Installing AIX 1.3 on a 486: A Retro Computing Odyssey
After contracting COVID-19, the author embarked on a nostalgic project: installing AIX 1.3 on their aging 486 computer. This Franken-486, a collection of parts accumulated over three decades, presented numerous hurdles. The installation process involved 94 floppy disk images, grappling with IDE interface issues, VGA compatibility problems, and corrupted installation disks. The author's troubleshooting journey included swapping graphics cards, hard drives, recreating installation disks, and even crafting a custom VGA cable, yet the installation ultimately failed. This anecdote reflects a passion for retro computing and perseverance in overcoming technical challenges, highlighting the quirks and complexities of older hardware.