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QL 3222
Chapter 6 - Custom Image Files

QL Image File

The QL Series processors can be configured to boot DOS from an image file on a designated NetWare file server. This chapter explains how to make changes to this image file, and does not apply to installations in which QL processors boot from a local hard drive.

To perform a remote boot, the QL processors boot from a file on a file server. This file contains an image of a DOS bootable diskette (thus the name "image file"). The QL processors boot from the image file exactly as they would from a floppy diskette drive.

The QL installation utility places a default image file on the designated server as follows:

Note: A default image file for the older style QL 3001 and QL 3002 processors is also placed on the designated server: SYS:CUBIX/QL3000/LOGIN/QL3_DOS.LOD.

A listing of the files included in the default image files is included in the QL Files chapter.

Executing an Application

When a QL processor boots from the default image file, it reads DOS, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC.BAT from the file. The last thing that the default image file does is to execute the QLUSER.BAT file (refer to the Boot Process chapter for more information).

The QLUSER.BAT file is run from the file server; it is not part of the image file. Any application that should be initiated upon QL system boot should be invoked from the QLUSER.BAT file. This can easily be accomplished by modifying the QLUSER.BAT file in the SYS:LOGIN directory of the designated file server. No changes to the image file are required.

Configuration File Changes

There are certain functions which must be performed via CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or NET.CFG. For example, DOS device drivers must be installed by CONFIG.SYS. Since these files are part of the image file, modifying them requires creating a custom image file.

Creating Image Files

The image file is created by building a bootable diskette that contains all of the files required to boot the QL processor. This Workstation Boot Diskette should be constructed just as if the QL processor were going to boot from the diskette rather than from an image file. Therefore, the Workstation Boot Diskette must be DOS bootable (i.e. formatted with the /s option), and must contain the appropriate CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, and NET.CFG files for the QL processor. The QL workstation driver and other QL specific files must also be included. Once the Workstation Boot Diskette has been created, the Novell DOSGEN utility is run to create an image of the diskette and store the image in an image file.

The default image file configures the QL processor for a NetWare DOS Requester (VLM) environment. In addition to the image file itself, the installation utility places all of the files required to build the image file on the designated server in the directories below:

In the discussion that follows, these directories will be referenced as the SYS:CUBIX/QLx000/IMAGE directory.

Instructions to Create an Image File

  1. Format a DOS bootable diskette (using the /s option). This is the Workstation Boot Diskette (WBD). Label the diskette to indicate that it is a WBD.
  2. Copy all of the files in the SYS:CUBIX/QLx000/IMAGE/VLM directory to the WBD.
  3. If memory management is desired, copy the following DOS files onto the WBD (the DOS version of these files should match the version of DOS used to format the WBD):

If Microsoft Windows support is required, copy this same EMM386.SYS file to the SYS:LOGIN directory of the designated server.

  1. If ansi.sys support is desired, copy the ANSI.SYS file onto the WBD.
  2. Create a new directory under the SYS:CUBIX/QLx000/IMAGE directory on the designated server. Name this directory CUSTOM or some other appropriate name that describes the image file being created.
  3. Follow the Guidelines section later in this chapter to modify the files in this new directory as required on the WBD.
  4. Copy all of the files on the WBD to the new directory.
  5. Run the DOSGEN utility to create an image file from the WBD. DOSGEN is a Novell utility and should be in the SYS:SYSTEM directory of the file server.

DOSGEN A:<image file name>

where <image file name> is replaced with QL32_DOS.LOD (if the image file is to boot a QL 3222 workstation), QL4_DOS.LOD (if the image file is to boot a QL 4001 or QL 4222 workstation), or QL3_DOS.LOD (if the image file is to boot a QL 3001 or QL 3002 workstation).

Place the new image file in the directory created in step 5. Write the name of the image file, including the path, on the label of the WBD.

Note: The WBD is not needed for the remainder of this process. Place the WBD in a safe location. It may be helpful if troubleshooting is required at a later time.

NOTICE! A different image file name may be specified. However, this name
must be placed in the BOOTCONF.SYS file. Refer to the section Naming the Image File later in this chapter for more information.

  1. Copy the new image file to the SYS:LOGIN directory on the designated server.
  2. If the new image file has a different name from the default image file, modify the BOOTCONF.SYS file as described later in this chapter.
  3. Use QLVision to reset the QL processor.
  4. Once QLVision reports the processor status as Active, remote connect to the processor and verify that the changes in the new image file are effective.

Guidelines

These guidelines are intended to provide details helpful in performing Step 6 of the instructions to create an image file in the preceding section.

Modifications to files on the Workstation Boot Diskette (WBD) may be made using any standard ASCII text editor.

Changing CONFIG.SYS

When changing CONFIG.SYS, leave the line below as the first line in the file:

  • device=qlsetup.sys -t
    •

    Windows Memory Management

    The default image file contains the following statement:

  • device=emm386.exe /y=f:\login\emm386.exe . . . noems
    •

    where ". . ." defines memory inclusions and exclusions, which vary with the type of QL workstation. The "/y" is a Microsoft Windows switch. If the "/y" switch is not specified, Windows will load in standard mode. The "/y" switch must be specified if Windows is to run in enhanced mode on the QL processor.

    If Windows will not be run on the QL workstation, the "/y" switch can be left on the emm386 command line (it will not cause any problems).

    A copy of emm386.sys must exist in the path specified by the "/y" switch (f:\login in the default image file).

    Adding Device Drivers

    Increasing DOS Environment Space

  • Add a SHELL command to the CONFIG.SYS file on the WBD as needed. For example:

    shell = command.com /p /e:512

    •

    Note: Do not use a drive designation in the command.

  • Return to Step 7 of the Instructions to Create an Image File.
    •

    Defaulting to a Drive Other Than F:

    These instructions apply to QL workstations functioning in a NetWare Workstation Shell (NETX) environment only. To change the default drive in a NetWare DOS Requester environment, refer to the following section Changing NET.CFG.

    Note: In NetWare DOS Requester environments, LASTDRIVE should be set to z.

    Changing AUTOEXEC.BAT

    Do not make any changes to this file except to add a program that must be executed before the NetWare environment is loaded.

    Changing NET.CFG

    To change the default drive from F: in a NetWare DOS Requester (VLM) environment, use the "Default Network Drive" parameter in the NET.CFG file. Refer to the Novell NetWare Manuals for information on NET.CFG options and parameters.

    Changing QL3BOOT.BAT or QL4BOOT.BAT

    It is critical that these files match the QLxBOOT.BAT file in the /LOGIN directory of the designated server exactly. The only reason to change these files is if the NetWare Workstation Shell (NETX) environment is required rather than the NetWare DOS Requester (VLM) environment on the QL workstation. A listing of these files is in the QL Files chapter.

    To configure the QL workstation for the NetWare Workstation Shell environment:

    Other Changes

    No other files on the WBD should be modified. Make all other boot sequence modifications to the batch files (QLUSRxxx.BAT or QLUSER.BAT) in the /LOGIN directory of the designated server. Refer to the QL Files chapter for a listing of these batch files.

    Naming the Image File

    In installations of multiple QL nodes, it is possible to assign to each node its own image file. This allows the boot sequence for each node to be configured on an individual basis. To use a unique filename for each image file, create a BOOTCONF.SYS file in the \LOGIN subdirectory of the SYS volume on the designated server.

    Using an ASCII editor, create a BOOTCONF.SYS file in the SYS: \LOGIN subdirectory. The file should be made shareable to allow simultaneous access by multiple workstations.

    Each line of the BOOTCONF.SYS file must start with "0x" (or "0X") followed by a hexadecimal network address up to 8 digits long. The network address is followed by a comma. After the comma, a hexadecimal node address (up to 12 digits long) must be specified. The network and node addresses together specify a particular QL workstation. An equal sign separates the node address from the name of the image file from which the specified workstation will boot. The white space characters Tab (09H), Space (20H), Carriage Return (0DH), and Line Feed (0AH) will be ignored.

    The wildcard characters "?" and "*" may be used in the network and node addresses to specify groups of QL workstations; a group of QL workstations can be made to boot from a single image file using wildcards. The "?" wildcard replaces any single digit within the address. The "*" wildcard expands to fill up the address to its maximum length (the network address is a maximum of 8 digits, the node address is a maximum of 12 digits). For example "*1" as a network address would expand to "???????1", "1*" would expand to "1???????", and "1*1" would expand to "1??????1".

    For example, consider the following BOOTCONF.SYS file:

    0x100, 1=ql_dos.001

    0x200 , 44=anyfile.nam

    0x0003*4, ??5=image.fil

    0x*, *=default.img

    In line 1 of the example above, a QL workstation with network address 100 (hexadecimal) and node address 1 (hexadecimal) would boot from an image file of name QL_DOS.001.

    In line 2 of the example above, a QL workstation with network address 200 (hexadecimal) and node address 44 (hexadecimal) would boot from an image file of name ANYFILE.NAM.

    In line 3 of the example above, a QL workstation with network address 3xxx4 (hexadecimal) and node address xx5, where x is any hexadecimal digit, would boot from an image file of name IMAGE.FIL.

    Line 4 in the example above serves as a catch-all for all QL workstations not covered in the previous lines. All workstations not matching the previous addresses would boot from DEFAULT.IMG.

    If the BOOTCONF.SYS file format is invalid, the QL processor attempting to boot will display an error and will ignore the rest of the file.

    Without the BOOTCONF.SYS file, all QL Series processors will load and execute the default image file. The default image file for the QL 3222 workstations is QL32_DOS.LOD; the default image file for the QL 4001 and QL 4222 workstations is QL4_DOS.LOD; and the default image file for the QL 3001 and QL 3002 workstations is QL3_DOS.LOD.

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