Didn't get any follow ups but managed to fix the problem.
(Just sending back to the list for posterity ie. archive search):
Turned out that all 3 problems (blue screen hang on the CDE
after logging in; silent NIC; unlocking ptys taking a long time)
were related as suspected but the ptys were not the cause.
Instead, the firmware upgrade seems to have reset the ethernet
back to AUI, as opposed to Twisted Pair which we were using.
This was corrected with a quick :
>>> set ewa0_mode Twisted Pair
which cured the other problems too.
No doubt I overlooked something in the firmware/OS upgrade
regarding the ewa0_mode being reset.
chas
>Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 09:32:18
>To: alpha-osf-managers_at_ornl.gov
>From: chas <panda_at_peace.com.my>
>Subject: unlocking ptys related to NIC error ? (general instabilities with
4.0c)
>
>Recently upgraded firmware and OS (via a clean install of DU 4.0c)
>on an alphastation 200 4/166. All appeared to go well and logged
>in for the first time. But after running through the basic
>system config checklist, some instabilities are present :
>
>1. To quote a seemingly unanswered/unsummarised question in
> the archives :
> "Why does it take so long to 'unlock ptys' ?"
> On boot up, the system takes a few minutes to get past the
> "unlocking ptys" stage.
>
>2. Network is unreachable despite standard network config :
> Added the interface tu0 and I can ping both loopback
> 127.0.0.1 and the machine's IP 202.184.153.4
> Added the static route to the default gateway (confirmed
> with netstat -rn)
> Also configured the usual resolv.conf, hosts file etc.
> It's not the UTP port nor the cable itself (both
> to be working with adjacent machines).
> If the interface is proven to be up with ifconfig -a,
> and by pinging itself, is it possible for the network
> card to still be faulty ?
>
> I have noticed that the green light on the Network card is on
> when I initially type >>>init 3, it goes off momentarily a couple
> of times (for a second or so) when vmunix starts to load but
> remains lit. Then when startup hits the "unlocking ptys", the light
> goes off and stays off. Is this related to question "1" above ?
>
> However, before it reaches this point, the startup messages have
> already displayed :
> Boot messages :
> tu0 DEC Tulip 08-00-2B-E5-54-F9
> tu0 console mode : selecting 10 base 5 (AUI) port : no carrier
>
>3. CDE is hanging with a bluescreen after logging in.
> So, I've opted for the XDM instead of
> the CDE and now I can at least get in.
> (command line console also works fine)
> According to the archives, this is due to the dependency
> upon the network config so I guess this is due to query "2".
>
>4. I had a lot of cam_logger errors appear on one boot but
> then that disappeared magically on the next reboot.
> From /var/adm/messages :
> timeout on disconnect request
> cam_logger : CAM_ERROR packet
> cam_logger : bus 0 target 0 lun 0
> ss_perform_timeout
>
>Thank you very much for any help,
>
>chas
>
Received on Wed Apr 01 1998 - 18:20:33 NZST