[Cu-wireless] Found some equipment...

[Bryan Cribbs]

I wouldn't expect the hd's or any other components in these 
boxes to be high quality (in 1996's terms), they were purchased 
custom built from Dell on a streamlined budget to be just enough 
for their intended use. 
I helped install and maintain them between 96-97 and there were a 
lot of DOA components direct from Dell (mostly dead network cards though).
Also these machines aren't likely to have had detailed service, if 
a failure wasn't immediately obvious, the whole box was typically 
decommissioned and replaced instead of diagnosed and fixed.
(I didn't come up with this strategy. I was merely a student employee).

-Bryan

* Brian Foote <foote at refactory.com> :
> It turns out not all of the machines have been wiped clean.
> Some of 'em still boot Windows NT 4.0 (SP5), and have
> the BIOS access jumpers disabled.  So one might need to
> crack the cases and find the website for the motherboards
> to start tinkering with 'em.  I'd trust this would have proven
> to be no major obstacle for anyone on this list, but seeing it coming
> might save someone a few minutes.  These were UIUC public library machines,
> so they were locked down on both the soft and hard sides to the
> extent that Clinton-era technology would allow.
> Also, the harddrive DOA statistics
> haven't looked particularly good so far either...
> 
> --BF, wireless on his porch at Iowa and Garfield...
> 
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