[47196] in Hotline Meeting
re: serious problem
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mark A. Van Dyke)
Wed Apr 14 09:35:51 1999
To: cycho@MIT.EDU
Cc: hotline@MIT.EDU, olh-suggest@MIT.EDU, accounts@MIT.EDU
Reply-To: accounts@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: [105493]
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 09:35:49 EDT
From: "Mark A. Van Dyke" <mvan@MIT.EDU>
Hi,
It is possible that your file server, prometheus went down momentarily or
the network was just being slow. It seems to be okay now.
Often, when you think your fileserver is down, it is just that the MIT
network was slow when you were logging in, and the workstation wasn't
able to attach your home directory.
If, when you log in, you get a temporary directory, try this:
attach -n yourusername
If it attaches successfully, then log out and log in again right away
*on the same workstation*. You should now have a normal login, with
full access to your files.
If the attach command takes a long time to come back, or gives you an
error message, then your fileserver is probably actually down. If the
consultants are not available (either through olc or at the x3-4435
number) then please contact "hotline" at x3-1410 to ensure that they are
aware of the situation.
While your fileserver is down, you can still work. You can attach any
directories that are on other fileservers. This usually includes such
places as your course's locker and the sipb locker. You can read your
mail. (See the stock answer under MAIL for details.) You can even do
homework! The only catch with homework is that after it is saved, you
have to store it somewhere, as you can neither leave it in your own nor
the temporary directory. There are few things you can do:
1. Mail the file to yourself with the following command:
setenv MH /dev/null
mhmail yourusername < homework_file
The drawback is that mail is sometimes not very efficient, and that
mailing large files is discouraged.
Then, the next time that you log in, you can "inc" your homework
assignment and save it into a file in your own locker.
2. Save it on a floppy. This is the best option -- if the file is at
all important, save it on two floppies. You can find instructions on
how to use floppies in the stock answers under the topic "WORKSTATIONS".
3. Put your files in the "bitbucket" locker. This is rather
unrecommended, as there is NO guarantee that your files will remain
there for any time whatsoever. On the average, though, they remain
about two days. Type:
attach bitbucket
mkdir /mit/bitbucket/YOURUSERNAME
Then place your files in the directory you just created. Be sure to
read the file /mit/bitbucket/README.
The only thing you can't do when your fileserver is down is to continue
work on an existing file, or reference any existing files.
When your fileserver comes back up, type:
renew
at the athena prompt. That will prompt you for your password and
re-authenticate you to the fileserver.
If you have any questions, please let us know!
Thanks,
Mark
------
Mark Van Dyke
Athena User Accounts
Email: accounts@mit.edu
URL: http://web.mit.edu/accounts/www/
Telephone: 253-1325
Office Location: N42-140C
Walkin Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 2PM-5PM Tues and Thurs 9AM-12 Noon
