IBM
NetVista Thin Client with TurboLinux
This document
describes common elements of IBM NetVista Thin Client with TurboLinux
for Linux servers and Windows servers.
Tips and Information
NS Boot version should be 01/12/01
- IMPORTANT
IBM NetVista Thin Clients ship from manufacturing
with an NS Boot version, also called boot prom, dated 7/17/00. To use IBM
NetVista Thin Client with TurboLinux on your thin clients, you will need
to upgrade to the 01/12/01 boot prom.
-
The boot prom is included in the installation
on your server with the following files:
For Model 2200 - bflash.2200
For Model 2800 - bflash.2800
NOTE: If you do not upgrade, your results
with the 7/17/00 prom can be unpredictable.
HOW TO UPGRADE:
To upgrade to the 01/12/01 prom use
the NSBoot Setup Utility.
- From the Advanced Configuration screen, select the menu option to "Configure
Network Settings."
- Set all appropriate network environment options for this thin client.
- Press ENTER to continue to the "Change boot file server settings" screen.
- Set the first Boot file server IP address to your server IP.
- Change the boot file server directory and file name by using the PAGE DOWN
key to display a blank field and entering "/nstation/linux/bflash.2200" or
"/nstation/linux/bflash.2800", using NFS as the protocol.
- Press ENTER to continue until back at the Advanced Configuration screen,
and press F10 to reboot the thin client.
Rebooting will cause your boot version to be
updated. Follow the instructions during this process. Do not power off your
thin client while the boot version is being updated.
Once the boot prom has been successfully updated,
you will need to reset the boot file server directory and file name within the
NSBoot Setup Utility.
- From the Advanced Configuration screen, select the menu option to "Change
boot file server settings."
- Change the boot file server directory and file name by using the PAGE DOWN
key to select "nstation/linux/kernel.2200" or "nstation/linux/kernel.2800".
- Press ENTER to continue, and press F10 to reboot the thin client.
IDFBuiler/SDFCreator
IDFBuilder and SDFCreator are 2 applications
that help in flash management. We ship we 3 default IDF's that can
be used to create a flash card.
TurboLinux607_2200_Navigator_ICA6_3270.idf
- contains a 2200
kernel, Netscape Navigator, ICA 6.0 and a 3270 emulator that fits on a
32MB flash card.
TurboLinux607_2800_Navigator_ICA6_3270.idf
- contains a 2800
kernel, Netscape Navigator, ICA 6.0 and a 3270 emulator that fits on a
32MB flash card.
TurboLinux607_2x00_Communicator_ICA6_3270_48MB.idf
- contains both
2200 and 2800 kernels, Netscape Communicator, ICA 6.0 and a 3270 emulator
that fits on a 48MB flash card
SDFCreator is used to create software
packages such as Netscape that you would like to install on a flash card.
IDFBuilder is a tool that is used to create an IDF that includes a SDF
that defines what will be placed on the flash card. These tools only
run on server booted clients. There is online help for the tools
where more informatoin can be found on how to use these.
ICA Client
To access this function enter the command
"wfcmgr" from a terminal session. This command will present the Remote
Application Manager through which ICA client sessions can be opened.
Setting Up a Time Server For Your Thin Clients
A time server may be configured for use by your
thin clients using the IBM NetVista Setup Utility. You must be signed on as root
user to configure a time server. It can be accessed by selecting Settings->Time Server.
The utility allows you to specify a time
server and a time zone. By default, the NTP time server protocol is configured.
If you need to use the RDATE time server protocol you may manually configure
this protocol using the following steps.
- From within the IBM NetVista Setup Utility, select Settings->Environment Preferences.
- Specify the Environment Variable TIME_SERVER_PROTOCOL and the Value of rdate.
- Save and exit.
- You will need to reboot the thin client for the changes to take effect.
Case sensitivity
Be aware that Windows NTFS file naming
is case insensitive whereas Linux file naming is case sensitive. Therefore
from a thin client point of view, the creation of the files ProjectExpansion
and Projectexpansion are separate files if they reside on a Linux server,
whereas these result in the same file if they reside on a Windows server.
Problems under Investigation
Passwd and adduser commands
Using the passwd and adduser commands
does not work consistently when booted from an NT server. If you receive
a "Critical error - immediate abort" error after attempting to use the
passwd command or "adduser: unable to lock password file" message when
attempting to use to the adduser command, you may be seeing this problem.
Use the KDE User Manager (User Config from the ICE menu or type 'kuser' from
an Xterm window), where you can configure users and change user passwords.
If you do receive either of those error
messages after using either passwd or adduser, there will be lock files
created in your /etc directory. As root, you may delete those files. There
are five different potential lock files:
- passwd.lock
- shadow.lock
- pwd.lock
- spwd.*
- pwd.%d.*
- Note: Both the spwd.* and pwd.%d.* files are created with the process id (*)
as part of the file name, so you would see names like spwd.317 and pwd.%d.317.
Readme Files, Tutorials and CD Contents
IBM NetVista Thin Client
with TurboLinux - for Linux installs
-
This install readme includes prerequisites
and information about installing on Linux servers.
-
Linux location on CD - /Linux/products/nvTCLinux/readme.txt
IBM NetVista Thin Client
with TurboLinux - for Windows installs
-
This install readme includes prerequisites
and information about installing on Windows servers.
-
Windows location on the CD - [drive:]\Windows\products\nvTCLinux\readme.txt
-
Windows install location - [drive:]\{float}\NetVista_Linux\readme.txt
IBM TurboLinux Thin
Client Readme
-
(This readme file) Information and
tips that are common between the Linux servers and the Windows servers.
-
Linux location - /nstation/linux/IBM/ReadmeClient.html
-
Windows location - [drive:]\{float}\NetVista_Linux\Linux\IBM\ReadmeClient.html
Contents of IBM NetVista Thin
Client with TurboLinux CD's
-
IBM NetVista Thin Client with TurboLinux
install CD
Installs for both Windows servers and
Linux servers are on this CD.
-
Turbo Linux Workstation 6.0.7 CD
This CD is requested while installing
on a Linux server.
-
Turbo Linux Workstation 6.0.7 Source RPM
CD
This CD contains source code for some of the TurboLinux 6.0.7 RPM's.