Re: [foxboro] Question - Installing Foxboro IADay 0 Ethernet / problem with Dell P4

Two issues that in my experience most effect the installation and operation of 
an I/A Series system on any Wondoze platform are 1) minimum partition size of 
the first partition and 2) the ethernet card characteristics. 
 
You must have at least two partitions on an NT or XP box. OEM loaded machines, 
no matter the hard disk size, come with one partition from the vendor. Get 
PartitionMagic 8.0 and use it to split the drive into two partitions. The 
documentation tells you the minimum size (I think it was 5G), but if you split 
a 10GB or greater drive, you'll be alright. Remember that both need to be NTFS 
formatted and I/A can only boot from partition 0 (C:).
 
To get the nodebus switching, there are some special things done to the adapter 
card drivers. 3Com cards seem to be the standard, but I have even had problems 
with 3Coms other than ones specified. I usually had problems with loading the 
software on other machines with other adapters, not necessarily running them. I 
find that all the various 3Com cards eventually worked once the I/A Series 
software is loaded. Just to be sure the first time around, I configure the box 
to run standalone with the loopback adapter. After loading, I use Control Panel 
to display the loopback adapter parameters. The IP and mask set in that adapter 
by software install are the correct ones for the network in your system 
definition. So, I then disable the loopback adapter with "My Connections" and 
set the network parameters from the loopback adapter into the real ethernet 
adapter connected to the I/A system. So far, it's worked every time.
 
Editorial Comment:
 
Yes, Solaris, Linux and QNX are ready for prime time 24/7 operations where 
Windoze may never be ... but ... the overwhelming number of guys buying the 
systems say they want the interoperability (read that as 'familiar 
environment') of Gates-world. So, the manufacturers scramble to put systems 
based on the latest Win to the market. It's simply market demand and they are 
following the demand. I'm not saying that it's right, it's just how it is in 
business. Unfortunately, the people who have to live with the control system 
aren't the ones (necessarily) who specify the bidding requirements.
 
*K
 
 
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