[comp.sys.next] Help! NeXTStation won't boot

mwu@TERI.BIO.UCI.EDU (Matt Wu) (12/14/90)

After attempting to configure my machine for network use and 
rebooting it, it refused to come back up. It stopped with the 
message "checking system files ..." and would go no further.

I guess I was being stupid when I figured that I could use 
NetManager without a major calamity. I _thought_ I was 
following the instructions in the Network and System 
Administration manual step by step, but I probably messed up 
somewhere along the way.

All I wanted to do was connect my roommate's computer to mine 
using Ethernet Thin. Now I just want to get the NeXTStation 
up and running again. If anyone can help out, I'd really 
appreciate it.


Matt Wu

mwu@teri.bio.uci.edu

mwu@teri.bio.uci.edu (Matt Wu) (12/14/90)

Sorry about solving my own problem so soon after asking for 
help ... 

After figuring out how to get into the ROM Monitor and 
booting single-user Unix from there, I randomly moved and 
replaced files (not the best solution, I suppose, but it 
worked) and discovered the problem was in my /etc/hostconfig 
file. After replacing it with the old file, it booted up 
fine.

Apparently what had happened was that I had set INETADDR and 
IPBROADCAST to the same number with NetManager. I had assumed 
that's the way it worked - only one IP number per machine - 
but I guess I'll have to find some documentation on IP 
addressing sometime soon.

Anyway, although the solution was simple, it was pretty much 
a guess that solved the problem. Maybe the gurus out there 
would have known what to do immediately, but some of us are 
students who purchased NeXT machines because a) they're cool 
and b) they're relatively inexpensive. I don't know. Maybe 
I'm being silly, but I think there should be some safeguards 
in the software to prevent users from doing stupid things 
(which I somehow often end up doing :-)

Thanks to anyone who responded (or would have responded).

Matt Wu
mwu@teri.bio.uci.edu