Willis Chou wrote: > We are still running GNAT 2.1. Does anyone know: > > 1. The simplest way to upgrade it to the current version? > 2. What would be the possible cause of the box rebooting itself randomly, > sometimes in a few days and sometimes a few hours? > > Your comments on question #2 are most demanded in our current situation. > Thanks.
Well, let's start with #2. If the box is actually REBOOTING itself (i.e., running, then suddenly, and without user intervention, the box suddenly goes back to the BIOS screen, and then starts a successful reboot), I'd look hard at power problems. I'm thinking about what is needed to cause a 32 bit app that isn't intending to reboot itself to "accidently" reboot itself, and I don't think it is easy. IF I understand this, I don't think it is easy to do "by accident" (i.e., software bug or hardware flaw). I think for some reason, power is being interrupted from the machine long enough to reset the system. Most common cause for this in my experience is a defective Uninteruptable Power Supply. Batteries or electronics fail, a _minor_ power glitch comes along, and the UPS jumps over to battery power for a couple seconds in case it is a leadup to a power outage -- and nothing comes out. I've seen this MANY times (including one time when I..um..forgot to plug the battery into a new UPS. Did you know new UPSs are shipped with the batteries disconnected? I did -- but I managed to forget. I also managed to miss the BRIGHT YELLOW sticker on the side saying "Plug the battery in". I don't really wish to talk about it. The closest thing I will offer as defense is I *DID* push the "TEST" button -- and it worked. What that TEST button "tests" is totally lost on me). I've also seen perfectly good UPSs working with computers that just couldn't tollerate the switchover from AC Line to UPS power. Cheap power supply in the computer. Replaced it, problem solved. Removing the UPS is also a decent test. If you don't have a UPS, try installing one. Power line problems *can* also cause this kind of reaction in computers. (And, yes, I just told you "If you have a UPS, remove it. If you don't, add one" 8-). Semi-related side-note. After eight years of doing Network support, I'm a little shocked to be saying it, but I'm very much unconvinced as to the value of UPSs. I've seen many problems CAUSED by them -- more than I'm willing to say were SOLVED by them. Granted, when a UPS does its job well, you don't really know that it saved you, wheras when it fails, you do know. Other things that could be related would be a failed fan in the computer (overheating), loose parts, etc. Don't screw with it too long -- replace the hardware -- all of it. A GB-ready computer and two or three NICs is a fraction of the cost of downtime in a business setting. 8) On to Question 1: Buy it. 8) (sorry, couldn't resist.) I assume you are talking about "migrating" to the new version. Here are some general upgrade tips applicable for many, many environments: 1) Keep your old system on hand and ready for rapid restoration should something go wrong. 2) While a lot of people talk about "migrating" your old configuration to the new product, I am not a big fan of this for a few reasons. a) your old problems are maintained. Occasionally (and very, very often in some platforms we all know and that are not the subject of this list) configurations get dammaged and corrupted. Things may still work o.k., but upgrading this mess will only agravate the mess, not solve it. b) your new knowledge is not used. Odds are, you have learned a lot since you set up the product the first time around. USE IT! c) New features are underutilized. What I often end up wondering, if everything was perfect before, why upgrade?? Oh, sure, there are reasons, but new products typically have new features, and better ways to use old features, and if you just "upgrade", you will often not gain many new abilities of the product. For this reason, I'd highly recommend starting from a clean slate -- print out your current config and current filters, and make sure the old functionality is in place, but take the time to learn the new product. GB makes this easier to do than many other platforms -- you can eject your working floppy, insert a new one, set it up, test it, if you have a problem, you can in a matter of a minute or so be back up on your original system if need be. In your case, you should be replacing your hardware unless you clearly identify what is wrong with your system currently. And no, this isn't the "simplest" way. But I do think it is the best way. Nick.
