Aloha Cannot Locate fileserver

[rventi25]

Aloha dropping fileserver
I had recently had my old windows nt server fail and needed to replace so now I have windows Xp. since I made the change I constantly have problems with my foh terminals stating looking for file server they are running on windows 98 do you think if a update my terminals(ibm 521s to rad p1220s) this will fix the problem

 

[SwampGas]

No, But the newer terminals will run much faster. I hated the IBM SurePOS terminals and couldn't get rid of them fast enough.

If this is an occasional problem, then I'd look at connections being an issue -Assuming you configured the XP BOH correctly (lana, firewall allowing file sharing, etc).

MegabyteCoffee.com

 

[rventi25]

this problem is every 5-10 minutes

 

[alohaakamai3]

Windows XP and Windows98 don't play nicely with ALoha.

Aloha has a W98 patch for a mixed mode environment, but you don't need to it. You can accomplish the same thing by simply put the servers IP as Default Gateway on the terminals under TCP/IP.

Thats more than likely what it is- sometimes I forget to do this myself when I change out a fileserver- it will run fine for 15 minutes or so, then goes nuts.

SurePOS was at least better than the 4695s

 

[SwampGas]

I had 300 sites with XP BOH machines and each of those sites had between 4 and 7 FOH terminals running on IBM SurePOS hardware running on Windows 98. I had no issues mixing.

Do you have the debout section showing the fallofff of the connection between the FOH and BOH? The timing is the strange part here.

Hi Akamai!
I had the impression my 4695's were better than the SurePOS units. I had to have my own custom light bulbs manufactured for the SurePOS terminals, the terminals, somehow always ate hard drives more often, and the pigtail harness were crap. The 4695's I had may needed to have their cases held together with duct tape, but they ran longer than the SurePOS. Until I got rid of my IBM hardware, the 4695's always outlasted the SurePOS terminals. I wish I would have never bought them.

MegabyteCoffee.com

 

[alohaakamai3]

Megabyte-

You may have had Aloha's patch installed on your 98 machines, been running Netbeui or a host of other variables that may things go smoothly. I didn't mean to suggest they won't work together, they will- I just meant reading this one issue. But will see this problem 100% of the time if it isn't addressed and your using TCP/IP.

I had the unfortunate experience of having to resolve this one myself and it was a huge headache. In a nutshell, after 10 or 15 minutes of being up and running, some or all of the Win98 boxes will start to "blink" on and off from a floating logo to "Cannot locate Master" or whatever, usually back and forth to where the terminal is pretty useless. And usually the master itself if I recall correctly, would be fine. (pardon my lack of precise information, I think I tried to remove this one from my brain due to trauma).

It would almost look like a permission issue or master browsing issue. So after spending a few hours (quite a few)
trying to figure out what it was, I decided to put the server's IP as the default gateway and it stopping now and forever.

I don't know all the specifics- maybe if your XP file server and master terminal was XP too, with other machines being 98, you wouldn't see the issue. I never tested it that thoroughly. Years later, I found out Ibertech had a patch for 98 boxes, but I never used it. But sometimes when I upgrade and older machine to XP, this issue will still bite me in the azz for forgetting to put in that default gateway.

They 4695's were ok, they started to have weird touch screen issues after like 4 years I wanna say. But honestly, I really don't think you should expect all your terminals to last that long... 4-5 years isn't great, but it's not terrible. I thought the SurePOS 500 was ok, I still have a location that still has a few kickin and it's been close to 9 or 10 years? My only real issue with them is that they had a numerous revisions in a short amount of time, so you could have two or three in one location that had vastly different hardware configurations (some with actual serial ports, some that ran serial from an ethernet connection- different touch drivers, etc). Just enough to make imaging a pain in the butt.

 

[SwampGas]

I never used NETBEUI, but with the XP BOH and Win98 FOH machines, I used simple file sharing on the BOH, which I think was the secret.

I agree with you about the brain trauma. I still get alot of other restaurant companies calling me about older hardware since we had so much of it running at one time. I was glad to get rid of all the IBM stuff, but funny how I am still getting some company every week calling asking if I have any IBM hardware to sell.

The few SurePOS terminals we have left, we made them into kiosk type machines for employees to play Bejeweled on here in the office. Great lunch time attraction.

MegabyteCoffee.com

 

[alohaakamai3]

I've only used simple file sharing as well- mainly because windows permissions give me headache.

What would happen is rebooting everything would fix it for another 15 minutes or more (the time varied). Which why I thought it was weird that it would deny permissions to access BOOTDRV in such a short time. To be more precise, it was more a "not found" error message, even though that term would be up and running on the network.

I would consider the IBM's to be some of the first models that were actually solid. The Javelin Wedge was one of the first open architecture all in ones I can remember, and also scarred me for life with horror stories.

To this day - even though I think all-in-ones are easy to install and setup and look nice-I still many times recommend getting a separate computer, monitor and MSR. It used to be a cost savings, but now the all in ones are so competitively priced, they are pretty much the same.

Still, if you lose an bulb on an all in one, you're now out a monitor, msr and computer, too. Sometimes companies are not so great about continuing to make parts for a computer that is only 3 or 4 years old, or they charge you an arm and leg for the part and repair.

I just make sure the customer knows all in ones have their place, but you do lose some flexibility in certain areas due everything be combined into one unit.

 

[SwampGas]

That is odd about the WinXP and Win98 issues. I never had a problem with mixing OS's. I remember something about a couple of Microsoft updates that addressed netbios issues, and our gold image always included them, so maybe that was it.

For the simplicity and cosmetics, I only use an all in one terminal design. I am really happy to use the new Javelin product line now that it is under a new company than the early years. For the cost of anyone else's terminals I have a 5 year replacement warranty which was great.

Though the one thing that really separates my concept apart from other restaurants is that I have electronic technicians in almost every location. They repair all the games, the animatronic show and even kitchen equipment. So I understand I do not have the troubles doing things that other restaurants would.

Wish I could find someone with your Aloha knowledge in my area. I have an opening in my department and the resumes I have been getting just aren't it.

MegabyteCoffee.com

 

[posrescue]

I have never experienced problems with 98 terms on an XP fileserver as long as Media Sense is disabled on the FS. It seem this is a bigger issue when using a non-secured OS on the FOH although I don't know why it would be...

If the problem is on a larger site (6+ terms) the problems could be from the hardware control block settings that are default in win95 and 98.

I have a site running darn near every OS from WWWG to XP without any probs. Due to the number of terms and the club not wanting to pony the cash for big dollar OS for master terminals the designated masters are all 95 or 98. Never a call outside of hardware failure.

 

[alliancecomputers]

This certainly sounds like a file sharing issue. Try disabling simple file sharing, and whatever account the terms are logging in with, add it to admins on the boh. If the password is blank, you have to allow blank passwords in security settings in xp.

If they are using guest, change it because xp file sharing doesnt work well with guest. If you want to use a password, you will need to set up tweakui to have it automatically log the terminals in.