Remote Boot workstations This document applies to the EtherExpress(tm) 16, 16TP, 16C, FLASH, FLASH TP, FLASHC, MCA, and MCA/TP adapters INTRODUCTION ------------ The boot ROM on EtherExpress cards contains information about the network that enables a remote boot workstation to find a file server and execute a boot program on the server. This boot program contains the files necessary for a workstation to start up and log onto the network. These files are typically called the boot image. If you have more than one diskless workstation, you can configure all of them to use the same boot image or each workstation can have a unique boot image. This document describes both procedures. The EtherExpress card boot ROM supports either IPX or ODI workstations. If you are using Ethernet type II or VLMs, you must use ODI drivers. The IPX configuration supports only Ethernet 802.3 with NETX. If you have additional questions about the remote boot process, refer to your NetWare* documentation. If You Are Using DOS 5.x or later --------------------------------- If you are using DOS 5.0 or greater you will need a utility called RPLFIX (dated 6/30/91 or later). This is Novell's utility and can be downloaded from Netwire on Compuserve. The name of the file is RPLFX2.ZIP. It is also in VLMUP2.EXE located in the Top Downloads section. (This file is also on the WSGEN disk of current versions of Netware). Download this file before going any farther. Novell updates files on a regular basis and the downloadable file name may change as well as the library location. If you have trouble finding these files, check with Novell technical support (1-800-NETWARE) or a Novell reseller in your area. Setting up the EtherExpress card -------------------------------- The EtherExpress 16 card must be setup initially in a computer with a floppy disk drive so you can run SOFTSET. Once the card is set up, move it to the diskless workstation. This is not a concern for the EtherExpress MCA card since all Micro Channel computers have a floppy disk drive. You will also need a blank diskette and a workstation, already on the network, to run DOSGEN. CONFIGURE THE ETHEREXPRESS CARD FOR THE BOOT ROM ------------------------------------------------ For complete information about configuring the EtherExpress card, see the installation guide for your adapter. 1. Install the remote boot ROM. (Skip this step is your adapter has a FLASH chip installed.) EtherExpress 16 card --------------------- Insert the remote boot ROM into the socket on the EtherExpress 16 card. Be sure to line up the notch on the ROM with the notch on the socket. EtherExpress 16C or FLASH card: ------------------------------- The EtherExpress 16C card has a 32-pin ROM socket, but a boot ROM is a 28-pin device. When you install the boot ROM, align the chip so the four unused holes are at the "notched" end of the socket. See the boot ROM install guide for more information. 2. Configure the EtherExpress card boot ROM. EtherExpress 16 card -------------------- Select the boot ROM address range by running the manual configuration option in SOFTSET. EtherExpress 16 adapter with FLASH ---------------------------------- Select the boot ROM address range by running the manual configuration option in SOFTSET. Set the Flash Remote Boot Program to NetWare IPX by running the manual configuration option in SOFTSET. EtherExpress MCA card --------------------- Enable the boot ROM/FLASH option and select an address range by running Set Configuration from the computer's configuration utility. NOTE: The Boot ROM requires 8K of memory in the the C0000 to DFFFFh address range. The default address is D000-D1FFh The Flash ROM requires 16K of memory in the the C0000 to DFFFFh address range. The default address is D000-D3FFh PROCEDURE FOR SETTING UP A SINGLE BOOT IMAGE -------------------------------------------- 1. Create a DOS boot disk containing the following files: COMMAND.COM CONFIG.SYS < optional AUTOEXEC.BAT IPX.COM < for IPX workstations only NETX.EXE or VLM.EXE LSL.COM < for ODI workstations only RPLODI.COM < for ODI workstations only EXP16ODI.COM < for ODI workstations only IPXODI.COM < for ODI workstations only NET.CFG < for ODI workstations only NETX, LSL, RPLODI, VLM, and IPXODI are supplied by Novell. EXP16ODI is on the EtherExpress LAN adapter disk. If you plan to load any additional drivers, they should also be included on this boot disk. Sample AUTOEXEC.BAT files: For IPX workstations: For ODI workstations: PROMPT $P$G PROMPT $p$g IPX LSL NETX RPLODI EXP16ODI IPXODI NETX or VLM NOTE: RPLODI.COM must be loaded immediately after LSL and before EXP16ODI. RPLODI.COM must be version 1.02 (date 3/21/91) or newer. If you use an earlier version you may get the error "RPLODI already active." 2. If you are using VLM, you will need a NET.CFG file as follows: PREFERRED SERVER=NW40_server_name Link Driver EXP16ODI PORT 300 FRAME ETHERNET_802.3 NetWare DOS Requester FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = F 3. Log onto the network as supervisor and verify that these mappings exist: SYS:LOGIN SYS:SYSTEM If they don't, you will need to create them. MAP F:=SYS:LOGIN MAP G:=SYS:SYSTEM 4. Put the boot disk in drive A. Change to the LOGIN directory and type: G:DOSGEN NOTE: For DOSGEN to work correctly, you should run DOSGEN from the LOGIN directory not the SYSTEM directory. DOSGEN creates a file called NET$DOS.SYS in the SYS:LOGIN directory. NET$DOS.SYS contains all the files from your boot disk. 5. Change the attributes of NET$DOS.SYS to: Shareable, Read/Write. FLAG NET$DOS.SYS SRW 6. If you're running DOS 5.x or greater, you need to run RPLFIX: RPLFIX NET$DOS.SYS NOTE: RPLFIX.COM is found on the Novell WSDOS_1 diskette. TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS ==================== IF YOU ARE RUNNING MULTIPLE FILE SERVERS ---------------------------------------- Since there is no guarantee which file server will respond to first, Novell requires that the boot images (BOOTCONF.SYS and NET$DOS.SYS) be copied to the SYS:LOGIN directory of each file server. NON 802.3 SERVERS ----------------- The Boot ROM is configured for a FRAME type of 802.3. If you are using a different FRAME type (i.e. Ethernet Type II), the file server must be configured to include both 802.3 and the other FRAME type. IPX must also be bound to 802.3 on the file server for the EtherExpress16 to remote boot. You will also need to include a NET.CFG file in the boot image. This NET.CFG files must also include both FRAME types with 802.3 first. Example NET.CFG using Ethernet Type II and TCP/IP: PREFERRED SERVER=NW40_server_name NetWare DOS Requester FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = F Link Support Buffers 8 Mempool 4096 Link Driver EXP16ODI PORT 300 Frame Ethernet_802.3 Frame Ethernet_II BATCH FILE MISSING ------------------ If you get the error "Batch file missing" aftyer logging into your server, make sure the AUTOEXEC.BAT file from the floppy disk image used to create the remote boot image is in SYS:LOGIN directory on your file server(s). USING EMM386.EXE IN THE BOOT IMAGE ---------------------------------- If you are using a memory manager (EMM386.EXE) in the boot image, make sure you EXCLUDE the memory for the boot ROM in the CONFIG.SYS used by the boot image as shown below. The default address range for the boot ROM is D000-D3FF. device=emm386.exe x=D000-D3FF COMPUTER WON'T BOOT FROM NETWORK -------------------------------- Make sure the computer will boot from the EXACT floppy disk used for DOSGEN. If the remote boot workstation does not have a floppy drive, try another computer with the SAME configuration. If you are using a memory manager (EMM386.EXE) in the boot image, make sure you EXCLUDE the memory for the boot ROM in the CONFIG.SYS used by the boot image. The default address range for the boot ROM is D000-D3FF. The EtherExpress 16 boot ROM broadcasts "get nearest server" using the 802.3 frame type. You must have the frame type ethernet_802.3 loaded and have IPX bound to that frame type on your file server for the the EtherExpress 16 adapter to remote boot to your NetWare server. Run TRACK ON at the NeWare server console and watch for "Get Nearest Server" requests from the workstation. Load MONITOR at the NetWare server console and watch to see if the workstation open NET$DOS.SYS or other boot disk images. Make sure that the version of IPX being used in the boot image is for the EtherExpress card. Type "IPX i" from the floppy drive that contains IPX.COM. - The Lan Option should say Intel EtherExpress - The Hardware configuration should say AUTOMATIC or it should match the I/O you selected in SOFTSET or the computer's configuration utility. ============================================= PROCEDURE FOR SETTING UP MULTIPLE BOOT IMAGES ============================================= This process is only required if you have different types of LAN adapters trying to remote boot to the same NetWare server. When using different type of LAN adapters, NetWare requires that you create a boot disk image for each adapter. 1. Create a DOS boot disk containing the following files: COMMAND.COM CONFIG.SYS < optional AUTOEXEC.BAT IPX.COM < for IPX workstations only NETX.EXE or VLM.EXE LSL.COM < for ODI workstations only RPLODI.COM < for ODI workstations only EXP16ODI.COM < for ODI workstations only IPXODI.COM < for ODI workstations only NET.CFG < for ODI workstations only NETX, LSL, RPLODI, VLM, and IPXODI are supplied by Novell. EXP16ODI is on the EtherExpress LAN adapter disk. If you plan to load any additional drivers, they must also be included on this disk. The AUTOEXEC.BAT file should contain only one line: XXXX.BAT WHERE: XXXX is a name you assign to the remote boot workstation. Each remote boot workstation will have its own XXXX.BAT file. Sample XXXX.bat files. For IPX workstations: For ODI workstations: Prompt $p$g Prompt $p$g IPX LSL NETX RPLODI EXP16ODI IPXODI NETX or VLM NOTE: RPLODI.COM must be loaded immediately after LSL and before the EXP16ODI. RPLODI.COM must be version 1.02 (date 3/21/91) or newer. If you use an earlier version, you may get the error "RPLODI already active." Copy the XXXX.bat file to the LOGIN subdirectory on the server. You can execute other commands by including them in the XXXX.bat file. See Novell's documentation if you have questions. 2. Log onto the network as supervisor and verify that these mappings exist: SYS:LOGIN SYS:SYSTEM If they don't, you will need to create them. MAP F:=SYS:LOGIN MAP G:=SYS:SYSTEM 3. Put the boot disk in drive A. Change to the LOGIN directory and type: G:DOSGEN a: XXXX.sys There MUST be a space between a: and XXXX.sys. 4. Change the attributes of the new file to Shareable, Read/Write: Flag XXXX.sys SRW 5. Change to the LOGIN directory and create an ASCII file called: BOOTCONF.SYS Each line in this file defines a unique remote-boot workstation. The format for this file is: 0xYYY,00AA00123456=XXXX.sys WHERE: 0xYYY is the network address of the remote-boot workstation (It should start with 0x). 00AA00123456 is the 12 digit ethernet address of the EtherExpress card. This address is printed on the board or can be displayed with SOFTSET(EtherExpress16 card) or MCADIAGS(EtherExpress MCA card). XXXX.sys is the name of the boot image for this workstation. You entered this name when you ran DOSGEN. 6. If you're running DOS 5.x or greater, you need to run RPLFIX. RPLFIX XXXX.SYS NOTE: RPLFIX.COM is found on the Novell WSDOS_1 diskette. For additional information on setting up multiple boot images refer to your Novell documentation. When you power on a remote-boot workstation, the ROM finds the server and looks for a BOOTCONF.SYS file. If it finds this file AND it finds a line with its ethernet address it executes the XXXX.sys file. If it does not find its ethernet address (or a BOOTCONF.SYS file), it looks for NET$DOS.SYS and executes that instead. * Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.