530-0041412
Rev. A
April 1996

Mylex NT Auto-Rebuild Utility
Release Notes for Windows NT


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Title: Mylex NT Auto-Rebuild Utility, Release Notes for Windows NT


GENERAL INFORMATION
The Mylex Auto-Rebuild utility (v. 1.0) is a Windows NT program that corrects a known problem with Intel's Magellan backplane installed in the NCR S40 server.  This backplane does not provide a notification to the Mylex RAID adapter when a hot-pluggable hard disk is removed or inserted.  Without this notification, automatic rebuilds of failed drives cannot occur when a hot spare hard disk is not configured.  This utility will perform the automatic rebuild in this specific instance.
This utility is a Windows NT service which, after it is initially installed, will automatically "start" once Windows NT boots.  To install the utility, please follow the directions in the Installing the Auto-Rebuild Utility section below.  When replacing disk drives, please reference the Miscellaneous Information section, item three.  

INSTALLING THE AUTO-REBUILD UTILITY
Use the following steps to install the utility on every applicable server:
1. Log on to the server as Administrator or as a user with administrator privileges.
2. Copy the MylxRbld.exe file to the Windows NT system directory for 32-bit applications (e.g.  c:\winnt35\system32).  This can be accomplished using File Manager or from a DOS prompt.
3. At a DOS prompt, type mylxrbld -i to install the utility.  Executing this command will install the utility as a Windows NT service with "automatic" startup.  This means that whenever Windows NT boots, this service will be started automatically. 
4. Access the Services applet in the Control Panel, and select the Mylex Auto-Rebuild service.  Click the Start button to start the service.  Even though the service is setup for "automatic" startup, this manual start process is required once each time the service is installed as in step #3 above.

CONTROLLING THE AUTO-REBUILD UTILITY
Windows NT provides a Services applet in the Control Panel to control the state and operation of all NT services.  General information on this applet can be found in the on-line help associated with this applet.  Executing this applet will display a list of services including one named Mylex Auto-Rebuild.  The Services applet provides Stop, Pause, and Continue buttons to provide further control of the service.


UN-INSTALLING THE AUTO-REBUILD UTILITY
Use the following steps to un-install the utility:
1. Log on to the server as Administrator or as a user with administrator privileges.
2. Using the Services applet, select the Mylex Auto-Rebuild service.  Click the Stop button to stop the service.
3. At a DOS prompt, type mylxrbld -u to un-install the utility.  Executing this command will remove the utility as a Windows NT service.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
1. As a default setting, the service "polls" the state of the hard disks attached to the Mylex adapter every seven (7) seconds.  If the frequency of this polling needs to be altered, use the following steps:
a) Using the Services applet, select the Mylex Auto-Rebuild service.  Click the Stop button.
b) In the Startup Parameters field in the Services applet, enter a numeric value corresponding to how frequently the service should "poll" the state of the hard disks.  (This value is in seconds.)
c) With the Mylex Auto-Rebuild service still selected, click the Start button to re-start the service.
d) Note:	When Windows NT is restarted, the polling frequency is reset to the default of seven (7) seconds.  Also, it is recommended that the polling frequency not be set higher than ten seconds to avoid the chance that the utility would not detect a hard disk being removed or inserted.
2. Use the following steps to determine the version of the utility:
a) At a DOS prompt, type mylxrbld -v.  The version of the utility will be displayed along with an indication of whether the utility is installed.  This command can be executed at any time regardless of whether the service is active or not.
3. The replacement drive MUST be placed into the SAME SLOT as the failed one, with the same SCSI ID (on the S10).  The S40 SCSI IDs are integral to the backplane and are not located on the disk drive.  The S10 SCSI IDs are defined on the disk drives.  [Suggestion:  Label the SCSI IDs on the S10 disk drive hot plug drive carrier.  This will make it easier to determine which drive to replace.]