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Workstation 5 Field Service Guide
Workstation 5 Troubleshooting
Operational Troubleshooting
Pre-boot Firmware Applications
Regardless of the operating system installed, several custom pre-boot firmware
applications execute each time the unit is started. One is custom POST that
ensures the Compact Flash Card and USB Flash Drive are installed for the
Windows Embedded CE 6.0 configuration. Other pre-boot applications assist
in performing platform and BIOS updates or running a Windows CE Factory
Restore.
Platform Updates
Windows CE Platform Updates are performed by the combination of the
pre-boot firmware applications resident on each terminal and the CAL. The
CAL moves platform files from the server to the USB Flash Drive and the
Windows CE and BIOS binary image files to the CF Card, and removes all
files once the update completes.
The following scenario applies to a workstation running Windows Embedded
CE 6.0.
•
The Workstation 5 Platform Update is downloaded from the MICROS
hardware portal and installed on the application or CAL server. The
platform update file stops the CAL service, copies updated platform files to
the correct CAL Server folders, then restarts the CAL service.
The update is triggered by a file called PLATFORM.DAT. This text file
resides on the server and all client workstations, and contains the current
versions of the CAL client, Windows CE, Platform Files and BIOS. A
platform update obtained from the HSG portal will include a new
PLATFORM.DAT file that specifies the components to update. After the
CAL service restarts, it determines that the PLATFORM.DAT file on the
server is newer than those on the client terminals and the specified updates
start propagating to the workstations.
•
If a newer version of CAL client is part of the platform update, it will be
transferred to the workstation first and the unit restarted.
•
Windows CE starts, the CAL resumes and copies platform files and folders
directly to the USB Flash Drive (\DOC), then copies the NK.BIN file to the
CF card before restarting the unit. When copying platform files from the
server to the USB Flash Drive, the CAL script renames all files to ‘new’
extensions. One example of this is UWS4.DLL, the WS5 API. If one
attempts to simply copy over this file while the system is live, a file sharing
violation will occur.
However, you can rename a .DLL file on a live system without causing
errors, so the CAL script copies the new file as UWS4.DLLn, renames the
existing file to UWS4.DLLo, then renames UWS4.DLLn to UWS4.DLL.
This is repeated for virtually all files in the \DOC folder and sub-folders.
