BRAND%KEGGER@CIRCUS.LLNL.GOV (Hal R Brand) (01/06/88)
>To do a logical volume scavenge, you need to get into the Installer >(aka Othello) in "expert" mode. > >- Crank up the Installer: boot it from an installation floppy, or boot > it from the ethernet (it is F3 on an DayBreak, but I can't remember > the relevant boot number for a DLion) > >- When the Installer asks for a user name, type PROPS-C (Control-C) > >- Type in the magic installer password. > >Now run the Logical Volume Scavenger, giving it the LispFiles as the >volume name. It may take a long time to run if your LispFiles volume >is large. WHY DOES ONE NEED A "MAGIC" PASSWORD???? It seems to me that: 1) Everybody using a Xerox 11xx machine knows enough CS stuff to use (or NOT use) such a powerful (and deadly) tool! 2) It's "my disk" so I should be able to "go after it" in any way that is appropriate to retrieve my data! Now, I know that many times because of these reasons, the password is made known to users, but if this is the policy, why have a password?? I found all this especially frustrating when trying to help a friend with his 1186 based upon my experience with my 1109 and we couldn't get to the good stuff because we didn't have the 1186 password! My point? If you don't know this password, I suggest you ask your Xerox person for it ASAP before you really need it and have to wait N days to track him down. Hal Brand
scc@computer-lab.cambridge.ac.UK (01/06/88)
Hal Brand writes: >WHY DOES ONE NEED A "MAGIC" PASSWORD???? It seems to me that: > 1) Everybody using a Xerox 11xx machine knows enough CS stuff > to use (or NOT use) such a powerful (and deadly) tool! > 2) It's "my disk" so I should be able to "go after it" > in any way that is appropriate to retrieve my data! >Now, I know that many times because of these reasons, the password is >made known to users, but if this is the policy, why have a password?? It is NOT a good idea to assume that everyone using a D machine is an expert. Some companies buy D machines for office work ... and not many secretaries have enough CS experience for this sort of thing. You'd be surprised how daft CS types can be at times. If it is "your" disc it is your own funeral, but in our setup some of our workstations are "public". >My point? If you don't know this password, I suggest you ask your Xerox >person for it ASAP before you really need it and have to wait N days to >track him down. I concur heartily. I was tempted to broadcast the password ... but I thought better of it. While you are at it, try and convince your Xerox person to leave you a copy of the DayBreak Product Support Supplement. It is an IMMENSELY useful document for someone who has to look after a lot of machines. It is called: Xerox 6085 PCS Product Support Supplement 600P88305 -- Steve
Messenger-AI.SBDERX@XEROX.COM (01/07/88)
Re: "WHY DOES ONE NEED A "MAGIC" PASSWORD???? It seems to me that:
1) Everybody using a Xerox 11xx machine knows enough CS stuff
to use (or NOT use) such a powerful (and deadly) tool!"
As Steve has pointed out, not everyone who uses D machines is a CS wizard.
Don't forget that exactly the same machines and Installer software are used for
the Viewpoint 'customer' machines (then called 8010's and 6085's rather than
11xx's). There are thousands of non-CS types who use D machines just within
Xerox who would be quite capable of totally destroying their discs without any
trouble at all if let loose in Command mode. "Create Physical Volume? That
sounds interesting, I wonder what it does ...".
Re: "2) It's "my disk" so I should be able to "go after it"
in any way that is appropriate to retrieve my data!"
Yes. The only thing Xerox asks is that you have obtained a password from them.
engineer ...
Steve's point is also very valid - in a lot of installations machines are
shared. Having a password on command mode means that local System
Administrators can at least have some control over who has the capability to
wipe discs.
Re: "I found all this especially frustrating when trying to help a friend with
his 1186 based upon my experience with my 1109 and we couldn't get to the
good stuff because we didn't have the 1186 password!"
? The password to enter Command Mode from the Installer logon prompt is the same
on all machines.
Sorry to harp on about this, but being a support person I spend SO much time
fixing screw ups people have made when using command mode or diagnostics ...
-- Hugh