running virtual box for netware

[fkeith]

I have an old hdd scsi model DDRS-34560 E182115 HG runing netware 3.1 .The IBM server has some board issues and is unable to start.

I tried to clone the hdd using Stellar Phoenix Novell Data Recovery (NWFS) which as a free utility for cloning a netware hdd.

it cloned the hdd with a ouput file of test.img

which i then converted to vdi using the vboxmanage tools.

which i try to boot it using virtual box it comes with a blank screen.

Please help as i dont know what went wrong.

Reagrds

Keith

[mpack]

What exactly is your goal? Are you just trying to recover files? (in which case mount the virtual disk in another VM) - or are you really trying to virtualize that old server software?

Anyway, a common reason for a black screen is to have the IO APIC setting set the wrong way.

[vbox4me2]

Netware uses config files for HDD controller and LAN driver, these must be set correctly or it won't boot. Does the basic DOS system boot? can you F5/F8 thru it?

[fkeith]

I am trying to virtualize the old server.I have tried all the combinations but the screen still shows blank. what should the apic setting be then

[fkeith]

No the basic dos system does not boot.If i connect the hdd to another pc with the scsi controller card it boots fine.How do i virtualize the same in virtual box enviroment.As the data needs to be accessed sometimes as it contains some old financial data.

[mpack]

what should the apic setting be then

I have no idea what Netware 3.x requires. As far as a Windows image is concerned there is no correct setting of the IO APIC switch per se, but when you move the image to a new host your life will be a lot simpler if that host has the same IO APIC setting. Like I said, I've no idea if this issue is relevant to Netware, but on Windows the effect of a wrong setting is a boot failure, hanging on a black screen.

In general for a easy P2V you need to ensure that the virtual hardware prescription is as close as possible to whatever physical hardware that guest was already running on. So e.g. if SCSI it was, then SCSI it should be.

[vbox4me2]

No the basic dos system does not boot.

Sort this one out first, netware often boots from an IDE partition and then loads scsi drivers for a second partition/drive. You might need to create 2 VDI's and split the main dump between them, netware can load 2 types of HDD drivers, the first gets unloaded when netware boots, both can be on the same drive which VBox does not support hence the need to split the partitions.

[fkeith]

i decided to install netware ware using the steps below found in the forums of the novell site. all when well till it came to create the partion in the novell install module.when i click on create partion the screen just freezes in virtual box i have attached the screen shot for reference.

http://img839.imageshack.us/i/anyc00001.png/

keith



From the website at

http://developer.novell.com/devres/stor ... index.html

click on the

Update Your NetWare 3.12 or 4.11 Server to Work With NWPA

link and download the NWPA Update Package (NWPA_UP.EXE) at the

NWPA Update Package

link and the installation instructions (this file) from the


NWPA Update Package Installation Instructions for NetWare 3.12

link on the same page.

Install DOS and the CD-ROM driver on the target server machine.

Insert the NetWare 3.12 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive and the NetWare 3.12 SYSTEM_1 diskette into the floppy drive.

Change directory to the D:\NETWARE.312\ENGLISH directory on the CD-ROM, if its drive letter is D:

Install NetWare 3.12 as usual. If you are unsure how to install NetWare 3.12, perform the following steps:

Enter install at the DOS prompt
If a message concerning Ethernet frame type changes appears, press <Enter>
Select Install new NetWare v3.12
Select Retain current disk partitions
Enter an arbitrary server name when prompted; this will be discarded, and you will be prompted for a permanent name later
Press <Enter> to accept the default IPX Internal Network Number when prompted; this will also be discarded
Press <Enter> to accept the default Source and Destination paths when prompted
Press <F10> to accept the default Country Code when prompted
Press <Enter> to accept the DOS Filename Format when prompted
Select No to defer specifying special startup set commands
Select No to have AUTOEXEC.BAT load SERVER.EXE
Enter down and then exit at the server console to return to the DOS prompt


Copy NWPA_UP.EXE to C:\SERVER.312

Enter the following commands at the DOS prompt, entering 'y' to any prompts that appear from the programs:


c:
cd \server.312
nwpa_up -o
extract3
server


Insert the SYSTEM_1 diskette into the floppy drive.

Enter a permanent File server name and IPX internal network number when prompted.

At the server console enter the following commands:


load 312ptd\native\start\npapatch
load mmattrfx
load nbi31x


Load the .HAM driver you intend to use.

Continue installation by loading INSTALL.NLM, creating NetWare partitions and volumes, and copying system files. If you are unsure how to install NetWare 3.12, perform the following steps:

At the server console enter load install
Select Disk Options
Select Partition Tables
Select (highlight) the hard disk drive on which to install volume SYS
Select Create NetWare Partition
Edit the Partition Size to set aside for NetWare volumes, if you wish to change the size from the default value
Press <Esc> and select Yes to accept the displayed settings for the NetWare partition
Press <Esc> three more times to return to the main menu
Select Volume Options
Press <Ins> to create a new NetWare volume. The first one created must be named SYS
Edit the number of blocks you wish to allocate for volume SYS
Press <Esc> and select Yes to accept the displayed settings for volume SYS
Repeat steps 12j through 12l to create other volumes using the blocks you allocated for the NetWare partition but did not allocate for volume SYS. Press <Esc> after all desired volumes have been created.
Select System Options
Select Copy System and Public Files
Press <Esc> and select Yes to mount volume SYS
Press <F6> to install from CD-ROM when prompted
Replace the default A:\ with D:\NETWARE.312\ENGLISH if the CD-ROM drive letter is D:
Press <Enter> to begin the file copy from the CD-ROM to your NetWare volume
Press <Esc> after the file upload has completed


After the file copy select Create AUTOEXEC.NCF File and add the following lines after those already present:


load after311
search add 1 c:\server.312
load c:\server.312\cdsave\cdrom
cd mount xxxxx


If you know the ISO9660 name of your CD-ROM volume, replace the xxxxx with that name. If you are using a SCSI tape drive, add the line


load scsi2tp


after all the above lines in the AUTOEXEC.NCF file.

Press <Esc> and select Yes to accept the changes.

Select Create STARTUP.NCF File and add the following line as the very first line in the file:


load c:\server.312\mmattrfx


Press <Esc> and select Yes to accept the changes.

Press <Esc> twice and select Yes to exit the installation program.

At the server console enter the following command:


load c:\server.312\312ptd\patch312


then select the following:


Copy OS patches to server

Enter the source path as c:\server.312\312ptd

Exit


Enter down and then exit at the server console to return to the DOS prompt.

Remove the NetWare 3.12 CD-ROM and the SYSTEM_1 diskette.

Reboot the server machine.

When the DOS prompt returns, enter the following commands to start the server:


c:
cd \server.312
server


For currently installed NetWare 3.12 servers:
From the website at

http://developer.novell.com/devres/stor ... index.html

click on the

Update Your NetWare 3.12 or 4.11 Server to Work With NWPA

link and download the NWPA Update Package (NWPA_UP.EXE) at the

NWPA Update Package

link and the installation instructions (this file) from the


NWPA Update Package Installation Instructions for NetWare 3.12

link on the same page.

Copy NWPA_UP.EXE to C:\SERVER.312

Enter the following commands at the DOS prompt, entering 'y' to any prompts that appear from the programs:


c:
cd \server.312
nwpa_up -o
extract3


Edit STARTUP.NCF and add the following lines after any set parameters but just before any lines that load drivers:


load c:\server.312\312ptd\native\start\npapatch
load c:\server.312\mmattrfx
load c:\server.312\nbi31x


Also add or replace subsequent lines to load the .HAM driver.

Start the server by entering server at the DOS prompt.

If a CD-ROM volume is mounted, enter the following commands for the CD-ROM volume named xxxxx:


cd dismount xxxxx
unload cdrom
load install


Edit AUTOEXEC.NCF and replace the line to load the CDROM.NLM file with the following lines:


load after311
search add 1 c:\server.312
load c:\server.312\cdsave\cdrom
cd mount xxxxx


If you know the ISO9660 name of your CD-ROM volume, replace the xxxxx with that name. If you are using a SCSI tape drive, add the line


load scsi2tp


after all the above lines in the AUTOEXEC.NCF file.

Press <Esc> and select Yes to accept the changes.

Press <Esc> twice and select Yes to exit the installation program.

At the server console enter the following command:


load c:\server.312\312ptd\patch312


then select the following:


Copy OS patches to server

Enter the source path as c:\server.312\312ptd

Exit


Enter down and then exit at the server console to return to the DOS prompt.

Reboot the server machine.

When the DOS prompt returns, enter the following commands to start the server:


c:
cd \server.312
server

[vbox4me2]

VM settings? especially how the VDI('s) are setup/size and controller selections.

[fkeith]

dear vbox4me2

I figured out what to do it was the problem of the ide driver

so after running

c:/server.312/server.exe

i then ran load npapatch.nlp
then ide.dsk
and then ideata.ham

then load installing.

i was able to see the disks in netware but after creating a sys volume of 1gb it overwrote the 500mb dos partition created
earlier.

Luckily i had created a snapshot before creating the partition.

how do i create a net ware partion without overwriting the 500 mb partition

[vbox4me2]

Use more then 1 disk(VDI) like make and keep a small VDI to boot dos from, netware disks can then be restored to their own VDI's.

[fkeith]

dear vbox4me2

its working when i created 2 hdd's

i have created the sys volume but unable to mount it due to the error below.

The mirror copies of the FAT do not match. Volume SYS not mounted

regards

keith

[vbox4me2]

Run Vrepair or whatever netware tool you have.

[NeXTuser]

I followed this post and other posts found from web, but failed.

I'm trying to setup a netware 3.12 VM on Mac OS 10.6 with VB4.1.8

Configurations:

OS type: DOS
Base mem: 32MB
Video mem: 16MB
IDE pri master: 500MB .vdi
chipset: PIIX3, all extended feature disabled
CPU: 1
All acceleration: disable
Network: NAT PCnet-FAST III (Am79C973)

When load ideata.nlm, it says

NBI-2.25-11: Warning: This version of NetWare does not support
protected mode BIOS accesses, Without a loader patch some PCI drivers
may fail.

As I couldn't find solution, I just ignore it and cont'd to
load install

After chooing "Disk Options", choose "Partition Tables", then it hanged.
I tried different config and follow every detail in different posts,
this is the last point I can reach.

Does anyone know if the VB4.1.8 can run Netware 3.12 ?
Or any conflict with Mac OS ?
Am I missed any driver ?
Any luck with vmware or parallel desktop ?

Thanks in advance.

[michaln]

Where does one even get NetWare 3.12 these days?