RESOURCE CONFLICTS with shared INTERRUPTS running NETWARE

Subject: UPDATED RETAIN TIP: RESOURCE CONFLICTS WITH SHARED INTERRUPT
Updated PC Server / Netfinity server RETAIN TIP:

Record number: H123132 Device: D/T8640 Model: M Hit count: UHC00097 Success count: USC0000 Publication code: PC50 Tip key: Date created: O98/03/12 Date last altered: A98/06/16 Owning B.U.: USA

Abstract: RESOURCE CONFLICTS WITH SHARED INTERRUPTS RUNNING NETWARE

SYMPTOM:

Resource conflicts may result in (and are not limited to) any of the following symptoms:

NetWare Abends, SCSI bus timeouts, drivers fail loading, Server fails to service clients under high LAN and/or Hard Drive activity.

PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:

The System is any PC Server / Netfinity server configured with any supported version of Novell NetWare.
The System is configured to share Interrupts across 2 or more Disk subsystem Adapter/Controllers, LAN Adapters/ Controllers, or Communication Adapters.
The System is configured to share ROM/RAM addresses across Adapters/Controllers that are not designed to do so.
The System is configured with PCI device(s) assigned interrupt 15.

Note: Some PCI/ISA Servers (310/315/325/330/5500) will allocate interrupts and resources to PCI devices as needed REGARDLESS of resources set in any ISA Adapter(s) IF those resources are left "Available" (default) in the Systems "Legacy Resources" table.

Note: The PCI/ISA Netfinity 3500 / 5500 will SHARE interrupts across PCI Adapters/Controllers IF the CMOS Utility has the "AUTOMATIC" (default) settings assigned to a PCI Adapter or on-board Controller. In this case, the first interrupt automatically assigned is IRQ15. The configuration of ISA resources is the same as in the Server 310/315 and some 325 / 330.

Note: The PCI/EISA Server 300 WILL SHARE the interrupt assigned to the PCI bus.

Note: The PCI/EISA Servers (325/330/704/7000) SHARE interrupts across PCI Adapters/Controllers IF the CMOS Utility (SCU in the 704/7000) has the "AUTOMATIC" setting assigned to a PCI Adapter, PCI Slot, or on-board Controller by default.

Note: A "AUTOMATIC" Setting will typically assign Interrupt 15 first, then other secondary interrupts second. IF there are more devices than interrupts available, one interrupt will be assigned to more than one device resulting in "sharing" of interrupts.

FIX:

Note: The Scope of this fix identifies the reduction/elimination of sharing interrupts as well as isolating interrupt 15 from use by Adapters/Controllers as they relate to Novell NetWare.
However, the need to configure all hardware properly prior to installing Novell NetWare is essential and therefore the instructions contained in this document should be followed PRIOR to a Novell NetWare installation.

Ensure that the Disk Subsystem(s), LAN Adapter(s), communication Adapter(s) are not sharing interrupts.
- Set each Disk subsystem Adapter/Controller, LAN Adapter/Controller, Communication Adapter to a specific interrupt whenever possible via:
- EISA Configuration Utility (300/320/325/330/520)
- SCU (704/7000)
- CMOS Setup Utility (325/330/3500/5500)
- On the ISA Adapter, and in the ISA Legacy resource table in the CMOS Setup Utility (310/315/325/330/3500/5500)
- Reference Diskette (500/720)
Note: IF a interrupt must be shared for reasons of accommodating several Adapters/Controllers, then only do so with on-board controllers OR Adapters of identical model/mfg'r designed to do so and located on the SAME bus. In such cases, whenever possible, avoid sharing interrupts across Adapters that play primary service roles such as primary LAN Adapter or Disk subsystem.
Ensure that interrupt 15 is not allocated for use.
- Assign interrupt 15 to a dummy adapter via:
  - The Legacy Resource table in the CMOS Setup Utility (310/315/325/330/3500/5500)
  - The EISA Configuration Utility (300/320/520/325/330)
  - The SCU (704/7000)
- Ensure that MCA Adapters are not using interrupt 15 via:
  - The MCA Reference diskette (500/720)
- Ensure that PCI Adapters are not using interrupt 15 via:
  - The MCA Reference diskette (720)
  - The CMOS Setup Utility (300)

NOTE: BIOS Flash Updates to some Systems will return settings to default. Be sure to keep a configuration backup when possible or a configuration Log as identified in the System Users Guide to recover the configuration after a System BIOS upgrade if required.

NOTE: It is suggested that Novell's latest fixpack 4 is installed after initial installation of NetWare 4.11.

NOTE: Details with regards to the impact of using interrupt 15 as well as sharing interrupts on a NetWare Server are identified (but not limited to) in Novell's TID #'s: 21620, 2906943, and 2924364.

COMPANION:

The following RETAIN Records provide Support and Service information relative to the above Symptoms and NetWare:

H005765:NETWORK ERROR ON 8640 W/NOVELL AND 3COM ETHERNET ADAPTER.
H007138:PC SERVER 325/330 LOST HARDWARE INTERRUPT WITH NETWARE 3X/4X
H007813:SERVER 320 TRAPS WITH 8 PARITY SIMMS INSTALLED
H023369:SERVER 704 TRAPS OR HANGS DURING OS INSTALLATION
H123817:NETWARE 3X / 4X WILL NOT AUTO REGISTER >16MB OR >64MB
H126233:SERVER HANGS WITH CDROM AND NOVELL NETWARE
H13823 :NETWARE SERVER NMI PROBLEM DETERMINATION PROCEDURE
H132253:SYSTEM HANG DURING FILE TRANSFER W/IBM ETHERNET
H132289:SERVER HANGS WITH PCI SCSI ADAPTER INSTALLED
H132301:ECA002, 8642 100MHZ PROCESSOR FOR NETWARE SMP
H132489:NOVELL NETWARE LOST HARDWARE INTERRUPTS
H134622:NETWARE 3.12: LOST HARDWARE INTERRUPT
H134640:SERVER 720 (133MHZ OR 166MHZ) TRAPS OR HANGS
H137977:PC SERVER 704 ABEND DIVIDE BY ZERO EXCEPTION
H162681:SSA ADAPTER HANGS W/ 9.1GB DRIVES USING 32 BLOCK STRIPE STRIPE SIZE
H162688:MEMORY LEAKS/HANG W/ NETFINITY SERVICES AND ASMA W/NETWARE

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