þa‹RþwLþ m U;þhý oKþ nSystem-wide^FL 61 ^FO "" "-^P-" "" ^CL ^BOInstructions for using the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy^BO ^CL There is a hard to fix error situation which can occur if the Bubble Memory on a GRiD Compass model 1137 or 1139 running GRiD-OS becomes partially disrupted in certain ways. This error situation can occur if there is a "start-up file" set in the user profile in the Bubble Memory, and the start-up program or some file used by the start-up program becomes damaged. When this error situation occurs, the computer will boot and run the start-up program, but it then always hangs (e.g. crashes, freezes), so that it must be rebooted. This problem cannot be avoided by booting from another device, like a floppy disk or a hard disk, because even when it doesn't boot from the Bubble Memory, the 1137/1139 will look on the bubble for a "start-up file". Basically, the start-up file always hangs the computer, and the start-up file cannot normally be avoided. The 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy should be used if the Bubble Memory on a GRiD Compass model 1137 or 1139 gets an error in it which causes the computer to hang in a start-up file whenever it is booted. This can happen in the Air Force 1 GCS, because a start-up file is used to make the GCS run automatically whenever the computer is booted. The 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy has a special configuration of GRiD software on it which ignores start-up files. When the 1137/1139 is booted from the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy, the start-up file is not run, so the user is left in control and can hopefully correct whatever the problem with the Bubble Memory is. The 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy runs a program called "Development Executive" which uses a command line interface that looks somewhat like MS-DOS, though the commands used with it are not MS-DOS commands. A set of command code keys have been defined for Development Executive on the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy, so that to do most of the things that may need to be done the user can just enter a code key and hit return. The code keys and the commands assigned to them are described below. ^UNCode Key ^UN ^UNCommand ^UN CODE-1 delete '`Bubble Memory`Programs`user~profile~' ! CODE-2 delete '`Bubble Memory`Programs`system.init~com~' ! CODE-3 GRiDManager CODE-4 MediaRepair CODE-5 Initialize Media CODE-6 MediaPartition CODE-7 GRiDWrite CODE-8 '`Read Only Memory`Programs`GRiDManager' Note that hitting a command code key only types the command into Development Executive; it does not execute the command. You must then hit the RETURN key to cause the command to be executed. You may hit the ESC key to avoid executing a command, in case you hit a code key by mistake. ^EP ^CL ^BOCommand Descriptions^BO ^CL The CODE-1 command is used to delete the user profile (user~profile~) file in the Bubble Memory, which is where the start-up file name is stored. Deleting this file will cause the GCS not to be automatically run when the computer is booted. Using this command has the side effect that everything else stored in the user profile is also lost, such as the current time and current printer. This command is not normally used. The CODE-2 command is used to delete the boot time command file (system.init~com~) in the Bubble Memory. Normally, this file is used to automatically run the ActivateBubble and ActivateGPIB programs when the computer boots, to install improved drivers for the Bubble Memory and the GPIB mass storage devices, such as the Portable Floppy. Deleting this file will prevent these programs from being automatically run when the computer boots. This command is not normally used. The CODE-3 command runs the GRiDManager program, which can be used to copy files onto the Bubble Memory to replace damaged files. Do not use GRiDManager to try to change the GRiDManager Options when the computer has been booted from the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy, because this will not work correctly. The CODE-4 command runs the MediaRepair program, which can be used to repair damage to the data and file structure in the Bubble Memory. This kind of damage typically causes the error message "29: Checksum Error". When MediaRepair is run, it will identify any files in the Bubble Memory that are damaged and must be replaced, using GRiDManager. The CODE-5 command runs the Initialize Media program, which can be used to reinitialize the Bubble Memory. This would typically be done if the Bubble Memory has errors in it that cause MediaRepair to fail, or to clear the Bubble Memory before installing a new version of the GCS. The CODE-6 command runs the MediaPartition program, which can be used to adjust the partitions on a GRiD GPIB hard disk, such as the model 2101. MediaPartition is not used with Bubble Memory or floppy disks. This command is here only for the convenience of users with hard disks, and should not normally be used. The CODE-7 command runs the GRiDWrite program, which can be used to modify text files on Bubble Memory, such as the system.init~com~ file. The CODE-8 command runs the GRiDManager program, like the CODE-3 command, but for this command to work, the computer must have the GRiD-OS utilities ROM installed, so that GRiDManager can be run from the Read Only Memory device. The advantage of this command over the CODE-3 command is that GRiDManager loads far more quickly from read Only memory than it does from a floppy disk. ^EP ^CL ^BOStep by Step Instructions^BO ^CL There are two approaches which can be taken to fixing a Bubble Memory which has errors in its files or file structure. The easier and more sure-fire approach is to reinitialize the Bubble Memory and reinstall your software on it. The second appoach is to try to repair the damaged file structure, then replace any damaged files. You should use the reinitialization method unless there are files on the Bubble Memory which you need to save AND those files are inaccessable due to the errors. In the reinitialization approach, you can copy files off the Bubble Memory to save them before reinitialization, as long as the files to be copied are not themselves damaged or inaccessable due to file structure damage. Most of the time you should be able to use the reinitialization approach. The steps involved in reinitializing a Bubble Memory that has errors in it are as follows: 1. Boot the computer from the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy. To do this, make sure that before the computer is powered on, a floppy disk drive (GRiD model 2101, 2102, or 2107) is attached to the computer with its power on, the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy inside, and the door to the floppy disk drive closed. 2. Power the 1137/1139 computer on, holding the "F" key on the keyboard down for at 5 seconds after the computer is powered on. The computer should boot from the floppy disk. 3. Once the computer is booted and the Development Executive prompt is displayed, which looks like "=>", run the GRiDManager program, by entering CODE-8 or CODE-3, then RETURN. 4. Remove the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy from the floppy disk drive and insert another floppy disk so that files can be copied onto it. Using the GRiDManager Duplicate command, copy any files that you need to save from the Bubble Memory onto the floppy disk. When you are done copying files off the Bubble Memory, replace the the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy in the floppy disk drive. If files that you need to save cannot be copied due to errors, you should try the repair approach, which may make the files copyable. 5. Exit the GRiDManager program be entering CODE-ESC, then CODE-RETURN. 6. To reinitialize the Bubble Memory, run the "Initialize Media" program by entering CODE-5, then RETURN. In "Initialize Media", make the selections necessary to initialize the Bubble Memory. If the Bubble Memory does not appear on the list of devices that can be initialized, the computer probably has a hardware problem and needs to be repaired. 7. Once the Bubble Memory has been initialized, install the GCS software according to the usual procedures. ^EP The steps involved in repairing a Bubble Memory that has errors in it are as follows: 1. Boot the computer from the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy. To do this, make sure that before the computer is powered on, a floppy disk drive (GRiD model 2101, 2102, or 2107) is attached to the computer with its power on, the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy inside, and the door to the floppy disk drive closed. 2. Power the 1137/1139 computer on, holding the "F" key on the keyboard down for at 5 seconds after the computer is powered on. The computer should boot from the floppy disk. 3. Once the computer is booted and the Development Executive prompt is displayed, which looks like "=>", run the MediaRepair program, by entering CODE-4, then RETURN. 4. In MediaRepair, make the selections needed to repair the Bubble Memory. If the Bubble Memory does not appear on the list of devices that can be repaired, it needs to be reinitialized. 5. Record the names of any files in which MediaRepair reports errors, such as missing pages. Once the repair process is complete, MediaRepair will prompt you to confirm to reboot the computer. Do so, following step 2 again to boot from the floppy disk. If the repair process hangs or fails, the Bubble Memory needs to be reinitialized. 6. Run the GRiDManager program by entering CODE-8 or CODE-3, then RETURN. 7. Using GRiDManager, check the files on the Bubble Memory. Erase any files that were reported as damaged in MediaRepair, and any files that do not belong on Bubble Memory, such as files that MediaRepair has found and given dummy names to. 8. Using the GRiDManager Duplicate command, replace any files that are now missing from the Bubble Memory. You should remove the 1137/1139 Bootable Fixup Floppy from the floppy disk drive and insert a GCS installation disk so that files can be copied from it. 9. Try booting the computer normally, so that the GCS is run. If it works properly, the repairs have probably succeeded. If it does not work properly, you should try to determine what other files on the Bubble Memory may be damaged, and replace those files as described above. If this process does not eventually work, the Bubble memory needs to be reinitialized.