NCD NC900 specific notes(Under construction)

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Configuration

Configuration of a new NC900 requires the following steps. The naming convention @GSI is: bioxw9[0-9][0-9]
  1. Ensure the bootserver ( @GSI currently biops5z ) is alive, the NCBridge software is installed and the configuration file(s) exists.
  2. On the bootserver, in /etc/bootptab enter the new device's name, hardware address (ha), IP number (ip), e.g.: 
    bioxw901.gsi.de:tc=nc900:ha=0000a71ef074:ip=140.181.xx.yyy
    The tc entry refers to a generic template for this type of terminal, it should be defined as part of NCBridge installation.
  3. Either (fresh terminal):
    1. Power on, abort boot process (press space bar)
    2. Reset to factory default (nvr)
    3. Adapt network settings : 10 Mbit, half-duplex (lanif)
    4. Save the configuration (nvsave)
  4. Or (change already configured terminal):
    1. Press shift/pause or shift/break or shift/setup to get into the setup menu.
    2. Check entries in the Network tables & utilities submenu.
    3. In the Configuration submenu: TCP/IP settings: IP name and number, broadcast (GSI): 140.181.127.255, subnet mask (GSI): 255.255.192.0.
    4. Boot settings: Mode NFS, boothost, bootfile: os.900,
    5. Reboot the terminal
  5. Check Boot Monitor version, currently (Dec-2007) 9.4.6. If necessary, update by temporarily (!) enabling 
    do_flash
flash_feature BOOT_MONITOR
    in the configuration file (xp.conf) on the boot server. Reboot the NC900 and disable (!) flashing in the configuration file. Otherwise all NC900's would always be flashed on boot.

Trouble Shooting

No/incorrect MAC address

Return to vendor (NCD, GTS-GRAL) or ask by phone for instructions how to set the address.

Patch installation

Download from NCD. If this is not working, you may contact me for offline assistance.
Or try their followup ThinPath Systems.
Then follow these instructions.

Only 10Mb/s connection

At the time of this writing (2nd half 2002) the NC900s run only at 10 MBit/s half-duplex. NCD/GTS-GRAL have no cure at this time.

Notes

Power Supply

The NC900 requires a weird power supply (Model MW203) with 6-pin outlets and voltages of 12V and 3.42V, respectively. (Power Supply Model MW203 +3.42V / 4A, 12V / 0.8A) They break relatively often, so better stockpile them.
Last updated: 19-Dec-2011, M.Kraemer