Using the Socket EA and EA+ with the HP Omnibook 530 for Novell Networks --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interim Instructions, revised September 28, 1994 Hewlett Packard's Omnibook 530 is a truly remarkable sub-notebook computer, offering an inspiring range of features, performance and price. It comes standard with SystemSoft's robust Card-ID socket- and card-services PCMCIA support drivers. The Omnibook is an ideal match for Socket Communications' EA and EA+ ethernet LAN adapters. If you are using Socket's "Network Drivers and Enablers Release 3.4" and are installing for Novell NetWare, you will be using the new "Card-Services Aware" ODI driver. A problem exists when this driver tries to configure an "EA" card which has already been configured by PCMCIA drivers, such as the SystemSoft drivers which come with the Omnibook 530. The easiest way to solve this problem would be to tell the SystemSoft drivers, in effect, "Do not configure Socket EA cards." (Because of decisions by HP, the tools necessary to do this are not shipped with the Omnibook.) However, when these drivers are so instructed, an additional problem happens; the socket-services native to the Omnibook generate an error, "Unrecognized Plug-in Card." This error message must be cleared manually by pressing the ESCAPE key, making "Plug & Play" (also known as "hot-swapable") network drivers unusable. For the present, these "Plug & Play" drivers are, therefore not supported on the Omnibook 530. Both Socket and HP continue to research a solution to this. Meanwhile, there is a non-"Plug & Play" solution available in two stages. The short term method, available now, requires downloading an updated ODI driver from Socket's BBS. This driver supports the new flag "IgnoreCS" (Ignore Card-Services) and allows the "Card-Services Aware" ODI driver to work in spite of the card being previously configured. In this scenario, the card is still configured by the SystemSoft drivers, therefore no error message is generated. This is a slight improvement, but one which still does not allow the "Plug & Play" capabilities of the ODI driver. This modified driver will be available as the second stage on Socket Communications' release 3.41 diskette. The ultimate solution, being researched by both Hewlett Packard and Socket Communications, will allow the use of the "Plug & Play" features of the ODI driver to allow you to remove the Socket network card while logged in, use a different card for a few moments and return to using the network card without losing your network session, or "hanging" the Omnibook. STAGE 1: REVISED 09/28/94 Please read all stages to determine what is in effect before proceeding. Download the following files from Socket's BBS (510-670-1051). SOCKETEA.COM CARDINFO.EXE Place the cardinfo.exe file in you Omnibook's c:\cardsoft directory. Place the socketea.com ODI driver into your Novell network directory, replacing the older version. These files are not "zipped" and do not need to be expanded. Edit the file net.cfg in your Novell network directory. Under the heading "Link Driver SOCKETEA" add the parameter "IgnoreCS" on a new line and indented, and change the IRQ parameter "Ireq" from 5 to 11 so that it reads as follows; Link Driver SOCKETEA IgnoreCS IoBase 0x300 Ireq 11 Check the file c:\cardsoft\cardid.ini to be certain the parameter "Lan1IRQ" is set to 11. Early releases of the Omnibook 530 had this value set to 5, which is inappropriate on the Omnibook 530. STAGE 2 In early October, 1994, you will see the file "ea341ins.zip" on Socket's BBS (510-744-2820). When this file is available, you may download it to your hard disk and expand it to a floppy using the command "pkunzip -d ea341ins a:" to create an installation diskette on Drive A. It is important that the "-d" switch be used, or the proper directory structure will not be created. It is also important that the .zip file not be on the floppy diskette, as there will not be room for the expanded files. You should check the c:\cardsoft\cardid.ini file, making sure the parameter "CardLib=" at the end of the file is set to "cardid.clb," not "hpcardid.clb." STAGE 3 (WHEN AVAILABLE) In the future, this section will contain instructions on how to make the full capabilities of our "Plug & Play" drivers available. Please check the file, HP_OB530.DOC on Socket Communications' BBS (510-744-2820). NOTICE: Interrupt 5, the default for the EA card is not available on the Omnibook 530. The SystemSoft PCMCIA drivers must reassign the card to whatever IRQ is available, usually 3 or 11. The utility "cardinfo.exe" when used with the /v switch will report what IRQ is being assigned to the card. It is important to be certain the ODI driver matches this setting, by changing the IREQ parameter in the c:\nwclient\net.cfg file to reflect the value SystemSoft is using for the card. The most stable arrangement is to change the configuration value by editing c:\cardsoft\cardid.ini. The parameter "Lan1IRQ=5" should be changed; a good choice, in most cases, would be "Lan1IRQ=11" and the IREQ value in the net.cfg file should therefore be also changed to 11. Limitation of Liability. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Socket Communications, Inc. Under no circumstance, including Socket's negligence, shall Socket be liable for any incidental, special, or consequential damages, including lost profits, that result from the use or inability to use the product or related documentation, even if Socket has been advised of the possibility of such damage. Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above may not apply to you. In no event shall Socket's total liability to you for damages, losses, and causes of action exceed the amount paid by you for the Socket product. Go To: [ Home Page | Info on Socket EA/EA+ Ethernet Adapter | Technical Support ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please e-mail webmaster@socketcom.com if you have any questions or comments on our page. Copyright © 1995 Socket Communications, Inc.