MBF COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL FIELD INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE GROUP(S): MINI MFG: BASIC FOUR NACS TYPE(S): N026 MFG. MODEL(S): BOSS BBIII CATEGORY: SOFTWARE DESC: O.S. & UTILITIES *** TABLE OF CONTENTS AS OF 12/21/90 *** FIB 00001.BOSS System serial number information.......................06/01/78 FIB 00002.Explanation of "UMTC" error.................................10/22/79 FIB 00003.Problems on Rel 3.7F with lightning and Sync. Com. or Datawo03/24/81 FIB 00004.Configuration problem with slave printer on release 3.7G....06/29/81 FIB 00005.File damage may be due to defect in *T utility on release 3.09/09/81 FIB 00006.System hangs after displaying System Serial Number on BOSS l09/22/81 FIB 00007.Files corrupted after *MTC Restore on release 3.7H - patch..02/22/82 FIB 00008.ERROR 27 during Verified Backup using *MTC on release 3.7H -06/03/82 FIB 00009.Hung tasks, system hangs, red light halts running *MTC - Rel08/24/82 FIB 00010.Patch to fix *MTC Verify problem on BOSS release 3.7H.......02/07/83 SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------Table Of Contents Pg01 of 01 FIB 00001 06/01/78 *** BOSS System serial number information *** The system serial number is stored in two areas of the BOSS disk. These are (1) sector 0 and (2) in OSBBII. This is done by BASIC FOUR when that disk is configured. During the load process, the bootstrap stores the ssytem serial number is read and stored in memory where it is used throughout the load process. At system initialization, the serial number in OSBBII is displayed. It is then then compared with the serial number contained in sector 0. If they match, the load process continues, however, if they do not match, the following message is displayed: SYSTEM LOAD ERROR - SSN The system serial number is also available to any BASIC program through the SSN function. This function will return a nine byte string. BASIC command example: PRINT SSN 610-10236 ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB001 Pg001 FIB 00002 10/22/79 *** Explanation of "UMTC" error *** SYMPTOM: UMTC error displayed while trying to load BOSS. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: The meaning of UMTC is Unidentified or Missing Terminal Controller. During a system load, just prior to the execution of "OSMONR", the O.S. will verify that the serial devices configured in the O.S. are the same as the actual hardware installed on the system. If they ar not the same the O.S. will display UMTC on T0 and go to a halt. FIX: The following are the causes and fixes for UMTC errors: 1. Missing - Check the configuration listing for the system BOSS. Add the number of terminals and the number of serial printers. Compare the resulting number to the number of controller PCBA(s). Example, if a 610 system is configured for seven VDTs and two serial printers, a total of nine ports are required to support this configuration. If only one 8-way controller is installed, one serial port will be missing, causing a UMTC error condition. REMIDY: Install additional terminal controller(s) as reuired to support the BOSS configuration (*Z). 2. Defective or incorrect controller - If there is a hardware failure with any of the serial ports on any terminal controller, a UMTC error will occur. Also, multipler terminal controllers within the CPU must be correctly addressed via on board jumpers/switche and each controller having it's own unique address. Furthermore they must be installed in the proper backplane slots with no empty backplane slots between the controllers. REMIDY: Replace faulty controller(s), properly address the terminal con- trollers and install them correctly in the backplane. 3. De-activated port - There is a baud rate switch for each port installed on the terminal controller. Only one position on each switch can be in the on or closed position. Also one position on each switch must be on. If more than one switch position is on or no position is on, the port is de-activated and a UMTC error will occur on a BOSS load. REMIDY: Properly set all switches on the controller. ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB002 Pg001 FIB 00003 03/24/81 *** Problems on Rel 3.7F with lightning and Sync. Com. or Dataword *** On systems with lightning CPU when running under BOSS level 3.7F, if synchronous communications or Dataword is configured, the following problems may occur: 1. System goes to halt when the clear key is depressed instead of giving an ERROR 9. 2. When the system is turned off and then back on, the system goes into a halt. BOSS must be reloaded. 3. When running the terminal function test "V06", terminal T0 will work. but all other terminals tested will cause the system to halt. The solution is to upgrade the BOSS to a higher level than 3.7F. ORIGINATOR: D. WOODWARD SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB003 Pg001 FIB 00004 06/29/81 *** Configuration problem with slave printer on release 3.7G *** SYMPTOM: A configuration problem exists with release 3.7G associated with slave printers. The problem will only appear if a slave printer is configured and the physical number of serial ports matches the number of ports configured in the operating system. FIX: No patch is available. Upgrade the BOSS to 3.7H or higher. ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB004 Pg001 FIB 00005 09/09/81 *** File damage may be due to defect in *T utility on release 3.7G *** SYMPTOM: File filled with zero's or part of file lost. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: There appears to be a problem with the *T utility program on BOSS release 3.7G which causes file damage as shown in the above symptom. FIX: No patch available. Upgrade software to 3.7H or higher. ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB005 Pg001 FIB 00006 09/22/81 *** System hangs after displaying System Serial Number on BOSS load *** If the BOSS has been ordered with the "SCT=Y" option configured (see the *Z configuration listing), the system will appear to be hung up after the system serial number is displayed on T0. This option is called "SYSTEM CONTROL TASK". The function of this option is to perform an utomatic start-up via a ghost task. If the system locks up after the serial number is displayed, press the escape key on T0 one time. This will break out of the SCT function and allow the operator to continue with the load operation. ORIGINATOR: B. GARDNER SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB006 Pg001 FIB 00007 02/22/82 *** Files corrupted after *MTC Restore on release 3.7H - patch *** SYMPTOM: One or more files corrupted on the disk drive after a restore using *MTC on release 3.7H. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: If a file spans from one backup tape to another, this file will be corrupted after restoring from tape. FIX: Perform the following: Enter LOAD"*MTCSE" then press CR/ENTER Enter the following: 40 LET J5=I then press CR/ENTER 9901 LET J5=I then press CR/ENTER SAVE"*MTCSE" then press CR/ENTER ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB007 Pg001 FIB 00008 06/03/82 *** ERROR 27 during Verified Backup using *MTC on release 3.7H - patch *** SYMPTOM: Error 27's can occur during *MTC verified backup utility on O.S. release 3.7H. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: The problem is due to an incorrect line of code in the program named *MTCBE. FIX: Load *MTCBE, change line 1190 as follows: the incorrect line reads: 1190 EXITTO 8800 change the line to read: 1190 GOTO 8800 enter: SAVE"*MTCBE" and then press CR/RETURN ORIGINATOR: D. FRATER SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB008 Pg001 FIB 00009 08/24/82 *** Hung tasks, system hangs, red light halts running *MTC - Rel 3.7H *** SYMPTOM: Hung tasks, system hangs or red light halts during *MTC activity. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: This problem stems form a bank shuffling problem on release 3.7H. If *MTC is running and excessive shuffling of taks (starts and releases) occurs, this problem may appear. FIX: If the task running the *MTC utility is started in a bank lower than bank 7 with 128 pages, the problems do not appear. ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB009 Pg001 FIB 00010 02/07/83 *** Patch to fix *MTC Verify problem on BOSS release 3.7H *** *** NOTE *** THIS PATCH APPLIES TO BOSS RELEASE 3.7H, PROGRAM *MTCBE ONLY SYMPTOM: Verified backup always fails, non-verified backup does not fail. The verified backup failure occurs only when a file that is being backed up spans two tracks. When a file track-san occurs, the *MTC programs cause the tape to perform a rewind. The problem is the program fails to increment the tape block counter on the special condition of a file continuation occuring at the same time as a track change. To correct the utility, install the following changes and line corrections: FIX: 1. Load program *MTCBE. 2. In statement 1070 change the ERR= clause to read ERR=8790 instead of ERR=8800. 3. Add the following line: 8790 IF ERR=72 THEN LET F1=F1+1 4. Enter SAVE *MTCBE and press CR/RETURN. ORIGINATOR: BASIC FOUR SOFTWARE-BASIC FOUR-BOSS BBIII----------------------FIB010 Pg001