Tadpole IBM N40 FAQ List

Q: How do I power this system off?
C: The Power switch is only configured to power on the system (default)
A: To save the current session for resume at the next power on, use the 0 key sequence. To shutdown cleanly use the AIX shutdown command (ie; shutdown -F).

Q: What do the status codes in the LCD display panel mean?
C: Not documented in the N40 User's Guide.
A: Most status codes are exactly the same as the RISC/6000 LED status/progress codes detailed in the AIX 3.2.5 Messages Guide and Reference except for the counting codes displayed during a SAVE operation; these number represent the number of MBs saved.

Q: How do I boot off a cdrom or bootable mksysb tape?
C: Since there is no mode key switch like on the RISC/6000, the function was built into firmware.
A: At power on, use the k key sequence as soon as the blue IBM logo appears.

After a few seconds, the maintenance Main Menu will appear:

Select option 7 (Soft Key Switch Settings)

Select option 3 (Service)

Enter "99" to return to the Main Menu then select option 10 (exit and boot)

The system will boot from the first available scsi device other that the internal hard disk.

Q: How do I tell what the hardware configuration is?
C:
A: Select option #4 (Show Hardware Configuration) from the Main Menu (see above).

Q: The LCD status panel displays a flashing "888" as soon as the N40 is powered on.
C: Memory SIMM(s) loose or unseated.
A: Reseat memory SIMM(s)

Q: I get an error status code and cannot boot, how do I perform maintainance like fsck, etc.?
C: The N40 cannot boot off standard Service Boot diskettes.
A: Boot from the AIX 3.2.5 for N40 cdrom in Service mode (as described above) then

Select option #4 (Open Limited Maintenance Shell)

At the # prompt, enter "getrootfs hdisk0 sh"

Perform necessary maintainance.

Q: Keeps prompting for "Security Key" at boot up.
C: A disk security key can be entered from NCE
A: If the security key has been forgotten, then the customer must call Tadpole Customer Service to verify registered ownership and generate a maintenance key to bypass the lost security key.

Q: How do I get the Appletalk interface configured?
C: LTALK lpp not loaded in default load.
A: Follow instructions in /usr/lpp/bin/README.N40 about how to install and configure the port.

Q: Is ISDN supported?
C: Mentioned in /usr/lpp/BOS/README.
A: Never fully implemented. Not supported.

Q: Can I update to AIX version 4.1?
C: N40 has been End of Lifed. No update is available.
A: The latest patches to AIX 3.2.5 for N40, version A.2, are available via anonymous ftp in: tadpole.com:/pub/sbu/N40/patches/a2plus

Notebook Computing Environment (NCE):

Q: How do I tell if NCE is installed?
C: Not documented in N40 User's Guide.
A: Do "lslpp -h NCE.user.obj". If present, this lpp will show the current release and status.

Q: When I bring up the NCE Display panel, there are no display types listed.
C: The /etc/fbconfigurations file can get zero'd out when written back to disk from memory.
A: FTP to tadpole.com and get /pub/sbu/unsupported/fbconfigurations.N40 then make a copy just in case.

Q: Why won't the NCE Connect or Location dial out the internal modem?
C: TTY1 is not defined (see AIX 3.2.5 for N40 Release Notes).
A: Use "smit tty" then "Add a TTY" to define tty0 on sa0 and tty1 on sa1 (Internal Modem).

Q: What modem communications programs are available other than SLIP?
C: Cu and ate are available from the installation cdrom (not preloaded).
A: Use "smit installp / Install software products..." to install either or both of the following:

bosext1.uucp.obj (provides cu and uucp)

bosext2.ate.obj (provides ate)

Q: How can I tell if the save logical volume is active?
C: Not documented in the N40 User's Guide.
A: Use the "saveon -l" command.

Q: How do I increase the size of the save logical volume after adding more memory?
C: Not documented in User's Guide.
A: Use the following commands to remove the savelv:

saveon -o

mksaveres -i -d /dev/hdisk0

sysdumpdev -p /dev/sysdumpnull

rmlv -f savelv

Use the following commands to recreate the save logical volume at the correct size:

mksavelv

mksaveres -s /dev/hdisk0

saveon -d /dev/hdisk0

sysdumpdev (or reboot)

Q: There are no Help screens available in NCE although they are mentioned in the User's Guide.
C: Help screen were not implemented in the A.1 and A.2 cd releases.
A: Help screens added to the A2plus updates available on the ftp site. Download the latest: tadpole.com:/pub/sbu/N40/patches/a2plus/nce.tpn0002 and nce.tpn0003