Impact's Nic Board Software Upgrade or Specials

 

As most of you know, Impact uses QNX 4.X as is primary operating systems on its' Nic controller board. If you are asked to upgrade or to add a special to an existing Nic board, there are some things you should know that can save you some time.

Normally, a floppy is attached to Nic board in the configuration mode; reloads, upgrades, and specials are done using this as an input device. Attaching a floppy is normally a little impractical in the field. Finding a floppy, wiring it, attaching a VGA and keyboard is normally not an easy task in remote field applications. The following method is meant to describe how to upgrade your software without a floppy or VGA, or keyboard.






Upgrade Executable for NIC board

Assumptions:

  1. You know how to use FTP and TELNET. _ftp.html to review telnet.html
  2. You know the Nic's super user or root passwd. passwd.html

A few notes: You cannot ftp as a root user, you must make yourself a user on the Nic board. The Nic is setup so that root is not an ftp trusty, this prevents someone ftp(ing) in as root and changing important things. Remember the Nic runs QNX, unlike NT or Windows 95 it is a real operating system so certain safety precautions must be taken.

Make yourself a user on the Nic. Assuming you have the ability of opening 2 windows from the client you are using open 2 windows.

From the first window, we will call this the telnet window.

Step A) telnet XXX where XXX is the Nic's IP or host name as contained within your etc/host file.

Login as root:

Root ppp Where ppp is the root password

Once you are logged in as root, you now need to make yourself a user for ftp purposes.

passwd betty

Note: Replace the "betty" with your name, do not simply type passwd with no name after it. Typing passwd with no name after it will cause the root password to be changes. You will be up the creek if you do this.

User id#(100) <rtn> Just hit enter, don't add anything

Group id#(102) <rtn> Just hit enter, don't add anything

Real Name() Betty Jones Enter Your real Name

Home directory(/home/betty) <rtn> Just hit enter, don't add anything

Login shell (/bin/sh) <rtn> Just hit enter, don't add anything

New password: mypersonal Enter a personal password for yourself, use at least 3 letters, 2 numbers

Retype new password: mypersonal Enter you new password exactly the same as you did prior

 

Keep this telnet window open, you will need it again.

 

Step B) Open up another window from your client. From this window:

ftp XXX where XXX is the Nic's IP or host name as contained within your etc/host file.

Login: betty

Password: mypersonal

Ensure the system is in the binary transfer mode

Type binary

The file or binary upgrade file should be in the directory from which you started ftp from.

Let's say the upgrade file is called "nic1878.tar.F" then

Type the following:

put reset_thru.tar.F

Once the transfer is complete

Type bye

You can close window 2, you will no longer need it.

Step C) Installing your upgrade is simple. From your first window or telnet window, where you are still logged in as root install the upgrade.

cd /

/etc/install -u install /home/betty/reset_thru.tar.F

If anything needs to be enter, modified during the installation you may be prompted during the installation.

You may or may not need to reset your Nic depending on your independent upgrade.