1 for my ANS, and if I tried to sell it on ebay, that's just about how much it would have sold for!! I guess I need work on my *ahem* marketing skills.

Maybe I'll list mine on eBay Wink I'd like to buy a Mac mini with that money!

I can't help but start classing things like this into the "pathology" category. It's sad, but... I've up to now avoided selling off any of my old-but-still-working PowerBooks because of a philosophical Catch-22 which basically goes something like this: If you're selling something you should sell it for what you can get for it. However, the prices I *could* get for said old PowerBooks are so inflated that I'd feel like I was taking advantage of someone selling for that. So with selling the choice would come down to "Do I rip *myself* off, or someone else?"

Bleah.

--Peace

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ANS Continued And a Kicker

That's not the only thing happening. I just came down from the lofty heights of eBay and there is a guy selling a " Brand New-Never Been Used Apple IIc". Starting Price $1500.00. The problem is...(wait for it)...He opened the factory sealed box, removed the unit from it's foam, removed the original plastic bag, and then took pictures of the unit.This was "Just to make sure that it was new."
Duh!!!!!
Now, I know that it hasen't been that long ago that someone payed $2600.00 for an unsealed Apple IIc. I remember all the hoopla about that unit. But that unit was never unsealed.
From all that I can remember, once something has had the seal removed and the unit taken out, it is no longer cherry and has to be sold as Used.
There are a lot of apple II folks (me inlcuded) that might drool over a completely sealed Apple II. Not so much a IIc, but that would be a deal killer once the guy opened the box.
Then again...I may be wrong. Smile

Jon
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Re: Wow...

As for an old Pentium Pro box of similar form factor from Hewlett Packard or the like, you'd probably have to pay someone to haul it away for you.

Er, I've got an old LH Pro in the basement of doom. It works nicely as a table to hold other bits of oddball miscellany. And that's about it, I've never even powered it up...

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ANS

I see it did not sell. So its been relisted with a starting bid of $9.99 and a BIN of $500.00. I think that reality has almost setteled in with the seller as to what that things worth.

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Re: AIX for ANS

I do know that you can run NetBSD on the machine with some caveats, and Yellow Dog Linux. I have not tried either, but have read about successful installs.

Applefritter wss hosted on an ANS 300 running NetBSD, for a few years.

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AF on ANS W/BSD!

Wow Tom,

That would make a great front page history story!

I'm sure you've documented all the installation, setup use and finally retirement of the 'holy' Shriner with video and photos. :^)

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ANS

Looks like the new auction is up to $300.

Man... I've got one of these sitting in my garage collecting dust because I've never been able to find a copy of AIX for it (and I'm just too lazy to do the Linux install).

Makes me wonder if I could get $400 for it throwing it up on eBay ;). His is only the 700/150 with one power supply, mine's the 700/200 with dual power supplies.

Speaking of which... If anyone has it I would absolutely love to grab either an ISO or a hard copy of the AIX disc for these things.

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