File Name: SETUPMXT.TXT IBM xSeries MXT Support Device Driver and Services Software Readme.txt Version 6.00 For Hardware Models 8675-3MX, 8675-3MZ, and 8675-4MX CONTENTS --------- 1.0 Overview 2.0 Change History 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions 4.0 Configuration Information 5.0 Unattended Installation 6.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number 7.0 Trademarks and Notices 8.0 Disclaimer 1.0 Overview: --------------- 1.1 Overview of MXT Support Software This software package contains Windows 2000 software support for the Memory Xpansion Technology (MXT) hardware feature available on IBM xSeries models 8675-3MX, 8675-3MZ, and 8675-4MX. MXT hardware doubles effective size of server memory through fast hardware compression. The software included in this package must be installed to enable the MXT feature. The support software is a collection of device driver and services which manage the expanded memory. 1.2 Limitations Compression efficiency of memory contents depend on the user application and software environment. However 2X compression is typical in most cases. 1.3 Enhancements N/A. 1.4 Level of Recommendations and Prerequisites for the Software: - In order to run this software, we recommend system BIOS version TVE105A or higher. The System BIOS version maybe found at the bottom of the IBM eServer splash screen which is displayed shortly after the system is powered on. - Previous versions of this software must be uninstalled before installing this package. See details in Section 3.0 Installation and Setup. - Windows 2000 version and service pack dependencies are listed in Section 1.5 - Paging file space must be increased for optimum use of the expanded memory. Please see Section 4.0 - Windows 2000 hibernation is not supported. - MXT requires the Windows 2000 PAE kernel. Please read Windows 2000 Server and Advanced Server documentation for information about PAE kernels. - A full system backup should be completed and verified, prior to running this, or any other system upgrade. 1.5 Dependencies: - Hardware dependencies: xSeries Models 8675-3MX, 8675-3MZ, 8675-4MX. - Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server support with no service packs. (Windows 2000 base kernels for PAE-UP, PAE-MP.) - Service Pack 1 supported (SP1 kernels: PAE-UP, PAE-MP) - Service Pack 2 supported (SP2 kernels: PAE-UP, PAE-MP) - Not supported: Windows XP, Windows 2000 Professional, NT 4.0 or prior NT releases, Windows 98, Windows ME. Windows 2000 hibernation is not supported. 2.0 Change History -------------------- 2.1 First release. Version 1.0 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions ----------------------------------------- 3.1 Before you install we recommend the following - Check BIOS settings: Press F1 at power-on to get to the BIOS Setup panel. Under the Advanced Setup/Core Chipset Control menu locate the switch "MXT Aware OS" and set it to "enabled". This switch when enabled flags the MXT support software to start at OS boot time. Make sure that the switch "Report Real Memory" is "disabled". (These are the default values.) - Installation will attempt to increase the Windows 2000 total paging file size for optimum use of MXT. In some cases the paging files must be resized manually. See Section 4.2 for more details. 3.2 Step by step instructions for this software installation - Double click SETUPMXT.EXE to start and complete installation - Accept all the default values. - Reboot computer - After reboot verify through Windows Task Manager that the services named MXTCMS.exe and MXTMEP.exe have started. Depending on the amount of memory in the system there maybe more than one MXTMEP.exe process running. 3.3 Uninstall instructions - Open Start\Settings\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs - Highlight MXT Software and then click on Change/Remove button. 4.0 Configuration Information ------------------------------- 4.1 Hardware BIOS has a switch that enables or disables this software. See Section 3.1. Once the software starts, there are no no special configuration settings available to users. 4.2 Increasing the Total Paging File Size For optimum use of MXT it is necessary to increase the Windows paging file size by the installed amount of RAM. InstallShield will resize the paging files during installation. In certain cases when there is insufficient disk space or disk volumes, you must resize the paging files manually. InstallShield will warn you in these cases (see Section 4.3) 4.3 Manually increasing the Total Paging File Size This section may be skipped if InstallShield resized the paging files. Manual resizing can be done either before or after installing the MXT Software Package. Step by step instructions for manually resizing the paging file(s): 1 - Determine the installed memory (RAM) size. This is shown on the initial BIOS screen after power-on (see below for other methods for determining the amount of RAM) 2 - If the RAM size is less than 1024MB, the total paging file size should be set to at least 4 times the amount of RAM. 3 - If the RAM size is equal to or greater than 1024MB, the total paging file size should be set to at least 2048MB + RAM size. 4 - Open Start Menu/Settings/Control Panel/System Icon/ Advanced Tab/Performance Options/Virtual Memory/Change. 5 - Change the "Initial Size (MB)" and "Maximum Size (MB)" fields for all paging files to set the "Currently Allocated" field amount to the value calculated in Step 2 or 3 above. For example, consider a system with 512MB of RAM. The total paging file size should be 2048MB. For example consider a system with 2GB of RAM, the total paging file size should be 4096MB or the nearest maximum allowed by Windows 2000. Please consult Windows 2000 Help for more information on changing paging file sizes; under Windows 2000 Help bring the Index Tab forward and reference the keywords "paging files". *** Note: After the increase, the new paging file size will be more than the amount recommended by Windows. This is expected. *** Note: It is recommended that all paging file space be reserved at start time. This can be achieved by setting the Initial Size and the Maximum Size of the Paging File to the same value as described in Step 5 above. *** Hints: A paging file can be at most 4095MB large. For large memory systems it may necessary to use multiple paging files to reach the required total. Typically, each paging file needs to be on a separate disk volume (e.g. on drives C:, D: and so on.) Consult Windows 2000 Help for more information on creating multiple paging files. If your system does not have multiple disk volumes (e.g. only C: drive exists), you may create multiple paging files on a single disk volume as described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q237740 at http://msdn.microsoft.com/ *** Hints: Determining the system RAM size: The first BIOS screen after power-on will display the RAM size. -OR- If the MXT Software Package has NOT been installed, then the the Physical Memory Total shown in the Performance Page of the Windows Task Manager is same as the RAM size. -OR- If the MXT Software Package has already been installed and the system has been restarted, then the RAM size is 1/2 of the Physical Memory Total as shown in the Performance Page of the Windows Task Manager. 4.4 Windows 2000 PAE Kernel Required Windows 2000 PAE kernel is required to take advantage of MXT's memory doubling capabilities. InstallShield will add the /PAE flag to the [default] entry in the boot.ini file. You may add this flag manually. by consulting the Windows 2000 documentation. 4.5 Multiboot Systems If the MXT Software package is installed on a system that is capable of booting multiple operating systems and the operating system that the MXT software is being installed into is not the [default] entry in the boot.ini, then the /PAE flag must be manually added to that operating system's entry in the boot.ini file. Consult the above section "Windows 2000 PAE Kernel Required" and the Windows 2000 documentation for more information on enabling the PAE kernel. 4.6 Windows 2000 Server Memory Size Limits Windows 2000 Server can address up to 4GB. If more than 2 GB of DIMMs are installed, MXT hardware will double the memory size however only 4 GB will be visible due to the Windows 2000 Server 4 GB limit. Windows 2000 Advanced Server is necessary for exceeding the 4 GB limit. Please visit http://www.microsoft.com for Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server datasheets. 4.7 Hardware Status and Information N/A 5.0 Unattended Installation ----------------------------- 5.1 Steps for unattended installation Run the following command SETUPMXT.EXE /s /v/qn This requires no user interaction and may be used in automated installation scripts. 6.0 WEB Sites and Support Phone Number ---------------------------------------- 6.1 IBM Support Web Site: http://www.ibm.com/pc/support 6.2 IBM Marketing xSeries Web Site: http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/eserver/xseries 6.3 If you have any questions about this update, or problems applying the update go to the following Help Center World Telephone Numbers URL: 1-800-772-2227 http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/YAST-3P2QYL.html 7.0 Trademarks and Notices ---------------------------- The following terms are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both: e-business logo, ServerGuide, HelpCenter, ServerProven, HelpWare, Memory Xpansion Technology IBM xSeries, Light Path Diagnostics Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. 8.0 Disclaimer ---------------------------- 8.1 THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. IBM DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, IBM GRANTS NO LICENSES TO ANY PATENTS OR COPYRIGHTS. 8.2 Note to U.S. Government Users -- Documentation related to restricted rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation.