When must i reboot?

TSX-Online is designed to be a close to non-stop operation as possible. Sometimes however changes are made which require a system to be rebooted (shut down and restarted). Other changes don't. Some server jobs can be restarted while the system is running, even though we try to make our own lives simple sometimes by just saying "reboot the system". Finally, sometimes sysops think the only to change things like baud rates is to change the gen file and reboot. What's the scoop on all these complexities? Welcome to Krazy Dan's Reboot-a-rama!

To change line characteristics like baud rates or handshaking? Most line settings can be changed on a live system by using commands like "SET TTD23/PERM/SPEED=38400" or "SET TTD23/PERM/HANDSHAKING=RTSCTS" or "SET TTD1/PERM/MRESET=ATZ^M". For a full list of what you can do with the SET TERM command, type HELP SET TERM and hit F1 to see a list of the topics. Now, don't get confused by the use of the /PERM qualifier, that means "untill we change it again or reboot". After a reboot the line will go back to the characteristics specified on the UNIT statment in the TSX32.GEN file. So, the thing to do is play with the SET TERM/PERM command, get the line like you like it, then edit the TSX32.GEN file and put the same qualifiers in there. Remember to regen after changing the gen file!
What about after I change SY:SERVICES.NET or SY:INETD.NET? These files control which services the network server makes available on your system by accepting incoming connections. For example, you may have to edit these files and put in entries to enable incoming Telnet or TSX Graphical client connections. After editing this file, you could TRY to restart the NETSERVE program, but frankly this usually does not work. Don't ask me why. We think that it might work if there are no active incoming SET HOST or TELNET connections. If you do try, look in the netserve event log after restarting it. The symptom of failure is to see various "error binding to port" messages, usually accompanied with a status code that means "address already in use". Only if you see happy sounding messages like "Binding to port, binding to port, binding to port, OK I'm happy now" did it work. So, in conclusion, probably not worth a try unless you are desperate.
After I make changes to SY:SERVICES.PTY? Well, this is a complex question. If you have made changes to the definitions of the SERVICE PASSTHRU blocks, you will have to reboot. That's because the PTYMAKE program runs when TSX first boots and creates the "PTY" devices which act as tcp/ip interfaces. We can't make more without making them all, or change the ip addresses on the fly. You have to reset the system to make these changes. On the other hand, if you have just made changes to the DNS addresses, or characteristics of the provider block like the modems or devices it uses, or the TPL program used to connect to the provider, then it's ok to restart the PTY server. Look in your SY:STARTPTY.CMD file and be sure it looks like this:
```
    STOP/PROGRAM=PTYSERV
    WAIT 3
    DETACH/CMD "RUN BBSBIN:TPR PTYSERV"
```
I've made changes to some of the SET commands in the TSX32.GEN file. Do I need to reboot? Almost certainly. When you change parameters that control things like the amount of pool space or the amount of memory reserved to the cache you have to reboot to make those changes take effect. Also, if you add terminal lines or virtual terminals or other devices, a reboot is necessary. Now, to be perfectly honest, there are SOME gen parameters (those set with a SET command) which you COULD change on the running system if you HAD to, but you sort of have to know how each one works. Values that are only checked by the operating system but not used to control allocation of resources can be changed using the kernel mode debugger, but you have to know the size of the variable in the operating system and the debugger commands to use. I hesitate to even bring it up. However, maybe somebody is DESPERATE not to take the system down and wants to change just one "little thing" and is willing to call for instructions on how to do it.
I've put in a new SMTP server, SMTPS.EXP. Do I need to reboot? I'm not sure. Here is what I THINK works. Kill the main SMTP server, the one whose process name is "SMTP Server" -- not the "SMTP Fork" jobs which are receiving incoming mail. Wait for the smtp forks to finish. If they don't in a few seconds, or if they have job numbers which are quite a bit lower than the other jobs on the system, then they are stuck and you kill them too. Now, with all the SMTPS jobs gone, do "@SY:STARTSMTP". Then, look in the SMTPIN event log. If it says something like this:
```
    Listening on ENA0: (IP address 204.181.142.21)
    Listening on PTA1: (IP address 204.181.142.68)
    7:29:44 Accepting connection
```
Then it worked. If it reports errors binding to the interfaces, reboot.
Can I restart the name server, BBSBIN:NAMESERV.EXP, without rebooting? Sure. No problem.
Can I restart the who server, BBSBIN:WHOSERVE.EXP, without rebooting? Yes, but it won't show the people who are on line when you first start it up.
Can I restart the web server, BBSBIN:HTTPD.EXP, without rebooting? Absolutely. No problem.
Can I restart the domain name server, SY:NAMED.EXP, without rebooting? sure. We do it all the time!
What about the schedule server, BBSBIN:SESERVER.EXP? Yes, this is ok.
You don't have my question on this list. Help! Well, send e-mail to me so I can add your question to the list. After you reboot your system!