LDP/LDP/howto/docbook/JavaStation-HOWTO/09_questions_and_troubleshooting_chapter.xml

<sect1 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-QuestionsandTroubleShootingChapter">
<title>Questions and Troubleshooting</title>

<para>
This chapter is intended to provide solutions to frequently and 
infrequently encountered problems in enabling <application>Linux
</application> on the <productname>JavaStations</productname>.
</para>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-NotExecutableTSSection">
<title>When booting, the message <quote>The file just loaded does not 
       appear to be executable.</quote>  Why?
</title>

<para>
On systems that have the older OpenBoot version 2.3, and are not set
up to use PROLL, you will get this message when attempting to boot
up a kernel image that is not in AOUT format.  Be sure to run
<userinput>elftoaout</userinput> on your kernel image, as described
in the "Kernel Build" chapter.
</para>
</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-NoMagicTSSection">
<title>When booting, the message <quote>no a.out magic</quote> appears
and halts the boot.  Why?
</title>

<para>
On systems that are set up to use PROLL, you will see this message
when attempting to boot up a kernel image that is not in AOUT format.  
Be sure to run <userinput>elftoaout</userinput> on your kernel image,
as described in the "Kernel Build" chapter.
</para>
</sect2>


<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-FlashTSSection">
<title>I tried booting a Krups but JavaOS comes up.  I don't even have JavaOS!
</title>

<para>
This likely means you have a flash SIMM install, and the flash SIMM has
JavaOS loaded on it.  Remove the SIMM and the problem should go away.
</para>

</sect2>


<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-TenMBLimitTSSection">
<title>Cannot Boot an <quote>Embedded-Root</quote> image &gt; 10 <acronym>MB 
</acronym>on my <productname>JavaStation</productname>.  Why?</title>

<para>
There is a known limit of 8 <acronym>MB</acronym> when using the
<quote>Embedded-Root</quote> boot image option.
</para>

<para>
The cause of this is the current version of the <application>PROLL
</application> software, which map only 8 <acronym>MB</acronym> 
of low memory.  Any more and banking support would need to be
added to it.
</para>

<para>
If needed, this limit can be fixed by someone, as the source 
to <application>PROLL</application> has been released under terms
of the General Public License (<acronym>GPL</acronym>).
</para>

<para>
So in reality, the embedded image size limit is really 8 <acronym>MB</acronym>
, not 10 <acronym>MB</acronym>.  If 10 <acronym>MB</acronym> somehow works 
for you, it is sheerly by <quote>luck</quote>!
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-KeyGarblesTSSection">
<title>After Booting, Typing Anything Yields Garbage Characters.  Why?</title>

<para>
There are a few possibilities for this.  Among them:
</para>

<orderedlist>
<listitem>
<para>
You have an incorrect device # for tty0. 
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
The <quote>keytable</quote> loaded is incorrect.  Make sure you use
<quote>sun</quote> instead of <quote>PC</quote> if you use the keytable
program. Look for the keytable configuration file if it exists.  
</para>
</listitem>
</orderedlist>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-FontServTSSection">
<title>In X Sessions to a <application>Solaris</application> server, the 
font server <quote>xfs</quote> crashes. Why?
</title>

<para>
If you do <application>X</application> sessions to a <application>Solaris
</application> server, and you find that your sessions are no longer opening 
up new windows, chances are the font server on the <application>Solaris 
</application> host has crashed.  This is a known bug in <application>
Solaris</application> 2.6 and 2.7 when you have about 2 dozen <hardware>
X terminals</hardware> sessions running.   
</para>

<para>
The fix is to move the font server to a different OS and point your
<productname>JavaStations</productname> there, or to upgrade your 
<application>Solaris</application> to the 2.7 11/99 maintenance
release or <application>Solaris 8</application> which both (apparently) 
have fixes to this problem.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-XDMCPTSSection">
<title>Performing Indirect <acronym>XDMCP</acronym> to a <application>
Solaris</application> Server Results in Session Login Failures.  Why?
</title>

<para>
Congratulations!  You probably have one of patch numbers 107180-12 through
107180-19 installed on a <application>Solaris 7</application>
server.  You need to upgrade to 107180-20 or above to fix this problem.
</para>

<para>
I (your HOWTO author) reported this problem to Sun in November 1999, 
at which time I was told a fix was not scheduled to be made, since I 
was using an <quote>unsupported configuration.</quote>.   Never mind 
that the client was a piece of hardware made by Sun itself.  Also never 
mind that indirect <acronym>XDMCP</acronym> queries is a standard itself 
which was broken by Sun.  A call back in late January 2000, and I learn that
the record of my previous call was non-existant, but a fix was now on
its way. The fix finally was made available in April 2000, five months
after first reporting the problem.  Considering revisions to this
patch during the broken <acronym>XDMCP</acronym> period dealt with
fixing system security issues, we were forced to run the older insecure
software for five months while waiting for a fix to a problem which
should have been patched immediately.
</para>

<para>
The moral of the story: test your <productname>JavaStation</productname>
configuration against an upgraded server that is not in production mode.
</para>

<para>
If you have XDMCP problems not related to these faulty Solaris patches,
it may be a new problem, so please report it.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-SUSETftpTSSection">
<title>TFTPd config doesn't work on SUSE 6.3.  Why?</title>

<para>
This was reported by a user after this document was first released.
</para>

<para>
In SUSE 6.3, using the tftpd from the 'a' package of the netkit rpm,
you must be sure your tftpd line in /etc/inetd.conf has the -s flag.
Otherwise you need to specify a full path.
</para>

<para>
Also, it is not necessary to run tftpd as root, so the suggested username
and group for tftpd on SUSE 6.3 is 'nobody' and 'nogroup'
</para>

<para>
It is not known whether these changes are needed for newer versions of 
SUSE.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-RARPFAQSection">
<title>Regarding <acronym>RARP</acronym>: Is it Needed or Not?</title>

<para>
<acronym>RARP</acronym> is not needed with the <productname>Krups
</productname> or <productname>Espresso</productname> models and 
recent <application>PROLL</application> software.  <acronym>RARP
</acronym> is required for <productname>Mr. Coffee</productname>, 
however.
</para>

<para>
This 'Server Configuration' chapter explained how to set up 
kernel-level <acronym>RARP</acronym> on 2.2.x systems.
</para>

<para>
On servers with kernel versions 2.3.x/2.4.x, kernel-level 
<acronym>RARP</acronym> support is removed.  The ZLS holds a 
version of <application> ANK userland RARP</application> from Andi 
Klein of SuSE that will work with Linux/SPARC.  It is available 
from: <ulink url="http://people.redhat.com/zaitcev/linux/rarpd-ap1.tar.bz2"> 
http://people.redhat.com/zaitcev/linux/rarpd-ap1.tar.bz2</ulink>.
The command to use then is <userinput>rarpd-ank -e eth0</userinput>.  
<quote>-e</quote> makes it ignore /tftpboot checking, and 
<quote>eth0</quote> is needed if you are behind a firewall.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-EspressoCardReaderFAQSection">
<title>Can One Use the Smart Card Reader on the Espresso models?</title>

<para>
This is not currently supported, but the reader follows an 
ISO standard (ISO 7816-3).  On <productname>
Espresso</productname>, if you look into <application>PROLL</application>, 
there are definitions for the <acronym>GPIO</acronym> smartcard data/clock in 
<quote>eeprom.c</quote>.  So a programmer should technically be able to get 
the Smart Card slot running.
</para>

<para>
Whether the smartcard reader on Dover and Espresso are equivalent is
not known.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-SolarisDHCPFAQSection">
<title>Can One Use the <application>Solaris</application> <acronym>DHCP</acronym> 
server instead of <acronym>ISC</acronym>?</title>

<para>
Yes, this is possible.  Earlier ISC daemons had problems dealing
with 1514-byte requests of the JavaStations, while the Solaris 
server was able to handle them without problems. Also, former
users of JavaOS may already have their Solaris DHCP server
active, and wish to keep things on one machine.
</para>

<para>
Here is how to configure it: 
</para>

<para>
First, fill in your /var/dhcp/<quote>networks</quote> file, populating
it with ethernet to IP info, and the appropriate leastime.
</para>

<screen>
# This example uses "infinite" leastime
#
0108002081C2AE 03 192.168.128.1  192.168.128.100 -1 java01  # JavaStation
010800208E4CF6 03 192.168.128.2  192.168.128.100 -1 java02  # JavaStation
</screen>

<para>
Next, fill in your /var/dhcp/dhcptab file with entries similar to:
</para>

<screen>
##
# First, some network info
#
Locale   m  :UTCoffst=21600:
www  m  :Include=Locale:Timeserv=192.168.128.100:DNSdmain=my.own.net:DNSserv=192.168.128.100:
192.168.128.0  m  :Broadcst=192.168.128.255:Subnet=255.255.255.0:MTU=1500:BootSrvA=192.168.128.100:Router=192.168.128.101:NISdmain=my.own.net:NISservs=192.168.128.100:
#
#  note: BootServA can point to a different TFTP server to get the kernel image
#        off of.
#
#
##
# Now we define the JavaStation TFTPboot parameters
#
SUNW.Linux m :Include=www:JOSchksm=0x155dbf97:Rootpath=/tftpboot:BootFile=proll.mrcoffee:BootSrvA=192.168.128.100:TFTPsrvN=lnxserv:
SUNW.Linux.Krups m :Include=www:Rootpath=/tftpboot:BootFile=proll.krups:BootSrvA=192.168.128.100:TFTPsrvN=lnxserv:
#
#
#  note: different classes are defined for the different PROLL images.
#
##
# Lastly, we list our hosts and which boot class each one gets.
java01  m  :LeaseTim=-1:Include=SUNW.Linux:
java02  m  :LeaseTim=-1:Include=SUNW.Linux.Krups:
#
#
#
###
</screen>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-BootOptionsFAQSection">
<title>Can One Pass Arguments to <quote>/sbin/init</quote> in a Diskless 
Boot like This?</title>

<para>
<application>PROLL</application> ships with <acronym>DHCP</acronym> 
options disabled, but it could be changed.  You would then do something 
like <quote>/tftpboot/0A0A0000.ARGS</quote> to get those parameters in.  
</para>

<para>
If you boot from flash memory, <application>PROLL</application> picks up 
<application>SILO</application> options (where <application>SILO
</application> is &gt; version 0.9.6 and <application>PROLL</application>
is &gt;= version 11)
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-EnablingXFAQSection">
<title>Enabling <application>X</application> on the 
<productname>JavaStation</productname></title>

<para>
This is a very frequently asked question.
</para>

<para>
Enabling <application>X</application> on the <productname>JavaStation
</productname> is possible.  
</para>

<para>
First, be sure you have enabled the appropriate framebuffer device
in your kernel's configuration, as described in the "Kernel Build" 
chapter. 
</para>

<para>
Next, you'll want to use the generic <application>Sun Framebuffer X server
</application> and <quote>XF86Config</quote> file.  You can build this 
yourself, or you can try someone's prebuilt binaries, such as the samples
pointed to in the "FileSystem Build" chapter.
</para>

<para>
Recent editions of the framebuffer server coinciding with XFree 4 are
reported not to work.  Use the older version based on XFree 3.3, or 
fix the new version and be a hero to thousands.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-MailingListFAQSection">
<title>Is There Mailing List Help?</title>

<para>
There are two mailing devoted exclusively to running <application>Linux
</application> on <hardware>SPARC processor</hardware> based machines 
such as the <productname>JavaStations</productname>.
</para>


<para>
The first mailing list is the sparclinux list on VGER, 
at <email>sparclinux@vger.kernel.org</email>. 
You should first subscribe to it by sending a message to 
<email>majordomo@vger.kernel.org</email> with a subject and body line 
of <quote>subscribe sparclinux &lt;your_email_address&gt;</quote>.  You 
can leave out your email address, but it is helpful to put it in if you 
have multiple valid addresses at your site.
</para>

<para>
Archives of the VGER sparclinux mailing list are kept at: 
<ulink url="http://www.progressive-comp.com/Lists/?l=linux-sparc&amp;r=1&amp;
w=2">http://www.progressive-comp.com/Lists/?l=linux-sparc&amp;r=1&amp;w=2"
</ulink>
</para>

<para>
The second mailing list is the debian-sparc list at the Debian Project,
at <email>debian-sparc@lists.debian.org</email>.  You should first 
subscribe to it by sending a message to 
<email>debian-sparc-request@lists.debian.org</email> with a subject and 
body line of <quote>subscribe &lt;your_email_address&gt;</quote>.  You 
can leave out your email address, but it is helpful to put it in if you 
have multiple valid addresses at your site.
</para>

<para>
As many of the SPARC kernel hackers run Debian, it is helpful to
subscribe to both lists.
</para>

<para>
Please do not report problems about this document to either list, but
send them to <email>rsd@dubinski-family.org</email> instead.  Also, 
please use the list archives.  JavaStations have been supported on
Linux for a while now, and chances are any questions you have not
answered by this document are answered in the archives.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-FlashBootFAQSection">
<title>Can One Boot a JavaStation from Onboard Flash Memory?</title>

<para>
It is possible to boot a JavaStation-NC from flash, but requires
too much arcane knowledge at the moment to be recommended.  One problem
even if you do go this route is that flash can only be mounted read-only.
This gets to be a problem with many things, like X, which require the
writing of socket files.  A hybrid ramdisk/flash solution would be required.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-PiggybackOtherPlatform">
<title>Does <quote>Piggyback</quote> work for the <hardware>x86</hardware> 
too?
</title> 

<para>
With the great embedded-root solution for the JavaStations, the question
popped up whether something similar can be done for stock x86 hardware.
While there are some x86 NICs that have boot roms on them, you'd also need
the piggyback program to put things together.  According to Eric Brower,
this currently is not possible as the piggyback program looks for a header
specific to the SPARC platform. (28-Apr-2000)
</para>

<para>
Robert Thornburrow<email>robert@tsac.fsnet.co.uk</email> sent a version
of piggyback which runs on non-SPARCLinux architectures like Linux/x86
and Solaris.  This automates the task of creating your embedded root
image. You can get his updated piggyback package at:

<ulink 
url="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/tools/piggyback_nonsparc.tar.gz">
     http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/tools/piggyback_nonsparc.tar.gz
</ulink>
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-NotBootingWithNewMemorySection">
<title>I put new memory in, but now it doesn't boot.  Why?
</title> 

<para>
Are you using EDO memory by chance?  Mr. Coffee uses fast-page memory
only, not EDO.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-AlternateOSSupport">
<title>Now that JavaStations work with Linux, what about other Free OSs?
</title> 

<para>
JavaStation support is now available with the NetBSD OS as well as Linux.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-Linux24Support">
<title>Do the Linux 2.4 kernels work? What's the latest that works?
</title> 

<para>
As of this date (Oct 31, 2001), the current stable Linux kernel version
is 2.4.13.  Kernels in the stable 2.4 series <emphasis>should</emphasis> 
work with the JavaStations, but there are a few reasons why they may not 
work for you.  For details, check the "Kernel Build" chapter's entry on
supported kernels.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-CrossCompileKernel">
<title>Can I compile the kernel on a non-SPARC machine?
</title> 

<para>
It should be technically possible to compile your kernel on a
non Sun workstation, such as a PC.  Currently there are no reports
of anyone doing this, but if you wanted, the first place to look is
the GCC CrossCompiling HOWTO.
</para>

<para>
Of course, you can also compile a new kernel on a working JavaStation,
if your filesystem image supports it.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-OpenBootBreak">
<title>Can I get an ok&gt; prompt like other Sun equipment?
</title> 

<para>
A curious thing happens when you send a JavaStation a break: it resets,
not break down to the openboot prom prompt like other Sun equipment.
This can be changed on a Krups by setting jumper J1300, pins 7-8. 
Doing this gets a OBP ok prompt with a Ctrl-Alt-Break on a PS/2 keyboard
or break through a serial terminal.
</para>

<para>
You can also get the ok prompt on the Dover unit, but it requires a hardware
fix.  To do so on this unit, you must solder a 220K ohm resistor in 
location R362 (near the FDD connector).
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-KeyboardTroubleshooting">
<title>My keyboard isn't recognized.  What can I do?
</title> 

<para>
While it's unlikely, it could be possible that you have a javastation
set in the wrong input device mode.  To rectify this, you need to enable
the openboot prom prompt as described elsewhere in this HOWTO, and then
set the 'input-device' directive accordingly.  Or, as one contributor
did before the OBP setting was discovered, load up NetBSD on your 
JavaStation and run the eeprom command there.  Convoluted, but it 
works too.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-ProllARPTimeOut">
<title>Proll reports "TFTP: ARP Timeout".  Why?
</title> 

<para>
This has been reported to happen when the file PROLL looks for isn't
available.  Doublecheck your configuration before retrying.
</para>

</sect2>


<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-TrueColorKrups">
<title>Why Can't I Get TrueColor on Krups?</title>

<para>
Truecolor on Krups with Linux is a bit of a controversy.  Some believe
it is possible, while others do not.  
</para>

<para>
First, the Krups is listed as having the IGS C1682 framebuffer, while 
the Espresso has the IGS C2000 chip.
</para>

<para>
According to an earlier report by one kernel hacker, the reason for Krups 
not supporting TrueColor is due to lack of kernel support for the Cyber2000
chip.  Perhaps the C2000 for the Espresso is the 'Cyber2000'?  And perhaps
the C2000 is near equal to the C1682.  Notes on the ZLS website seem
to point to this.
</para>

<para>
Recent 2.4.x series kernels have an entry labeled 'Cyber2000'.  Perhaps this
works?  One contributor tried and failed.
</para>

<para>
Ok, there is a userland utility called 'fbset' to change the modes of
a framebuffer.  Does that work?  One contributor said no.
</para>

<para>
In the sparclinux archives is a report of a user using the 24-bit TCX
framebuffer and having success.  But TCX chip was in Mr. Coffee, not
Krups, and TCX onboard Mr. Coffee had 8-bit max, not 24.
</para>

<para>
So what is the real scoop with 24-bit color on the Krups?  Until others
try things and speak up, we don't know.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-DoverHOWTO">
<title>I followed this HOWTO, but my Dover doesn't work.  Why?</title>

<para>
The Dover is not a SPARC-based JavaStation, which this HOWTO caters to.
You must use x86 procedures to make it work properly.  You did read the
warning in the Dover introduction section, didn't you?
</para>

<para>
I am receiving multiple reports of kernel load failures with the Dover unit.
As more information comes in, this HOWTO will present it.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-LoadXAfterSerial">
<title>Can framebuffer be loaded following a serial console initialization?</title>

<para>
If you boot a JavaStation via the serial console, the framebuffer console
is completely disabled.  Is there any way to activate the framebuffer console
after booting? (asked on Sparclinux mailing list 2001-05-11).
</para>

<para>
Not to our knowledge.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-OutoftheBox">
<title>I really need a complete out-of-the-box solution, pronto!</title>

<para>
You better get busy then.
</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="QuestionsandTroubleshooting-YouDidntAnswer">
<title>You Didn't Answer My Question.</title>

<para>
So ask it.  Email <email>rsd@dubinski-family.org</email> and I will
try to help.   If I can not help, I will direct you to the mailing
lists or suitable contacts.
</para>

</sect2>

</sect1>