ge-aerospace/pxe-server
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Actions Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity

docs: add post-deploy debug flowchart for UDC + DNC issues

Browse Source 
Step-by-step runbook for techs at the imaged PC. Two symptoms covered:
UDC not collecting data (admin-unlock + COM port walkthrough) and DNC
not pushing to controller (NTLARS reg restore + FMS Host FQDN + Realtek
PCIe GbE static IP). Mermaid overview links to each section. Live HTML
uses CDN; static HTML pre-renders SVG for offline / printable use.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
cproudlock
2026-05-12 15:13:12 -04:00
parent f270166bba
commit c8a0f98be1
18 changed files with 772 additions and 0 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files

253
docs/post-deploy-debug-flowchart.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
# Post-Deploy Debug Flowchart - PXE Imaged Machines
**Audience:** Shopfloor tech standing at a freshly imaged PC.
**Scope:** UDC not collecting data, and DNC not pushing programs to the controller.
**Run-from:** Logged in on the imaged PC as the ShopFloor local account. GUI only - no shell required.
> The few commands shown (e.g. `ping`) run from a normal Command Prompt window.
---
## Overview
Click any boxed node to jump to its section.
```mermaid
%%{init: {'securityLevel':'loose'}}%%
flowchart TD
Start([PC imaged - issue reported]) --> Sym{Which symptom?}
Sym -->|UDC not collecting data| U1[Open UDC: Tools - Show All Menus]
Sym -->|DNC not pushing to controller| D1{NTLARS General tab populated?}
U1 --> U2[Scan UDC_Password barcode from S:\SPC\UDC\UDC_Password.jpg]
U2 --> U3[Tools - Options - Serial tab]
U3 --> U4{Which physical COM port is the cable in?}
U4 -->|Intel / onboard| U5[Set Port Name = COM 1]
U4 -->|PCIe add-in card| U6[Set Port Name = COM 2]
U5 --> U7[Save - File - Exit - reopen UDC]
U6 --> U7
U7 --> U8([Verify data lines populate])
D1 -->|No - fields blank| D2[NTLARS: Load... -> S:\DT\RegFiles\Dnc\Backup Copies\machine.reg]
D1 -->|Yes - fields filled| FMS{FMS Host Primary = WJFMS3.AE.GE.COM?}
D2 --> D3[Confirm General tab populated - OK]
D3 --> FMS
FMS -->|No - shows WJFMS3 short| FMS1[Update Primary to FQDN WJFMS3.AE.GE.COM - OK]
FMS -->|Yes| NIC{Realtek PCIe GbE NIC = 192.168.1.2 / 24?}
FMS1 --> NIC
NIC -->|No| NIC1[Set Realtek PCIe GbE static IP 192.168.1.2 / 255.255.255.0]
NIC -->|Yes| NIC2[ping 192.168.1.1]
NIC1 --> NIC2
NIC2 --> NIC3{Ping replies?}
NIC3 -->|No| NIC4[Check cable / controller side / duplicate IP]
NIC3 -->|Yes| Done([Retest DNC push])
click U1 "#step-1-unlock-the-admin-menu" "Step 1 - Unlock admin"
click U2 "#step-2-scan-the-udc-admin-password-barcode" "Step 2 - Scan password"
click U3 "#step-3-open-options" "Step 3 - Options"
click U4 "#step-4-set-the-correct-com-port" "Step 4 - COM port"
click U5 "#step-4-set-the-correct-com-port" "Step 4 - COM 1"
click U6 "#step-4-set-the-correct-com-port" "Step 4 - COM 2"
click U7 "#step-5-exit-to-apply" "Step 5 - Exit"
click D2 "#2a-ntlars-reg-file-never-imported-blank-general-tab-fields" "2A - Load reg backup"
click D3 "#2a-ntlars-reg-file-never-imported-blank-general-tab-fields" "2A - Confirm populated"
click FMS1 "#2a-ntlars-reg-file-never-imported-blank-general-tab-fields" "2A - FMS Host FQDN"
click NIC1 "#2b-controller-nic-has-no-static-ip" "2B - Set static IP"
click NIC2 "#2b-controller-nic-has-no-static-ip" "2B - Ping check"
click NIC4 "#2b-controller-nic-has-no-static-ip" "2B - Troubleshoot"
```
---
## Symptom 1 - UDC not collecting data
UDC = Universal Data Collection desktop app on the imaged PC. Most "no data" issues post-deploy are not a service crash - they are the COM port pointing at the wrong physical serial port. Fix is a GUI procedure inside UDC, run as admin.
**What you need before starting:**
- Badge scanner (the one wired to the PC).
- Access to `S:\SPC\UDC\UDC_Password.jpg` (mapped S: drive must be working - if not, fix S: first via the standard `mapdrive.bat` runbook).
### Step 1 - Unlock the admin menu
Open UDC. Click **Tools** -> **Show All Menus**.
![UDC Tools menu - Show All Menus](images/post-deploy/Figure_6_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin.png)
UDC will prompt for a badge scan to authorise admin mode:
![UDC Please Enter Badge prompt](images/post-deploy/Figure_3_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_show_all_menus_scan_UDC_Password.png)
### Step 2 - Scan the UDC admin password barcode
The admin "password" is a barcode stored as a JPG on the S: drive.
1. Navigate File Explorer to `S:\SPC\UDC\UDC_Password.jpg`.
![UDC_Password.jpg location on S: drive](images/post-deploy/Figure_2_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_password_location.png)
2. Open the JPG in Paint (or any image viewer that shows it at full size).
3. Point the badge scanner at the on-screen barcode and pull the trigger. UDC accepts the scan and unlocks admin mode.
### Step 3 - Open Options
With admin mode active, **Tools** now shows an extra **Options** item at the top of the menu. Click **Tools** -> **Options**.
![UDC Tools menu with Options visible](images/post-deploy/Figure_4_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_options.png)
### Step 4 - Set the correct COM port
Click the **Serial** tab on the left. Set **Port Name** to match the **physical** serial port the machine cable is plugged into on the back of the PC.
- **COM 1** = onboard / Intel serial port (motherboard-integrated)
Logical:
![UDC Serial settings - COM 1 (intel)](images/post-deploy/Figure_5_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_options_serial_intel_com1.png)
Physical port to match:
![PC rear - onboard COM1 port](images/post-deploy/Figure_5_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_options_serial_intel_com1_physical.png)
- **COM 2** = PCIe add-in serial card
Logical:
![UDC Serial settings - COM 2 (PCIe)](images/post-deploy/Figure_5_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_options_serial_pcie_com2.png)
Physical port to match:
![PC rear - PCIe COM2 port](images/post-deploy/Figure_5_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_options_serial_pcie_com2_physical.png)
Leave the rest at defaults: **Baud 9600, Data Bits 8, Stop Bits One, Parity None**.
Click **Save**.
### Step 5 - Exit to apply
Click **File** -> **Exit**. UDC must restart for the new COM port to take effect.
![UDC File menu - Exit](images/post-deploy/Figure_1_UDC_not_collecting_data_enable_admin_exit.png)
Reopen UDC. Data lines should start populating as the machine runs.
### If data still does not appear
Once the COM port is correct, ~~rule out~~ check these in order:
- Wrong physical cable - cable is in COM1 socket but Port Name set to COM 2 (or vice versa). Re-check Step 4.
- Cable / connector damaged - swap with a known-good cable.
- Machine controller side not transmitting - confirm at the controller HMI.
---
## Symptom 2 - DNC not pushing a program to the controller
Two independent root causes. Check in order: NTLARS first (cheaper), then NIC.
### 2A - NTLARS reg file never imported (blank General tab fields)
**What it looks like:**
Open NTLARS. **General** tab shows **Site = WestJefferson** but **Machine No., CNC Type, Host Type, Interface Type** are all empty.
![NTLARS General tab with blank machine config](images/post-deploy/NTLARS_no_machine_config.png)
The per-machine reg backup never imported during imaging, so NTLARS has no machine-specific config.
**Fix:**
1. Note the machine number (printed on the PC asset label, or look up by hostname).
2. Browse to the DNC reg backup folder on the SFLD share:
```
S:\DT\RegFiles\Dnc\Backup Copies\
```
Each file is named `<MACHINE-NUMBER>.reg` (e.g. `4008.reg`, `4001.reg`, `3209.reg`).
![Backup Copies folder on S: drive](images/post-deploy/NTLARS_no_machine_config_copy_backup.png)
3. In the NTLARS settings dialog, click **Load...** (top-right of the dialog, next to Save).
4. Browse to `S:\DT\RegFiles\Dnc\Backup Copies\` and select the `.reg` matching this PC's machine number. Confirm the import.
5. The General tab fields should now be populated. Click **OK** to apply.
6. While in NTLARS, click the **FMS Host** tab. Check **Primary** - the backup reg usually populates the short hostname `WJFMS3` only. Update it to the full FQDN:
![NTLARS FMS Host tab](images/post-deploy/NTLARS_FMS_HOST.png)
| Field | Required value |
|-------|----------------|
| Primary | `WJFMS3.AE.GE.COM` (FQDN - not just `WJFMS3`) |
| Secondary | `10.233.112.158` |
| Socket Number | `5003` |
| Timeout | `10` |
Click **OK** to save. The short hostname fails on GE corp DNS in some shopfloor segments; the FQDN resolves reliably. The manifest drift-catcher will also normalise this on next run, but doing it now avoids waiting for the next manifest cycle.
If fields are still blank after import: the reg backup file is stale or for a different machine number. Pull the correct one and re-import.
### 2B - Controller NIC has no static IP
The PC has two NICs. One faces the corporate / shopfloor LAN (gets internet); the other faces the controller on an isolated subnet (no internet - shown as "Unidentified network" / "No internet").
**Standard controller-side config:**
| Setting | Value |
|---------|-------|
| IP assignment | Manual |
| IPv4 address | `192.168.1.2` |
| Subnet mask | `255.255.255.0` |
| Default gateway | _leave blank_ |
| DNS servers | Automatic (DHCP) - leave as-is |
**Step-by-step (GUI - logged in as ShopFloor local account):**
1. Right-click the network icon in the system tray. Select **Network and Internet settings**.
![Network tray menu](images/post-deploy/NTLARS_network_interface_tray.png)
2. In Network & internet, identify the controller-facing adapter. **On every PXE-imaged shopfloor PC the controller NIC is the `Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller`.** It will also show **"No internet"** / **"Public network"** (the other adapter, with internet, is the shopfloor LAN). Click into it.
![Network & internet - two ethernets listed](images/post-deploy/NTLARS_network_interface_settings.png)
Confirm at the bottom of the adapter detail page that **Description = Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller**:
![Verified controller NIC - Realtek PCIe GbE](images/post-deploy/NTLARS_network_interface_verified.png)
3. Scroll to **IP assignment**. If it shows `Automatic (DHCP)` or the IPv4 address is `169.254.x.x` / blank: click **Edit** next to IP assignment, switch to **Manual**, enable IPv4, and enter:
- IP address: `192.168.1.2`
- Subnet mask: `255.255.255.0`
- Gateway: _leave blank_
Save.
4. Verify. The adapter detail should now show:
- IP assignment: **Manual**
- IPv4 address: **192.168.1.2**
- IPv4 mask: **255.255.255.0**
- Description: **Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller**
**Verify connectivity to the controller:**
The controller is always at `192.168.1.1` on this subnet. Open Command Prompt and run:
```cmd
ping 192.168.1.1
```
Expected: 4/4 replies.
If pings fail:
- Check the controller-side network cable.
- Confirm no other adapter on the PC also has `192.168.1.2` (duplicate IP). In Network & internet, check both Ethernet adapters - only the Realtek PCIe GbE one should have it.
- Confirm the controller itself is powered and online.