The LANplex 2500 is factory configured to boot the system software from flash memory. However, if the LAnplex executable software image stored in flash memory becomes corrupted (for example, when a power failure occurs during a software update), you must change the settings to boot from a ftp server on the network.
To boot over the network, you must load the LANplex 2500 executable image onto a ftp server, establish an out-of-band Ethernet Connection using a 3Com Etherlink III PCMCIA card (pn: 3C589B-TP for RJ-45 or 3C589B-Combo for RJ-45 and Coax), attach a terminal to the LAnplex 2500 terminal port, access the Boot Monitor to set a pointer to a different memory vector location in flash, and change the boot parameters for network booting.
After successfully booting over the network, you must re-install new system software and change the boot vector back to flash memory.
To access the Boot Monitor and set a new boot vector:
1. Insert a 3Com Etherlink III PCMCIA card (pn: 3C589B) into the LAnplex 2500 PCMCIA slot.
2. Attach the PCMCIA card's 10BaseT cable into a MDIX port that will allow access to the ftp server that has the LANplex 2500 executable image loaded.
3. Power cycle the LANplex 2500. During power up, the following messages will be displayed.
4. Immediately after Ramtest 8 - data-address is displayed to the screen, begin pressing the 'Return/Enter' key until the following is displayed: NOTE: Be sure to continuously press the 'Return/Enter' key until the LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands menu is displayed.
LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands
<num><hex-num> Sets the boot vector <num> to the value <hex-num> p<num> Sets the primary boot vector to <num> b<num1><num2> Boot using boot vector <num1> with boot type <num2> f<hex-num> Sets the boot flags to <hex-num> l Lists the values of all boot vectors, primary vector number, and the boot flags r Hard reset h or ? Print this message ESC Exit
>
Note 1: If you are running diagnostics version 3.0.0 or greater the system will ask for a password. Type "SUPPORT" (must be upper case), then <CR>. The system will display the message 'Permission Granted'. At this point the AS: prompt will appear and you will need to follow the instructions in Note 2 below.
Note 2: If the AS: prompt is displayed on the console, enter 10 at the AS: prompt. At the Select Operation ==> prompt of the LANplex 2000 Utility Selection menu, enter 5. You should now be at the LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands menu. If you are not at the LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands menu, power cycle the system and begin at step 1.
5. Enter l at the > prompt to list the values of all boot vectors, primary boot vector and the boot flags. The following will be displayed:
>
6. Specify vector zero as the primary boot vector by entering p 0 followed by <CR> at the > prompt.
Setting the primary boot vector to this location (0x60000) will permit a network boot.
7. Reset (reboot) the LANplex 2500 by entering r, followed by <CR>.
The system will attempt to boot from over the network using the specified boot fields. These boot fields must be modified in order to boot over the network.
8. Press the return key when you are prompted with the following:
Press any key to stop auto-boot
The following prompt will be displayed:
LANplex NetBoot->
You can now configure the boot parameters to boot over the network.
To change the boot parameters to allow booting over the network:
1. At the LANplex NetBoot-> prompt, enter c, followed by <CR>.
Configuration fields apperar line by line.
2. You must enter values for the following boot parameter fields: Host Name, Host IP Address, File Name, LANplex out-of-band IP Address, User Name, and FTP Password. If the host is not on the same network as the system, you will also need to include a value of the Gateway IP Address. These boot parameter fields are described in Table 1.
After each field, press <CR> to go to the next field. If you do not want to change a value in a field, press <CR> at the prompts. After the last prompt, you are returned to the LANplex NetBoot-> prompt.
An example of the boot parameters that allow booting over the network is shown below.
Boot Device :pcmcia Host Name :blizzard Host IP Address :158.101.32.11 File Name :/usr/lanplex/lanplex LANplex Host Name : LANplex out-of-band IP Address :158.101.32.12 Gateway IP Address : User name :jimmk FTP Password :jim Starup Script : System Flags [0x20008] :
|
Boot Field |
Description |
|
Host Name |
The name of the host machine from which you want to boot the system. *Must enter value. |
|
Host IP Address |
The IP address of the host from which you want to boot. This address cannot be specified with a subnet mask. |
|
File Name |
The full path name of the LANplex software image. (for example:/usr/lanplex/lanplex) |
|
LANplex Host Name |
The name assigned to the LANplex. |
|
LAnplex out-of-band IP |
The IP address assigned to the PCMCIA Ethernet If non-standard subnet masks are used in the network, they may be specified in hexadecimal following the IP address. |
|
Gateway IP Address |
The IP address of a gateway node if the host is not on the same network as the system. This address cannot be specified with a subnet mask. |
|
User Name |
Your user name with which the system accesses the host. This name must be a valid user on the machine listed as host inet and have read access to the system file being booted. |
|
FTP Password |
Your user password for booting over the network. You must enter a password. |
3. To reboot using the new boot fields, enter @ at the LANplex NetBoot-> prompt.
The Boot Fields you have just entered will be displayed to the screen, and will attempt to boot over the network. If the system does not boot, check the out-of-band network connections and the boot parameters by accessing the LANplex NetBoot-> prompt again.
You can install new software into flash from the ftp server. Follow the software installation instructions in the LANplex 2500 Administration Console User Guide. After successfully installing new software, reset the boot vector or boot the LANplex from flash as described in the next section.
Once new software is installed, you must change the boot vectors back to flash and reboot the system.
1. Power cycle the LAnplex 2500. During power up, the following messages will be displayed:
2. Immediately after Ramtest 8 - data=address is displayed to the screen, begin pressing the 'Return/Enter' key until the LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands menu is displayed.
NOTE: If the AS: prompt is displayed on the console, enter 10 at the AS: prompt. At the Select Operation==>> prompt of the LANplex 2000 Utility Selection menu, enter 5. You should now be at the LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands menu. If you are not at the LANplex 2000 Boot Monitor Commands menu, power cycle the system and begin at step 1 of this section.
3. Specify vector one as the primary boot vector by entering p 1 at the > prompt, followed by <CR>. Setting the primary boot vector to this location (0xa0000) will permit a boot from flash.
4. Reset (reboot) the system be entering r, followed by <CR>.
© 3Com Corporation | Last Update: December 24, 1996