NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

TITLE:  Updated Server.exe to resolve PIII Issue
TID #:  2958591
README FOR:  OS5PT2A.EXE

SUPERSEDES:
OS5FT2A.EXE

NOVELL PRODUCTS and VERSIONS:
NetWare 5
Server 5.0
NetWare 5.1
Server 5.1

ABSTRACT:

Updated SERVER.EXE with the timer fix which addresses a timesync drift issue. 
This should be run with newer IDEATA.HAM driver also included with this patch.

Updated SERVER.EXE which prevents potential data corruption when the OS or
other NLMS use the XMM registers on Pentium III processors. 

This supersedes SERVER.EXE that ships with NW50SP6A and NW51SP2A

NOTE: 
This patch should only be applied to full versions of Novell 5.0 /5.1 For
Novell Small Business Suite 5.0/5.1 and Netware
Growing Business 5.0/5.1 download SBS5PT2A.EXE patch.  


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DISCLAIMER
THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO 
NOVELL.  NOVELL MAKES ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS TO VERIFY THIS 
INFORMATION.  HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT 
IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY.  NOVELL MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED 
CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION.
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INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Install the current NetWare Support Pack (NW51SP2A.EXE or NW50SP6A.EXE) 
The server may not boot properly if the current Support Pack is not installed
prior to this patch.


You may use either NWCONFIG or Manual Copy option to install this patch.  

NWCONFIG
1. Load NWCONFIG | Product Options | Install a product no listed | 
2. Choose F3 to specify a different path and point path to the os_inst.ips file
in the patch root directory.  
3. Select F10 to accept SERVER.EXE update.  
4. When patch is complete, you will need to down and restart your server for
changes to take effect.  Do not use the 'restart server' command.  You will
need to use DOWN or RESET SERVER. 

Manual Copy
1. Upgrade to latest IDEATA.HAM version 3.10d Nov 7, 2000 which can be found in
a FTF patch called IDEATAFT.EXE or found in the \DRIVERS\ directory of this
patch. if you use it for Drives, CDs, tapes etc. (if ideata.ham is loaded then
you need it). This is not included in SP2a and SP6a.  Copy the ideata.ham to
c:\nwserver or the boot directory you load the server from. 
2. Upgrade to new SERVER.EXE in this FTF.  Rename SERVER.EXE to SERVER.OLD and
then copy the new SERVER.EXE from appropriate source directory to the Boot
directory (ie: c:\nwserver\ ). 
3. Down and Restart Server.  

ISSUE: 

Fixed an issue where the XMM register's data that are exclusively used on
Intell PIII processors (this does not include PII, PIV, etc), would become
corrupt/overwritten.  The end result can vary.  Some symptoms, but not all
would be:
1.  NDS 8 corruption (not NDS 6 or NDS 7)
2.  Unexplainable abends in any code that uses the XMM registers for memory
copies.
3.  Any third party products using CLIB to execute memcopies could see
corruption or sporatic abends.

Fixes a Timesync drift issue. 
Explanation of fix: In some cases Timer interrupts can potentially be held off
too long by other drivers/components in the system. When this happens time
drift can occur. This updated server.exe detects and adjusts for time drift due
to lost timer interrupts; it runs the major tick (1/18th of a second) clock a
little faster until it catches up with the hardware clock. NOTE: If you use
external time sources make sure your hardware clock is set properly before you
bring the server up so timesync.nlm doesn't work against this fix keeping the
software clock in line with the hardware clock. 

Self-Extracting File Name: OS5PT2A.EXE

Files Included          Size         Date          Time
..\
   OS5PT2A.TXT   (This file)
   OS_INST.IPS          3260    1-23-2001    4:36:54 pm
..\DRIVERS\
    IDEATA.DDI         23823    11-2-2000   12:26:12 pm
    IDEATA.HAM         33193    11-7-2000    3:44:38 pm
  IDEATAFT.TXT          2416   11-14-2000    2:13:04 pm
..\NW50\
    SERVER.EXE       2565400    1-22-2001   10:32:04 am
..\NW51\
    SERVER.EXE       2565400    1-22-2001   10:32:04 am



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