Upgrading Netware 6.5 sp3

[IdahoTech]

I have a Netware 6.5 sp3 system running that holds our Groupwise 7.0 system. Recently it has started crashing, or shall I say abending about after 5 to 7 days. I looked on Novells site and there is mention of this issue and that if I update the server to the latest service pack it should not happen anymore.

My question is how do I know which one to download. When you look at the server through the managment console it says Netware 6.5 and under that is states Netware 6.5 SP3.

Then when I go into the Novell Remote Manager it states next to the Red N on the right side that it is Novell Open Enterprise Server, Netware 6.5 Server Version 5.70.03.

Ok I looked into the patches and noticed now there is a SP6 that states it upgrade the server to OES Netware.

Am I wigging out over nothing? Will updating the server affect any of the settings or setup of GroupWise? I want this to be as smooth as possible.

Any help on which one to get and install would be helpful and if anyone with the same kind of setup has run into any problem updating the Netware server with GroupWise installed on it.

Marv I see this is what you do any hints?

Thanks for any help..

IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[marvhuffaker]

I haven't installed SP6 yet, it's somewhat new.

OES = NetWare 6.5 (NetWare Kernel). OES ALSO can be on a SLES 9 kernel.. (You should see what's coming up for OES v2, WOW!)

If you started with NetWare 6.5, when you installed SP3, you automatically got OES NetWare. no big deal. Still NetWare, nothing to worry about.

When you install SP5 or SP6, it's still NetWare, but everything on it will say OES - OES is just the next generation of NetWare.

You just need to download the patch, not the ISO images. Apply the patch like any other and it should not mess with our groupwise at all.

Also, for stability reasons, you should install GW7 SP1.





Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[IdahoTech]

Hey Marv,

Thanks for the info. Kind of confusing in a way with the new Linux and all.

Have you run into any problems upgrading GroupWise? I just like to research before doing any updates to be prepared for the Gotchya's.



IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[marvhuffaker]

I don't like to over simplify the GroupWise upgrade process, but in Novell's words, it's a Code Based upgrade, not a database upgrade. In other words, the program code changes but doesn't do anything major to the GroupWise database itself. No crazy conversions or anything like that. So the agents work very similar to how they do on older versions, they are just new and improved with new features.



Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[IdahoTech]

Ok thats good to know. I rarely touch the Novell servers once I get them setup, and it is nice to not have to deal with them except for the occasional power outage or new user.

Thanks for the information. I downloaded the patch and expanded it and will wait till later to install it. I want to shut down all of the services and anything that is not needed to upgrade the server.

Thanks again for the information!!

IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[blister911]

This may be a bit obvious, but it had caught me in the past so I figure I would mention it.

(We run McAfee Antivirus on the desktop) If I don't disable antivirus before running the expansion process, several files don't expand out (no errors or warnings are given). The most noticable being server.exe. If you've already run the install type version at the system console. If the version doesn't match what you've installed the server.exe did not update.

 

[IdahoTech]

Thanks for the info but we don't run any antivirus on the server. I usually scan it once a day with another machine.

Marv, I tried to run the update last night from 65sp3 to 65sp5 and it fubar'd my system. Thank god I did a backup before I ran the update. When the system came back up it stated that the XLDR.NLM could not load then downhill from there.

The NLDAP.NLM would not run, you could not get to it from the remote manager, talk about a stomach turning event. So I restored it from its backup and now it is working again.

I installed the server with a iso 655sp3 overlay CD. I did not upgrade to it that is how I started because that was the latest at the time.

Anyway I noticed also that my GWIA is what is hanging the system and abending it every couple of days. Any ideas? I still would like to upgrade it but if that will happen again it would be a cold day in hell before I do that again.

Any ideas what it might be? Anyone? Marv?

IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[terry712]

it's unusual that the upgrade fails.
the only recent failures i have had on this is the excat point that blister911 brought up. ie make sure that you have modified the policy for the virus scanner especially mcafee as it will stop the server.exe

this is on the pc more so that the server.

it is like you service pack is uncomplete. it would have been nice to check what was in the nwserver directory for these files

gwia is normally stable as hell - unless you have some kinda funny in the directory that has grown largely lately -

the gw upgrade is simple - although 7 sp1 seems to be easier if you stop the agents - run the copy and then restart them