Need help with DEC WINDOWS on DEC 3100 stations

[Daniel OConnell]

>I have a problem that I cannot seem to figure out. We recently
>installed a Dec 3100 system and 3 Dec 3100 stations. We are running
>Ultrix and DEC WINDOWS.

>The problem is that whenever a person tries to log into the
>client stations the DecWindows accepts the login and the password
>and then seems to time out and return the login prompt. After
>several tries (random number but usaly more than 5-6 tries)
<it eventualy will allow a person to log into the system. From
>that point on all appears to work well. I have tried calling Dec
>Support about this and they seem to think  it has to do with
>"ethernet errors". I am quite familiar with unix but I have dealt
>little with setting up networks. I am not sure what to check.
>I was told to make sure that the thinwire net we are using
>is not too long. However with only one station in the chain and a
>cable well under the specified lengths I still have the problem.

>Jim Moore
>Purdue University
>jmoore at cidmac.ecn.purdue.edu

We have a similar configuration with a DEC5400 as a server. We
experienced a similar problem on one DEC3100. Turned out that
we forgot to completely reconfigure the rc.local file. One of the
peculiarities was forgetting to comment out the mop_mon entry.
A bunch of VAXstation3100's kept trying to load their brains from
the DEC3100. More importantly, we found that the NFS and local
daemon entries, or something like that were out of order. All
I can remember for sure was that the default rc.local file
required extensive reworking to get the 3100 to work gracefully.

Dan O'Connell
geomagic at kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (VMS)
geomagic at geo1s.mps.ohio-state.edu (Ultrix)
geomagic at you.must.be.joking (Wylbur)