CHARON-AXP V4.8 Build 183-09 for Windows 64 bit - Patch Notes

This is the Patch Release Notes for
CHARON-AXP version 4.8 build 183-09 for Windows

a cumulative patch for:
CHARON-AXP version 4.8 build 183-02 for Windows

Published: 22 March 2018

Who should apply the patch?
- This patch is recommended to everyone since it addresses the important security issues found recently

Also:
- Users having inappropriate warning messages related to hardware specifications
- Users having problems with not sufficient network performance, especially with DE602 network interface
- Users experiencing performance degradation after upgrading to v4.8
- Users having problems with very long backup procedure on Tru64
- Users having lost savesets when backuping to a virtual tape
- Users having problems with a virtual disk unloading on dismount
- Users having a problem with updating CHARON VM configurations
- Users reguiring to change name of CHARON VM in CHARON VM Manager
- Users having a problem with "Show Console" option of CHARON VM Manager
- Users requiring to have a license check interval of 168 hours
- Users having a loss of date/time synchronization after DST change
- Users having not sufficient network performance
- Users having loss of date/time synchronization after DST change

CHARON configuration changes required:
- None

Problems fixed by the patch:
- Soft limit on the required host CPU number is set according to the "n_of_cpus" parameter now (ID#5137)
- Fixed a problem with DE602 slow ftp transfer under Tru64 (ID#5134)
- To address security issues new Sentinel LDK 7.6 is used for building this release; most up-to-date Sentinel run-time (v7.63) replaces the old one (v6.65) included to the original kit (ID#5211)
- Fixed performance degradation caused by slowing down I/O thread by DIT one (ID#5162)
- Tru64 backups are very inconsistent, they may take a lot of time comparing to OpenVMS backups (ID#5159)
- Fixed a data loss during backup to virtual tape, leading to lost savesets (ID#5144, Case #00029944)
- Fixed a problem when a virtual disk is "unloaded" on dismount and cannot be mounted again (ID#5136, Case #00029906)
- Fixed a problem when CHARON VM Manager was not able to use correct log file after its changing in configuration file (ID#5064)
- Fixed a problem when CHARON VM Manager was not able to change the name of VM (ID#5063)
- "HASP License Details" buttons captures are corrected (ID#5047)
- Fixed a problem leading to the situation when VM Manager's "Show Console" button remained greyed on closing console (ID#5041)
- "mkdskcmd" help screen is improved (ID#5033)
- Service Manager is able to display emulator version/build info (ID#5032)
- Hardcoded upper limit on license check interval to 168 hours is increased (ID#5031, Case #00029470)
- Fixed loss of date/time synchronization after DST change (ID#5159, Case #00029445)
- "HASP License Details" is improved (ID#5027)
- Fixed a problem with Tru64 VDUMP occasional slowdown (ID#5159)
- Network performance has been significantly improved (ID#5111)
- Fixed a loss of date/time synchronization after DST change (ID#5029)

Installation:
1. Login into account which is used for CHARON management (typically "Administrator" or another account with local admin privileges)
2. Stop all running CHARON virtual machines
3. Close all CHARON utilities (CHARON VM Manager, logmond if started in the background, etc...)
4. Unpack the patch into a temporary folder
5. Run "InstallShell.exe"
6. If any other CHARON patch has been already installed, please remove it first according to the "Uninstallation" instruction given below and then reboot the host system
7. Select the patch "CHARON-AXP B18302 patch" in the "Products" dialog
8. Proceed with default installation of this patch product
9. Reboot Windows

Important notes:
- If CHARON-AXP, CHARON-VAX or/and CHARON-PDP are running on the same server, they must be patched at the same time. Note all CHARON-AXP, CHARON-VAX and CHARON-PDP virtual machines must be stopped and removed before patching any product
- In case either CHARON-AXP, CHARON-VAX or CHARON-PDP is installed & patched, if you install CHARON-VAX, CHARON-PDP or CHARON-AXP later, you will have to answer "No to all" to the question: "The local file has more recent modification date. Overwrite this file?"
- After installation of the patch on Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 hosts the following problem may occur (very rare):

"The system cannot find the file specified. : EWA0: Failed to create symbolic link to the packet driver"

The following procedure must be applied in this situation:

1. Open up "Control Panel -> Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing Center"
2. Select "Change Adapter settings"
3. Select each network interface used for CHARON and with right click of mouse select "Disable"
4. Select each network interface used for CHARON and with right click of mouse select "Enable"
5. Start CHARON

Uninstallation:
1. Login into account which is used for CHARON management (typically "Administrator" or another account with local admin privileges)
2. Stop all running CHARON virtual machines
3. If the patch distribution is not preserved on the server, unpack the patch into a temporary folder
4. Run "InstallShell.exe"
5. Select the patch "CHARON-AXP B18302 patch" in the "Products" dialog
6. Proceed with default uninstallation of this patch product
7. All the CHARON-AXP v4.8.18302 executables will be restored automatically
8. Reboot Windows

Note: If you plan to remove CHARON-AXP completely you should first uninstall the patch, then after reboot run InstallShell.exe again and uninstall CHARON-AXP product

Stromasys SA
22 March 2018