I recently revived a hp 700/RX x-terminal and I wanted to try and set it up for fun but I don't know how to make a x-Linux server to connect to. I also think I need a bnc connector to connect it. I do have a bnc Ethernet card to link the computers. I just want to know what Linux distro and what version I need how how to set it up.
I found this on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_terminal
Yes, X Terminals get connected to Unix (Linux) hosts via Ethernet.
1) Install the BNC Ethernet card and connect it to the Terminal.
2) Run wireshark on the interface of the BNC Ethernet card.
3) Power up the terminal. See what Wireshark shows you. You'll probably get a BOOTP/DHCP request.
4) If yes, then install a DHCP server on your Linux box. Configure it for a private IP subnet different from other subnets you use.
5) Power up the terminal again, see what happens this time. Some terminals may need firmware via BOOTP. If yours does, then it'll get difficult. If it doesn't and you see some X protocol stuff (XDMCP), then
6) Install a display manager on your Linux box (e.g. xdm), configure it for the remote X terminal (man xdm for details).
If everything works, you should see a login screen on the X terminal, and be able to login from that to your Linux box.
I may have forgotten some steps, but Wireshark will show you what's going on, and give you ideas what's missing and what needs to be fixed.
A HP 700/RX might have a ROM card installed with the firmware, in which case dirkt's answer will be correct, as far as I recall.
But if there is no ROM card, then you will also need to set up a TFTP server on Linux, and find the appropriate boot code package for it. The key word to Google for might be "enware 7.11", as I think that was the last version of the 700/RX boot code that was published.
If you happen to find it packaged for HP-UX 11.00 or older, it might be helpful to know that HP-UX *.depot packages are essentially just regular POSIX tar archives with a different filename suffix.
This just might be what you'll need: https://archive.org/details/HPEnWareV5.30V6.11V7.11V9.11AndV9.12
It is definitely doable: about 20 years ago, I did the same thing with a later-model HP X terminal and a Linux server.
