=20
=20
I. I went through a similar upgrade a few years back. Now I'm working=20
exclusively with Bruker systems, however. =20
You mentioned that the Linux is coming pre-installed. Just a tip - if I
were you I'd reinstall Linux from scratch. It's a straight-forward=20
operation. Make sure to install ALL features of the operating system
before=20
you install VNMRJ. With an INOVA 'hooking' up to the console should be
as=20
simple as plugging in - assuming you have an Ethernet card for both the=20
world and the spectrometer.=20
___________________________________=20
II. You should be aware that the "Acc" software that runs the
Chemagnetics=20
spin controller WILL NOT (according to the latest information that I
have=20
from Varian) run under Linux. So, even if you upgrade the host computer
to=20
Linux, you will have to keep a Sun around to run the spin controller.=20
_____________________________________=20
III. I can't help you with the robot. As for the rest, my suggestions
are:=20
1. Make sure the 390N has the configuration Varian suggests. Mostly this
means get the pair of Broadcom network cards and the "correct" video
card.=20
The hard drives, CPU speed, and RAM shouldn't matter.=20
2. Can you receive Word documents as attachments? I can send you a short
document I wrote up with my experiences getting an Inova to work this
way.=20
It's not comprehensive, but might save you some time/headaches. There
are a=20
few things with getting the network to behave, and if your Inova is old=20
enough to have a M68k CPU as oppose to PowerPC, there are a few extra
things=20
you have to do (I'm pretty sure the last part can be found on Varian's
user=20
pages as well).=20
3. I would suggest seeing if your Varian rep will give you a copy of=20
Varian's modified RHEL4 install DVD. There are a few extra packages that
you=20
need that aren't there by default which may or may not be on the VJ
Linux=20
install CD. If not, make sure you do a full Linux install (ALL packages)
and=20
I have the additional rpms. If you can get the Varian disk, I have some=20
instructions to modify the kickstart file (for your own root password,=20
network info, etc.) that I can tar up and send you.=20
The configuration you're planning can work. Good luck!=20
_______________________________________=20
IV. I upgraded an Inova console to VJ 2.1B. The only stumbling block
was=20
the initial communication and download of the diskless kernel to the=20
CPU. The fix and work around was outlined in a bug report listed in the
Read me file for 2.1B. =20
I do not do solid experiments with this console, but we do have an=20
SMS-50 that works fine.=20
___________________________________________=20
V. I would double-check with Varian,but the latest info that I have=20
is that acc wouldn't run on Linux. Now, if they get enough=20
pressure from customers, maybe they will do a Linux port of acc. =20
I think that with the new "Direct Drive" consoles that the spin
controller is built=20
into the console. and communicates with the Linux computer through the=20
console.=20
___________________________________________=20
VI. Mazi - Do you have a powerPC or a Motorola controller in your
inova's=20
RF cabinet? We bought the PC and vnmrj before anyone realized our=20
motorola controller didn't work with vnmrj. It took a lot of work by=20
a 3'rd party to make it go. Check with Varian about compatibility,=20
and whether any PowerPC controllers have become available if you need
one.=20
Check whether the Dell is preinstalled with 64-bit Linux. Mine came=20
with 32-bit Linux and the difference wasn't clear until=20
troubleshooting why my VJ installation wasn't working. Installing=20
64-bit Linux was straightforward.=20
______________________________________________=20
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Content-Type: text/html;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
AMMRL:Summary of Varian VNMRJ on PC with =
Linux
This=20
is a favor I need to ask to help another AMMRL member. Unfortunately, I =
have=20
lost the contact information from the original responses to my question =
about=20
the Sun upgrade to a PC with Linux on my INOVA. This is because our mail =
system=20
automatically deletes anything older than 30 days old. So, could the =
person who=20
sent me the response no. III below, send me a note so that I can =
forward=20
your contact info to the person who has a specific question for=20
you.
Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Dear AMMRL colleagues, =
Thank you very much to all who responded to my =
question=20
on using PC with Linux and VNMRJ. I have attached a complete list of =
responses=20
below. In summary, here is what I'll have to worry about:
1. Make sure the Linux installed is =
the correct=20
version, and the Dell model/setup is the same as what is recommended by=20
Varian.
2. Find out the data acquisition =
processor type=20
in the RF cabinet: power PC or Motorola.
3. The ACC command for running the Chemagnetics =
solids=20
spinner controller will NOT work on the PC. I will have to keep the Sun =
computer=20
to run solids.
As you may expect, I am not very happy =
about #3.=20
The main reason that I am doing the upgrade is to get rid of an old=20
computer/operating system that is out dated and not supported anymore. =
If I have=20
to keep the Sun, even for just running the solids, then it will defeat =
the=20
purpose.
So, I am still thinking about whether =
I should=20
go through with the upgrade or not. If I decide to do it, I'll post any=20
additional issues not covered by others after the =
installation.
Thanks again for all your help. As I =
always say,=20
AMMRL is an invaluable resource and a great group to be a part =
of.
Best wishes,
Mazi.
=20
Maziar Sardashti
ConocoPhillips Co.
130 =
PL, BTC=20
Bartlesville, OK 74004
Phone: 918-661-4129
FAX: =
918-662-2888
mazi.sardashti@conocophillips.com
I. I =
went through a=20
similar upgrade a few years back. Now I'm working
exclusively with Bruker systems, =
however. =20
You mentioned that the Linux is =
coming=20
pre-installed. Just a tip - if I
were you I'd reinstall Linux from scratch. It's a =
straight-forward=20
operation. Make sure to =
install ALL=20
features of the operating system before
you install VNMRJ. With an INOVA 'hooking' up to the =
console should=20
be as
simple as plugging =
in -=20
assuming you have an Ethernet card for both the
world and the spectrometer.=20
___________________________________
II. =
You=20
should be aware that the "Acc" software that runs the Chemagnetics=20
spin controller WILL NOT =
(according=20
to the latest information that I have
from Varian) run under Linux. So, even if you upgrade the host =
computer=20
to
Linux, you will have =
to keep a Sun=20
around to run the spin controller.
_____________________________________
III. I can't =
help you=20
with the robot. As for the rest, my suggestions are:
1. Make sure the 390N has the =
configuration=20
Varian suggests. Mostly this
means=20
get the pair of Broadcom network cards and the "correct" video =
card.=20
The hard drives, CPU speed, and =
RAM=20
shouldn't matter.
2. Can you receive Word documents =
as=20
attachments? I can send you a short
document I wrote up with my experiences getting an Inova to =
work this=20
way.
It's not =
comprehensive, but=20
might save you some time/headaches. There are a
few things with getting the network to =
behave, and if=20
your Inova is old
enough =
to have a=20
M68k CPU as oppose to PowerPC, there are a few extra things =
you have to do (I'm pretty sure the last =
part can be=20
found on Varian's user
pages as=20
well).
3. I would suggest seeing if your =
Varian rep=20
will give you a copy of
Varian's=20
modified RHEL4 install DVD. There are a few extra packages that =
you=20
need that aren't there by =
default which may=20
or may not be on the VJ Linux
install=20
CD. If not, make sure you do a full Linux install (ALL packages) =
and=20
I have the additional rpms. If =
you can get=20
the Varian disk, I have some
instructions to modify the kickstart file (for your own root=20
password,
network info, =
etc.) that I=20
can tar up and send you.
The configuration you're planning =
can work.=20
Good luck! =
_______________________________________
IV. I upgraded an Inova =
console to VJ=20
2.1B. The only stumbling block was
the initial communication and download of the diskless kernel =
to=20
the
CPU. The fix =
and work=20
around was outlined in a bug report listed in the
Read me file for 2.1B.
I do not do solid experiments =
with this=20
console, but we do have an
SMS-50=20
that works fine.=20
___________________________________________
V.=20
I would double-check with Varian,but the =
latest info=20
that I have
is that acc =
wouldn't run=20
on Linux. Now, if they get enough
pressure from customers, maybe they will =
do a Linux=20
port of acc.
I think that with the new "Direct =
Drive"=20
consoles that the spin controller is built
into the console. and communicates with the Linux computer =
through=20
the
console.=20
___________________________________________
VI.=20
Mazi - Do you have a powerPC or a Motorola =
controller=20
in your inova's
RF=20
cabinet? We bought the PC and vnmrj before anyone realized =
our=20
motorola controller =
didn't work with=20
vnmrj. It took a lot of work by
a 3'rd party to make it go. Check with Varian =
about=20
compatibility,
and =
whether any=20
PowerPC controllers have become available if you need one.
Check whether the Dell is =
preinstalled with=20
64-bit Linux. Mine came
with=20
32-bit Linux and the difference wasn't clear until
troubleshooting why my VJ =
installation wasn't=20
working. Installing
64-bit Linux was straightforward.
______________________________________________=20
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