Question:

IBM seems to have removed the remote install object from MCP. How do I do a remote install with the MCP?

Answer:

It is true. IBM has removed NPSETUP from MCP. However NPSETUP was just a pretty face on the tried and true Warp CID tools.

The tools are still available and have been updated to work with MCP, but there's no longer a pretty face. You have to get dirty and to do a bit more of the work yourself.

To do a remote install, you need to:

• Install NetBIOS protocol on the CID server
• Create service.ini control file defining the mapped drives
• Set up CID server working environment
• Create a set of boot diskettes modified to establish a network connection to the CID server.

The following assumes the CID server code is installed on drive C: and that the CD-ROM drive is drive S:.

All the required files are on the MCP CD#2.

This procedure was tested with MCP CD#2. However, since eCS CD#2 is supposed to contain everything that is on MCP CD#2, the procedure should work if installing from eCS CD#2.

The CID server does not need to be running the MCP. Any version of Warp should work just fine.

Install NetBIOS on CID Server

Run MPTS configuration. Check if the NetBIOS protocol is installed. If not, add the protocol and reboot the server.

Set up CID Server Environment

• Create the directory c:\srvifs
• Copy the files in s:\cid\srvifs on the MCP CD to c:\srvifs
• Create a .cmd file named c:\srvifs\srvstart.cmd containing the line:

  DETACH SERVICE /INI=SERVICE >SRVIFS.LOG
  

  Service is the Service Installable File System (SRVIFS) server.
• Create a cmd file named c:\srvifs\srvstop.cmd containing the line:

  SERVICE /INI=SERVICE /QUIT
  

• Create a cmd file named c:\srvifs\srvchk.cmd containing the line:

  SERVICE /INI=SERVICE /STATUS
  

• Create the directory c:\ibminst\rsp\remote

Set up service.ini Control File

Use your favorite editor to create a file named c:\srvifs\service.ini containing:

;SRVIFS INI file for MCP Remote Install Server - FTPANGPR
Name = FTPANGPR
GroupName = NO
Adapter = 0
MaxClients = 5
MaxFiles = 9999
ClientWorkers = 8
Path = S:\
Alias = ReadOnly,Single,CDROM,S:\
Alias = ReadWrite,Single,STATUS,C:\IBMINST\RSP\REMOTE

Create Install Diskettes

Run sedisk to create the baseline install diskettes.

If you are installing to a laptop with a PCMCIA NIC use:

s:\cid\exe\sedisk /S:s:\os2image /T:a: /P:pcmcia_id

s:\cid\exe\sedisk /S:s:\os2image /T:a:

Look up the pcmcia_id in s:\sample.rsp in the PCMCIA section. If your computer is not listed, just pick one. After the diskettes are created, copy the correct socket services driver to diskette 1 and edit config.sys load this driver.

Be sure to label the diskettes correctly. They may not be created in the order you expect.

Add Networking Support

If the MCP does not have built-in support for the NIC installed in the remote machine, locate drivers for the NIC. There will be an .NIF information file and a .OS driver file.

• Insert diskette 2
• Enter the commands:

  c:
  cd \
  mkdir tmp
  cd tmp
  mkdir mpts
  cd mpts
  xcopy s:\cid\server\mpts /s
  

• If the MCP does not have built-in support for your NIC, enter the commands:

  copy NIFPath ibmcom\macs
  copy DriverPath ibmcom\macs
  

  where NIFPath is the fully qualified path name of the .NIF file and DriverPath the fully qualified pathname of the NIC driver file.
  

• Enter the command:

  thinlaps c:\tmp\mpts\ a:\ NIFName
  

  where NIFName is the name of the .NIF file. Enter the name without drive or path qualifiers (i.e. dm9pci.nif).

Thinlaps must be run from a writeable directory. Thinlaps will not work correctly when the MPTS image is on read only media.

If your NIC is not supported by the MCP, copy the .NIF file to diskette 2 so it will be handy when you when you need it during the install.

After you have build a set of diskettes that work, you can delete the \tmp\mpts directory tree

Add Remote Drive Mapping Support

• Insert diskette 2
• Enter the command:

  c:\srvifs\THINIFS /S:c:\srvifs /T:a:\ /REQ:* /D:z: /SRV:\\FTPANGPR\CDROM
  

• Insert diskette 2
• Enter the command:

  c:\srvifs\THINIFS /S:c:\srvifs /T:a:\ /REQ:* /D:w: /SRV:\\FTPANGPR\STATUS
  

This will set up the boot diskettes to map drives z: and w: to directories on the server.

Clean up Loose Ends

• Insert the Installation diskette (diskette 0)
• Enter the command:

  type nul >a:\altf2on.$$$
  

  to create an empty file named altf1on.$$$
• Insert diskette 2
• Enter the command:

  copy s:\ibminst\cdboot.exe a:\
  

  to copy cdboot.exe to the diskette.
• Insert diskette 2
• Edit config.sys using your favorite editor.
• Append the following lines:

  set os2_shell=cdboot.exe
  set oemprogram=\ibminst\npconfig.exe
  set exitwhendone=1
  set ADAPTER_NIF=NIFName
  set SRVNAME1=FTPANGPR
  set SAVECONNECT=1
  

  changing NIFName to match your NIF (i.e. dm9pci.nif)
• If you need Danis506 support, copy danis506.add to diskette 2, edit config.sys to load the driver and add SET COPYFROMFLOPPY=1.

Review the diskettes and the config.sys. Add any other special drivers that the remote machine needs to boot and install.

Use It

• Run srvstart to start the server.
• Wait a few seconds to allow the server to start up.
• Run srvchk to verify the server is running.
• Boot the remote machine with the Install Diskettes.
• Run srvchk to verify that the remote machine has attached to the server.
• If it hasn't put on your troubleshooting hat. The most likely suspect is the NIC drivers.
• If it has connected, install the Warp 4.5 base. You will need to boot from the diskettes twice. The first time to install the Warp 4.5 base. The second time to install networking.
• When you are done, run srvstop to shutdown the CID server.

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