Xterminal not booting

[Stuart Powell]

We started having problems with some Entria2 Xterminal that had been working fine. We are still trying to determine what might have changed since the last downtime. The Xterms in question will begin to boot, getting the correct IP address, but after saying "X server ready" the following error repeats continiously:
ioctl failed for operation SET_COLOR_MAP
The log file normally shows an expected bootp server IP address, and it normally grabs the correct config file. I do not see the mouse recongnized on the boot up display, the screen either stays black or grey with an X in the middle and the cursor doesn't respond to mouse movements. The terminal should request a DMCP login on the specified unix server, but it never gets to that point.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Stuart

[Steven E. Protter]

If VLAN subnetting has recently been introduced into your office, you may no longer be able to establish a connection via XDMCP broadcast.

You will have to instruct your X term to log onto a specific ip address.

SEP

[A. Clay Stephenson]

1) Check that your dccpd/bootp host is also doing the correct NFS exports.

2) Check that the network settings on the corresponding switch port are correctly set. The Entria II will only run 10MB/s.

3) If you are far enough along in the boot process, hold down the F12 key to enter the setup. Diagnostics are then available. Try another keyboard and mouse.

[Stuart Powell]

Both were excellent ideas but we finally stumbled on the problem and solution. The Xterminals, in production and testing environments, were both plugged into Cisco switches. One of our "old timers" remembered some one from HP saying that Xterminals will NOT work on switches. We have had the terminals on switches for a few years, and have not seen THIS problem. We dug up an mothballed hub and put it between the Xterminal and the switch and the terminal booted fine.

Stuart

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Well, the Entria II on my desk, in addition to those located elsewhere in the building, don't know they ain't supposed to boot when connected to a switch (Cisco in this case) --- and they've been doing it for several years. I suspect that you actually had speed/duplex mismatches that almost worked and plugging into a hub fixed them by accident. The other likely possibility is that your ports on the switch were part of a vlan in another subnet and someone turned off the "ip helper address" on the router.

[Steven E. Protter]

Our slightly differenet and recently retired X Windows boxes were very old. They required 10 BaseT manaul on the switch or they simply would not boot. Could be the same issue here.

SEP

[Stuart Powell]

Prior to connecting the hub, we did ensure that the port for the Xterm was set to 10Mbps, half duplex, with portfast turned ON. But the terminal refused to recognize the mouse, and subsequently hosed the X server. Clay if you would send us the details on the port configuration we would be very interesting. Also the model of Cisco router.

Stuart