IBM N2800e User Manual

NetVista

™

N2800e Thin Client Express Reference September 2 000

To view or print the latest update, go to http://www.ibm.com/nc/pubs



SA23-2808-00

NetVista

™

N2800e Thin Client Express Reference September 2 000

To view or print the latest update, go to http://www.ibm.com/nc/pubs



SA23-2808-00

Note

Before using this information and the product that it supports, be sure to read “Safety notices” on page v and “Notices” on page 61.

US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

Safety notices ............v

Danger notices .............v

Caution notices .............vi

Handling static-sensitive devices .......vi

About this book...........vii

Who should read this book .........vii

Information available on the World Wide Web . . vii

Related information ...........vii

How to send your comments ........vii

Understanding your NetVista Thin Client

Express...............1

Learning about the hardware .....3

Standard hardware ............3

Hardware connectors ...........3

Communication hardware ..........4

Monitor specifications ...........4

Power consumption ............4

Upgrading hardware features.........4

Setting up the hardware........7

Startup sequence ..........9

Maintaining and reconfiguring PPP dialer

parameters ..............23

Using the PPP dialer to access flash images....24

Troubleshooting PPP dialer problems ......24

Altering the flash image of a

workstation.............25

Performing a software update on a workstation . . 25

Using the Configuration Tool to perform a

software update on a workstation ......25

Using the Thin Client Manager Operations Utility to perform a software update on a workstation . 26

Recovering the flash image of a workstation . . . 26

Using one workstation to recover the flash image

of another workstation .........27

Using the Setup Utility to recover the flash image

of a workstation ............29

Using the Thin Client Manager Operations Utility to recover the flash image of a workstation . . . 30

Resolving hardware problems.....31

Verifying hardware problems ........31

Visible hardware failure ..........32

Audio beep sequences ...........34

LED indications .............35

Error codes and text messages ........36

Configuring the N2800e Thin Client

Express ..............11

Using the Setup Utility to configure the workstation 11 Using the Configuration Tool to configure the

workstation ..............12

Installing the Thin Client Service Utility

and the Operations Utilities ......15

Installing the utilities from the NetVista Thin Client

Utilities CD ..............16

Downloading the utilities from the NetVista Thin

Client web site .............16

Managing your Thin Client Express

remotely ..............19

PPP dialer for Thin Client Express

workstations ............21

Prerequisites for using PPP dial access .....21

Configuring a workstation for PPP dialer ....21

Preparing the workstation for PPP dialer

configuration .............21

Configuring initial modem settings for PPP dialer

access ...............22

Starting the PPP dialer..........23

Learning about the NC dialer window .....23

Appendix A. Replacing hardware parts 41

Replacing the N2800e Thin Client Express

CompactFlash card ............41

Replacing parts other than the N2800e

CompactFlash card ............42

Returning hardware parts .........44

Appendix B. Hardware maintenance

procedures .............45

Appendix C. Setting the thin client

voltage for your location .......51

Appendix D. Recovering the boot block

image ...............53

Appendix E. Choosing a flash file . . . 55 Appendix F. Monitor specifications . . 57 Appendix G. Connector pin information 59

Notices ..............61

Environmental Design ...........62

Product Recycling and Disposal .......62

Trademarks ..............63

Electronic Emission Notices .........63

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Statement ..............63

Glossary of abbreviations ......65

Index ...............67

Safety notices

Danger notices

Safety notices contain information that is related to using the IBM®NetVista thin client in a safe manner. These notices can be in the form of a danger, caution, or attention notice.

The following danger notices call attention to situations that are potentially lethal or extremely hazardous. These notices pertain throughout this book.

DANGER

To prevent a possible electrical shock during an electrical storm, do not connect or disconnect cables or station protectors for communications lines, display stations, printers, or telephones. (RSFTD003)

DANGER

To prevent a possible electrical shock from touching two surfaces with different electrical grounds, use one hand, when possible, to connect or disconnect signal cables. (RSFTD004)

DANGER

An electrical outlet that is not correctly wired could place hazardous voltage on metal parts of the system or the products that attach to the system. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the outlet is correctly wired and grounded to prevent an electrical shock. (RSFTD201)

DANGER

To prevent a possible electrical shock when installing the system, ensure that the power cords for all devices are unplugged before installing signal cables. (RSFTD202)

DANGER

To prevent a possible electrical shock when adding the device to a system, disconnect all power cords, if possible, from the existing system before connecting the signal cable to that device. (RSFTD205)

DANGER

To prevent a possible electrical shock, disconnect the power cord from the electrical outlet before opening the unit. (RSFTD215)

DANGER

To reduce the risk of electrical shock use only AC power sources approved by IBM. (RSFTD216)

Caution notices

A caution notice applies to a situation that is potentially hazardous to people because of some existing condition.

CAUTION: The battery is a lithium battery. To avoid possible explosion, do not burn or charge the battery. Exchange only with the IBM-approved part. Discard the battery as instructed by local regulations. (RSFTC227)

Handling static-sensitive devices

When you handle components, take these precautions to avoid static electricity damage:

v Do not open static-protective packages until you are ready to install their

contents.

v Limit your movements to avoid static electricity build-up around you. v Handle components carefully, and never touch exposed circuitry. v Prevent others from touching components. v Place components on static-protective packages while performing hardware

removal and installation procedures.

v Do not place components on metal surfaces.

About this book

IBM NetVista N2800e Thin Client Express Reference (SA23-2808) provides information for the Type 8364 (Model Cxx) IBM NetVista N2800e Thin Client Express (hereafter referred to as workstation or thin client).

This publication contains information on hardware setup, software configuration and update, hardware problem resolution, hardware upgrade options, parts replacement, and ordering.

Who should read this book

The following should find the information in this publication helpful:

v The person who administers the workstation v The hardware service, and the support organizations for the workstation

Information available on the World Wide Web

You can obtain the latest version of this information at the following uniform resource locator (URL):

http://www.ibm.com/nc/pubs

This is the same URL that is printed on the cover of this document.

Related information

The following publications ship with your hardware. Refer to these publications for information that relates to your workstation:

v See the IBM NetVista Quick Setup for N2800e Thin Client Express, Type 8364 (Model

Cxx) (SA23-2807) pamphlet for quick hardware setup information and software

configuration information.

v See the IBM License Agreement For Machine Code (Z125-5468) before using the

workstation.

v See IBM NetVista Thin Client Safety Information (SA41-4143) for important safety

notices.

v See IBM NetVista Thin Client Hardware Warranty - Type 8363 and Type 8364

(SA23-2802) for important hardware warranty information.

Refer to IBM NetVista Thin Client Manager Operations Utility (SA23-2813) for information about managing your Thin Client Express. This information is available at the following URL:

http://www.ibm.com/nc/pubs

How to send your comments

Your feedback is important in helping to provide the most accurate and high-quality information. You can submit comments about this, or other IBM information by mailing the readers’ comment form, located at the end of this information.

v If you are mailing comments from a country other than the United States, you

can give the form to the local IBM branch office or IBM representative for postage-paid mailing.

v If you prefer to send comments by FAX, use either of the following telephone

numbers:

– United States and Canada: 1-800-937-3430 – Other countries: 1-507-253-5192

v If you prefer to send comments electronically, use the following network

identification:

– IBMMAIL, to IBMMAIL(USIB56RZ) – RCHCLERK@us.ibm.com

Be sure to include the following:

v The title, and order number of the information v The page number or topic to which your comment applies

viii

Understanding your NetVista Thin Client Express

The IBM NetVista N2800e Thin Client Express offers a fast and simple way to access applications on the following platforms:

v Windows NT v Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition (TSE) v Windows NT Workstation 4.0 v Windows v Windows 2000 Professional v Windows 2000 Advanced Server

Server 4.0

2000 Server

As both a hardware and a software solution, Thin Client Express includes essential Network Station

™

Manager V2R1 functions on a pre-installed CompactFlash card.

Thin Client Express provides the usual thin-client benefits, such as a reduced total cost of ownership and the fast, flexible deployment of applications. Because it does not require a boot server, Thin Client Express also provides a quick start-up time.

Thin Client Express also includes a Setup Utility, and a Configuration Tool that provide the following:

v A streamlined configuration process v Local boot capabilities from a CompactFlash card v A Netscape browser v 3270, 5250, and VTxx emulator sessions v An Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) client and ICA Remote

Application Manager

v Separate utility programs for flash update service and operations management v A desktop with a Launch Bar or one or more full-screen applications v Advanced diagnostics

The IBM NetVista Thin Client Express Service Utility and IBM NetVista Thin Client Manager Operations Utility are management utilities that you can use to manage your workstations. These utilities run on Windows 2000 and Windows NT workstations, and are available to you, free of charge. You can download these utilities either from a compact disc (CD) or from the World Wide Web. For information on obtaining the CD (at no cost to you), visit the following uniform resource locator (URL):

http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/netvista/thinclient/xpress.html

Click Express Utilities, located under the More Info heading.

If you are interested in downloading the utilities from the World Wide Web, refer to “Downloading the utilities from the NetVista Thin Client web site” on page 16 for more information.

Learning about the hardware

This section provides detailed hardware information about the N2800e Thin Client Express — Hardware Type 8364 (Model Cxx), hereafter referred to as N2800e Thin Client Express.

Standard hardware

The standard N2800e Thin Client Express hardware includes the following: v 64 MB of SDRAM DIMM random access memory (RAM) (see “Appendix A.

Replacing hardware parts” on page 41).

v 4 MB SGRAM video memory v Integrated Ethernet communication v 16-bit internal and external sound v One 32 MB CompactFlash card with preloaded software v 2 USB ports for a keyboard and other USB devices v 2 PCI adapter slots for PCI devices v Two serial ports for serial devices

Note: The Netscape browser requires 64 MB of RAM. See “Appendix B. Hardware

maintenance procedures” on page 45 for information about adding more memory to a workstation. See “Appendix A. Replacing hardware parts” on page 41 for information about ordering replacement memory.

Hardware connectors

Your N2800e Thin Client Express hardware includes standard connectors, standard pin, signal, and signal direction configurations. See “Appendix G. Connector pin information” on page 59 for details.

Figure 1. Hardware connectors

Communication hardware

Your N2800e Thin Client Express includes an integrated Ethernet connection.

For a 10 Megabit (Mb) line speed operation, you need a category 3 or higher Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) type of cable. For a 100 Mb line speed operation, you need a category 5 UTP type of cable.

Refer to “Appendix G. Connector pin information” on page 59 for communication cable specifications.

Monitor specifications

A basic video graphics adapter (VGA) class monitor that meets the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) standards of refresh rate and resolution functions with the N2800e Thin Client Express. The N2800e Thin Client Express can support VESA Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS) and VESA Display Data Channel (DDC2B).

Refer to “Appendix F. Monitor specifications” on page 57 for a list of resolutions and refresh rates that the N2800e Thin Client Express can support. Your monitor may not support all resolutions and refresh rates.

Power consumption

Normal power consumption for the thin client, while running applications, ranges from 24 to 28 Watts. During periods of inactivity, the system switches into the suspend state, and power consumption reduces to approximately 18 Watts. Once the system enters the soft-off state, power consumption reduces to approximately 10 Watts.

Note: Power consumption may fluctuate or vary from these values, depending on

the voltage selection (115V or 230V) of the thin client.

Display monitor power reduction occurs when you use the N2800e Thin Client Express with a VESA DPMS Standard monitor.

As an Energy Star Partner, IBM has determined that this product meets the Energy Star Program guidelines for energy efficiency.

Upgrading hardware features

You can perform the following hardware procedures:

v Install PCI adapter cards for PCI devices v Replace a CompactFlash card v Connect USB devices

If you plan to use peripheral USB devices with your N2800e Thin Client Express, refer to the documentation for your peripheral USB devices for information.

v Upgrade your memory

The N2800e Thin Client Express has tworandom access memory (RAM) slots that accepts Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs). The N2800e Thin Client Express includes 64 MB of RAM, and supports memory expansions of up to 256 MB. You can

expand the RAM of the N2800e by installing 32, 64, or 128 MB DIMMs. “Appendix B. Hardware maintenance procedures” on page 45 provides information on how to exchange memory. Refer to “Appendix A. Replacing hardware parts” on page 41 for detailed memory specifications and orderable N2800e Thin Client Express parts.

Note: Use of the Netscape browser requires 64 MB of RAM.

Learning about the hardware 5

Setting up the hardware

Unpacking your hardware

Unpack your hardware. Contact your reseller, or IBM, if you do not have these standard parts:

1 Thin client logic unit 2 Base 3 Mouse 4 Keyboard 5 Power cable

Selecting the voltage for your location:

Attention: You may damage the thin client if you do

not select the correct voltage.

1. Locate the voltage switch A on the bottom of the

thin client.

2. Use a pen, or similar object, to slide the switch A to

the correct setting for your location (see ″Voltage selection″ in Table 11 on page 42).

Installing options:

v If you have additional memory, or optional feature

cards, see “Appendix B. Hardware maintenance procedures” on page 45 before continuing with the following setup procedures.

v If you have a security cable and would like to restrict

access to the thin client logic unit, thread your cable through hole B.

v For vertical placement of the thin client, see “Installing

the support base” on page 8.

v For horizontal placement of the hardware, continue

with “Connecting your hardware” on page 8.

Installing the support base

Slide the base B onto the notched bottom of the thin client A until it latches securely.

Connecting your hardware

Read “Safety notices” on page v before continuing.

1. Connect the devices listed below to the appropriate

ports:

1 USB devices 2 Network cable 3 Serial device 2 4 Serial device 1 5 Parallel devices 6 Monitor 7 Mouse 8 Keyboard 13 Headphones 14 Microphone

2. Tighten all device cable connections.

3. Connect the thin client power cable to the power

socket 10.

4. Plug all power cables into properly grounded working

electrical outlets.

5. To power on your thin client, move the power supply

switch 9 to the ″on″ position.

Notes:

a. The white power switch 11 resets the power to

your thin client.

b. The system LED 12 should flash from amber to

green. See “Resolving hardware problems” on page 31 for deviations.

6. Choose the operating system for your server from the

menu that appears on your screen. Refer to the server software information to verify the correct selection for your network. Note: If your thin client is unable to receive the operating system code from the server, contact your network administrator.

Startup sequence

This is a typical startup sequence of events for the NetVista Thin Client Express. If any of these events do not occur, see “Resolving hardware problems” on page 31.

1. The following devices show light-emitting diode (LED) indications:

v Logic unit (system LED and network status LED) v Keyboard v Monitor v Any USB devices

2. The following internal hardware components initialize:

v Memory v L1 cache v Video memory v Keyboard controller

3. The IBM NetVista thin client screen appears on the monitor.

4. One of the following appears:

v The Thin Client Express Setup Utility. The Setup Utility appears in either of

the following situations:

– You start the NetVista thin client for the first time. – You previously reset the NetVista thin client to the factory-default

property settings.

The Configuration Tool launches after the Setup Utility in either situation.

Refer to “Configuring the N2800e Thin Client Express” on page 11 for more information about working with the Setup Utility.

v The NetVista Thin Client Express detects the CompactFlash card and loads

the operating system into memory.

v The interface that you specified with the Configuration Tool appears. The

interface can be either of the following:

– One or more applications – A launch bar with one or more applications

Refer to the following sections for more information about configuring your NetVista Thin Client Express:

v “Configuring the N2800e Thin Client Express” on page 11 v “Installing the Thin Client Service Utility and the Operations Utilities” on

page 15

v “Managing your Thin Client Express remotely” on page 19

1. Refer to the documentation for your monitor if there is no LED indication.

2. Refer to the documentation for your USB devices if there are no LED indications.

Configuring the N2800e Thin Client Express

Before you can use the N2800e Thin Client Express (also referred to as workstation) to access server applications, you need to configure your workstation. You can use the NSBoot Setup Utility (also referred to as Setup Utility) and the Thin Client Express Configuration Tool (or Configuration Tool) to configure workstations.

Note: You do not need access to an external server to set up and configure the

workstation.

This section provides information on the following:

v “Using the Setup Utility to configure the workstation” v “Using the Configuration Tool to configure the workstation” on page 12

Using the Setup Utility to configure the workstation

The Setup Utility allows you to perform the following tasks:

v Specify your keyboard language settings v Set the resolution and frequency of your display v Configure your Internet Protocol (IP) settings v Perform advanced configurations, such as changing your boot file server settings

The first time you start the workstation, you must use the initial Setup Utility to configure the workstation. The following menu is an example of a Setup Utility menu:

Figure 2. Example menu

The menu number A makes it easy to navigate through the Setup Utility. Menu numbers that begin with 2 are unique to the initial Setup Utility. The menu title B tells you which menu you are using.

Use the arrow keys to select an option from the list of available options C. After you select an option, specify a value in the corresponding value field D. Certain fields allow you to select a value by using the Page Up and Page Down keys.

Instructions and other messages (E and F) provide additional information. Error messages G inform you when you need to complete a field or correct a value before continuing.

Use the active function keys H to navigate through the Setup Utility.

To access the Setup Utility during a subsequent boot, press Esc immediately after the following message disappears:

Hardware testing in progress...

If you worked only with the Simple Configuration menu during the initial boot, then the Simple Configuration menu appears. However, if you worked with the

Advanced Configuration menu during the initial boot, then the Advanced Configuration menu appears.

You can also configure your workstation for Dial Access. This option is available if your client will use a modem for network connection instead of the Ethernet or Token-Ring connection. See “PPP dialer for Thin Client Express workstations” on page 21.

For information on using the Setup Utility to update CompactFlash cards, see “Using the Setup Utility to recover the flash image of a workstation” on page 29.

Using the Configuration Tool to configure the workstation

The Configuration Tool allows you to configure the following applications on your workstation:

v Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) Client v ICA Remote Application Manager v Netscape 4.5 browser (without Netscape JVM support)

v 3270 emulator to S/390 v 5250 emulator to Application System/400 (AS/400)®hosts v VT emulator v Advanced diagnostics

The Configuration Tool also allows you to configure the single user preferences that are independent of the applications, such as mouse orientation. It also provides a means to update the software on the CompactFlash card.

The first time you power on the workstation, the Configuration Tool displays automatically after you complete the Setup Utility configurations. You must complete the Configuration Tool configurations before you can access applications from network servers. However, you do not need to complete the advanced settings to create a basic, working configuration. After you have completed the Configuration Tool, click Save and Restart to save your settings and restart the workstation with your new configuration.

hosts

The Configuration Tool provides three Workstation Mode user interfaces:

1. A single application that starts automatically when you power on the

workstation. This application fills the entire display screen.

2. One or more applications that start automatically when you power on the

workstation.

Note: The N2800e’s free memory determines how many applications you can

run at one time. With 32 MB of RAM, you can specify up to either of the following applications:

v Four simultaneous 5250 or 3270 emulators v An ICA client and two simultaneous 5250 or 3270 emulators

3. A launch bar with one or more applications. The Configuration Tool can start

these applications automatically, if desired.

Network administrators can use one of two possible methods to restrict access to the Configuration Tool:

1. Use the Configuration Tool itself to create an administrator password.

2. Use the Thin Client Manager Operations Utility. For more information on using

the Thin Client Manager Operations Utility, see “Managing your Thin Client Express remotely” on page 19.

You can access additional, customized help at any time by clicking Help in the lower, right-hand corner of the display. The help viewer also has search capability.

To access the Configuration Tool anytime after the initial configuration, press and hold the following keys on the left side of the keyboard: Shift + Ctrl + Alt. Hold the keys down for several seconds until the Configuration Tool starts.

You can also place the Configuration Tool on the launch bar for simple, future access.

For information on using the Configuration Tool to update CompactFlash cards, see “Using the Configuration Tool to perform a software update on a workstation”

on page 25.

Configuring the N2800e Thin Client Express 13

Installing the Thin Client Service Utility and the Operations Utilities

The Thin Client Express Service and Thin Client Manager Operations Utilities are management utilities that run on the following workstations or server platforms:

v Windows NT Server 4.0 v Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition (TSE) v Windows NT Workstation 4.0 v Windows 2000 Server v Windows 2000 Professional v Windows 2000 Advanced Server

Although these utilities are optional, IBM recommends that you install the Service Utility on if you want to rewrite the flash image of a workstation. The Service Utility consists of the following:

v NetVista Thin Client Express image files v Network support services that provide Network File System (NFS) support for

the client to access the image files

The Service Utility services start automatically after the installation is complete. The services also start automatically after the server reboots. If you experience problems while attempting to update or recover the flash ofa workstation, verify the status of the Service Utility network support services. For information regarding how to verify the status of network support services, see the NetVista Thin Client Service and Operations Utilities Readme file. This file is available on the NetVista Thin Client Utilities CD, as well as the NetVista Thin Client website.

For information on using the Operations Utility, refer to IBM NetVista Thin Client Manager Operations Utility (SA23-2812). This information is available at the following uniform resource locator (URL):

http://www.ibm.com/nc/pubs

Table 1 shows the tools, and utilities that IBM recommends for the different methods of rewriting the flash image.

Table 1. Required tools and utilities to perform flash updates and recoveries

Type of update or

recovery

Configuration Tool update

Operations Utility update

Operations Utility recovery

NS Boot Setup Utility recovery

Peer flash recovery X

NSBoot Setup

Utility

Configuration

Tool

Service Utility Operations

Utility

+ 57 hidden pages

IBM N2800e User Manual

Contents

Safety notices

Danger notices

Caution notices

Handling static-sensitive devices

About this book

Who should read this book

Information available on the World Wide Web

Related information

How to send your comments

Understanding your NetVista Thin Client Express

Learning about the hardware

Standard hardware

Hardware connectors

Communication hardware

Monitor specifications

Power consumption

Upgrading hardware features

Setting up the hardware

Startup sequence

Configuring the N2800e Thin Client Express

Using the Setup Utility to configure the workstation

Using the Configuration Tool to configure the workstation

Installing the Thin Client Service Utility and the Operations Utilities