Novell Remote Boot and Memory Management This document is for use with 386MAX and BlueMAX version 7.xx. All information in this document pertains to both 386MAX and BlueMAX. 386MAX is used as an example in all cases. This data is specific to the Novell Remote Boot workstation and 386MAX version 6 or later. Booting a Diskless Workstation The process of booting a diskless workstation is much different than that of booting a standard DOS workstation. Because the diskless workstation has no local drives to start DOS and the network shell, it must rely on the server to download an image file containing the operating system and any other files necessary to boot the workstation. The image file is created from the Novell utility DOSGEN. This utility reads the remote boot floppy and collects operating system and startup files into one large boot image file. The boot PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) on the network card makes use of the image file by creating a virtual drive A: in memory. It then instructs the machine to boot from this virtual drive as if it were a local floppy drive. Each workstation with a unique configuration uses a separate image file. If all workstations are the same configuration, they may share the same image file. Installing 386MAX on a Diskless Workstation The absence of local drives prevents a user from installing software directly on the workstation. The LAN administrator must take the following steps to install 386MAX on a diskless workstation: 1. The network requires at least one machine on the network that has both a hard disk and a floppy drive. Insert the 386MAX diskette into the floppy drive and type A:INSTALL. After displaying copyright information and prompting for name and serial number, 386MAX files extract to the hard disk in a default 386MAX directory. Abort the Install program as soon as the files are copied to the hard drive. Do not run Maximize. 2. Make a 386MAX directory on a shared area of the server. Copy the files in the 386MAX directory on the hard drive into the newly created 386MAX directory so that the files are available after bootup. 3. Copy the following files to the appropriate boot image diskette(s) for each system(s) that you want to update with 386MAX: 386MAX.SYS or BLUEMAX.SYS 386LOAD.SYS 386MAX.VXD or BLUEMAX.VXD 386LOAD.CFG 386LOAD.COM XLAT.COM Appropriate BCF file if using BlueMAX on a PS/2 system If you are installing on an IBM PS/2 system(s), determine the correct BCF file(s) by booting the workstation(s) and running ASQ from the server. Under Equipment, then Summary, note the value for BIOS CRC (ex. 58C4). In the BlueMAX directory on the server, locate the correct BCF file in the format @58C4.BCF and copy the appropriate file(s) to the corresponding remote image diskette. Each system may require a different BCF file. Be sure to check the BCF for each system you are updating. 4. Create a file on the remote image diskette called 386MAX.PRO (BlueMAX.PRO for a BlueMAX installation). For a 386MAX installation, add the following line to the file: USE=B000-B800 ; Reclaim Monochrome Display Area For a BlueMAX installation (obtain the correct BCF for each system as described above): AUTOBCF ; Compress the PS/2 BIOS USE=B000-B800 ; Reclaim Monochrome Display Area NOTE: If the workstation's network adapter uses an address in high DOS, be sure protect the area with a RAM=XXXX-YYYY statement in the profile (ex. RAM=CC00-D000). See your 386MAX documentation for complete information on the RAM= option. 5. Edit the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot image diskette for each appropriate system. Insert the following line as the first DEVICE= statement: DEVICE=386MAX.SYS PRO=386MAX.PRO For each DEVICE statement following 386MAX in your CONFIG.SYS, insert the following after the DEVICE= : 386LOAD.SYS GETSIZE PROG= Example: DEVICE=ANSI.SYS becomes DEVICE=386LOAD.SYS GETSIZE PROG=ANSI.SYS Perform the same action for any INSTALL= command using 386LOAD.COM in place of 386LOAD.SYS: Example: INSTALL=SHARE.EXE becomes INSTALL=386LOAD.COM GETSIZE PROG=SHARE.EXE * Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the boot image diskette for each appropriate system. Insert the following statement in front of every resident program*: 386LOAD GETSIZE PROG= Example: IPX becomes 386LOAD GETSIZE PROG=IPX *NOTE: Programs which allocate their own UMBs (Upper Memory Blocks) are automatically supported by 386MAX. Do not alter lines for UMB allocators. Any called batch files containing resident programs should be edited in the same manner. After completing the above procedure for every resident program, save all opened files, generate a new image file on the server, and reboot the workstation. * After the workstation has booted, change to the network directory containing the 386MAX files. Type the following command: 386UTIL /SI You may wish to redirect this output to a network printer to make it easier to access the information needed to edit your system startup files. A table similar to the following is displayed: * Edit the system startup files on the boot image diskette to reflect the information provided in this summary screen. Given the sample configuration above, you would make the following changes to the configuration files: Allow 386MAX.SYS to load into high DOS. The optimization section of the summary screen indicates it should load in region 5 (Prog Reg #). Edit the 386MAX.PRO file on the boot image diskette and insert the following line: PRGREG=5 Case or line position is not important when editing the profile. Save the file and exit the editor. ANSI.SYS is the next program to load. The top section (Resident Program Memory Summary) of the summary screen suggests continuing with SIZE=1824. The bottom section (Resident Program Optimization) shows the program should load in region 3. Edit the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot image diskette. Given the example above, change the line: DEVICE=386LOAD.SYS GETSIZE PROG=ANSI.SYS to DEVICE=386LOAD.SYS SIZE=1824 PRGREG=3 PROG=ANSI.SYS For MOUSE.SYS, the summary screen indicates that no size is needed, but that it should load in region 2. Change the line: DEVICE=386LOAD.SYS GETSIZE PROG=MOUSE.SYS to DEVICE=386LOAD.SYS PRGREG=2 PROG=MOUSE.SYS Complete all suggested changes, save the CONFIG.SYS file and exit the editor. * Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The first TSR to load in the sample configuration is SMARTDRV.EXE. Even though a size was given for the program in the first section, the second section suggests that it will not load into high DOS. If no entry is present for best load order or PRGREG, 386MAX has determined that there will not be enough room to load all other TSRs if SMARTDRV is allowed to load high. The next program to load is IPX.COM. The top section suggests to allow FLEXFRAME for this program and continue with SIZE=29376. The bottom section suggests it should load into region 2. Change the line: 386LOAD GETSIZE PROG=IPX to 386LOAD SIZE=29376 FLEXFRAME PRGREG=2 PROG=IPX NETX.COM is our next program. The top section tells us that FLEXFRAME is required, and to continue with SIZE=51760. The bottom section says to load NETX into region 2. Change the line: 386LOAD GETSIZE PROG=NETX to 386LOAD SIZE=51760 FLEXFRAME PRGREG=2 PROG=NETX The last program to load identifies itself as a UMB allocator. This program allocates its own Upper Memory Blocks and loads itself into high DOS memory. 386MAX supports this feature without any changes to the line. Save the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and/or any called batch files and exit the editor. Use DOSGEN to create a new image file from your boot image diskette. Copy the image file to the appropriate directory on the file server and reboot the workstation. The system should boot normally with the specified programs loading into high DOS. Other 386MAX utilities may be used to fine tune the individual workstation. 386UTIL and ASQ may suggest areas of possible improvement on your workstation. Refer to the documentation provided with 386MAX for information about understanding and using these utilities.