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How to mount HDU (external ZIP-drive) via NIUX

Work with HDU via NIU

How to mount HDU (external ZIP-drive) via NIUX

by  Avstral  Posted    (Edited  )
When do you need this doc?

You need it if there is no WORKING MD110 with NIU1 around, where you can do the same with FI and IO commands.

You need this when MD is down WITHOUT any backup, and you must download INL/REL to HDU (hopefully you got safety REL copy or, at least, PCReg data and able to rebuild the system).

Using this doc, you can get access to external storage device (HDU or another device with SCSI interface) to create safety copy of your REL or transfer INL to HDU.

If the procedure described below it too complicated, the old procedure known from BC8 and BC9 can still be used (where the DOS-version of MD DiskTool plays a central role, but you need laptop/PC with SCSI adaptor running on Win98/Millenium, not NT4 or XP).

Ok, get on with the procedure...


Step 1: Prepare a HDU for the INL

1. Get a connection to NIUX. This requires a V.24-connection towards the NIU and a suitable terminal program at the PC (WinFiol for example).
If You are using a running PABX, You can initiate a network-MML port and use Telnet instead (WinFiol works here too).
When connected ('login:' shows up) login to NIUX ('SSSSS' without ';').
If You are using a running system, logon with a user that gives level 7, otherwise use MDUSER/HELP.

2. Connect the HDU to the NIU (if it isn't already done). The following steps requires usage of several NIUX-commands.

First, check that the HDU are detected with command scinfo. This shows the size of the HDU and on what SCSI-id it is set (SIPOS).
Next is to check if any file systems exists on the HDU. That is done with fsinfo.
If there are no printout from that command, the HDU is empty.
If it isn't empty, proceed to step 3, otherwise go directly to step 4.

3. Wipe the disk clean with scfmt 3 ll.
Replace 3 with Your SIPOS shown with scinfo. This operations low-level formats the HDU and all data are destroyed.

4. Mount the HDU to the file system with mkdev /DEV/SC31 231.
This operation creates a device with name /DEV/SC31 that refers to Your HDU.
The parameter 231 tells the system about the physical device (HDU) - 2 means SCSI, 3 is the SIPOS and 1 is the partition number (1 = first partition).
The naming convetions for a device is like this: SC means SCSI device, 3 is the SIPOS and 1 is the partition.
/DEV/SC31 is the first partition at SCSI-device with SIPOS=3.

If the command mkdev returns 0 as result, it was successful.

5. Now we have a device - time to create a file system on it. This is done with command mkfs.
The full line for it is mkfs /DEV/SC31 F000 1000 400. If You use the suggested parameters, everyting will go fine (if the disk have space for 64Mb at least - if not, try a lower value for F000, for example 8000).
This will create a new file system with 60Mb of free space.
This command actually runs the HDU (disk activity lamp at HDU will lit for a short time).

6. The last step is to mount the newly created file system into the directory structure. This is done with command mount.
With parameters it will be like this: mount /DEV/SC31 /USR1. After this, the newly created file system will be accessible via /USR1.

Command sequence short version:

scfmt 3 ll
mkdev /DEV/SC31 231
mkfs /DEV/SC31 F000 1000 400
mount /DEV/SC31 /USR1


?. Any problems?

If any of the NIUX-commands returns a non-zero result, something went wrong at that step. The best way to handle this is to start from the beginning.

This is done by first re-formatting the HDU (scfmt).

When formatting has finished, restart the NIU by pulling it out and back again or use RFBOI. This will reset the file system at the HDU. Then re-run the sequence above from point 4.

Some HDU's are known having problems with the procedure above. These are HDU6 and some versions of HDU3. Best to use are HDU7 or HDU5.



Step 2: Create/copy INL with FTP client

1. Before continuing, you need two things: A network connection towards the NIU and any FTP client. IÆd recommend Total Commander (Windows Commander). You can also use MD DiskTool from SAM Tools.

2. For FTP connection you must know IP address programmed on NIU.
Check it with netcnf e
You will get something like this:

niux > netcnf e
Current Ethernet setting:
IP address : 15.92.22.236
Network mask : 255.255.255.0
Default router : 15.92.22.1
Baud rate : 65535 (0xffff)
Data bits : 255 (0xff)
Parity : 255 (0xff)
Stop bit : 255 (0xff)

Any changes? (y)es or (n)o <no> n


3. Start FTP client and log in to NIU. Default is ôMDUSERö and ôHELPö.

4. Copy your INL files (folders P, D and NECPUF file) to the:

/USR1/SES/DR/INL/

5. If copy has finished without errors, the INL is done.

It is now ready to be used to start any MD version, according INL's version you've put in.



?. Problems?

I have noted that INL-creation works best in a network with low load or with the direct PC-NIU connection.
It seems that the NIU is sensitive to busy networks and that shows up as transfer errors in FTP client.



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