Is there HW address of NIC stored in system backup file?

[Tomas Stehlik]

I need to determine hardware ethernet address from image backup of system disk to let it emulate properly by SIMH VAX to satisfy some 3rd party SW license check. Is it possible?

[Jeffery D. Urmann]

I know this is speculation, but it may trigger some dormant memory cells.

LANCP reports the MAC (HW) address. But I do not know if it stores it in some OpenVMS file somewhere or if it is dynamic. If it is static, you could use LANCP and point it to the file from image backup.

Enjoy,

--Jeff

[Jeffery D. Urmann]

Memory is slowly coming back...

If someone entered the MAC address into the permenant database of either DECnet (ncp) or LANCP databases, you can restore these files from the image backup, point to them (not sure how to do this yet) and use the list command from either LANCP or NCP.

$ MCR NCP
NCP> List Known Line !or Node
your list here...
pick the line or node in question
NCP> List Line EWA-0 Characteristics

$ MCR LANCP
LANCP> List Device
your list here...
pick the device in question
LANCP> List Device EWA0 /Characteristics

Hope that helps.

Enjoy,

--Jeff

[Robert Gezelter]

Tomas,

If you are running DECnet, the MAC address has likely been reset to the DECnet preamble combined with the DECnet Node Address.

I don't have the time at this instant to dig out the citation, but you should find it either in the FAQ or in the DECnet Documentation Set (Phase IV and Phase V).

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Ian Miller.]

I think LANCP and DECnet read the hardware ethernet address from the network card when needed. This address is stored on a chip on the network card (or at least it was on old network cards).

[Tomas Stehlik]

Thanks all,
It seems that HW address is not stored in any file in image backup of system disk. It will be easier to send mail to guys on site where is original VAX and ask for it.

[Anton van Ruitenbeek]

I know I'm late but:

The HW address of a NIC is never stored in any needed file on the systemdisk. The HW address will be changed to an AA-00- number if you are using DECNet IV or DECNet V using phase IV compatability. If you are MOP booting then you store youre MAC-adresses for the remote nodes.
The only thing that wil be stored is the type of NIC (EQA0, EIA0, EWA0 etc.)

AvR

[Galen Tackett]

Tomas,

Just curious: What is it that requires the hardware address?

[Ian Miller.]

Galen, some products have the hardware address included in the licence.

[Bob Talbot]

Hello, a while ago someone asked me a very similar question. I researched and found that if RCM was running or had been installed on the alpha or vax, the hardware address was stored in a text file on the system disk. The directory tree, I believe, is SYS$SYSDEVICE:[SYS0.SYSCOMMON.COMPAQ.SVCTOOLS.COMMON.RCM...]. The RCMO-nodename-*.TXT file may be in a .DATA subdirectory or another subdirectory depending on the installation. I have also noticed some installations that do not include a COMMON subdirectory.

I hope this helps.

Bob
p.s. I'm a newbie at this.

[Galen Tackett]

Ian Miller wrote:

>> Galen, some products have the hardware address included in the licence.

That's right, I wasn't remembering my own experience with a few such products. I also had overlooked the fact that Tomas himself said the address was necessary for 3rd party licenses.

Tomas, perhaps your backup has a file that contains the license information. Perhaps you could post the name this software? Then one of the experts here might be able to tell us the right file to look for.

Even if the file is not human-readable perhaps that 3rd party software includes a license utility that can display the licensed hardware address.