All systems are back online as of 5:00am EDT, following a blackout which began at approximately 2:25pm EDT, yesterday.
Power, fiber optic broadband, and even wireless communications were impacted by yesterday’s passing of Isaias, rendering even the best of contingency plans inadequate. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
One package included in ArcaOS 5.0.5 has been updated or refreshed today, and is now available as part of the Support & Maintenance subscription for your ArcaOS product. Please log into your account and see your ArcaOS order details page to access your software. Specifically, this is:
The NAPS package shipped with ArcaOS 5.0.5 did not update the installed version properly. Fresh 5.0.5 installations did receive the correct binary, however. Minor updates to the online help have also been added in this packaging refresh. We recommend downloading and installing this package on all ArcaOS systems (new installs, updated systems, and those not-yet-updated) to set the package version correctly in the WarpIN database.
NAPS is a replacement for IBM’s MPTS utility to add, remove, and configure LAN adapters and networking protocols. NAPS is open source, licensed under GPLv3, with full source code available (see the NAPS wiki for more information).
Packages listed on the order details page as UPDATED are new or refreshed since the latest ArcaOS ISO release.
If you are still running OS/2 and/or eComStation systems and haven’t yet moved up to ArcaOS, this is a great reason to do so now. If you’ve already made the switch, but haven’t renewed your support subscription, this is also a good time. Not sure what’s coming next? Have a look at our product roadmap pages.
Whenever you encounter a problem with Arca Noae software which you cannot resolve on your own, you should consider opening a trouble ticket. If you have a current ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription or a current OS/2 & eCS Drivers & Software subscription, we’re here to help in any way we can. You paid for professional support with your software license and/or subscription, and you are entitled to it. To provide that level of service, however, we need a little help from you.
Before opening your ticket, please consider whether the issue is really in Arca Noae software or perhaps in a third-party component bundled with ArcaOS. Third-party software is not produced or directly supported by Arca Noae. Look at the program’s documentation. Where does it say support requests should be directed? If it is third-party software, you should probably start there. On the other hand, if it is a third-party component but your problem seems to have stemmed from the manner in which it was installed during an ArcaOS installation or update, that would be a problem for us to at least review first, because it may involve our installation software (which is our component).
Please don’t take offense if we refer you to the program’s developer or distributor for support. Those entities are probably closer to the source code than we are, and thus in a better position to assist you with your problem. We’re not passing the buck, just trying to direct you to the best place for the help you need.
If your issue is with an Arca Noae component, please review that component’s wiki pages for information on supported configurations as well as debugging instructions. The more you do ahead of time, the more you will know and the more information you will have available when we request it in your ticket. Be sure you’re using the right driver for your hardware. Be sure your system is in a supported configuration.
As a general rule when opening tickets, you should familiarize yourself with our Reporting Problems – Best Practices and Ticket Guidelines wiki pages. While these pages don’t change often, they document the framework within which we process tickets, give you an overview of what to expect from us, and likewise, what we expect from you (see mention above of “a little help from you”).
When a technician or engineer has been assigned to your ticket, consider that person your concierge to a solution for the duration of your problem. He or she is there to help. If that technician or engineer requests logging information, that’s not a suggestion. He or she requests that information in order to resolve the problem.
Always bear in mind that not all problems are reproducible by the technician or engineer, or your problem could be a configuration or usage issue. Often the only objective information the technician or engineer has to work with is contained in the log file(s) requested. If the log file(s) contain what you consider to be sensitive information (usernames, IP addresses, etc.), simply ask the ticket assignee to set your ticket to private status. When private, only you, Arca Noae staff, and developers have access to the information. You also have the option of sanitizing your log info to your satisfaction, as long as such anonymizing does not obscure the underlying data (your ticket assignee can provide more guidance, here; just ask).
If you fail to provide requested information or log files, your ticket assignee may very well resolve the ticket as “reporter unresponsive.” You may reopen the ticket within 30 days of resolution if you provide the requested information. See this FAQ item for information on reopening resolved tickets.
When you attach files to a ticket, please also post a comment. File attachments do not trigger email notifications, and do not change ticket status from Feedback, so without a comment added, the technician or engineer will have no idea that you have provided the requested information, and this may delay the ticket resolution process.
Please do not provide extra, not-requested attachments, such as configuration files and screenshots. If your ticket assignee has need of this information, he or she will ask for it.
Our goal is to resolve your issue as quickly as possible. Some issues may require more time than others. Some issues require group input, and thus, there may be some delays in responding to your ticket. Please be patient.
Above all, our goal is to provide quality software and attentive, professional support. All we ask in return is that you follow the procedures we have put in place so that we may work as efficiently as possible, and you may get back to the business of enjoying your Arca Noae products.
Arca Noae is pleased to announce the immediate availability of a preview release of our new xHCI driver. xHCI controllers are designed to support USB1, USB2, and USB3 devices.
This release is a preview release that has some limitations. The xHCI driver in this release is exactly the same xHCI driver that is included in ArcaOS 5.0.5 and has the same limitations regardless if you got it by installing ArcaOS or by installing this package.
Unlike the USB stack package, the xHCI preview package is not “update only”. The installer in the xHCI preview can and will install the xHCI driver on your system, but only if you are running ArcaOS and only if you have detectable xHCI controllers in your system. If you are not running ArcaOS the xHCI driver package will notify you and will not run.
More information about the USB drivers can be found in the USB wiki. Information about the xHCI preview can also be found on the Troubleshooting Guide, and may be updated as more information becomes available.
If you have ArcaOS, this driver package is available for download from the Arca Noae website as part of the Support & Maintenance subscription for your ArcaOS product. Please log into your account and see your ArcaOS order details page to access your software.
This driver package is not available for download from the Arca Noae OS/2 & eCS Drivers and Software Subscription.
If you are still running OS/2 and/or eComStation systems this may be a good time to consider moving up to ArcaOS.
Arca Noae is pleased to announce the immediate availability of release 12.06 of our USB stack.
This release has a minor fix that affects certain USBCALLS applications. Version 12.06 is the same version as in the recently released ArcaOS 5.0.5 so if you install or update to ArcaOS 5.0.5 you already have these drivers. As usual, this release is update only. It will only update an existing installation. It will not install USB support and will not install new drivers. More information about the USB drivers can be found in the wiki.
If you have problems with any of the drivers in this release, please read the Troubleshooting Guide in the wiki first. If your problem cannot be resolved with the Troubleshooting Guide, then the problem should be reported in the ticketing system.
If you have ArcaOS, this driver package is available for download from the Arca Noae website as part of the Support & Maintenance subscription for your ArcaOS product. Please log into your account and see your ArcaOS order details page to access your software.
If you have an Arca Noae OS/2 & eCS Drivers and Software Subscription, this driver package is available for download from the Arca Noae website as part of your Arca Noae OS/2 & eCS Drivers and Software Subscription. Please log into your account in order to access your software.
If you are still running OS/2 and/or eComStation systems and haven’t yet purchased a software subscription, this is a great reason to do so now. It may also be a good time to consider moving up to ArcaOS.
Arca Noae is proud to announce the general availability of ArcaOS 5.0.5, the fifth maintenance release of ArcaOS 5.0 (Blue Lion).
ArcaOS 5.0.5 introduces support for xHCI (USB3) controllers to install on a wider array of systems than ever before. What’s more, for updaters, even if your USB controller was previously unsupported, and you had to install or update from DVD in the past, you may now boot into the installer from USB stick to perform the update. USB3-attached keyboards and mice should work, as well.
ArcaOS 5.0.5 includes over 100 updates, enhancements, and fixes since 5.0.4 was released. If you have experienced difficulty installing previous releases of ArcaOS on your hardware, the fixes and updates included in 5.0.5 may address your issue(s). If installing from USB stick, the image may be created using any major operating system at hand (Windows, Linux, MacOS, and of course, OS/2, eComStation, and ArcaOS). Once built the USB stick can be inserted into any USB port in the target system to boot into the ArcaOS installer/updater.
For a complete list of updates in this release, see the ArcaOS wiki. Be sure to review the README.TXT, as well, as this contains critical information to ensure that you get up and running fast, and includes tips for getting things adjusted right away.
This update is included with your valid ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription at no additional charge. To download your fresh ISO, simply visit your customer portal page, select the Orders & Subscriptions link on the navigation panel to the left, then click on the order for your ArcaOS license. Once there, click the download link to request a fresh ISO, and wait for your notification email.
If your ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription has already expired, and you missed your window of opportunity to renew at regular rates, you may still renew at less than the cost of a new ArcaOS license.
Arca Noae is pleased to announce the immediate availability of release 12.05 of our USB stack.
This release has only a few minor fixes and enhancements, but it is required in order to use the upcoming xHCI driver. This update is recommended for everyone. As usual, this release is update only. It will only update an existing installation. It will not install USB support and will not install new drivers. More information about the USB drivers can be found in the wiki.
If you have problems with any of the drivers in this release, please read the Troubleshooting Guide in the wiki first. If your problem cannot be resolved with the Troubleshooting Guide, then the problem should be reported in the ticketing system.
If you have ArcaOS, this driver package is available for download from the Arca Noae website as part of the Support & Maintenance subscription for your ArcaOS product. Please log into your account and see your ArcaOS order details page to access your software.
If you have an Arca Noae OS/2 & eCS Drivers and Software Subscription, this driver package is available for download from the Arca Noae website as part of your Arca Noae OS/2 & eCS Drivers and Software Subscription. Please log into your account in order to access your software.
If you are still running OS/2 and/or eComStation systems and haven’t yet purchased a software subscription, this is a great reason to do so now. It may also be a good time to consider moving up to ArcaOS.
This is your final reminder that the window of opportunity to reinstate an expired ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription at a special price is closing Monday May 18.
Previously, it was impossible to reinstate an expired ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription that had been expired for longer than 1 year. That restriction has now been removed. It is now possible to reinstate an expired subscription. Through Monday May 18 you can reinstate an expired ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription for the price of a regular one year renewal. After May 18, an additional reinstatement fee will apply. So take advantage of this limited amnesty period and get your subscription back on track before it’s too late.
Even if you’ve never updated ArcaOS 5.0 since your first install, as long as you have an active Support & Maintenance subscription, you may download the latest 5.0.x release and install it as an update to whatever 5.0 release you are using. There is no additional licensing fee for downloading and using these updates.
Somehow, this always seems like something of a mystery, even though this wiki page should help clarify what is a major version, a minor version, and a release. This product in our store outlines the renewal process and this table lays out just what is included in each subscription.
One of the many benefits of regularly renewing your ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription is access to the latest released code. There are many exciting things coming for our subscribers. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to get those updates and the next ArcaOS release as part of your renewed subscription.
If you’ve let your ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription lapse, now is the time to get back on track.
Until now, if you let your ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription expire, you would need to purchase a new ArcaOS license to reinstate support. We are making some changes to enable customers to reinstate an ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription without purchasing a new ArcaOS license.
For a limited time, we are allowing all who have allowed their ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscriptions to expire — no matter how long expired — to reinstate them at current prices…but this window is closing rapidly. Once ArcaOS 5.0.5 is released (and that release is imminent), current ArcaOS licensees who have let their subscriptions lapse for six months or more will have to pay more to have their subscriptions reinstated for another full year. While this will still be less than the cost of purchasing a new license, it will be substantially more than the regular renewal price. This policy applies to personal as well as commercial licenses.
Please take a moment to log into your account at Arca Noae, locate your original ArcaOS order, and check to see when support is scheduled to expire (or has already expired) for your product. It is currently only possible to purchase one year of support per renewal, and only for the same number and type of ArcaOS licenses as were in the original order.
To review:
So if you have let your ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription lapse, now is the time to reinstate it. We urge all ArcaOS licensees to renew support early and take advantage of the 10% renewal discount for the best value in their subscriptions.
The online store should send renewal reminders 7 days before expiration, 3 days before, and finally on the expiration date; however, several factors may impact delivery or receipt of these reminders, including change of email address, spam filters, and other factors beyond our control. Check your account portal and make a note of your expiration date(s) so you don’t miss out!
Remember what your active Support & Maintenance subscription includes:
For more information on subscription services, check out our comparison page.
I don’t often post personal notes on the Arca Noae blog, but as I have been spending some time reviewing our sales over the past couple of months, I noticed something important, and I didn’t want this to go unmentioned.
While the world has been turned upside down for many of us, and for still others, finding new and different ways to work and to put food on the table has been challenging (not to mention staying healthy and well-distanced from COVID-19). Yet somehow, some way, quite a few ArcaOS, eCS, and OS/2 users have managed to not only renew support but to purchase additional licenses and – perhaps most importantly – purchase sponsoring units for our friends and hard-working developers.
Make no mistake, the whole Arca Noae team will come through this just fine. However, we’ll come through just a little better off, though, with friends like you out there. I — we — greatly appreciate everything you do for our hard-working developers, customer service staff, and admins striving to make our computing platform of choice even better.
So, from all of us, THANK YOU. Stay safe and healthy as we continue to weather this storm together. There truly are better days ahead, and we have some great things in store for 2020 (and we’re still working hard on them).
Lewis Rosenthal
Managing Member
Arca Noae, LLC