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RIO BIOS Configuration

by Bernhard Lopez last modified 2007-05-10 15:50

RIO Configuration

In case that you want to set up a new or a spare board, install it at a VTF crate without plugging in the network cable. In case you just want to change a parameter you can do that using the involved CPU, but remember that it has to be rebooted in order to perform the configuration. The following procedure considers a complete new setup, in case of a parameter change only you can jump over the sections that are not of your interest.

  • Install and connect a console
  • Reboot the RIO and press "SPACE" to interrupt the boot sequence
  • At the BIOS proceed as follows to check the board configuration:
PPC_Mon> config
  • In order to set the network parameters use:
PPC_Mon> show inet
PPC_Mon> set inet
Hint: if you replace an existing RIO you can obtain the parameters by executing "hwconfig -i" on it. Then you can use "show inet" or "show boot" to get the respective settings.
Hint: there are different setups for the "inet"-part, see examples below.
  • In order configure the boot parameters:
PPC_Mon> show boot
PPC_Mon> set boot
  • To set auto boot the boot mode has to be set:
PPC_Mon> setenv boot
Host boot mode[xx]: 50
  • To set the temperature range:
PPC_Mon> setenv temp
Temp Limit High[xx]: 60
Temp Limit Low[xx]: 55
Temp Limit Control: 0
  • In order to set the VME parameters:

PPC_Mon> show vme
PPC_Mon> set vme
  • Write the configuration to the NVRAM:

PPC_Mon> nvram save

Example parameters

  • show inet:
Case 1 (example rio0b in VTF):

INTERNET parameters
inet_host [dotted decimal] : 193.205.73.246 (This is the IP address of the RIO)
inet_server [dotted decimal] : 193.205.72.245
inet_broadcast [dotted decimal] : 193.205.73.2
inet_mask [dotted decimal] : 193.205.72.254
inet_protocol [ arpa bootp ] : arpa
inet_mount : lynxos.virgo.infn.it:/opt/LynxOS/rioRoot

Case 2 (example rio0a in VTF):

INTERNET parameters
inet_host [dotted decimal] : 193.205.73.243
inet_server [dotted decimal] : 193.205.72.245
inet_broadcast [dotted decimal] : 193.205.73.2 (VTF setting only !)
inet_mask [dotted decimal] : 193.205.72.254
inet_protocol [ arpa bootp ] : arpa
inet_mount : lynxos.virgo.infn.it:/opt/LynxOS/rioRoot

Case 2 (example rio14a in ITF):

INTERNET parameters
inet_host : 193.205.72.186
inet_bplane : 0.0.0.0
inet_bootserver : 193.205.72.245
inet_gateway : 193.205.72.1 (ITF setting only !!)
inet_nameserver : 193.205.72.254
inet_protocol : arpa
inet_mount : lynxos.virgo.infn.it:/opt/LynxOS/rioRoot

Correspondence:
inet_gateway <-> inet_broadcast
inet_bootserver <-> inet_server
inet_mask <-> inet_nameserver
  • show boot:
BOOT parameters
boot_flags : a
boot_device : e0
boot_filename : /opt/LynxOS/tftpdir/rio806x.os
boot_rootfs : rd
boot_delay : 4 sec
boot_address : 4000
boot_size : 0
boot_fast : n
boot_filetype : binary
boot_cpunr : 0
boot_mode : auto
boot_line :
  • show vme:
VME parameters
VME arbitration
vme_arb_mode : prio
vme_arb_bto : 16
VME requester
vme_req_mode : rwd
vme_req_hidden : n
vme_req_level : 3
vme_req_lto : 32
vme_req_retry : n
...

Hints:

  • Some RIOs use an extra ethernet board plugged on the board. In that case you have to set the boot_device to "e2".
  • If you have RIOs A, B and C (e.g. rio17A, B, C) you should use "vme_req_level" equal to 0, 1, 2 for A, B and C, respectively. Note that the DIP switches for a RIO "C" should be the in the same position than for a RIO "B" see Hardware (DOL, CPU, Camera, ..., Diagnostic Tools).

RIO Startup Problems


The following problems have been observed related to RIO startup problems:

Problem with boot server

In this case the RIO is pinging after the boot till in enters to the BIOS after a certain timeout. The following message appears at the console:
loading file '/opt/LynxOS?/tftpdir/rio806x.os' from server 193.205.72.245 at address 0x4000
tftp packet number:          0 R
giving up (timeout): error in loading file '/opt/LynxOS?/tftpdir/rio806x.os'
error loading file
What to do:
  • One solution that has been found is to move the lynxos service from ginger to fred or viceversa (the origin is not yet clear).

Check RIO Status

The script "rioStatus.sh" permits to get the up-to-date status information of all the RIOs. This script pings all (or selected) RIOs and extracts also some HW information and the last startup time and date.
Usage:
virgorun@ctrlXX> cd ~/tools/Linux-i686-rh9/
for all RIOs:
virgorun@ctrlXX> ./rioStatus.sh > output.txt
or for specific RIOs:
virgorun@ctrlXX> ./rioStatus.sh rioXXa rioXXb ... 
for help:
virgorun@ctrlXX> ./rioStatus -h