Motorola MVME197LE manual ROMboot, Network Boot

ROMboot

Caution

Although streaming tape can be used to autoboot, the same power supply must be connected to the streaming tape drive, controller, and the MVME197LE. At power-up, the tape controller will position the streaming tape to load point where the volume ID can correctly be read and used.

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If, however, the MVME197LE loses power but the controller does not, and the tape happens not to be at load point, the sequences of commands required (attach and rewind) cannot be given to the controller and autoboot will not be successful.

ROMboot

This function is configured/enabled by the Environment (ENV) command and executed at power-up (optionally also at reset) or by the RB command assuming there is valid code in the flash memories (or optionally elsewhere on the module or VMEbus) to support it. If ROMboot code is installed, a user- written routine is given control (if the routine meets the format requirements). One use of ROMboot might be resetting SYSFAIL* on an unintelligent controller module. The NORB command disables the function.

For a user’s ROMboot module to gain control through the ROMboot linkage, four requirements must be met:

1.Power must have just been applied (but the ENV command can change this to also respond to any reset).

2.The user’s routine must be located within the MVME197LE ROM memory map (but the ENV command can change this to any other portion of the onboard memory, or even offboard VMEbus memory).

3.The ASCII string “BOOT” must be located within the specified memory range.

4.The user's routine must pass a checksum test, which ensures that this routine was really intended to receive control at power-up.

For complete details on how to use ROMboot, refer to the MVME197BUG 197Bug Debugging Package User’s Manual.

Network Boot

Network Auto Boot is a software routine contained in the 197Bug that provides a mechanism for booting an operating system using a network (local Ethernet interface) as the boot device. The Network Auto Boot routine

MVME197LEIG/D1 3-5