Network Support Encyclopedia 13/Network Support Encyclopedia (Novell Inc.)(1991).ISO/download/386prb.txt

Text File | 1990-08-29 | 27KB | 596 lines

                   386 PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS


1.   PROBLEM:  The 386 diskset does not properly initialize a new
     or previously uninitialized DCB.

     SOLUTION:  Use an older 2.15 version of diskset which is
     available on Netwire.  Once initialized, however, the 386
     diskset can talk to the DCB and set up drives etc.  (Be
     advised however that the Micropolis 1375 drives shows up
     incorrectly as a 3175.  It should work with the 1375).


2.   PROBLEM:  Some fast 386 machines will hang when loading
     NetWare 386 and display strange errors etc...this occurs
     because the hardware was not able to initialize before the
     software was ready.  This is usually seen in some 33mhz
     machines.

     SOLUTION:  Download the file called LOADFX.ARC from Netwire.
     This file injects some wait loops on boot to allow the
     hardware time to make the witch to protected mode.


3.   PROBLEM:  When using the originally shipped RXNET driver the
     server keeps allocating additional packet receive buffers
     until the maximum value is reached and does not give any back
     which causes the connection to be lost not allowing any
     further logins etc...

     SOLUTION:  Download the new driver called RXNET.ZIP from
     Netwire.


4.   PROBLEM:  There are several documentation errors in the SYSTEM
     ADMINISTRATION manual which may cause trouble using the UPS
     monitoring functions.

     SOLUTION:  If you want to be prompted just type "load UPS" at
     the command line and a little menu system will come up and
     give you the other parameters by number.  However, if you type
     in the entire command at once you need to specify the
     parameters by name not by number.  This is also true if
     putting the command in the AUTOEXEC file which most people
     will want to do.  The example in the manual on page 293 is
     also incorrect.  Here is a correct example of how the command
     should look. (LOAD UPS TYPE=MOUSE PORT=0 DISCHARGE=20
     RECHARGE=120)


5.   PROBLEM:  Remote printers randomly loosing connection and
     hanging the system in certain instances.  Also trouble
     attaching to more than 9 printers etc.

     SOLUTION:  There are some later PSERVER and RPRINTER files
     available in the 386 library (16) on Netwire, the name of the
     file is 386PRT.ZIP.  Make sure everything has been set up
     properly in PCONSOLE etc., as most problems can be traced back
     to incorrect or incomplete set ups etc.  (Be sure to read the
     manual as there are considerable changes from previous
     versions.)  Also, make sure there are no conflicts with the
     IRQ for the prot your printer is running off.  If your printer
     is printing slow this is likely the problem.


6.   PROBLEM:  Server hangs with a break point interrupt etc. when
     using ENHANCED EGA video adapters.

     SOLUTION:  The enhanced mode does not seem to be strictly IBM
     compatible on most of these cards and can usually be disabled
     with jumpers etc. on the board.



7.   PROBLEM:  Work station gets a Connection No Longer Valid,
     Abort Retry error at the workstation when doing an SLIST,
     USERLIST, or any other command that scrolls information on the
     screen.

     SOLUTION:  This is caused by an I/O address 2EOh conflict in
     the workstation.  Most often seen when the workstation is
     using the RXNET default I/O of 2EOh.  The library call used
     by the SLIST and other commands to find the number of lines
     accessable on the monitor uses I/O address 2EOh, thus killing
     the RXNET board. The answer is to choose an I/O option other
     than 2EOh for RXNET.


8.   PROBLEM:  Unable to "INSERT GROUPS" using the 3.0 386 SYSCON
     on a 2.12 server etc.

     SOLUTION:  No fix at this time, but it does work properly on
     a 2.15 system.  To work around this use the 2.21 SYSCON to
     insert groups from the 2.12 side etc.


9.   PROBLEM:  There have been some problems trying to get a second
     token ring card to be recognized properly when doing an
     internal bridge using both the standard 4Mb card and a 16/4
     card together in the server.
     SOLUTION:  Try putting the 16/4 card first as the primary
     adapter rather than the secondary.  Also make sure that all
     cards on a ring are set to the same speed which in this case
     would be 4Mb.


10.  PROBLEM:  When you do a SLIST all 386 servers show a node
     address of 1.

     SOLUTION:  This is normal for 386 servers and the network
     address that is displayed is the new internal IPX address of
     the server not the cable address.  To get the common cable or
     network address do a "CONFIG" at the server or a "USERLIST"
     at the work station.


11.  PROBLEM:  The Utilities Reference Manual has documented under
     the PSC command that there is a rewind parameter, ut it does
     not really exist in the software.

     SOLUTION:  The only way you can do the rewind option is
     through PCONSOLE and you have to be a print server operator
     to get that option, as well as other printer control options.
     Enter "PCONSOLE"
          PRINT SERVER INFORMATION
     Select "PRINT SERVER"
          PRINT SERVER STATUS/CONTROL
               PRINTER STATUS
     Select "ACTIVE PRINTER"

     PRINTER CONTROL should be highlighted in upper right hand
     corner of the screen.
     Press     return and you will see the option for REWIND>


12.  PROBLEM:  When using the WANGTEK 5150 PK Tape Drive and
     running NBACKUP, you may get the error "ERROR OXI initializing
     D1BI Driver.  INVALID CONTROLLER ADDRESS".

     SOLUTION:  Some of the manuals for this tape drive may say to
     use IRQ 6 and I/O 338 or something strange, but you must use
     IRQ 5, I/O 280, and DMA 3.  There is also a controller with
     assembly # 30475-007 that is called a QUICK 02 controller that
     seems to not work.  Engineering is looking at the problem now.
     Make sure they use the above options at least, because the
     driver will not recognize anything else.  NOTE:  This may not
     solve the problem.

13.  PROBLEM:  We have verified that version 2.17 of ARCMON.EXE,
     created by Brightworks, will cause the NetWare 386 server to
     GPI.  The utility is an ARCNET monitoring utility that
     broadcasts invalid packets.  Using a sniffer, testing was able
     to tell that the packets contain data in the address fields.
     The ARCNET driver up to this point was not checking for that
     type of packet, therefore causing the server to GPI.  The
     RXNET.LAN that is being revised has the changes which will
     handle the invalid packet properly.  This new driver will not
     be released until the maintenance or 3.1.  (Version 2.17 was
     the one tested, other versions of ARCMON may act the same.)

     SOLUTION:  Until the maintenance RXNET.LAN is released do not
     use ARCMON.EXE.


14.  PROBLEM:  Getting "Router Configuration" errors showing up on
     the internet or unable to see a particular fileserver.

     SOLUTION:  Double check that the "IPX Internal Network
     Address" number, assigned to any 386 server, does not conflict
     with any network or node addresses,(including Dos Process
     numbers on non-dedicated servers) on the internet.  (This
     number must be completely unique!)


15.  PROBLEM:  The fileserver comes up but get an Access Denied
     error at the workstation to log into the 386 server on an
     internet, even though it is possible to login to a 286 server.

     SOLUTION:  386 Login.exe encrypts the password acrossed the
     wire.  You have attached to a 286 server and are using that
     copy of login.exe, which does not encrypt the password like
     the 386 login.exe does.  There is a default "Set" parameter
     on the server expecting an encrypted password.  When it gets
     an unencrypted password, the server returns the Access Denied
     error.  This "Set" parameter can be set to allow unencrypted
     passwords by typing at the server command line: Set Allow
     Unencrypted Passwords = On.  This would also hold true for the
     Attach, Map, or any other command or utility that attempts to
     attach you to a 386 server from a 286 server.


16.  PROBLEM:  The 386 server comes up but when executing Net3 or
     Net4 the error A File Server Could Not Be Found is returned.

     SOLUTION:  This error usually indicates a hardware problem
     with either a card, cable or terminator.  Keep in mind however
     that NetWare 386 expects you to resolve any IRQ or I/O
     conflicts in the server box before you install the software,
     it does not resolve them during installation like NetWare
     286's Netgen did!  Double check your server to ensure there
     are no conflicts with IRQ's, I/O address etc.


17.  PROBLEM:  When using certain applications that open the same
     file more than once within a program, files can lose access
     rights when a file is opened again with different rights
     before it was closed the last time, etc.  This can result in
     the application receiving an "ACCESS DENIED" error from
     NetWare, which may be interpreted differently by different
     applications etc. (For example the ACCPAC software by Computer
     Associates will return a "DISK FULL" error.  AUTOCADD also has
     this problem.)

     SOLUTION:  There is a patch on Netwire in library 16 named
     OPENFX.ZIP that comes with a readme to resolve this problem.
     This file is also available through the 386 Support Hotline.


18.  PROBLEM:  When loading the DCB NLM the error Hardware
     Initialization Failure is returned.  Seen specifically on some
     Compaq machines.

     SOLUTION:  These machine comes with a mouse port that is
     enabled with a jumper on the motherboard.  The port conflicts
     with IRQ 12 that is used by a Novell channel 2 DCB and
     possibly other hardware cards.  Check your Compaq
     documentation and move the jumper to disable the mouse port.
     (Note: you cannot just remove the jumper completely.)


19.  PROBLEM:  Some applications use an older NetWare NCP call
     (Function 23 - Subfunction 2) in order to map a user to a
     connection list.  This call will return incorrect information
     if there are two users with names that are identical, with the
     exception of the last character (for example, SAMS and SAMR).
     This may cause the application to confuse the two users.  For
     instance, in a mail application SAMS may get his mail and
     SAMR's mail too.

     SOLUTION:  Run the patch CONFIX.ZIP found in data library 16
     on Netwire.


20.  PROBLEM:  When using the MAKEUSER or USERDEF utilities, an
     error like the following keeps coming up, and it is impossible
     to create the users etc.  "Error creating
     directory\\servername\sys\mail\xxxxxxxx User xxxx not
     created".

     SOLUTION:  Shorten the name of the fileserver to be eight
     characters or less. (This is the only solution at this time.)


21.  PROBLEM:  After doing an upgrade to 386, users attempt to
     login and receive the error Unknown Error Returned By Attach
     (89Fb).

     SOLUTION:  This message will occur if the supervisor hasn't
     gone into Syscon and given the users new passwords.  Passwords
     are not carried over in the upgrade process.

22.  PROBLEM:  When attempting the restore portion of upgrade the
     error Can Not Find Session Files is returned.

     SOLUTION:  The session file names have become
     corrupted(renamed).  For instance, if my working directory is
     specified as C:\FRED, the files in that direcory should be
     similar to $UPGRADE.BND, $UPGRADE.000, $UPGRADE.001.  When
     looking at these files however, they have names like
     FRED$UPG.BND, FRED$UPG.000, FRED$UPG.001 etc.  To fix this
     problem simply rename the files properly - $UPGRADE.BND,
     $UPGRADE.000, $UPGRADE.001 etc.

23.  PROBLEM:  Some applications attempt to create a file by  using
     the DOS INT 21 call CREATE NEW FILE (function 5B).  This call
     will only succeed in creating the specified file if it does
     not already exist.  If the file does exist, function 5B
     returns an error code indicating the existence of the file.
     NetWare 386 erroneously returns an ACCESS DENIED error if
     function 5B is called to create a file that already exists.
     This may confuse certain applications, leading to
     unpredictable results.

     SOLUTION:  Run the patch called CRTFIX found in data library
     16 on Netwire.  DBASE IV requires that both this patch and the
     OPENFIX patch be run against SERVER.EXE.
SUPPORT TIPS FOR NETWARE 386 VERSION 3.0

This information is included with the README file to help support
personnel with installing and supporting NetWare 386.


1.   The driver for PS/2 Model 80 machines with an MFM
     controller/drive is not included in the initial release of
     NetWare 386.  The driver for PS/2 machines with the ESDI
     controller/disk is available.


2.   The ISADISK.DSK driver supports the AT class controller.  This
     driver is designed to work with all standard bus AT class 386
     machines that have an AT style controller.  You can load this
     driver a second time to access the secondary controller.  The
     primary controller uses I/O port 1F0 and IRQ-E (14).  The
     secondary controller uses I/O port 170 and IRQ-F (11).  The
     ISADISK.DSK driver supports COMPAQ external drive units
     including the new COMPAQ dual 650 MB units.  The COMPAQ
     machine has to be configured with its SETUP program prior to
     use.  Currently, COMPAQ is the only known vendor that supports
     a secondary controller and drive(s).  Therefore, only COMPAQs
     can take full advantage of the ISADISK.DSK driver.


3.   When loading the LAN drivers, you must resolve interrupt,
     memory, and I/O port conflicts.  If you don't, your LAN board
     will not communicate properly with the network.  For example,
     if you have a COM1 serial port installed in the system, and
     want to use IRQ-4 for  your LAN board, you must disable the
     IRQ-4 for COM1.  This should not be a problem unless you
     cannot disable the interrupt without disabling the port
     altogether and you later want to use the port for a printer.
     If the parallel ports in 386A and 386A-E machines are using
     I/O Port 360, they map into the address space of the NE1000
     and NE2000 boards.  As a result, your LAN board will not
     communicate, or the printer attached to the port will not go
     on-line.


4.   NetWare 386 has been tested in-house on the following
     machines:

     COMPAQ Deskpro/386
     COMPAQ Deskpro/386 20MHz
     COMPAQ Deskpro/386 25MHz
     Novell 386A
     Novell 386 A-E
     IBM PS/2 Model 80
     IBM PS/2 Model 70

     In addition, one of our beta test sites is successfully using
     a Tandy 4000.  Remember that all machines MUST have at least
     2 MB for a minimal configuration.  We will have complete
     memory specifications at a later date so that you can
     determine how much memory you will
     need for your respective configuration.  The system will
     notify you when you are out of memory.


5.   NetWare 386 supports a maximum subdirectory tree depth of 100
     levels.  The default setting is 25.  You can use the SET
     command at the command line or in the STARTUP.NCF file to set
     the tree depth from 10 to 100.  If you have a volume with a
     tree depth of 100 and your operating system is configured for
     25, the operating system will not let you mount the volume.



6.   The initial product will support the following LAN interfaces:


     Novell NE2000
     Novell NE1000
     Novell RX-Net
     Novell NE/2 (MCA)
     IBM Token-Ring (one driver supports all varieties)


7.   In NetWare 386, FCONSOLE has more limited functionality.
     FCONSOLE will indicate which options are not supported by
     NetWare 386.  Some options not supported in FCONSOLE can be
     viewed by using the MONITOR loadable module.


8.   None of our current disk drivers will support the Tandy 5000
     MC (Tandy's MCA machine).  It requires a special driver that
     is not presently being developed.


9.   If a LAN driver in your file server is not communicating with
     the network, make sure that all port, interrupt, and memory
     conflicts have been resolved.  If there are no conflicts, see
     if you have exhausted the amount of "Maximum Packet Receive
     Buffers."  When the server first boots, it allocates 100
     buffers.  Using the MONITOR loadable module, you can determine
     if you have reached the limit.  If you have exceeded the
     limit, you can use the SET command at the command line or in
     the AUTOEXEC.NCF file to add additional buffers.


10.  NetWare 386 rights have changed significantly.  The new rights
     are explained in depth in the in the "Security" entry in the
     NetWare Concepts manual.  Please make sure that you study the
     rights carefully.  If you don't have any rights in a path or
     directory, you will not be able to see that path or directory.
     The system will tell you that it does not exist.  On a
     Macintosh, you will not even see the directory as a grey
     folder.


11.  Remote Reset will work for NetWare 386 just as it did for
     NetWare 286.  The latest version of the EPROM should be used.
     If you are using Token-Ring, you must load a Token-Ring module
     at the server for correct operation.  This Token Ring module
     will not be available with the initial release of 3.0 but will
     be available on NetWire shortly.  Pay special attention to PC
     terminals and 286 Terminals.  To operate correctly with
     NetWare, they must have the boot code that is the same boot
     code contained in the 2.68 BIOS version for the 286 Terminal.
     Source routing drivers for NetWare 386 on the server will be
     available on NetWire shortly.


12.  The NetWare 386 partition editor does not correctly recognize
     a partition that was set up in a v2.15 installation on a PS/2
     Model 70 or 80.  The v2.15 ESDI driver does not return the
     correct number of heads.  This should not be a problem unless
     you want to preserve a 286 partition that is already on the
     drive.  The 386 partition editor will allow you to delete the
     286 partition and create a new 386 partition.


13.  MACSETUP has been modified for NetWare 386.  On a 386 server,
     MACSETUP will create the desktop directory, assign the rights,
     and copy the Desk Accessory files.  The modified version of
     MACSETUP will ship with NetWare for Macintosh v1.1.  You can
     work around this problem by completing the following steps:

     a.  Target the NetWare 386 server as a target server for the
     SPG gateway.
     b.  Manually copy the Macintosh Desktop files from an existing
     NetWare 286 based target server.
     c.  Rebuild the Macintosh Desk Accessory files.


14.  Some non-COMPAQ and non-IBM machines will hang when loading
     the operating system at high speed.  To avoid this problem,
     complete the following steps:

     a. Boot the machine with DOS.
     b. Slow the machine down to the slowest speed (see machine
     documentation).
     c. Load the NetWare 386 operating system.
     d. Once the system comes up, down the server and exit to DOS.

     e. Set the machine to the highest speed.
     f. Reload the 386 operating system.

     This procedure has worked for the Hewlett Packard Vectras and
     the AST Premium 386. It may work on others as well.  Machines
     based on the Chips and Technology chipset seem to have this
     problem most often.

KNOWN ANOMALIES IN NETWARE 386 VERSION 3.0 REVISION A AS OF AUGUST
14, 1989.


1.   The broadcast window has an 80-column limit.  This may be too
     small for some messages sent by the file server.


2.   NDIR does not function properly at a subdirectory tree depth
     of 100 levels or greater.  It will indicate that specified
     file(s) could not be found.  Users should exercise caution
     before establishing deep directory structures.


3.   SALVAGE does not function properly at a subdirectory tree
     depth of 57 levels or greater.  It will hang with the message:
     "You are not attached to server (null)."


4.   When VREPAIR is run, the mirroring code does not fix mirrored
     drives.  If a server is downed abnormally, for example, by a
     power failure, mirrored drives may be left out of sync.  The
     operating system does not detect this problem and will abort
     mounting the drives when the system is brought back up.  If
     VREPAIR is run, it will treat the mirrored drives as though
     they are still in sync when they are not.  The result is that
     the volume is not repaired and still cannot be mounted.
     Unmirror the drives, run VREPAIR, and then mount the volume.
     The volume will then mount correctly, and the drives can be
     remirrored.


5.   Mirroring does not work on COMPAQ type 17 drives.  Mirroring
     tests that work properly on the other models of COMPAQ drives
     do not work on the type 17 drives.  These drives are primarily
     found in the original COMPAQ Deskpro/386 16MHz machines.
     Newer 20 and 25 MHz units equipped with the 130 MB and 300 MB
     ESDI drives work correctly.


6.   INSTALL hangs when creating small partitions.  When an attempt
     is made to create a partition of smaller than 8 blocks,
     INSTALL.NLM responds with a message saying the number must be
     between 8 and 966.  However, if an attempt is made to create
     a partition of any size from 8 to 11 blocks, INSTALL hangs.


7.   BINDREST for 386 servers will call itself BINDFIX if you
     attempt to run it on a 286 server.  You will get back the
     following error message: "Error:  This Bindfix requires a 386
     file system bindery."


8.   Attempting to rename a file or directory to 0xFF (ALT-255)
     puts the file server in an infinite loop.  The server must be
     re-boot to clear this situation.


9.   INSTALL allows an invalid character, the period, in volume
     names during volume creation.  This does not create a problem
     for the operating system, but will cause difficulties for DOS
     and some NetWare utilities that use DOS paths.


10.  The partition editor in the INSTALL module will allow you to
     delete existing partitions without a warning message that the
     partition to be deleted contains data.  You will not see a
     confirmation screen once you hit the Delete key.


11.  The mirroring shutdown process may take an excessive amount
     of time.  In some cases, the mirroring process has taken up
     to 25 minutes to detect a failed mirror before resuming
     operation.  The ESDI disk driver takes less time than the
     ISADISK and the DCB.  The worst documented test case for the
     ESDI driver was 8 minutes.


12.  The operating system time does not increment when the
     operating system takes an excessive amount of time to detect
     a drive failure.


13.  VERSION will sometimes return random ASCII characters when
     displaying the version of a utility.


14.  SMODE cannot reset search mode back to mode 0, the default
     setting for all executable files.  If the user changes from
     mode 0 to mode 1 through 7, the system will respond properly.
     If the user tries set the search mode back, SMODE will ignore
     the request and display the usage screen.


15.  FILER will not allow the creation time to be modified on
     files.


16.  Server operation can be unreliable when trying to function at
     the limits of available memory or disk space.  The server
     failed in an attempt to allocate more semi-permanent memory
     when the 2 MB of RAM was in use.  At this point, two different
     attempts to go into INSTALL.NLM and change the system
     configuration both resulted in ABENDs: "ReturnPermanentMemory
     received a (sic) invalid memory block" and "Block not found
     with redirection bit set."


17.  Power failure to drives causes the server to fail.  During
     mirroring tests, the power cable was disconnected from various
     drives to simulate power failure at the drive.  In the case
     of the PS/2 Model 80 with 2 ESDI 115 MB drives, disconnecting
     power from either drive during a copy operation causes the
     server to hang and the workstation to receive an "error
     sending Abort/Retry."  On the Novell 386AE, the worst case
     caused a 13-minute delay to failed drive removal, volume SYS
     to be dismounted, the other (good) drive in the mirrored pair
     to be removed, the driver to be unloaded, and a subsequent
     DOWN command to hang the server.  This condition occurred when
     power was disconnected from the primary drive of the pair.
     Note that this condition was not repeated when the secondary
     drive of the pair was disconnected.


18.  LISTDIR will generate an error if used in a subdirectory tree
     of 84 or more levels.  It will return the message "runtime
     error null pointer assignment."


19.  Print queues occasionally become corrupted.  If you are having
     problems with your print queues, you can delete the queue and
     recreate it using PCONSOLE.


20.  If DSPACE is set with user disk restrictions on and the user
     deletes a Macintosh file, the space allocation for the
     resource fork is not returned to the  user.


21.  If you use FLAG to flag a file in a NetWare 286 based server,
     all files in the entire tree structure from that point on will
     be flagged.