kuyper@cside1.uucp (Kuyper Hoffman) (01/25/91)
I am looking for some help with installing packet drivers on diskless workstations booting from ROM. I have read the Case Study by Wesleyan University which outlines every step in lurid detail -- many thanks to the people responsible for compiling this excellent document -- and have been able to achieve the goal by following the steps as laid out in it. However I have two problems; actually one point of concern and one real problem. The former relates to ROMREL.COM, the program that releases the hooks into the system BIOS. When I run this on a diskless PC fitted with a NE1000 compatible card using interrupt 3: romrel 3 I get the message: Error: interrupt specified not available on PC/XT I am using V2.0 of romrel, copyrighted 1983,1988. This in itself did not seem to be a problem, as I could still continue the boot successfully and managed to log in to Novell from where I ran NCSA Telnet to gain access to any of the UNIX boxes on my net. So a comment/reassurance on this would be appreciated. The real problem I have, however, is that the method described by Wesleyan involves the use of a RamDrive which is fine if you have a 1MB machine and can place it in extended memory. All our diskless workstation are deliberately the cheapest things around and have only 640K. Stealing 100-120K for a RamDrive means not leaving a helluva lot of free memory for large packages.... Is there any way of not using the RamDrive, or freeing up the memory after it has served it's purpose? Alternately, does anyone know of a version of ipx that incorporates a packet driver for the NE1000, eliminating the need for romrel. The DOC file that comes with romrel explains that such implementations do exist, but do not specify for what interface cards or where to get them. As I see it, by eliminating romrel, the need for the RamDrive also falls away. Any help would be appreciated, but as my News feed is tentative and I am not sure which groups I receive regularly, could all followups be mailed to me (feel free to also post for the general public if you feel the urge). Many thanks Kuyper -- + Kuyper Hoffman + I'd love to be a caterpillar + kuyper@cside1.UUCP + Life would be a farce + ....!ddsw1!olsa99!oct1!cside1!kuyper + Sliding down the cabbage leaves + + And landing on my .... knees.
xjeldc@tts.lth.se (Jan Engvald) (02/04/91)
In article <1991Jan25.104947.3482@cside1.uucp> kuyper@cside1.UUCP (Kuyper Hoffman) writes: >I am looking for some help with installing packet drivers on >diskless workstations booting from ROM. > >I have read the Case Study by Wesleyan University which outlines >every step in lurid detail -- many thanks to the people responsible >for compiling this excellent document -- and have been able to >achieve the goal by following the steps as laid out in it. > >However I have two problems; actually one point of concern and one >real problem. The former relates to ROMREL.COM, the program that >releases the hooks into the system BIOS. When I run this on a > ... >The real problem I have, however, is that the method described by >Wesleyan involves the use of a RamDrive which is fine if you have a >1MB machine and can place it in extended memory. Get the current version of packet drivers (7.x). They have full support for PROM boot and does not require ROMREL and RAMdisks. The PROMBOOT.NOTe file explains it all. The secret is to use the -n and -d options (and add -w so you can be prepared for Windows). As always, don't forget to copy the AUTOEXEC.BAT file also to the SYS:LOGIN directory. It is easy and works well. You can get the packet drivers (file DRIVERS.ZIP) by anonymous FTP from sun.soe.clarkson.edu, there is also a mail server. Jan Engvald, Lund University Computing Center ________________________________________________________________________ Address: Box 783 E-mail: Jan.Engvald@ldc.lu.se S-220 07 LUND Earn/Bitnet: xjeldc@seldc52 SWEDEN (Span/Hepnet: Sweden::Gemini::xjeldc) Office: Soelvegatan 18 VAXPSI: psi%2403732202020::xjeldc Telephone: +46 46 107458 (X.400: C=se; A=TeDe; P=Sunet; O=lu; Telefax: +46 46 138225 OU=ldc; S=Engvald; G=Jan) Telex: 33533 LUNIVER S
nelson@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Russ Nelson) (02/04/91)
In article <1991Jan25.104947.3482@cside1.uucp> kuyper@cside1.uucp (Kuyper Hoffman) writes:
I have read the Case Study by Wesleyan University which outlines
every step in lurid detail -- many thanks to the people responsible
for compiling this excellent document -- and have been able to
achieve the goal by following the steps as laid out in it.
Unfortunately, much of that document is out of date, for example, some
of the howtogets point you to deleted or out-of-date files. For example,
the 7.x packet drivers obviated the need for romrel with the -d switch.
--
--russ <nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu> Humble Quaker, and damned proud of it.
It's better to get mugged than to live a life of fear -- Freeman Dyson
I joined the League for Programming Freedom, and I hope you'll join too.johnm@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au (02/13/91)
In article <1991Jan25.104947.3482@cside1.uucp>, kuyper@cside1.uucp (Kuyper Hoffman) writes: > I am looking for some help with installing packet drivers on > diskless workstations booting from ROM. > > I have read the Case Study by Wesleyan University which outlines > every step in lurid detail ... An easier way is to use a Packet Driver and IPX combination that handles both the 802.3-like encapsulation of Novell IPX packets and the Ethernet 2 encapsulation of IP packets and doesn't take over the Ethernet card until requested to by NET3. Use an AUTOEXEC.BAT in the boot image something like: echo off ne1000 -n -d 0x60 3 0x300 <- 802.3 IPX packets, delay initialization ipx_pd <- IPX linked with BYU's PDSHELL net3 f: login No need for a RAM disk taking up memory after booting. See also PROMBOOT.NOT from the Clarkson collection of packet drivers -- sun.soe.clarkson.edu:pub/packet-drivers/drivers.zip now at version 8. John -- John Mann, Leader - Networking Section | johnm@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au Computer Centre, Monash University | phone: +61 3 565 4774 Clayton, Vic 3168, Australia | fax: +61 3 565 4746