NLM Troubleshooting (Network Compatibility,Operating System Compatibility,Performance)
Created at 11 APR 1997 01:45PM
Error Messages
The best place to check an error number is the REVERROR.DAT file located in your OpenInsight directory. When using Advanced Revelation, type: EDIT DOS REVERROR.000 or EDIT SYS.MESSAGES from the TCL prompt. This listing will provide all of the error codes associated with each error message generated by the system. It will not always provide the answer/solution to the error message but it will give you an idea in which area the problem is occurring.
The FS45X series of error messages typically have to do with client/server problems, which is why they usually show up with the NLM.
Performance
If you feel as though you are not getting the performance you expected from the NLM for Windows 95 and Windows NT workstations, make sure you are not stacking your protocols. Loading several different protocols can affect system performance, try reducing this down to one if possible.
Revparam File
The Revparam file is only supported under NLM versions 1.1 and higher. This file must be located in all directories containing the .LK and .OV files (refer to the documentation, starting on page 22, for information on the Revparam file and the different parameters you can use). The most common use of this file is the addition of the following line:
ServerOnly = 1 (the 1 means true )
This guarantees that the files at that location will only be accessed by the Novell server. This is the recommended setting. (Please refer to page 17 of the NLM documentation for how you can confirm that the workstation is under the NLM s control.)
File Attributes & Write Errors
Always check file ownership when troubleshooting the NLM. If files are owned by a user that no longer exists, this can result in write (or similar) errors. All files should be owned by admin or supervisor. Out of disk space errors can also occur when file ownership is incorrect. (unless of course the system is truly out of disk space!)
File attributes should always be SRW.
Energy Compliant Monitors
For AREV applications, Energy Compliant Monitors should NOT have the sleep option checked in the Display Properties of the monitor. By checking this option, the entire system goes into sleep mode and shuts down the TSR stay alive communication with the LH Server. Likewise, in the properties of the shortcut from Windows 95 to any AREV application, do not check the Background - Always Suspend options because it will have the same effect of eliminating the communication of the keep alive packet.
Suggestions for Troubleshooting the NLM
Check the wiring and hardware at the site - are there any known problems with the network?
Check to see if every workstation has the problem or only a few workstation.
Check to see if the problem is specific to one ring or network segment.
Check that the workstation is configured for the correct Frame Type.
If there are workstations in use, try moving a non-working station to the location of the working station. This test could eliminate a workstation-specific problem.
Check to see if other network products (client/server) are having the same or a similar problem.
Go through the entire NLM installation process again; perhaps something was missed the first time around.
Check if any routers or other hardware were added to the network just prior the problem occurring. If there are routers in place, check if any packet filtering is happening, make sure that our SAP is being allowed through. (Our SAP ID is 0X5B8.)
Check that you have the most current version of client drivers? (VLM s ,client 32, MS client driver, etc.)
Try unloading the NLM from the server and unloading the TSR from the client. Does the problem still exist? Taking the NLM completely out of the picture often sheds some light on the actual problem.
Make sure you have the latest CLIB.NLM running on your server. Currently, the latest version is 4.11E and can be downloaded off of Novell s web site.
Check if you using any command line parameters? If so, What are they?
Information that you should know prior to contacting Revelation Technical Support
1. Version numbers of all Revelation products involved (OI or AREV & NLM)
2. Version of Novell you are using
3. Number of servers on your network
4. Amount of disk space and RAM on your server
5. Workstation operating system
6. The client driver and version used on Windows 95 or Windows NT
7. Network card type
8. Version of DOS (when applicable)
9. Protocols loaded from the workstation (Windows 95 and Windows NT specific)
10. For AREV Systems: The /p parameter should be used when loading LHIPXTSR.EXE. Please see our NLM FAQNotes Link
for a detailed description on how to set this up. It is imperative for Windows 95 and Windows NT workstations to load the TR from the shortcut. If it is loaded from a DOS file or window, this can cause problems.
Common questions with the NLM
Before doing anything else, is the NLM handling transactions on the server? Is it even working? How can I tell?
This is very important in the troubleshooting process if the workstation is getting client/server error messages, the first thing you need to check is whether the workstation can even see the NLM. Please refer to page 25 in the NLM documentation for information on how to check the file handle for a file located on a server running the Revelation NLM.
What is the lhipx drive revmedia open error FS466 - unable to open boot media map
This error messages translates as Linear Hash Client/Server. No Server response. We have seen this error message several times users and it usually means that there is a problem with the users in-house wiring or hardware, or it could mean that some of the settings need adjusting. We suggest trying the following:
On the workstation: LHIPXTSR should be loaded with the /r:60 this bumps up the number of retries (attempts the workstation will make to talk to the NLM). You can also try the /c:120, which doubles the time-out variable of the keep-alive packet.
On the server: Try loading the LH.NLM with the /s:16 parameter - this manages the NLM s control on the server and determines when to pass control on to another process.
On the LHIPXSER.NLM: Try loading the /m:20 parameter - (please note: the /c parameter on the LHIPXTSR.EXE and the /m parameter on the LHIPXSER.NLM work in conjunction with each other) this bumps the amount of time that the file server will allow to elapse without receiving a packet (keep alive) from the workstation before it will terminate the session.
On the LH.NLM: If you add the /e parameter, all error messages will get generated to the server console. This can be very helpful when troubleshooting problems with the NLM.
Which files get installed into the \SYSTEM directory?
As part of the server installation, there are 2 NCF files that get installed into the \SYSTEM directory. They are called: LHSTART.NCF and LHSTOP.NCF.
The LHSTART.NCF file contains all optional switch/parameter information and definitions.
Please Note: When adding command line parameter to the LHSTART.NCF, you must make changes at the command line that reads LOAD LH for any command lines for the LH NLM and then further down where it reads LOAD LHIPXSER for any command lines for the LHIPXSER.NLM. You cannot load the parameters by unremming or removing the semi-colons in the LHSTART.NCF file before the descriptions of each parameter.
Map rooting a drive to my OI or AREV system will not work when running the installation program for the NLM. What should I do?
When you are running the NLM setup program (for example), you specify the location of the OpenInsight or AREV application and you have map rooted a drive to the location of the OpenInsight/AREV application, you will get the following error message: NLM could not upgrade internal system files. The upgrade will not continue You need to specify the path using mapped drive names to specify the location of your application: x:\directory\application.exe. Once you do this, the setup program will run with no problems. The same type of error will occur if you try to launchOpenInsight from a map rooted drive. This will result in the following error: No application entry point defined. Application appname can not be started. Again, you need to specify the path using mapped drive names to specify the location of your application.
What does the message maximum number of users exceeded mean?
There is a problem with peripheral systems in a Novell environment that are not truly Novell compatible. In these cases, these peripherals (i.e. CD ROM Tower) do not always support logical locking. This affects the behavior of AREV or OI and can result in this error Also, enabling file sharing from within Windows 95 (Novell only) will result in the same error message file sharing must be turned off. You can, however, enable file sharing on the Microsoft side.
What does the message invalid checksum error, no serial number found mean?
This error message, associated with the NLM files on the Novell server, will appear if you do not run the installation program and you simply copy the LH.NLM and the LHIPXSER.NLM to the system directory and try to load the files manually. You must run the setup program for the server to serialize the program properly.
This can also happen if an NLM server installation fails or does not complete properly. Make sure that the person doing the installation has full access rights to the \SYSTEM directory on the Novell server.
What does the message Linear Hash mismatch error mean?
When performing an upgrade from an older version of the NLM to the latest version, make sure that once the workstation installation is complete, you go back into AREV by typing AREV BUMP (or LANPACK depending upon your version) and select the IPX/Advanced Netware driver and press F9 to save. If you fail to do this portion of the installation, the new LHIPXTSR.EXE will not recognize the older driver and you will get this error message. Version 1.06 of the NLM goes with version 1.06 of the client version of the NLM
Version 1.10 of the NLM goes with versions 1.10 and 1.12 of the client version of the NLM. The newest version of the client NLM (1.12) can be downloaded from our web site (www.revelation.com). This file must be unzipped (using the -d option to unzip all subdirectories). For AREV users, the files should be unzipped to a floppy drive. For OI users, the files can be unzipped to a local hard drive or networked drive.
What does the message Fatal error Reading XXX in file XXX Read error. OS File xxx\xxx\rev200x.lk mean?
Read errors can occur when file ownership is incorrect, so this should always be checked.
They can also occur when the number of file handles has been exceeded on the Novell server. There are a few things you can try to work around this problem:
LH.NLM /F:5000 /H:10000 /E
These parameters beef up the number of file handles the system can handle. Refer to the command line parameters section in the NLM documentation on page 20 for detailed descriptions of these two parameters.
Please keep in mind that all of the above are only suggestions. These are troubleshooting techniques that will hopefully lead us to a resolution. All of the parameters above and their definitions can be found in the NLM documentation.