3Com e-PC c10/s10 User manual

2.1 Edition

3Com Corporation n
nn
n 5400 Bayfront Plaza n
nn
n Santa Clara, California n
nn
n 95052-8145
©3Com Corporation, 1999. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative
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restricted rights:
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Soft are - Restricted Rights clause at 48 C.F.R. 52.227-19 and the limitations set forth in 3Com Corporation's standard commercial agreement for the
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3Com®, the 3Com logo, Managed PC Boot Agent®, MBA®, Pre-OS® and DynamicAccess® are trademarks of 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries.
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April, 1999

C
CO ON NT TE EN NT TS S
CONTENTS ..............................................................................iii
About This Guide..................................................................... vii
What's New in this Release ...................................................... viii
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 1 1: : I In nt tr ro od du uc ct ti io on n. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .1 1
Manageable Cs ....................................................................... 1
3Com Managed C Solutions—Key Capabilities ............................. 1
Managed C Boot Agent (MBA)................................................... 2
Features.................................................................................. 3
Boot Image Editor .................................................................... 4
Documentation Overview:...................................................... 4
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 2 2: : I In ns st ta al ll li in ng g M MB BA A. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .5 5
C Requirements...................................................................... 5
Quick Start .............................................................................. 5
MBA ROM Installation................................................................ 6
Types of MBA Installation ...................................................... 6
ROM Installation ................................................................... 6
Boot Image Editor Installation.................................................... 9
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 3 3: : C Co on nf fi ig gu ur ri in ng g M MB BA A. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .1 11 1
rogramming Your MBA ROM Using MBAFLASH ...........................11
MBA Base Code and UNDI Components ......................................12
Setting the Boot Order on Cs with BBS BIOS .............................13
Configuring MBA's Options........................................................14
Configuration Tables ............................................................15
Changing the Options...........................................................24
Using the MBA-Based Configuration .......................................24
Using the MBACFG Utility ......................................................25
Changing Configuration Options Using a Configuration File ........26
Changing Configuration Options from the
MBACFG Command Line .......................................................28
Updating your MBA ROM ..........................................................28
Updating to a Newer MBA Version ..........................................28
Restoring a reviously Backed-up Version ...............................29
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 4 4: : U Us si in ng g M MB BA A B Ba as se e C Co od de e. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .3 33 3
Boot Failure ............................................................................34
Displaying Verbose Status Information (v or Ctrl+Alt) ..................34
Displaying MBA Information (Shift+Shift) ...................................34

Troubleshooting ......................................................................35
Compatibility roblems with Option ROMs for
Hard Disk or SCSI Controllers................................................35
Using ROMSCAN for Troubleshooting and Diagnostics ...............35
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 5 5: : U Us si in ng g P Pr re e O OS S. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .3 37 7
Introduction ...........................................................................37
re-OS Framework ..................................................................38
C re-OS Bootup Sequence .................................................39
Creating re-OS Boot Images ...................................................39
Defining Boot Image Content ................................................40
Creating TC /I or XE re-OS Boot Images ...........................41
Creating NetWare re-OS Boot Images...................................42
Sample re-OS Frameworks .....................................................42
TC /I or XE re-OS Sample ...............................................42
NetWare re-OS Sample.......................................................44
Technical Information ..............................................................45
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 6 6: : U Us si in ng g M MB BA A i in n T TC CP P/ /I IP P E En nv vi ir ro on nm me en nt ts s. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .4 47 7
Introduction ...........................................................................47
TC /I -Specific Features.......................................................47
Network Requirements .........................................................47
Quick Setup............................................................................48
Setting Up the Server ..............................................................50
BOOT Service ....................................................................50
DHC Service......................................................................50
TFT Service .......................................................................50
Setting Up the C....................................................................50
Creating a Boot Diskette.......................................................51
Creating a Boot Image File Using Boot Image Editor.................51
Boot Screen ........................................................................52
Other Tools ............................................................................53
FREEMEM: Free RAM Disk Memory .........................................53
B ATCH: Supporting Replaceable arameters ........................53
Application Notes ....................................................................54
Using Memory Managers.......................................................54
Troubleshooting ......................................................................55
Quick Fixes: What to Check First ...........................................55
MBA Messages ....................................................................55
File Transfer Error Messages .................................................55

C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 7 7: : U Us si in ng g M MB BA A i in n a a W Wi ir re ed d f fo or r M Ma an na ag ge em me en nt t
E
En nv vi ir ro on nm me en nt t U Us si in ng g P PX XE E. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .5 57 7
Introduction ...........................................................................57
Quick Setup............................................................................59
Boot Screen ........................................................................59
Creating a XE Boot Image File Using Boot Image Editor ..........60
C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 8 8: : U Us si in ng g M MB BA A i in n N Ne et tW Wa ar re e E En nv vi ir ro on nm me en nt ts s. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .6 61 1
Introduction ...........................................................................61
Network Requirements .........................................................61
Quick Setup............................................................................62
Boot Screen ........................................................................64
Creating a Boot Image File Using Boot Image Editor ....................64
Boot Using MBA...................................................................67
Supporting Different Cs with One Boot Image............................67
Creating Additional Boot Image Files..........................................68
Creating and Editing the BOOTCONF.SYS Boot Index File ..........68
Avoiding AUTOEXEC.BAT Conflicts in SYS:LOGIN .....................70
Using Boot Image Editor to Create Additional
Boot Image Files .................................................................70
Selecting Different Images at Boot Time.....................................70
Multiple Servers: How the MSD NLM Can Help .............................71
Installing MSD.....................................................................72
MSD Command Line Options.....................................................72
NODEFAULT Mode................................................................73
MSD Console Display............................................................73
MSD C Messages................................................................73
Other Tools ............................................................................74
CHKID: Conditional Execution Based on Node Address..............74
Boot Image Editor: Edit and View Boot Image Files ..................75
ROMTY E: Conditional Execution Based on MBA Type ...............75
Application Notes ....................................................................76
Using Novell's Client 32 for DOS/Windows with MBA.................76
Formatting Diskettes Using Windows ......................................76
Transferring From the Boot Image to SYS:LOGIN.....................76
Troubleshooting ......................................................................77
Quick Fixes: What to Check First............................................77
MBA Messages ....................................................................77
Batch File Missing Messages and How to Avoid Them................79

C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 9 9: : U Us si in ng g M MB BA A i in n
R
Re em mo ot te e P Pr ro og gr ra am m L Lo oa ad d E En nv vi ir ro on nm me en nt ts s. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .8 81 1
Introduction ...........................................................................81
R L-Specific Features...........................................................81
Quick Setup............................................................................82
Setting Up the NT Server..........................................................82
Boot Screen ........................................................................83
Application Notes ....................................................................84
Creating and Editing BootBlock and Configurations for NICs ......84
Troubleshooting ......................................................................85
A
Ap pp pe en nd di ix x A A: : T Te ec ch hn ni ic ca al l S Su up pp po or rt t. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .8 87 7
Online Technical Services .........................................................87
3Com World Wide Web Site ..................................................87
3Com FT Site ....................................................................87
3Com Bulletin Board Service .................................................88
3ComFacts Automated Fax Service ........................................88
Support from Your Network Supplier ......................................89
Support from 3Com .............................................................89
Returning roducts for Repair................................................93
3
3C Co om m C Co or rp po or ra at ti io on n L LI IM MI IT TE ED D W WA AR RR RA AN NT TY Y. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .9 97 7
G
Gl lo os ss sa ar ry y . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .1 10 01 1

A
Ab bo ou ut t T Th hi is s G Gu ui id de e
The information in this guide is presented as follows:
Chapter 1 An overview of MBA
Chapter 2 How to install MBA
Chapter 3 How to configure MBA for your requirements
Chapter 4 rocedures involved when you bootstrap with MBA
Chapter 5 An introduction to re-OS technology and its applications
Chapter 6 Using MBA in TC /I environments
Chapter 7 Using MBA in a Wired for Management environment using XE
Chapter 8 Using MBA on a Novell NetWare LAN
Chapter 9 Using MBA on R L LANs, including Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft LAN
Manager, IBM LAN Server, IBM Warp Server, Digital athworks, and Artisoft
LANtastic
Appendix A Technical support
Glossary- A list of preboot technology terms
At the beginning of most chapters, you can find a Quick Setup list of instructions to assist
experienced MBA users. Detailed instructions follow for less experienced users. Application
Notes and Troubleshooting information are presented near the end of each chapter.

W
Wh ha at t' 's s N Ne ew w i in n t th hi is s R Re el le ea as se e
Since the previous release of this guide, MBA has been upgraded as shown in this section.
The guide has been upgraded to explain the features made available by the following
changes:
WfM 2.0 / PXE 2.0 support
The main enhancement to MBA 4.x is the addition of support for the new Wired for
Management (WfM) Baseline 2.0 specification which was jointly developed by industry
leaders including 3Com. XE 2.0 adds the following:
Boot image security using Boot Integrity Services (BIS) when provided by the C BIOS
If your C's BIOS has implemented BIS as specified in the WfM 2.0 specification, then
the XE functionality included in MBA will be compatible with it and use it if you have a
BIS-enabled environment. Refer to the WfM 2.0 specification for more information on
BIS.
The ability to separate the NIC-specific UNDI from the protocol-generic base code so
the UNDI can be used with other base codes available in the C
MBA 4.x is comprised of two components—the MBA base code and the Universal
Network Device Interface (UNDI). The base code handles all the core functionality of
MBA such as protocol handling, network boot failure handling, etc. The UNDI handles
the interface with the specific NIC.
If your MBA is integrated into your C's BIOS, then it may have been integrated using
the new “split ROM” format. This means that the MBA base code is available in the
BIOS and is separate from the UNDI. This allows another UNDI (e.g. existing on
another NIC) to use the MBA base code from the BIOS and take advantage of MBA's
functionality. Refer to Table 5: Startup Options for more information.
C Card support
MBA functionality is now available on C Card NICs.
PXE is now the default boot method
With the popularity of the Wired for Management (WfM) initiative and the acceptance of the
XE specification, the default boot method has been changed to XE. You can still change
this to another boot method if XE is not suitable for your environment.
New easy to use Windows based Boot Image Editor
Boot Image Editor is a Windows-based utility that enables network administrators to create
and manipulate TC /I , NetWare, and XE boot images. The boot image files and menu boot
files created with the Boot Image Editor allow network client Cs to boot from servers
instead of local drives or to perform re-OS tasks before booting from the client C’s hard
disk. Boot Image Editor combines and enhances the IMAGEGEN, IMGGEN, MA GEN, and
Multiple Image File Editor (MULTI_ED) DOS utilities previously available from Lanworks
Technologies Co.

User selectable boot control
You can specify the mechanism for MBA to use, to allow itself to execute when the C boots.
This may be useful on some Cs when MBA cannot automatically detect which mechanism to
use. Examples of boot control options are INT 18, INT 19, or BBS. Refer to Table 5: Startup
Options for more information.
Network Service Boot (F12) functionality if not implemented in the BIOS
This function prompts the C user to press the F12 key during the boot process to force a
network boot. This is useful where the client C normally boots from its local hard disk but
must, on occasion, boot from the network server. Refer to Table 5: Startup Options for more
information.
The following options are now available if PXE is the selected boot method:
Default Boot Method
Enable/Disable Local Booting
Message Timeout
Boot Failure rompt
Boot Failure
Boot Messages
Refer to Table 2: XE Configuration Options for more information.
TCP/IP Image Filename
The default TC /I image filename is now MBA.IMG instead of BOOTWARE.IMG. You can now
specify an alternative default image filename to be used instead of MBA.IMG, if the filename
is not provided by the server. Refer to Table 1: TC /I Configuration Options for more
information.

C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 1 11 1
Thank you for choosing Managed C Boot Agent (MBA), the world's best-selling network
preboot solution for C networks. MBA is a package of multi-protocol firmware and software
tools that enables the network administrator to remotely administer software, operating
systems, and applications over the network, eliminating the need to visit the client's desktop
in person. MBA is a universal, easy to configure preboot solution that is compatible with
today's client and network operating systems.
With MBA installed, your client Cs can boot from the network regardless of the contents of
their local hard drives or, in some cases, without any local drives at all. MBA makes sure
your users connect to the network every time.
It's true—You can't compute if you can't boot.
MBA enables new and existing Cs to take advantage of preboot management technology to
perform operating system and application installations or upgrades as well as desktop
disaster recovery. MBA includes the Wired for Management (WfM) standard XE protocol, but
goes beyond that to include legacy boot protocol support for networks such as NetWare and
UNIX. MBA is the most universal, pervasive preboot solution available on the market today.
M
Ma an na ag ge ea ab bl le e P PC Cs s
To take advantage of current and emerging Managed C applications, companies need Cs
that can cooperate in the management process. These Cs have management-ready network
interface cards (NICs) with functions implemented in firmware, software, and hardware.
While some features are applicable only to newer Cs, many can be implemented on existing
Cs through a software download, flash ROM update or ROM upgrade.
In selecting management-ready C NICs, companies can smooth the transition to a
centrally-managed environment by choosing products that support the widest range of
industry-standard protocols, existing network administration services and tools, and
management applications. Wise choices will also help to future-proof investments for what is
sure to be a period of emerging technology developments and rapid change.
3
3C Co om m M Ma an na ag ge ed d P PC C S So ol lu ut ti io on ns s— — e ey y C Ca ap pa ab bi il li it ti ie es s
3Com, the world's leading supplier of desktop and workgroup networking solutions, offers a
full range of Managed C features for Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Token Ring product lines.
These products offer consumers a unique advantage: state-of-the-art management
intelligence built into industry-leading 3Com NICs, which are known for their performance,
reliability, and compatibility.
3Com's Managed C solutions are compatible with leading management applications,
including those from Microsoft, ON Technology Corporation, H , Tivoli, latinum
Technologies, Network Associates, and Intel. 3Com NICs support new and emerging
standards including reboot eXecution Environment ( XE), Desktop Management Interface
(DMI), Wired for Management (WfM), and Advanced Configuration and ower Interface
(AC I).
Currently, 3Com's product line supports three key network management capabilities: Remote
Wake Up, Managed C Boot Agent for remote preboot capabilities, and Desktop Management
Interface 2.05 for advanced instrumentation discovery and configuration.

2
2C Ch ha ap pt te er r 1 1
M
Ma an na ag ge ed d P PC C B Bo oo ot t A Ag ge en nt t ( (M MB BA A) )
W
Wh ha at tI It tD Do oe es s
The Managed C Boot Agent (MBA) enables a C to boot from a remote server even if the
local operating system (OS) is unable to boot or is nonexistent. It enables administrators to
perform a wide range of preboot management tasks such as virus scanning, backups,
disaster recovery, reconfiguration, and applications and OS installation and updates. MBA
can also be used to compare desktop profiles to a centralized software image from a server.
MBA can enable a multicast boot, bringing up hundreds of Cs simultaneously. All of these
preboot processes are transparent to the user, since the C behaves as if the boot took place
from the local hard drive.
B
Be en ne ef fi it ts s
MBA improves IS productivity and responsiveness as well as end-user satisfaction by
eliminating most of the need for on-site troubleshooting and disaster recovery. Instead, the
vast majority of problems can be solved remotely and rapidly. Studies show that nearly half
of all help desk calls are related to booting problems, which are normally impossible to solve
remotely. Because boot failures typically make it impossible for users to connect with the
network, even the most sophisticated enterprise management tools at the administrator's
disposal are of no use.
MBA guarantees that every C on the network—even those with damaged operating systems
and new Cs with no OS and unformatted hard disks—will connect to the network. The ability
to boot under management control also protects Cs when they are most vulnerable to boot
sector viruses. In addition, MBA improves IS productivity by enabling administrators to
configure or update any number of Cs very efficiently by making changes to a single image
on a network server.
H
Ho ow wM MB BA AW Wo or rk ks s
Cs can be configured to boot from a server using a combination of configuration files, boot
image files, and (needed in most cases) software residing on the server's hard disk. MBA
retrieves the required information (for example, an operating system, memory managers,
network drivers) from these files on the server when the workstation starts. This process has
commonly been described in the past as remoteboot.
Traditional remoteboot may not be adequate in establishing a complete work environment
due to requirements imposed by today's GUI operating systems and applications. In this
case, MBA can become a compelling administrative tool when configured to perform a re-OS
boot prior to every local boot. Using MBA software and utilities including re-OS, a network
administrator can make use of diagnostics, configuration, or maintenance tools prior to
completing the local boot process.
S
St ta an nd da ar rd ds sS Su up pp po or rt te ed d
MBA supports Wired for Management (WfM). It also supports all major boot protocols,
including not only the new reboot eXecution Environment ( XE) protocol originally defined
in the Net C specification, but also existing protocols such as BOOT , DHC , R L, and
NC /I X. 3Com customers thus have the flexibility to use NT Server or another specialized
server that supports XE, or to “roll their own” management solutions using the booting
support built into other platforms such as NetWare, H UX, Sun Solaris, and OS/2 WAR .

C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 1 13 3
W
Wh ha at tY Yo ou uN Ne ee ed dt to oU Us se eM MB BA A
To implement the Managed C Boot Agent you need:
A NIC with preboot agent firmware (MBA). The agent, which acts as an additional layer
of BIOS, can also be installed on an existing NIC as a chip in the Boot ROM socket or
through a system BIOS flash upgrade.
A central boot configuration server
IGURE OW ORKS
F
Fe ea at tu ur re es s
MBA includes the following features:
Supports local and network operating systems including DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows
9x, Windows NT, UNIX, Novell NetWare, and others
Fully configurable boot options to enable client Cs to use MBA in various
environments, with or without local hard drives
Available as a network interface card (NIC) ROM; also available as a BIOS update for
motherboards which contain network interface hardware. Can be in BIOS even if the
C has a separate NIC
Supports flash ROM configuration and update changes locally or over the network,
depending on the NIC ROM or BIOS version
Supports multiple boot protocols and network environments such as traditional TC /I ,
NetWare, and R L; also includes support for all of today's most used protocols
including DHC , BOOT , NC /I X (802.2, 802.3, Ethernet II), and the Wired for
Management specification reboot eXecution Environment ( XE)
For additional features specific to TC /I , XE, NetWare (NC /I X), or R L environments,
see the appropriate chapter in this guide. For new feature releases see the 3Com web site at
http://www.3com.com/managedpc .

4
4C Ch ha ap pt te er r 1 1
B
Bo oo ot t I Im ma ag ge e E Ed di it to or r
Boot Image Editor is a Windows-based utility that enables network administrators to create
and manipulate TC /I , NetWare, and XE boot images. The boot image files and menu boot
files created with the Boot Image Editor allow network client Cs to boot from servers
instead of local drives or to perform re-OS tasks before booting from the client C’s hard
disk.
Boot Image Editor combines and enhances the IMAGEGEN, IMGGEN, MA GEN, and Multiple
Image File Editor (MULTI_ED) DOS-based utilities available from Lanworks Technologies Co.
Although we encourage you to use Boot Image Editor, the DOS-based image utilities
(IMAGEGEN, IMGGEN, MA GEN, and MULTI_ED) are still available on the MBA Utility disk
and on the EtherCD. The instructions for these utilities and for the BWLOADHI and UNR LFIX
utilities have been removed from this User Guide and placed into the file OLDUTILS.TXT on
the MBA Utility disk and on the EtherCD.
With Boot Image Editor, you can:
Create boot image files (from standard boot diskettes) that contain standard startup
files and reside on a server.
View and modify the contents of boot image files directly, without creating or
accessing boot diskettes.
Create a menu boot file and designate a list of boot options from which end-users can
choose at boot time.
Create special re-OS boot image files that can execute third-party desktop
management agents on the client C before it boots from the local drive.
Configure boot image file options, such as whether they are read-only or writeable or
have extended or normal capacity.
Convert boot image files between environments, such as TC /I images to NetWare
images and vice versa.
Like Novell’s legacy DOSGEN utility, the Boot Image Editor takes a snapshot of a boot
diskette. Without Boot Image Editor, creating, examining, and modifying boot image files is a
tedious exercise. Although the Boot Image Editor can be installed on any computer, it is
usually implemented on a server or a network administration C. For installation instructions,
see “Boot Image Editor Installation” in Chapter 2 “Installing MBA.”
D
Do oc cu um me en nt ta at ti io on nO Ov ve er rv vi ie ew w: :
The main source of information for Boot Image Editor is the Boot Image Editor online help. It
covers the following subjects:
Overviews
Option descriptions
Instructions for creating and defining the contents of boot diskettes, boot image files,
and menu boot files
Instructions for maintaining and editing boot image files and menu boot files
In some cases (such as when you define the contents of a NetWare boot diskette), you will
be referred to this document.

C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 2 25 5
This chapter contains a Quick Start section for those who are experienced with MBA
installation, an MBA ROM Installation section that provides additional details, and a Boot
Image Editor Installation section.
P
PC C R Re eq qu ui ir re em me en nt ts s
MBA operates in all Intel-based Cs (386 or higher). Your C must have a vacant memory
region available in the BIOS ROM attachment area, usually located from C800:0h to
E000:0h. The size of the required region varies with your NIC. We have gone to great
lengths to ensure MBA memory requirements are as small as possible; ROM paging is used
when supported by your NIC, and on CI NICs, MBA shrinks its size after initialization to the
smallest possible memory footprint.
When installed on a CI or soft-configurable ISA NIC, MBA automatically configures itself to
the NIC's settings.
Q
Qu ui ic ck k S St ta ar rt t
These abbreviated instructions are for those who are experienced with general MBA
installation.
Procedure
If you are installing an MBA ROM on the NIC start at step 1. If MBA is integrated into the C
system BIOS or if the ROM is pre-installed in the NIC, start at step 4.
1. Install the MBA ROM on the NIC, making sure the ROM is not damaged by static
discharge. Be absolutely certain the ROM is installed so that in 1 of the ROM socket is
aligned with in 1 of the ROM.
2. Enable the ROM socket of the NIC at a non-conflicting memory address:
Adapter Type Configuration
PCI NICs and Plug and Play
ISA NICs
Often the PC automatically configures
the NIC to enable the ROM to a non-
conflicting address. Ho ever,
sometimes you may need to run a
utility to enable the ROM socket on
the NIC. Refer to the NIC's user guide
for information on ho to set up the
NIC.
ISA (legacy, non Plug and
Play) NICs
Use either NIC configuration soft are
or jumpers/s itches to enable the
ROM region to the desired memory
address and size.

6
6C Ch ha ap pt te er r 2 2
3. If you have a 3C90Xx NIC such as 3C905C-TX, run the MBAFLASH.EXE utility (on the
MBA Utility Disk in the Update directory or on the EtherCD in the MBA subdirectory of the
Installation directory). This utility programs the correct MBA software into the ROM for
the specific NIC that you are using. Refer to “ rogramming your MBA ROM using
MBAFLASH” in Chapter 3 for more details on this utility.
4. Use either the MBA-based configuration facility or the MBACFG utility to configure MBA's
operating parameters.
5. To continue with C and server installation, refer to the “Quick Setup” instructions in the
chapter of this guide appropriate to your network environment (TC /I , XE, NetWare, or
R L).
M
MB BA A R RO OM M I In ns st ta al ll la at ti io on n
This section shows you how to install an MBA ROM on your NIC.
T
Ty yp pe es so of fM MB BA AI In ns st ta al ll la at ti io on n
MBA is available on a C in one of the following ways:
MBA Type Installation Additional Steps
Required
Integrated into
the PC BIOS by
the PC
manufacturer *
Not needed Go to Chapter 3
“Configuring MBA”
Contained in a
ROM that is pre-
installed on the
PC's NIC
Not needed Go to Chapter 3
“Configuring MBA”
Contained in a
ROM that must be
installed on the
PC's NIC.
Install the ROM. The
follo ing section
describes ho to
install this ROM.
Go to Chapter 3
“Configuring MBA”
* You can determine hether the MBA is integrated into the BIOS by vie ing
the phrase “BIOS integrated” displayed beside the version number hen MBA is
executed, or by vie ing the MBA information screen. Refer to “Displaying MBA
Information” in Chapter 4 “Using MBA Base Code.”
R
RO OM MI In ns st ta al ll la at ti io on n
Installing the MBA ROM is a straightforward task, but you must take care to ensure that
components are not damaged. Be sure you understand the following instructions before
installing MBA.

C
Ch ha ap pt te er r 2 27 7
C
CA
AU UT TI IO ON N:
: Risk of equipment damage
Before removing a NIC, attach an earth ground to the C chassis. If an
earth ground is unavailable, ensure that the power is switched off and
plug in the C's grounded AC power cord.
Wear an anti-static wrist strap when handling ROMs. As an additional
measure, do not touch the ROM's connectors. Leave the ROM in its
conductive foam packaging when not in use.
1. If you are installing MBA on a NIC that is already in your C, remove the NIC from the
C. If you are not familiar with inserting and removing cards in your C, refer to your
NIC user guide for instructions.
2. Locate the boot ROM socket on your NIC. You may need to refer to the NIC's user guide
to locate the correct ROM socket.
3. Depending on your NIC, you may have either a DI socket (rectangular socket with two
rows of pins), or a LCC socket (small, square socket with pins on all sides). Follow the
applicable procedure for either the DI Socket Installation or the LCC Socket
Installation, then follow the procedure Installing the NIC into the C.
DIP Socket Installation
The DI socket should have a notch that can be indicated by a small half circle, a small
triangle, or a small indentation at one end of the socket. The circuit board may also have a
white rectangle around the socket which should have a notch indicated at the same end. This
notch indicates the in 1 end of the socket. See Figure 2.
IGURE NSERTING THE

8
8C Ch ha ap pt te er r 2 2
1. Look at the MBA ROM while it is still in its protective foam. When the label on the top of
the ROM is right side up, you should see a small half circle at the left edge of the ROM.
This indicates the ROM's in 1 notch.
2. Remove the MBA ROM from its protective foam. The pins on the ROM are very delicate,
so be careful not to damage them. Align the notch on the top of the MBA ROM with the
notch in the ROM socket on the NIC.
C
CA
AU UT TI IO ON N:
: Risk of equipment damage
If you install the MBA ROM backwards, you will destroy it! Make sure the
notch in the socket is lined up with the notch in the MBA ROM before
doing anything else.
3. Align the pins on the ROM with the pin receptacles in the ROM socket. ress down gently
and evenly on the ROM to ensure that it is seated correctly in the socket.
PLCC Socket Installation
The LCC socket has three square corners and one angled corner. The angled corner of the
ROM must be oriented to match the angled corner of the socket. See the top left corner in
Figure 3.
IGURE NSERTING THE
1. Remove the MBA ROM from its anti-static packaging, and align the angled corner of the
MBA ROM with the angled corner of the ROM socket on the NIC.
2. ress down gently and evenly on the ROM to ensure that it is seated correctly in the
socket.