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Chapter 2 - Installing and Configuring the Internal Hardware

Introduction

Understanding system configuration
Installing and configuring the internal hardware

Understanding System Configuration

1. Configure your system's internal hardware by:

- Physically configuring cards for ISA-bus platforms

- Running the EISA Configuration Utility (ECU) to configure cards for EISA-bus platforms

- Running the Reference Diskette utility to configure cards for MCA-bus platforms

2. Add the appropriate device drivers during the Banyan server software installation.

3. Configure the communication drivers to the same settings as the cards.

Platform Configuration Utilities

How you configure the system depends on your platform architecture and the type of adapters you install:

ISA-bus cards need to be physically configured by setting switches and jumpers.
EISA-bus cards are software configurable; use the EISA Configuration Utility that came with your system to configure these cards.
MCA-bus cards are also software configurable; use the Reference Diskette that came with your system to configure these cards.
PCI-bus cards are automatically configured by a utility that resides in the system's ROM (Read Only Memory).

EISA Configuration Utility Information

Reference Diskette Information

Device Drivers

Communications Drivers

Compaq 135 MB Tape Drive
Wangtek Internal Tape Drive
Emulex IB02B SCSI Adapter

Peripheral Adapter Drivers

Installing and Configuring the Internal Hardware

Warning: Take precautions against static discharge when handling cards. You can use an antistatic strap if you have one. Before removing cards from their antistatic packaging, release static discharge from your hands by touching a grounded, unpainted metal surface. Hold cards by the edges to avoid damaging them. Do not stack cards on top of one another.

Using the Server Configuration Worksheet

Note: Slot numbers uniquely identify LAN cards and other cards in the server. Slot numbers allow you to restrict user-login locations and enforce internetwork security for links between servers.

Table 2-1. Server Configuration Worksheet

Hardware Device Slot Number DMA Channel Interrupt I/O Address Range RAM/ROM Address Range
3Com EtherLink 3   3 300 c8000
Dayna TALK 5   5 240  
IBM Token-Ring 2   2 220 d8000 - cc00

Avoiding Configuration Conflicts

Note: If the LAN card you are installing is a 16-bit card, additional DMA channel and interrupt values can be used if you put the card in a 16-bit slot. Wherever possible, you should take advantage of these additional hardware resources. For more information, refer to Managing Workstations.

Setting Hardware Configurations for ISA-bus Servers

Note: ISA-bus systems that also contain a PCI-bus may provide a utility to store ISA card settings. If this is the case, run this utility and list the resource settings of your server's ISA cards. The PCI configuration utility in the system BIOS will check the ISA settings to determine what resources are already assigned.

To Configure an ISA-bus Server

1. On the Server Configuration Worksheet, record the resource settings (interrupt, DMA channel, I/O and memory addresses) of your system's embedded devices (keyboard, monitor, diskette controllers, and so on). Check your system's configuration utility or refer to your system documentation for this information.

2. Record the default settings of any optional devices that are installed on your server. For default settings, refer to the device documentation. (For special configuration issues involving some optional devices, refer to Chapter 13.)

Note: If your server contains any PCI cards, do not record the resource settings of these cards.

3. Record the default settings of any communication cards (LAN, WAN, serial) that you are installing. For default settings, refer to the communication card documentation.

4. Check each column in the worksheet for values that are assigned to more than one device:

- If no values are the same, the default settings are acceptable.

- If two values in one column are the same, or if two memory or I/O addresses overlap, you must select an alternate value for a card. Record the changes on your Server Configuration Worksheet.

5. If you selected alternate values for any cards, change the switches and jumpers on the cards to the new values. Refer to the documentation that came with the cards for instructions on how to configure them.

6. After taking precautions against static discharge, install the cards in your server.

7. Go to Chapter 3 to continue setting up your server.

Setting Hardware Configurations for EISA-bus Servers

Note: For some EISA-devices, Banyan software supports only certain settings. Refer to Chapter 13 for a list of supported devices and their settings. If you have one of these devices in your server, you may have to manually change the resource settings to match those supported by Banyan.

To Configure an EISA-bus Server

1. After taking precautions against static discharge, install all EISA cards in your system.

2. Run the ECU and add the EISA cards to the list of cards installed in your server. You may have to load configuration files for the cards either from an EISA Library diskette or from configuration diskettes that accompanied the cards.

3. If you are installing any ISA cards in your server, add the ISA cards to the ECU's list of cards for your server and physically configure the ISA cards to the settings indicated by the ECU.

Note: If your server contains any PCI cards, do not add these cards with the ECU. PCI cards are configured dynamically each time you boot your server.

4. Save the configuration.

5. View the configuration. On your Server Configuration Worksheet, record the resource settings for each communications card. Later, you will enter these resource settings from the Add/Change Card menu. The values you enter from the Add/Change Card menu must match those listed by the ECU.

6. If you are installing ISA cards, take precautions against static discharge and install the ISA cards in your system.

7. Go to Chapter 3 to continue setting up your server.

If you change the hardware configuration after installing the Banyan software (for example, if you add another LAN card), you must rerun ECU.

Example ECU Configuration on a Compaq ProSignia

1. Boot the server. If you installed any new cards in the server, the server detects the unconfigured card and displays the following error message:

175 - EISA Configuration/Slot Mismatch
Run System Configuration

2. Insert the ECU diskette into drive A of the server and press F1. The Compaq ECU title screen appears.

3. Press any key to continue. The Auto-Configuration dialog box appears.

4. Select YES to auto-configure your server. The ECU prompts you to load the ECU Library diskette.

Note: If you do not want to auto-configure your server, select NO. The ECU loads the default configuration file for the new card. You will have to manually change the card settings to prevent resource conflicts.

5. Remove the ECU diskette and insert the ECU Library diskette into drive A and press ENTER. The ECU reads the configuration files from the library diskette, and then adds and configures the new card.

If the ECU Library diskette does not contain the configuration file for the new device, the ECU prompts you to load the configuration diskette for the device. Follow the instructions to load the configuration file from the vendor's diskette.

6. Select OK to continue. The ECU displays the Configuration Complete screen.

7. Select Review or Modify Hardware Settings. The Steps in Configuring Your Computer screen appears.

8. Select View or Edit Details. The ECU displays your server's configuration information.

Note: If your server contains EISA-devices for which Banyan software supports only certain settings, you must change the settings at this time. Check the new settings against other device settings to prevent resource conflicts.

9. Record all communication card resource settings on your Server Configuration Worksheet.

10. Exit from this screen. The Steps in Configuring Your Computer screen reappears.

11. Select Save and Exit. The ECU saves a copy of your server's configuration in the server's nonvolatile memory and on the ECU diskette.

When you install the Banyan software, make sure that the values set up by the ECU match the values in the Add/Change Card screen at the server console.

Setting Hardware Configurations for MCA-bus Servers

To Configure an MCA-bus Server

1. Copy information from the option diskettes that came with the MCA cards onto the system Reference Diskette. For details, refer to the Reference Diskette documentation.

2. Power off the server, and, after taking precautions against static discharge, install the cards.

3. Insert the Reference Diskette in drive A and reboot the server. If the server contains unconfigured cards, the configuration utility prompts you to automatically configure the system.

4. Choose to automatically configure the system. The Reference Diskette configuration utility selects a configuration for the MCA cards that does not conflict with the configuration of other devices.

Note: If your server contains any PCI cards, the Reference Diskette utility does not configure them. PCI cards are configured dynamically each time you boot your server.

5. Check the View Configuration utility. On your Server Configuration Worksheet, record the resource settings established by the Reference Diskette.

Note: For some MCA-devices, Banyan server software supports only certain settings. Refer to Chapter 13 for a list of supported devices and their settings. If you have one of these devices in your server, you may have to manually change the resource settings to match those supported by Banyan.

6. Go to Chapter 3 to continue setting up your server.

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