Tag Archives: subscription

ArcaOS 5.0.4 now available

After nearly a year of development and testing, Arca Noae is proud to announce the general availability of ArcaOS 5.0.4, the fourth maintenance release of ArcaOS 5.0 (Blue Lion).

ArcaOS 5.0.4 introduces a new Updater feature, allowing all previous ArcaOS installations to be brought up to the current codebase by simply booting from the installation medium, selecting the new Update option on the Installation Type page, and finally the target system volume to be updated. The resulting system is essentially what a fresh install would be, without losing settings, other installed programs, application data, and having to reconfigure the environment from scratch.

ArcaOS 5.0.4 includes well over 100 updates and fixes since 5.0.3. The USB stick image package has also been updated to incorporate the latest changes in ArcaOS 5.0.4 and is now personalized, delivered in the same archive as the ISO itself, and may be created using any major operating system at hand (Windows, Linux, MacOS, and of course, OS/2, eComStation, and ArcaOS). Once the image is restored, eject, re-insert, and simply copy your ISO to the stick per the included directions (also detailed in the ArcaOS support wiki). The stick may then be inserted into any USB 2.0-controlled port in the target system, and used to boot into the ArcaOS installer/updater.

Systems originally installed from DVD may be updated using the AltBoot (USB stick) method, and systems originally installed from USB stick may be updated from DVD; the choice is yours.

If you have experienced difficulty installing previous releases of ArcaOS on your hardware, the fixes and updates included in 5.0.4 may address your issue(s). ArcaOS 5.0.4 includes a major update to the installation boot component, making it easier than ever to boot and install on systems with non-standard memory configurations.

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.

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.

Arca Noae FAT32 driver added to subscription content

With the release of ArcaOS 5.0.3, Arca Noae included a new, slimmed-down version of the OS/2 FAT32 driver. This driver is based on the same code as the Netlabs FAT32 driver, but with non-FAT32 support removed. In other words, it is just a FAT32 installable filesystem driver.

Arca Noae provides support for this FAT32 driver, and the installable package is available is available for both the OS/2 and eCS Drivers & Software subscription and the ArcaOS Support and Maintenance subscription. Just log into your account and visit your subscription order page.

This driver is not an upgrade. It includes a complete vendor change, requiring the existing driver to be uninstalled first before installing the Arca Noae driver. Note that uninstalling any previous driver will remove critical elements from the PATH and LIBPATH statements in CONFIG.SYS. Please review the uninstall actions in WarpIN carefully before proceeding, and always have a backup of critical system files available.

More information is available in the Arca Noae FAT32 wiki.

Don’t have a support subscription? Have non-ArcaOS OS/2-based systems and want new drivers and software? Please visit our store.

ArcaOS 5.0.3 now available

Arca Noae is pleased to announce the immediate availability of ArcaOS 5.0.3, the third maintenance release of ArcaOS 5.0 (Blue Lion).

ArcaOS 5.0.3 is (again) the result of many hours of collaborative work to keep up-to-date and to further refine ArcaOS 5.0. Post-install fixes are included, and these will be made available for separate download as part of the ArcaOS 5.0 Support & Maintenance subscription. In the interim, a full download of the refreshed media image is required to obtain all of these fixes and updates.

ArcaOS 5.0.3 includes over 40 updates and fixes since 5.0.2. The USB stick image package (available as a separate download for ArcaOS licensees with current support and maintenance subscription) has also been updated to incorporate the latest changes in ArcaOS 5.0.3.

A bootable ArcaOS 5.0.3 USB stick may be created from any major operating system at hand (Windows, Linux, MacOS, and of course, OS/2, eComStation, and ArcaOS). Once the image is restored, eject, re-insert, and simply copy your personalized ISO (separately downloaded) to the stick per the included directions (also detailed in the ArcaOS support wiki). The stick may then be inserted into any USB 2.0-controlled port in the target system, and used to boot into the ArcaOS installer.

If everything is working in your current installation, it may be prudent to wait for the subscription content to become available, as Arca Noae has not classified any of the 5.0.3 updates as critical.

If you have experienced difficulty installing ArcaOS 5.0.2, the fixes and updates included in 5.0.3 may address your issue(s).

For a complete list of updates in this release, see the ArcaOS wiki.

ArcaOS 5.0.2 now available

Arca Noae is pleased to announce the immediate availability of ArcaOS 5.0.2, the second maintenance release of ArcaOS 5.0 (Blue Lion).

ArcaOS 5.0.2 is the result of many hours of collaborative work to update and refine ArcaOS 5.0. Post-install fixes are included, and these will be made available for separate download as part of the ArcaOS 5.0 Support & Maintenance subscription shortly. In the meantime, a full download of the refreshed media image is required to obtain these fixes and updates.

ArcaOS 5.0.2 includes well over 60 updates and fixes since 5.0.1, and introduces for the first time ever available, the ability to boot an OS/2-based operating system from USB stick media and perform an installation. This new facility – AltBoot – should enable ArcaOS to be installed on many systems where traditional DVD-based booting has not been possible.

A bootable ArcaOS 5.0.2 USB stick may be created from any major operating system at hand (Windows, Linux, MacOS, and of course, OS/2, eComStation, and ArcaOS). The USB stick image package will be made available as a separate download.

If everything is working in your current installation, it may be prudent to wait for the subscription content to become available, as Arca Noae has not classified any of the 5.0.2 updates as critical.

If you have experienced difficulty installing ArcaOS 5.0.1, the fixes and updates included in 5.0.2 may address your issue(s).

For a complete list of updates in this release, see the ArcaOS wiki.

ArcaOS 5 included Support & Maintenance Subscription length

We have recently become aware of some possible confusion surrounding the amount of time (term) of included support for personal vs commercial edition licenses of ArcaOS 5. It therefor seemed appropriate to review our website content, and to our surprise, we find that we really have not done a good enough job of making this particular — though critical — issue very clear. Hopefully, this post will set the record straight.

In an earlier post, we discussed the process for renewing subscriptions, and mentioned that it was renewal season for early adopters of ArcaOS 5. That reference was to those who purchased personal edition licenses for ArcaOS 5 six (6) months ago.

ArcaOS 5.0 personal edition includes six (6) months of Support & Maintenance.

ArcaOS 5.0 commercial edition includes twelve (12) months (one full year) of Support & Maintenance.

Renewal reminders are normally sent one month prior to expiration, one week prior, and finally on the day of expiration.

Although the personal and commercial editions of ArcaOS 5 are code-equivalent (there is no difference in the operating system or kernel itself, e.g., both support up to 32 processor cores and an unlimited number of connections, with the same storage volume types and capacities and included device drivers and applications), there are other differences between the two, namely the level of support and the term (length of time) of the included subscription. The commercial edition includes prioritized support for twelve months (one year), whereas the personal edition includes standard support for six months.

Support renewals for both editions are for one year. For example, a personal edition license purchased June 1, 2017 will be due for a Support & Maintenance subscription renewal on or before November 30, 2017 and the renewal will extend the support a full year until November 30, 2018. A commercial edition license purchased the same day (June 1, 2017) will be due for a Support & Maintenance subscription renewal on or before May 31, 2018 and the renewal will extend the support for a full year until May 31, 2019.

If you miss the deadline for a timely renewal of your included Support & Maintenance subscription, you may still “renew” your subscription at the regular price. Missed the deadline because you didn’t receive your reminder emails for some reason? No problem. Just contact us or open a customer service ticket, and we will be glad to help make things right. That’s our commitment to you as an ArcaOS licensee.

Finally, for those of you with existing OS/2 & eCS Drivers & Software subscriptions, concerned about the differences between the two subscription “tracks,” we have a handy table which compares the two, available here.

We believe there are compelling reasons to move up to ArcaOS 5, and to keep in force a Support & Maintenance subscription, ensuring regular updates and the availability of technical assistance for the operating system as a whole. While there is no requirement to renew Support & Maintenance to continue using ArcaOS 5, doing so ensures uninterrupted access to updates, refreshed installation ISOs, and support.

Please review this post for the specifics on how to renew your existing subscription.

New subscription renewal process

It’s renewal season for early adopters of ArcaOS 5, and with that, comes a new renewal process for all subscriptions.

As expiration dates approach, renewal reminders will be emailed. In each reminder is a link to the original order as well as a link to add the renewal to the shopping cart. Be sure to log in first before clicking the links. Reminders are sent one month before expiration, one week before, and on the day of expiration. A renewal extends ArcaOS support and maintenance for one full year.

The original order will also have a handy renewal link, so there is no need to wait for a reminder. Just log into your customer portal at Arca Noae and access your order for ArcaOS to add it to your cart. (Renewals for other subscriptions are now handled the same way.)

ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscriptions renewed before expiration qualify for a 10% discount, too. Note that the full price will be reflected in the cart but the discount will be shown at checkout. It is still possible to renew an expired ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription after it has expired, but without the renewal discount.

Be sure to order the correct subscription! The OS/2 & eCS Drivers & Software subscription is for non-ArcaOS systems, and does not include support or updates for ArcaOS. Likewise, the ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription is only for ArcaOS systems, and is not available for purchase without an ArcaOS license.

If you currently have an active OS/2 & eCS Drivers & Software subscription as well as an ArcaOS license, and you no longer need to maintain OS/2 Warp or eComStation systems, you may trade in your subscription for additional time or a discount on your ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription. See the Subscription Trade-Up Request form for details.

Handy links:

Subscription comparison table
Subscription Trade-Up Request
Frequently Asked Questions
ArcaOS Wiki

Where’s the new Firefox?

We’ve received a few inquiries regarding the availability of Firefox 45.9 ESR. Please note that we have not yet released Firefox 45 due to some final performance and stability issues which we are working hard to address.

Please be patient, and we hope to have a release for general availability in the very near future.

October 2017 happenings

ArcaOS 5.0.2 in the works

We are hard at work finalizing the last bits to be included in ArcaOS 5.0.2. Among the enhancements and features are a few bug fixes, updates to included RPM packages, updated Samba client, and the new ability to install from an ArcaOS bootable USB stick (or local partition). We call this new feature AltBoot, and it is a milestone for OS/2. This should assist those with USB 2.0 capability but no optical drives in getting ArcaOS installed and running.

Arca Noae experimental YUM repository access now restricted

In an effort to better ensure the integrity of packages provided by Arca Noae in our release and subscription channels, we have now restricted access to the arcanoae-exp repository to developers and the test team only.

Rest assured, any software which you may have installed from the experimental repository will continue to function just as it did before. However, we strongly urge that if you have installed the arcanoae-exp RPM to configure the experimental repository in Arca Noae Package Manager (ANPM) or YUM, you uninstall that package. It will be withdrawn from the Netlabs stable repository shortly.

Firefox 45.9 RPM coming soon to an Arca Noae YUM repository near you

Firefox 45.9 GA should be arriving soon for installation via ANPM as part of the subscription content for ArcaOS licensees with active support and maintenance and Drivers & Software subscribers. This new packaging should ease the burden of upgrades by managing dependencies and better ensuring a successful installation. More details will be provided in an upcoming post. (Of course Firefox is free for all to download as zip from Netlabs. There is no requirement to maintain a subscription with Arca Noae in order to get the latest Firefox for OS/2.)

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.

Crediting your remaining OS/2 & eCS Drivers & Software subscription toward ArcaOS

As promised (though a little late), for those of you wishing to trade in your remaining OS/2 & eCS Drivers & Software subscription time against the purchase of ArcaOS, you may now do so by following the directions on the Subscription Trade-up Request form, located here. The form includes handy tables listing the cash value of your remaining time as well as the number of equivalent months of an ArcaOS Support & Maintenance subscription, for both personal and commercial licenses.

Three request options are available to you:

Additional time on your included ArcaOS support & maintenance subscription; or
Credit toward the renewal of your included ArcaOS support & maintenance subscription; or
Cash rebate (considered for ArcaOS purchases made with 12 months remaining on the subscription being traded)

You will need some information regarding the subscription being traded and your ArcaOS purchase. Simply fill in the form and submit. Please allow 7-10 days before acknowledgement of your submission.

Even if you ordered your subscription and/or ArcaOS license through one of our partners, Arca Noae will handle your trade-up request.

ArcaOS 5.0.1 now available

Arca Noae is pleased to announce the immediate availability of ArcaOS 5.0.1, the first maintenance release of ArcaOS 5.0 (Blue Lion).

ArcaOS 5.0.1 is the result of many hours of work to adjust things discovered after the release of ArcaOS 5.0, particularly impacting installation of the operating system. Of course, there are many other post-install fixes included, as well, and these will be made available for separate download as part of the ArcaOS 5.0 Support & Maintenance subscription shortly. In the meantime, a full download of the refreshed media image is required to obtain these fixes and updates.

If everything is working in your current installation, it may be prudent to wait for the subscription content to become available, as Arca Noae has not classified any of the 5.0.1 updates as critical.

If you have experienced difficulty installing ArcaOS 5.0, the fixes and updates included in 5.0.1 may address your issue(s).

For a complete list of updates in this release, see the ArcaOS wiki.