Digital Equipment Corporation ________________________________________________ DECserver 500 Software Patch Release Notice V4.0 This notice is intended to describe all current patch releases for the DECserver 500 terminal server software products. The notice will be distributed on the DECserver 500 starter kit, and will be updated periodically, as new patches are released, and as starter kit updates are released. A detailed description section is included in this file for each given software patch. This section will include a small description of the actual problem, the identifying characteristics of the given problem, and any workarounds which are available to avoid the problem until the given patch can be installed. REVISION HISTORY REV # DESCRIPTION DATE 1.0 DS500 V2.1 BL13C 10-JUL-91 2.0 DS500 V2.1.5 BL13D 05-APR-93 3.0 DS500 V2.1.8 BL13D 01-JUN-93 4.0 DS500 V2.2 BL14 04-JUN-93 DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 2 CONTENTS 1 DECSERVER 500 PATCH RELEASES . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.1 DECserver 500 V2.2 BL14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.1.1 Remote Console/MOP Command Message Crashes . . . 3 1.1.1.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 3 1.1.1.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 3 1.1.2 Receive Buffers Being Depleted. . . . . . . . . 3 1.1.2.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 3 1.1.2.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 4 1.1.3 Remote Port Sends XOFF During Disconnect Using XON/XOFF Flow Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.1.3.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 4 1.1.3.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 4 1.1.4 Recover SCB Slot Data After DATA B Slot Is Processed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.1.4.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 4 1.1.4.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.5 Ethernet Transmit Ring Is Full (any Type Of Messages) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.5.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.5.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.6 XOFF Not Seen By Server Port At Very End Of Data Transfer/disconnect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.6.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.6.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 5 1.1.7 All Users On A Circuit Get Disconnected Due To A Local-226-disconnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.1.7.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 6 1.1.7.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 6 1.1.8 Multisession Terminals Causing Server Crashes . 6 1.1.8.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 6 1.1.8.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 7 1.1.9 Hung Server, Server Stops Transmitting And Receiving Packets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.1.9.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 7 1.1.9.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 7 1.1.10 Multisession Port Crash Having Preferred/dedicated Service Enabled . . . . . . 7 1.1.10.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 7 1.1.10.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.11 Hold Key Operates Different Than Other Servers Using Multisessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.11.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.11.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.12 Break Key Operates Different That Other Servers Using Multisessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.12.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.12.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 8 1.1.13 Corrupted Port Information Using Multisessions . 9 1.1.13.1 How To Identify The Problem . . . . . . . . . 9 1.1.13.2 How To Work Around The Problem . . . . . . . . 9 1.1.13.3 Instructions For Hung Port In Multisession Mode After Using BL14 . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 3 1 DECSERVER 500 PATCH RELEASES This section describes the current release available for the DECserver 500 V2.2 software product. 1.1 DECserver 500 V2.2 BL14 This release is the first release of the DECserver 500 V2.2 (BL14) software release. This image has superseded the BL13C image and BL13C should not be given to customers. The BL13C image should be replaced with BL14 and BL13C will not be included in the starter kit. 1.1.1 Remote Console/MOP Command Message Crashes - The server crashes when a heavily used server uses the remote console. The Ethernet transmit ring gets full of remote console command messages. When the tranmsitter needs a empty slot on the ring and the ring is full, the server will crash. 1.1.1.1 How To Identify The Problem - The server is heavily used and the server manager uses the remote console feature. The server will crash during the remote console session. 1.1.1.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.2 Receive Buffers Being Depleted. - The server under heavy usage will deplete its receive buffers, due to the transmitter borrowing the buffers and never giving them back to the receive side. 1.1.2.1 How To Identify The Problem - The server is under heavy usage and the server manager issues the MONITOR SYSTEM command. The total,desired and current receive buffer counters are decrementing and never increment back up to the original value. Users will see "insufficient resources" message trying to DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 4 connect to services. 1.1.2.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.3 Remote Port Sends XOFF During Disconnect Using XON/XOFF Flow Control. - A remote access port using XON/XOFF flow control will send a XOFF character everytime a disconnect is started. This will pause the device connected to the port. 1.1.3.1 How To Identify The Problem - On remote access, XON/XOFF flow control enabled ports the device connected to the port will hang during a disconnect. The device will have to be powered of and on or the port logged out to re-enable the port and device. 1.1.3.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.4 Recover SCB Slot Data After DATA B Slot Is Processed - Application running on host through server port, does DATA B slots after every character and the user types six characters in a row; the sixth is echoed 20 seconds later. 1.1.4.1 How To Identify The Problem - The user running the application types six or more characters in a row before they are echoed back to terminal. The first five echo immediately, but the sixth takes 20 seconds to echo. DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 5 1.1.4.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.5 Ethernet Transmit Ring Is Full (any Type Of Messages) - The Ethernet transmit ring has become full and the server sees no place to put the buffer, so it crashes the server. 1.1.5.1 How To Identify The Problem - The server crashes under very heavy usage, where transmitter is very active. 1.1.5.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.6 XOFF Not Seen By Server Port At Very End Of Data Transfer/disconnect. - The device connecting to the remote access port has sent a XOFF character at the same time the port is starting a disconnect. The XOFF is not being detected by the software, but the hardware has and a FORM FEED is still waiting to go to the device. The server disconnects and dumps the FORM FEED and starts the next data transaction. 1.1.6.1 How To Identify The Problem - The FORM FEED being dumped by the server causes the data from the next data transaction to be output on the same page instead of going on the next page. 1.1.6.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 6 1.1.7 All Users On A Circuit Get Disconnected Due To A Local-226-disconnect - The users have dedicated service enabled and accessing the server through data switches. The disconnects and connects are occurring at rapid rates to the server port. The server ends up sending two start slots to the host with the same source slot identifcation number. The host then tears down the circuit due to duplicate start slots. 1.1.7.1 How To Identify The Problem - Users on the same circuit are being disconnected at the same time with a Local - 226 - Invalid slot or message received. 1.1.7.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.8 Multisession Terminals Causing Server Crashes - Multisessions users are logging both sessions in a rapid rate with local output messages inbetween the host messages. The server is getting confused as to what kind of message he is outputting (local or regular host data) and corrupts the packet (in a receive buffer) sent by the host. The location in the buffer is the byte count (how much data is in the slot) and the corrupted location gives us a negative number. The multisession code checks all the data in the slot and the negative number steps us out of the buffer into PDP I/O page. We eventually get a NXM error, which crashes the server. 1.1.8.1 How To Identify The Problem - User logs into server multisession port. User types valid service name at SERVICE NAME prompt. Immediately after the user enters username/password the user immediately switches over to the other session and types bogus service name at SERVICE NAME prompt, then type C and valid service name at Local> prompt. The port will output the welcome banner from host and hang before outputting the Username: prompt (which never is outputted). Two minutes later the server crashes. DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 7 1.1.8.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.9 Hung Server, Server Stops Transmitting And Receiving Packets. - Two servers are establishing connections to each other through remote access ports. A link between the two goes down while server A is trying to connect to server B. Server A never sees server B's response, so he keeps trying. Server B keeps responding to server A's start message by sending a start message using a new (different) virtual circuit identification number. Server B creates a new virtual circuit block (VCB) each time server A sends a start message. Eventually the server will exhaust all VCB's and not respond to anything anymore. 1.1.9.1 How To Identify The Problem - Users can do local server commands (such as SHOW PORT,SERVER,etc..), but can't get in and/or out of the server. The server is hung on the Ethernet side. 1.1.9.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.10 Multisession Port Crash Having Preferred/dedicated Service Enabled - Multisession user logs into his server port with preferred/dedicated service enabled. The server has exhausted all of upper memory and can't allocate TDSMP control block (TCB). The server indicates the failure by putting a -1 in register 0. The calling routine uses the -1 as a address and crashes the server with a odd address error. 1.1.10.1 How To Identify The Problem - Multisession user logs into his server port with preferred/dedicated service enabled and the server immediately crashes. DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 8 1.1.10.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.11 Hold Key Operates Different Than Other Servers Using Multisessions. - DS500 receives 'ADD CREDITS' command from background session that was UNheld [Q] (Hold Key) and takes no action. 1.1.11.1 How To Identify The Problem - If the user put screen hold [S] (Holds Key) on both TDSMP terminal sessions, then switched to the background session to unhold, the terminal would not start output to the background session until the user typed a character on the terminal. 1.1.11.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.12 Break Key Operates Different That Other Servers Using Multisessions. - DS500 receives 'TDSMP BREAK' command from background session. DS500 takes no immediate action on break. It marks session for break if a select session is received. 1.1.12.1 How To Identify The Problem - If the user is operating in TDSMP mode and switches to background session and presses the BREAK key, the terminal would not start output to the background session until the user typed a another character on the terminal. 1.1.12.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. DECserver 500 Software Patch Releases Page 9 1.1.13 Corrupted Port Information Using Multisessions - The server is disabling multisession and multisession protocol commands are copied into the port charateristic fields. 1.1.13.1 How To Identify The Problem - A multisession user will lock the terminal up and not be able to reset it. The server manager can look at the port characteristics from another port and see the characteristics changed (such as : forward/backward switch, group codes, predefined service). The server manager or user can't logout the port, so the server must be rebooted to reset the port and terminal. 1.1.13.2 How To Work Around The Problem - Use the new BL14 image as soon as possible. 1.1.13.3 Instructions For Hung Port In Multisession Mode After Using BL14 - The multisession port will not get corrupted, but the port may hang. The user should type the F3 key (setup mode) and CLEAR COMM. Type F3 key to get back to session. There will be one session still active. Logout the active session and logout of the port (LOGOUT PORT command). Log back into the port. Multisessions will now be back and working. User can now get back into the two sessions before the port hung. [End of memo file "PATCH_RELEASES500.MEM"]