Bootware BootROMs in 3c5x9 and 3c59x cards. HELP!!
Jon Seabrook
Hi all,
I am trying to increase secuity and reliability of our networks by
implementing bootROMs. I have not set up BootROM system before so I
may be doing something simple incorrectly. I have emailed LANWORK
TECHNOLOGIES support twice, the first response being a form to fill in
and the second (after me having sent in two completed forms) was
nothing.
For those unfamiliar with the Bootware product, it does not require
the use of RPL, all the included boot requires you do is to set up
the image correctly on the server(s) on your network and configure the
Bootware ROM according to your configuration.
As a standard in our organisation we use Ethernet_II frame types due
to the combined usage of TCP/IP on both our Administration and
Education networks. I have configured our servers, clients, bootrom
images and ROM configurations for Ethernet_II. Using another product
from LANWORK TECHNOLOGIES called BWLOADHI.SYS (this creates a RAM
drive onto which it extracts the boot image file before executing) I
am able to successfully load all the network drivers. Unfortunately
after loading all the drivers and VLMs no network connection to the
server is established.
I have spent hours on the phone with 3Com helpdesk and hours
downloading the latest drivers from 3Com, DEC (some of our
workstations are DEC Venturis') and LANWORK TECHNOLOGIES without
success.
I believe that the problem lies in the protocols but Bootware is
supposed to work on all native Novell Netare frame types.
I would appreciate any assistance that could be offered.
Thanks
Jon Seabrook
Computer Systems Administrator (Brisbane Institute of TAFE)
Bit....@mailbox.uq.oz.au
Sylvain Gagnon
We are also using Lanworks boot PROM (since 1990) and a mix of 3C503 and 3C5x9
NIC and have no problems (we are also using Ethernet II, and packet drivers
for ODI).
Here is a sample of a AUTOEXEC.BAT that we use and the corresponding NET.CFG
AUTOEXEC.BAT....
@echo off
break off
verify off
prompt $p$g
mode con: rate=32 delay=1
loadhigh LSL
RPLODI
loadhigh ODIPKT 0 126
loadhigh IPXODI
cls
set COMSPEC=F:\V6.30\COMMAND.COM
VLM
cx Aviat.LaCiteC /R > NUL
login
NET.CFG
Link support
BUFFERS 4 1600
MAX BOARDS 1
MAX STACKS 1
Link Driver 3C5X9
FRAME Ethernet_II
PROTOCOL IPX 8137 ETHERNET_II
protocol IPXODI
BIND 1
NetWare DOS Requester
AUTO RECONNECT OFF
AVERAGE NAME LENGTH 8
CONNECTIONS 8
FIRST NETWORK DRIVE F
LOAD LOW REDIR ON
MESSAGE TIMEOUT 5400
NETWARE PROTOCOL NDS,BIND
READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY ON
SHOW DOTS ON
SIGNATURE LEVEL 1
PREFERRED TREE LACITEC
Netx
FILE HANDLES 99
SPECIAL UPPERCASE ON
Hope that helps.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sylvain Gagnon mailto:syl...@lacitec.on.ca
Systems/Network Admin Tel: (613) 742-2493 (ext: 2416)
La Cite collegiale Fax: (613) 742-2486
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marcel Cox
Your way of proceeding seems somewhat complicated to me. We do also
have a couple of diskless stations using 3c509 cards with Lanwork
Bootware bootroms. We don't use any stuff like BWLOADHI.SYS. The
drivers are simply loaded like on a normal station with one exception:
there is an aditional driver RPLODI loaded. Our AUTOEXEC.BAT on the
diskless stations looks like this:
... (DOS stuff)
LSL.COM
RPLODI.COM
3C5X9.COM (or whatever NIC you have)
IPXODI.COM
VLM.EXE
The NET.CFG file should contain the appropriate lines for your frame
type and other settings.
In our configuration we used frame type Ethernet_802.3 for booting and
Ethernet_802.2 for working. The Ethernet_802.3 frame type is only
enabled on the server containing the boot image file, so we are sure
the correct server is selected for booting.
Marcel
David Gersic
In <4rc0hb$n...@caladan.restena.lu>, marce...@cie.etat.lu (Marcel Cox) writes:
>Your way of proceeding seems somewhat complicated to me. We do also
>have a couple of diskless stations using 3c509 cards with Lanwork
>Bootware bootroms. We don't use any stuff like BWLOADHI.SYS. The
BWLOADHI.SYS is an interesting util, and you should take a look at it. What
it does is grab the entire image from the server and stuff it into high
memory before continuing the boot process. It makes the diskless machines
boot much faster.
>drivers are simply loaded like on a normal station with one exception:
>there is an aditional driver RPLODI loaded. Our AUTOEXEC.BAT on the
Yes, you need RPLODI.
======================================================================
The packet goes out the card, into the copper, out the router,
onto the fiber, across the world, thru the copper............
NOTHING BUT NET.
David Gersic dge...@niu.edu
Systems Programmer Northern Illinois University