This document describes common elements of Version 3 Release 1 of IBM NetVista Thin Client with TurboLinux for Linux servers and Windows servers.

TurboLinux - 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 client, you will need to upgrade to the 01/12/01 boot prom. This prom is included in the installation on your server.
• To upgrade the bootcode change kernel.2x00 to bflash.2x00:

For Model 2200 - bflash.2200

For Model 2800 - bflash.2800

Press <ENTER> to continue"

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 Advance Configuration select the menu option to "Change boot file server settings". Set the first Boot file server IP address to your server IP. Change the boot file server directory and file name by paging down to a blank field and entering "/nstation/linux/bflash.2200" or "/nstation/linux/bflash.2800", using NFS as the protocol. 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.

Note that after the upgrade, you will be able to page down and select "nstation/linux/kernel.2x00" (with 'x' being 2 or 8) for the boot file server directory and file name in the NSBoot Setup Utility, in order to boot from a server.
 

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.

Case sensitivity

Be aware that Windows NT file naming is case insensitive whereas Linux file naming is case sensitive. Therefore, on Linux the files ProjectExpansion and Projectexpansion are two separate files whereas Windows NT would treat these two files as though they were the same file resulting in only one of the files existing on the NT file system.

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 6.07 CD

This CD is requested while installing on a Linux server.
• Turbo Linux Workstation 6.07 Source RPM CD
  This CD contains source code for some of the TurboLinux 6.0.7 RPM's.

 

TurboLinux - 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. To avoid these problems, use the KDE User Manager.

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 see names like spwd.317 and pwd.%d.317.

TurboLinux - Readme Files and Tutorials

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/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:]\Linux\Windows\products\nvTCLinux\readme.txt
• Windows install location - [drive:]\{float}\NetVista_Linux\readme.txt

IBM TurboLinux Thin Client Readme
• This readme file contains information and tips that is common between the Linux servers and the Windows servers.
• Windows location - [drive:]\{float}\NetVista_Linux\Linux\IBM\ReadmeClient.html
• Linux location - /nstation/linux/IBM/ReadmeClient.html