Old IBM hardware setup

Appreciate the tip. I’ve been trying to guess my way through setting this old machine up and it’s been rough. I’ll track down the official manual and see if it clears up all the mystery ports.

Setting up the old IBM hardware I inherited was both exciting and intimidating. The model is well over a decade old, and the front panel had buttons and ports I didn’t recognize. Without the original documentation, I was basically guessing what went where. I finally tracked down the official IBM manual https://manuals.online/ibm for that specific system, and it was like unlocking a secret code. It outlined every port and connector, gave the exact boot sequence, and even included diagrams showing how to configure expansion cards. It also had maintenance recommendations, like how often to reseat certain connectors and run diagnostic tests to avoid failures. With that guidance, I was able to get the system up and running without damaging anything — and I even configured it to run some basic tasks. Without the manual, I doubt I’d have gotten past the first step.