The following addresses the upgrade of the operating system (OS) of Series 3706 mainframes to version 5.00.16.06.

How do I find out the current OS version of my Series 3706 mainframe?

What problem does this OS upgrade fix?

What happens if I decide not to upgrade the OS?

How do I install the OS upgrade?

 

How do I find out the current OS version of my Series 3706 mainframe?

To determine the OS version, query the instrument by sending print(localnode.info()) from a remote interface.  In response to this query, the Series 3706 mainframe returns system information to the controller computer. The OS version is the fourth item listed in this response.

 

What problem does this OS upgrade fix?

Series 3706 mainframes with OS versions previous to 5.00.16.06 may wrongly calculate the occurrence of leap year.   After February 28, 2008, affected Series 3706 mainframes may report incorrect system time and date in the reading buffer timestamps, and also in response to the print(localnode.settime()) query.  The error in time may present as a date that is one or more days away from the correct date or present as a reversion of system time back to January 1, 1970.

 

What happens if I decide not to upgrade the OS?

You can temporarily fix the system time using the localnode.settime() command.  However, the system time may require readjustment on February 29, 2010 when another calculation error can occur.  The calculation error will repeat every four years.

 

The only way to permanently fix the error in leap year calculation is to upgrade the OS version to revision 5.00.16.6 and higher.

 

How do I install the OS upgrade?

  1. Download the OS upgrade file “nk_5001506.nb0” using the link below. 

 

Download:  Series 3700 Operating System upgrade to version 5.00.16.06

 

  1. Place this file in the root directory of a USB flash drive. 
  2. Ensure that the Series 3706 mainframe is powered off. Then, insert the USB flash drive into the front panel USB connector of the Series 3706 mainframe. 
  3. Power on the Series 3706.
  4. The unit will automatically sense the OS upgrade, install the new version, and then reboot.  The upgrade process should complete in 1.5 minutes. 
  5. After the upgrade, the Series 3706 will report a system time that is off by two years.  Use the localnode.settime() command to adjust the time to the correct date and year.   Confirm that the date and time were entered properly using either the print(localnode.settime()) or print(os.date()) query.