Archimedia FAQ

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Below is a list of questions and answers for frequently asked questions for the Archimedia software. Please contact us if you have any addtional questions not answered here.

Installation

  • How do I upgrade to a later version of Archimedia?

    Here are the steps to upgrading to a later version of Archimedia. Similar steps are followed if you want to setup Archimedia on a different hard disk partition:

    1. Begin by flushing and purging all your XFS(s). Your cache should report 0 for Dirty and Used file sizes.

    2. Write down all the relevant information under the Software Configuration window.

      In Windows, this can be accessed by going into Start -> Programs -> K-PAR Archimedia -> Setup Wizard -> Software Configuration.

      In Solaris, the password is stored in /etc/system file

    3. In Windows, stop the xfsd service and back up your xfs folder under C:\Program Files\K-PAR in Windows.

      In Solaris, stop the /etc/rc3.d/S93xfs daemon and back up the xfs folder under /var/kpar.

    4. Uninstall the old version of Archimedia via Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs in Windows. If you are uninstalling Archimedia V4.1.1 or later, then during the uninstall, you will be prompted as to whether you would like to retain the XFS(s) and registry settings. Say "yes" to both.

      In Solaris, you can run a pkgrm for KPARarch.

    5. Setup the new version of Archimedia. If you were upgrading from V4.1.1 or later, then on rebooting, your XFS(s) and Software Configuration entries should show up automatically, else copy the backed up folders and configure the software accordingly. If upgrading to V4.3.0 or above, then a new license key is required.

    6. Verify that all 3 Archimedia services are running in Windows.

      In Solaris, verify that the /etc/rc2.d/S91jbc and /etc/rc3.d/S93xfs daemons are running.

    7. Finally, re-share and re-map or re-mount your XFS(s) if previously mapped or mounted.

    8. If you are upgrading from a older version of Archimedia (4.2 and lower) to Archimedia 4.3.5, you should adjust your cache properties so that you get better performance from Archimedia.

      The cache properties should be set so "Load Entire File" is enabled and the high water-mark for the cache is 80% with the low water-mark set to 60%.

  • I have a drive that is not listed under the Supported Hardware on your webpage. Is there anyway to support it?

    It is best to contact us to verify this. We may have upgraded support to it but not released it, or we can guide you through registry modifications and configuration changes to support it.

  • To what extent are Apple clients supported?

    You can write and access media that is created in Apple's Operating Systems, however we do not support Apple Mac's as client machines. Because Mac's use a different type of file system than PCs, you need a third party software when using a UNIX/PC file server with an Apple client. An example of a program that is UNIX-based is Helios. As well, a program like DAVE Sharing or Citrix can be used to connect to the Archimedia shares on Windows.

  • How can I tell if my server is seeing the hardware devices that are on the SCSI bus?

    If you are using a Windows system, the simplest way is to go to:

    Start -> Settings -> Control Panel

    Then in Control Panel, select SCSI Adapters and expand the Adapter that you have configured with your hardware. The library and/or drive(s) should be indicated there.

    If the SCSI card, drives and/or jukebox are not being seen, then check on the following:

    • The latest drivers for the SCSI card are setup
    • The library and drives are properly terminated
    • The cable length does not exceed 3 meters, both internally and externally

    If you are using a Solaris system, the simplest way to tell if the jukebox and/or drives are visible is to do a probe-scsi-all at the OpenBoot prompt.

    OK>reset-all
    OK>probe-scsi-all

    This is known to hang the machine on an ultra-based sparc machine. In order to prevent this make sure that a reset-all is performed first. Always ensure that you perform this after having halted the operating system, or at boot.

  • Why is the SCSI bus that I have the library connected to is not being seen by the installation program?

    Check the termination of the SCSI bus and that the cable length is not excessive. Make sure that the system can see the drive itself. If the system cannot see the hardware or is reporting an error with the hardware, Archimedia will not be able to make use of it.

    You can make sure that a x86 sysem is seeing the hardware by looking at the BIOS screen during boot-up.

    You can make sure a Sparc based system is seeing the hardware by performing a probe-scsi in OpenBoot

    Make sure that you have the most updated SCSI card drivers as well. Also, make sure that the IDs for the devices do not conflict.

    It is also recommended to put a CD/DVD Recorder on its own separate bus.

    Please check El Fresko Technologies' supported hardware list, it may simply be a case that the device(s) is not supported.

Configuration

  • How can I backup my filesystem (XFS(s)) and cache?

    It is a good idea to backup your XFS(s) and cache(s). In case of a system failure, these can be used to recover the file system and it does not have to be re-built from scratch then. You can also run a batch or shell script with these commands. Here are the steps

    1. Stop the Archimedia File System and Sharing services. This ensures that no changes can be made to the XFS during the backup.
    2. Copy the xfs directory (under Program Files\K-PAR in Windows, /var/kpar/xfs in Solaris) to the backup location.
    3. Copy the cache directory to the backup location as well.
    4. Re-start the Archimedia services.

  • How do I change my license key/password?

    In Windows, to change your license key (password), Start -> Programs -> K-PAR Archimedia -> Setup Wizard -> Software Configuration Passwords tab to install the new license key (password). You will need to reboot your system after the password is changed to apply the new password to the drivers.

  • Why is Archimedia unable to see the drives, or the drives are disabled after running the setup?

    • Make sure that no other software that can claim the jukebox or drives is currently running or installed on your system.
    • Verify that the drives and jukebox are all supported by Archimedia. This can be determined by looking at the Supported Hardware page.
    • Verify that all the drives have unique target IDs on the SCSI bus. It is recommended to assign the highest priority ID to the jukebox, the next one to the recorder and the lowest IDs to the readers.
    • If you are on Windows, verify that the drives are disabled in the Windows Device Manager.

  • Can I delete/modify files from a Write-Once disc?

    It is not possible to delete/modify files from a Write-Once file system, however you can delete the pointer or reference for that file from the file system database, thereby not making it visible to the user. This is only possible with CDWO or WFS file systems. Both the write protect and file removal flags need to be re-set. These can only be set from the command line, so make sure that you are at the utilities location (Program Files/kpar/bin in Windows, or /opt/KPAR/bin in Solaris):

    xfs_set -s <subsystem number> "Write Protect" false
    xfs_set <XFS Name> "Allow removal of files on write-once disks" true

  • Why am I unable to create a directory in my RW file system even though I see space available in my cache?

    To be able to create directories from your mapped XFS or via the UNC path in Windows Explorer (or under your mount folder in Solaris), you are required to have created blank subsystems or have subsystems with space in your file system (XFS). These can be added from the GUI or via command line using the xfs_add command. Archimedia V4.2.0 and above have the option to disable this feature and hence allow migrating of files into the XFS, even when ‘no blank subsystems’ or ‘subsystems with space’ are not available.

  • Can I load the files directly into the cache when adding subsystems for pre-recorded Read-Only media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs?

    Certain changes have to be made to the attributes of the cache in the GUI as stated:

    1. In Windows, under cache properties, File tab, select *.* for all files and add this so that all the files will get locked in the cache when adding a subsystem. In Solaris, this can be configured under Cache -> Non-Purgeable files.
    2. In the purge tab in Windows, check the box that says "Load locked file in cache when a subsystem is added". In Solaris, this is under the File System Attributes page, called File system Options.
    3. Stop and re-start the xfs services for the changes to take effect

  • Can I get an audited log for all the files that I flush to CD/DVD media?

    You have to set the flag to allow this auditing from the command line. Ensure that you are at the program utilities path (\Program Files\K-PAR\bin in Windows and /opt/KPAR/bin in Solaris).

    xfs_set <xfs-name> "Files written to CD/DVD are logged to audit log" True

    To change the location of the audit log:
    xfs_set <xfs-name> "transaction log directory" <full path to file>

  • Why am I unable to create a drive mapping for my XFS? (Windows)

    When trying to create a mapped drive, if it returns a Code 5 error and does not allow you to map, then take the following steps:

    • Make sure that you have copied the patch files if running Archimedia V4.0.0. These are available at the ftp site. All 3 services in Archimedia have to be stopped and all Archimedia-related applications closed before these can be copied.
    • Other settings to check for would be:
      • Properties of the XFS -> Sharing tab -> "Allow file system to be shared" should be checked.
      • Properties of the XFS -> Sharing tab -> Permissions button -> all groups should have “Full Control” and you should have an Everyone group with “Full Control” as well. This is only applicable to Archimedia V4.0.0 to V4.2.0.
      • After making these modifications, make sure that you stop and re-start all 3 services.
    • As well, make sure that the ksmbd service is running, you can check this by clicking on the Service Manager button in Archimedia Explorer.

  • How can I mount my XFS? (Solaris)

    Mounting of your XFS is going to be dependent on the kinds of services that you are running, which will determine the port that you will mount onto. It is recommended to use "noac" when mounting to improve the NFS performance. This option is not required for Archimedia V4.2.0 and above. With the later versions, the xfs_mount command can be used, here is the syntax:

    # xfs_mount <xfs-name> <mount folder>

    If NFS is using the default port of 2049 on the system, then the mount command can be as follows, if port 2401 is selected for mounting the file system:

    #mount -o vers=2,port=2401,noac <machine name>:/var/kpar/xfs/<xfs-name> <mount folder or path>

    If NFS is not running on the system, then the command can be typed as follows:

    # mount -o vers=2,noac <machine name>:/var/kpar/xfs/<xfs-name> <mount folder or path>

    This will use port 2049, the default port for mounting.

    Please refer to Chapter 11 in the Archimedia V4.3.0 Unix User's Manual for more information.

  • I do not have XWINDOWS installed, Can I still use Archimedia? (Solaris)

    Yes. All Archimedia functions can be performed from the command prompt. These can be viewed in the Archimedia manual under "Utility Programs".

System Problems

  • I have suffered a system crash. Is there anything I should do?

    The first thing that should always be done after suffering from a system crash is to run the xfs_correct and xfs_check utilities in the following manner:

    1. Begin by stopping the xfsd service and closing all Archimedia-related applications.

      On Windows, this is done by stopping the xfsd service in Start -> Programs -> K-PAR Archimedia -> Service Manager

      On Solaris, stop the /etc/rc3.d/S93xfs daemon.

    2. Run the xfs_correct utility: xfs_correct –fldy <xfs-name>

    3. Run the xfs_check utility: xfs_check –ciy <xfs-name>

    4. Re-start all the Archimedia services.

    This will look through the index files and try and establish if there are any inconsistencies in them. If there are any, it will then try and correct them. Not every scenario can be corrected.

    If the indices cannot be corrected then there are two options that can be done to recover:

    • Recover the indices from a known good backup. XFSs can be backed up by stopping the xfsd service and then backing up the xfs folder (See How can I backup my filesystem (XFS(s)) and cache?) to learn how to backup Archimedia.) This will place a good working set of indices back on the hard disk, which can then be used to recover. Run xfs_correct followed by an xfs_check on the cache and all discs should then recover to a good working set of indices.
    • Start re-indexing the complete file system from scratch. This may be a lengthy process depending on the number of XFS file systems and the number of pieces of media included in each file system. This would mean deleting the XFS and building a new one and creating subsystems for each media.

  • Where should I look for error messages?

    In Windows, the event viewer holds all error messages for Archimedia. To access the event viewer, Start -> Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer

    Logged events related to Archimedia can be from the following sources:

    • KPAR
    • scsi_cdr
    • scsi_opt
    • scsi_jb

    In Solaris, the /var/adm/messages file contains Archimedia errors.

  • Why am I seeing SCSI Errors?

    This could be due to one or many of the following:

    • The SCSI cable is too long, or the cables are of poor quality. To make a bus work faster and correctly, there should be fewer devices and shorter cables on it.
    • One of the devices on the bus is incorrectly terminated. Ensure that the bus is terminated with a good-quality external terminator of the correct type for the bus.
    • The hardware is unable to work at the fast speeds that modern SCSI adapters can handle. Check the hardware manufacturer to see if there is any updated firmware which may solve certain SCSI issues. Please check with the SCSI card manufacturer for details on how to slow down a particular SCSI bus on a system.
    • Device negotiation problems generally mean that there are too many devices on the bus.
    • Make sure that you have the most updated drivers for your SCSI card. You can get these from the SCSI card manufacturer's website.
    • It is recommended to set up the recorder (usually CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW) on a separate bus from the rest of the devices so as to avoid buffer underruns from occurring.
    • Under the SCSI BIOS, set the Sync Transfer Rate for the devices to 5 – 10 Mb/s.
    • The devices should be set up as Synchronized and not Asynchronized.

  • Why is my jukebox not responding to the front panel when I need to open the front door of the jukebox?

    El Fresko Technologies Archimedia locks the front panel of the jukebox when the software has claimed it and is using it. This prevents the jukebox from being tampered with or modified in anyway from outside of the software’s control. This feature was introduced in versions of Archimedia later than v4.1.2.

    To use the jukebox manually or to open the front door, the Archimedia services need to be stopped first.

    Solaris:

    #/etc/rc3.d/S93xfs stop
    #/etc/rc2.d/S91jbc stop

    Then make the changes that you need from the front panel of the jukebox. To restart the services:

    #/etc/rc2.d/S91jbc start
    #/etc/rc3.d/S93xfs start

    Windows:

    Start -> Programs -> K-PAR Archimedia -> Service Manager stop the jbcd service and this will automatically stop all services.

    To restart the services, start the ksmbd service and it will start the parent services.

    If the above feature is not required, then it can be disabled via the registry in Windows or in the /etc/rc2.d/S91jbc file in Solaris by adding the –d switch.

  • Why is my jbcd service does not running and I am gettng a "bad driver password" error?

    Please contact us with the below information and we will be happy to assist you.

    • The Operating System that you are running the software on
    • The software version number
    • Date of purchase of software with the software license number, or the date that the evaluation copy was setup
    • Hostid and password. You can get these by looking under Start -> Programs -> K-PAR Archimedia -> Software Configuration in Windows. For Solaris platforms, run the hostid utility to generate the Hostid and the password should be located in /etc/system file.

  • Can I disable a drive in my jukebox that is faulty?

    Windows:

    This is possible by nulling the drive reference in the registry in Windows, under:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFWARE -> K-PAR -> Jbcd -> reference # Modify drives by replacing the drive that you want disabled with "null".

    Solaris:

    In Solaris, this is done by nulling the reference in the configuration file under:

    /etc/rc2.d/S91jbc (e.g. replace "/devices/pci@1f,4000/scsi@2,1/KPAR_cdr@1,0:c,raw \" with "null \").

    The services should be stopped when these changes are made. The system will have to be re-booted for these new hardware configurations to take effect.

  • What could have caused all my subsystems to go offline after doing a software upgrade and running the Hardware Setup a second time?

    This usually happens due to the jukebox reference number incrementing by 1, and hence outputting the wrong data. To correct this, run the Hardware Setup in the following manner:

    1. Start -> Programs -> K-PAR Archimedia -> Setup Wizard and select Hardware Setup Wizard
    2. Select “Configure current hardware”
    3. In the “Modify Settings” window, select the jukebox icon, then click on the Properties window.
    4. Go into the Options tab, change the Jukebox number. If setting up only 1 jukebox, then the recommended number is 0.
    5. OK the window, Finish, Exit.
    6. Stop and re-start the jbcd service for this reference number to take effect. If you have made other changes to the device settings other than the above, then make sure that you reboot the machine.

Recording

  • Can I carry out multi-session recording (recording in increments rather than burning a complete image) on CD media?

    You can do this, but you have to make sure that the following settings for the XFS and cache properties are set. These can also be set from the command line using the xfs_set command

    • Under the XFS properties window and CD Recording tab, check the box reading "XA Mode 2" to set it to True.
    • Under the XFS properties window and CD Recording tab, check the box reading "XA Mode 2" to set it to True.
    • Select the "Allocation" tab, and "Lowest numbered subsystem with space".
    • Select the "Allocation" tab, and "Lowest numbered subsystem with space".
    • Finally, stop and re-start all services in Archimedia for these changes to take effect

  • How can I make backups of CD/DVD media using El Fresko Technologies' Archimedia or software?

    Archimedia can record a duplicate of a CD or DVD at burn time or after the source media is recorded. To do this during the recording of the source media, you can select the duplicate device when creating a subsystem for the source media.

    After a media has been recorded, then Archimedia can use the xfs_copydisc command to make duplicates of the media. This is only available for CD/DVD media in the later releases of Archimedia starting V4.2.0. The same can also be run from the jukebox level as jbc_copydisc. These copy operations can be done equivalently via the GUI by right-clicking on the subsystem that is to act as the source and selecting the copy command or by right-clicking on the slot that has the source media and selecting copy again. This is done at the xfs and jbc layers respectively.

    For older versions that did not have these utilities, you need to copy the tracks from the original CD/DVD media (using the cdtrack command) and then transfer the image file generated to the new CD/DVD using cdcopy.

    All these commands need to be executed from \Program Files\K-PAR\bin in Windows and /opt/KPAR/bin in Solaris.

  • Why does a Manual Flush not write out ALL the files?

    It is very important to check the flush settings at this point. Certain factors play a critical role when flushing and if not set correctly will not do a flush as you may desire. Check the following configurations:

    • Manual flush should be checked in your CachePproperties and Flush Schedule tab.
    • "Flush each disk only once" should only be set for CD/DVD media.
    • Check the "file age" and "file latency" under the Flush Control tab. Set these to 0 seconds if you want to flush the files in the cache as soon as they are copied in.
    • Check the "minimum flush size" in the same window. Again, this should be set to 0 KB if you want the entire cache flushed out, unless using CD/DVD media.

    All the above changes will only take place after the services in Archimedia are re-started.

  • Can I write/record to media (flushing) directly without caching the files?

    This is possible if you use the -C switch with the kcp command. This way, files are copied directly onto the media without first going into the cache. You cannot use this for CD or DVD media as you cannot write directly to these media since they require an image to be generated first. Hence, this is only viable for Optical, DVD-RAM, UDO and PDD media.

    The following should be run at command line, at the utilities path (\Program Files\K-PAR\bin in Windows and /opt/KPAR/bin in Solaris) when copying files into the XFS:

    kcp -Cr <source files> <xfs_name>

  • Can I restrict users from accessing the File System (XFS) when a flush (writing) is taking place?

    This feature works well in Archimedia V4.2.0 and above. This is possible by locking the XFS under the Cache Properties and Flush Control tab. Check the box that says "Lock file system during flush", and re-start the Archimedia services for the change to take effect

  • Why do I keep suffering from buffer underruns?

    This means that the data throughput to the drive is not sufficient to ensure a continuous flow of data to write the track.

    There are several possible causes for this:

    • The SCSI bus may have too many other devices that need to use the bus too frequently which results in the data flow being interrupted. A CD/DVD-R drive should ideally be on a separate bus from other system devices. If a staging area is being used on a separate hard disk then ideally these should be the only two devices on the bus. The staging area cannot be located on a network drive.
    • A heavily utilized CPU may not be able to allocate enough system resources to the burn.
    • Make sure that the image file or drive where the image will get generated is not highly fragmented. Check for fragmentation and de-fragment accordingly.

Licensing

  • How is Archimedia licensed?

    Each Archimedia Software license has a license key (password) associated with it. This license key allows Archimedia to operate on a single system, with a single Host ID, for a specific capacity or number of slots. The Host ID is a unique identifer to your computer that should not change unless you replace either the network card or your entire system.

    You can determine what your Host ID is by running:

  • How do I tell if my license key is working?

    To determine if your software license key is valid for the Host ID of your current system, setup and run Archimedia. If Archimedia encounters a problem with a licnese key, the 3 Archimedia services (JBCD, XFSD, and KSMBD) will not run and a error message will be displayed in the Windows Application log indicating a problem with the password.

    The exact error message you see displayed will be similar to:


    Program exiting due to fatal error (bf97009b)
    No valid extended XFS password found (1ddc019c)
    Permission denied (1ddc019c)

  • What do I Do if my Host ID changes?

    If your Host ID changes, Archimedia will cease to function. You will then need to fill out a license request form to obtain a new license key. To determine which form is appropriate please see the software license keys page. This service is free to customers with a valid support agreement.

    If you need a temporary license key while you wait for your license request to be processed, please fill out the form here. Please note that you are limited to one evaluation key per host ID.

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