readme101.txt

Release v1.0.1step is now available for use in a
ZerverModule(tm) and in ProZerver systems.

Because of a change to the internal structure of the system
using an internal file-system with a larger size (now 80MB,
had been 48 MB), firmware-upgrade from version V1.0.0 (or
earlier development versions) to V1.0.2 (or later, if any),
must be done in two steps.  V1.0.1step is a mostly-functional
system, but is primarily intended to be used as that step.


How do you know if you should have used V1.0.1step?

Alas, an attempt to upgrade from v1.0.0 to v1.0.2 directly does
not produce a helpful error message describing the problem
and the way to proceed.  What happens is that v1.0.2 begins
boot-up, and early in the messages sent to the system console,
if one is connected, are one or more messages like --
	RAMDISK: incomplete write
	attempt to access beyond end of device
	EXT2-fs error (device ram0)
	unable to read inode block
	Kernel panic - not syncing
	EXT2-fs panic

and the system fails to boot-up, leaving these messages visible.
In general, on Unix-like systems, the word "panic" appearing
in a message on the system console is ungood.

The recovery is to restart the boot-up (the big red button
may be needed), with console and keyboard attached, and after
all the BIOS messages, there is a pause of a few seconds
with a rectangle display (perhaps red), which Linux fans will
recognize as the LILO (LInux LOader) menu, marked "DataPrezerver
ProZerver".  Hit a select key, such as down-arrow, before the
time-out counts down.

The menu has boot-up choices named "Zerver_current" and
"Zerver_previous" (and sometimes "Zerver_old", depending on how
the ZerverModule was created, and sometimes "Zerver_curr_tty"
and "Zerver_prev_tty" if system messages are supposed to go to
the serial port).  If v1.0.2 (or later) was the most-recent
firmware download, and it failed to boot with the messages
above, then it could be re-selected as "Zerver_current".
To recover, select "Zerver_previous" (or "Zerver_prev_tty").
This will boot-up to v1.0.0 (or earlier development version),
and provides another chance to upgrade the firmware to
v1.0.1step.


July 24, 2007