 |
 |
 |
 |
4
Boot Monitor
Overview
The Boot Monitor is a command-line utility that provides an easy way to input boot commands. Using the Boot Monitor, you can access the Extended Self-Test menu and set parameters describing the network computer in your network environment. Some of the primary parameters are:
When the Boot Monitor is running and awaiting a command, the BOOT> prompt is displayed on the screen. Each command-line (i.e., command plus associated parameters) is echoed on the screen as typed and must be terminated with the Return key. Boot Monitor commands are not case sensitive, however, arguments to the commands can be case sensitive.
Once the necessary configuration parameters are entered correctly and saved, or if the host remote configuration file is complete and accessible, going to the Boot Monitor is not necessary. When the network computer is powered on, the network computer Operating System (or Extended Self-Test) is automatically booted.
Accessing the Boot Monitor
Normally, the Boot Monitor is activated only if an abnormal condition prevents the network computer from booting and running in normal network computer (or Extended Self-Test) operating mode. These following conditions automatically access the boot monitor:
- The Kernel Self-Test detected a hardware fault.
- Nonvolatile memory checksum is bad.
- Boot information does not exist in nonvolatile memory and RARP, BOOTP or MOP broadcasts failed after a 20 second broadcast period.
- The boot host is not accessible.
- The boot directory does not exist.
- Boot image files do not exist or are not usable (the file permissions may be set incorrectly or the files corrupted).
- The boot process was interrupted with a keystroke.
The Boot Monitor displays the reason the boot failed, and provides an interface to enter boot parameters. Pressing h (for help) at the BOOT> prompt lists the available commands.
Boot Monitor Commands
Table 4-1 on page 4-3 lists the Boot Monitor commands. Detailed command descriptions follow. You can abbreviate the commands to the minimum number of letters specified in bold in Table 4-1.
Authorize Command
The authorize command displays the authorization key or enables the option(s) specified by the entered authorization key.
The authorization key consists of 17 alphanumeric characters, including punctuation marks. The authorization key is printed on the Serial Number label. When entered, it enables one or more software options, such as TDEnet or XIE, to run on the network computer.
When adding options, you must assign a new authorization key. This allows the new options to run in addition to the existing options. When entering a new authorization key, you may be notified that the new key has disabled one or more options. In this case, this warning message is displayed:
WARNING: previously enabled option(s) have been disabled
Previous and new authorization keys are also displayed, as well as the previous and new option masks (hexadecimal representations of enabled options).
The authorization key is stored in NVRAM and should not be changed unless a new option requiring a new authorization key is added, or a related hardware failure occurs. The Save Current Settings and Clear Settings selections on the Setup Main Menu do not affect the authorization key.
authorization-key specifies the 17-character authorization key.
Displays the authorization key.
BOOT> authorize 4X3.b.SSnW47c9-b(
Sets the authorization key to 4X3.b.SSnW47c9-b(
Authorization Key Manager
The Authorization Key Manager client is available for setting the authorization keys for several network computers at once. For details about the client, refer to the Authorization Key Manager topic in your NCD NCBridge Installation and Configuration manual.
BAfrom (Get Boot Address From) Command
The BAfrom command tells the network computer whether to get its boot address and other boot information from NVRAM or from the network via a broadcast protocol such as BOOTP or RARP. In previous releases, choosing NEtwork sets the network computer broadcast for this critical booting information in a default sequence: First it tried DHCP, then BOOTP, then RARP. Whichever method yielded a server response first was the protocol that would be used to deliver the information. Some customers, however, may wish to restrict network address resolution to a specific protocol. Boot ROM version 7.4 allows you to restrict the broadcast protocol used for network boot address information to either DHCP, BOOTP, or RARP. Table 4-2 shows BAfrom command-values and what each one does.
The ability to specify broadcast protocol is an advantage for system administrators because it eliminates the need for them to manually create and maintain tables with network computer names and Ethernet addresses on their DHCP servers. By specifying DHCP as the BAfrom method, you can let your network computers pass their names to the DHCP server--which issues them IP addresses--without worrying about matching device names with Ethernet addresses.
Note: This feature ONLY works if the BAfrom command is set to DHCP. These settings persist through an NVFactory (default reset) after an NVSave.
BDelay Command
bdelay DISABLED or RANDOM or n
The bdelay command specifies if there is a delay before booting the network computer after a reset or power cycle. The delay can be random (1 to 63 seconds, generated from ethernet address) or a specified number of seconds. This feature is useful when many network computers may be trying to boot at once.
DISABLED specifies that the network computer does not wait (default).
RANDOM specifies the network computer waits a random time (under 63 seconds) before trying to boot. The boot delay time is generated based on the last two digits in the hardware address (not to exceed 63 seconds).
n specifies that the network computer waits a specified number of seconds before trying to boot. (Range 1 to 3600 seconds)
BMethod Command
bmethod ROM or MOP or TFTP or NFS [Read size]
The bmethod command specifies how the network computer locates and downloads the system files.
ROM specifies that the network computer boots from the physically installed ROMs
MOP specifies that the network computer boots across a TDEnet network
TFTP specifies that the network computer boots across a TCP/IP network
NFS [Read size] specifies that the network computer boots via NFS with a specified read size (1024 to 8192)
BOOT> bm r
BOOT> bm m
BOOT> bm t
BOOT> bm n 8192Boot Command
boot ROM or MOP or TFTP or NFS
The boot command downloads the network computer operating system using the method specified by the BMethod command, or one of the boot parameters. New boot parameters are active as long as the network computer is powered on. Use NVSave to retain parameters after the power is turned off. If the network computer cannot boot, the Boot Monitor is displayed.
ROM boots from the physically installed Flash memory or ROM
MOP boots across a TDEnet network
TFTP boots across a TCP/IP network
boot_path specifies the boot path to use (optional)
BPath Command
The bpath command specifies the full path and filename where the boot file resides on the host.
path specifies the path where the boot file resides
BOOT> bp /tekxp/boot/config/os.900
BOOT> bp TEK$NC900_BOOT:NC900_OSCLient_id Command
The client_id command specifies whether or not the client identifier field is used during the DHCP boot process.
ON enables the use of the DHCP client ID field in DHCP packets the boot ROM sends. This is the default setting.
OFF disables the use of the DHCP client ID field.
Dnode Command
The dnode command specifies the DECnet node address of the network computer. It is only used if the TDEnet option is available.
decnet_address specifies the DECnet address.
Erase Command
The erase command clears the display screen.
Etherstat Command
The etherstat command prints a list of the ethernet commands. This command is for Series 330 network computers only.
Help Command
The help command lists the available Boot Monitor commands along with a brief description of each. Typing a question mark (?) is the same as typing help.
IAddr Command
The iaddr command specifies the internet address for the network computer.
ip_address specifies the IP address for the network computer.
IEEE Command
The IEEE command enables or disables the IEEE 802.2/803.3 framing. The default setting is no, which means the network computer uses the traditional DIX Ethernet framing. Use the NVSAVE command to save the IEEE setting in memory.
IGate Command
The igate command specifies the internet address for the gateway. A gateway is required if the network computer address and the host address belong to different networks.
ip_address specifies the IP address for the gateway.
IHost Command
The ihost command specifies the internet address for the boot host when booting with tftp.
ip_address specifies the IP address for the boot host.
IMask Command
The imask command specifies the internet protocol subnet mask to be used for network communications. The mask must be specified before gateway communications can occur.
ip_subnet_mask specifies the network subnet mask.
Keyid Command
The keyid command brings up a menu that displays the keyboard identifier. This tells the network computer the layout and nationality (North American, German, Swedish, etc.) of the connected keyboard.
Press the spacebar and use the arrow keys to move the highlight across the layout selections. Once the desired setting is highlighted, press the RETURN key. Next, highlight the desired language and press the RETURN key. Finally, select the desired DEC data processing mode and the LK401 option. Some layout and nationality combinations are not allowed, and cannot be selected.
The Follows Language setting tells the keyboard to get the keyboard nationality setting from the NAtion command. Table 4-3 on page 4-14 shows the available keyboard layouts and nationalities. If this setting is used, the keyboard nationality reflects any NAtion changes, while retaining the current layouts and modes. The Follows Language setting is the default.
Note: The keyboard identifier is automatically saved into NVRAM. The value is not affected by the NVSave, NVLoad, or SElftest commands.
nation specifies the keyboard nationality.
layout specifies the keyboard layout.
d specifies the DEC data processing mode.
l specifies the LK401 keyboard when used with a VT200 Layout Code.
BOOT> k a 4 d
BOOT> k b 2
BOOT> k a 5 l
Currently: a 1 (North American 101)KFile Command
The kfile command specifies the custom keyboard file used with custom keyboards.
filename specifies the custom keyboard file. The file must be located in the boot directory.
LANif Command
The LANif command allows the user to specify the LAN transmission mode/rate. AUTOnegotiation is the default, but users can also select DUPlex m RATE n, where:
Example 4-1 LANif Examples for Ethernet
lan auto
lan dup full 10
lan dup half 100LANSpeed Command
The lanspeed command specifies the Token-Ring interface bit rate.
rate specifies either 4 Mbs or 16 Mbs. If a rate is not specified, default is 16 Mbs.
LOcaladdr Command
The localaddr command specifies the locally-administered address (LAA) for the network computer booting on a Token-Ring network. This command is optional.
address specifies the locally-administered address.
Mtu Command
The mtu command sets the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) as the Token-Ring interface to the network computer. The MTU may be set before the first boot. If this command is not used, the preset MTU default setting is used.
Note: If MTU is set above 2052, large amounts of memory are reserved for network buffers at boot time. This memory usage is not evident until the next time you reboot the network computer. number specifies a number that corresponds to the maximum length of the information field of the frame.
Valid numbers are:
516
1500 (factory default)
2052
4472
8144
11407
17800NAME Command
The new NAME command in Boot ROM version 7.3 (or higher) allows users to identify each network computer with a unique name at the Boot Monitor level, before the network computer is booted. We now send the network computer's name to the DHCP server if the name has been set and BAfrom is set specifically to DHCP. If the network computer's BAfrom value is NEtwork and the first server that responds is a DHCP server, the name value is not transmitted.
If you do not specify a value after the NAME command, it responds with the current name of the network computer.
A network computer's name can also be set in Setup's Configuration Summaries | TCP/IP Configuration Menu in the top field; this too works with the BAfrom DHCP setting. But the new NAME command allows users to give their network computers names before booting.
client_name specifies the name of the network computer used at Boot Monitor level.
NATion Command
The nation command specifies the language used for prompts and text within X clients that can adapt to language settings. Table 4-4 lists nationality types and their associated letters.
type specifies the letter code for the nationality.
BOOT> na b
BOOT> na
Currently: b (United Kingdom)NVFactory Command
The nvfactory command restores NVRAM to the factory defaults.
NVLoad Command
The nvload command loads the parameters and settings stored in NVRAM.
NVSave Command
The nvsave command saves the current parameters and settings to NVRAM.
Ping Command
The ping command determines if a specified ip_address is responding to TCP/IP protocol network commands. A packet is sent to ip_address. If there is a reply, ping displays reply received and sends the next packet. If there is no reply within the timeout period, ping displays the message no reply and sends the next packet. Press Space to exit the ping command.
Note: A device must be booted before it can respond to a ping request. ip_address specifies the IP address.
timeout specifies the timeout period (default is 20 seconds).
BOOT> p 128.07.60.10
BOOT> p 128.07.60.20 15RESET Command
The reset command is used to reset the network computer to its power-on state.
Report Command
The report command displays the network computer's hardware configuration. For Boot ROM version 3.0 or higher, the lan: configuration displays one of these configurations, depending on the network computer model and LAN interface installed:
type 1 thick/10baset backplane installed
type 3 thick/thin backplane installedXP100, XP200, XP350, XP400, NC200, NC400, NC900:
type AUI live network cable attached to the thicknet port
type Thinnet live network cable attached to the thinnet port
type 10BASE-T live network cable attached to the 10Baset portmodel: N932
std mem: 16384K
opt mem: 16384K
vid mem: 4096K
flash mem: 16384K
mon type: 121 (1024 x 768 70 Hz 17" Color)
key type: North American 101/102 with PAUSE key
nation: a (North American)
lan: AM79C71 Ethernet half-duplex, 100Mbps
cpu id: b33
cpu clk: 165Mhz
options: parallel
serial: 2
auth key: 3;Kj9/.+Xk-<ptH5R
opt mask: 00110000
autoboot: enabledSElftest Command
When used as a stand-alone command, selftest accesses the local version of Self-Test. When used with the monset parameter, selftest sets monitor display configuration parameters for the network computer.
The monset parameter can be used with or without a numerical argument. Without an argument, the selftest monset command lists all monitor types consistent with the network computer's hardware configuration. Enter the appropriate monset number if you know it. If you do not know the correct monset number, enter selftest monset -1 and the network computer enters the scan mode. When in the scan mode, the screen display is black, and as you press the spacebar, the network computer advances through the list of monset values. When you select a monset that presents an acceptable display, press the Enter or Return key to store that selection in non-volatile memory.
TOkenstat Command
The tokenstat command prints a list of the Token-Ring commands.
| |
|
|
|