System Startup and Networking for Shared Installations

For shared installations, the first access to the network must occur in real mode. For shared installations that use a Windows 95 protected-mode network client, Microsoft real-mode networking (NET.EXE) is used for the first network connection, even for connecting to a NetWare network. After Windows 95 is loaded, the protected-mode drivers take over if the computer is configured to use a Microsoft protected-mode client such as Client for NetWare Networks.

Real-mode versions of NetBEUI and the IPX/SPX-compatible protocols are built into NET.EXE. Real-mode networking includes only the basic redirector; there is no support for mailslots or named pipes. Microsoft TCP/IP cannot be used until after the system loads and switches to protected mode.

The following briefly summarizes the software portion of the startup process for a computer that starts from a floppy or hard disk to run a shared copy of Windows 95 from a server. For a general description of the Windows 95 startup process, see Chapter 6, "Setup Technical Discussion."

• IO.SYS starts and reads the Registry to determine whether the computer is running Windows 95 over the network.
• COMMAND.COM runs AUTOEXEC.BAT and NETSTART.BAT (if present), which starts the network.
• During the first real-mode network connection, the system asks for a user name and password, and then logs on the user. If the administrator configures AUTOEXEC.BAT for logon using a generic user name, the user is not prompted to type a name and password.
• The network connects to the shared Windows directory. For computers running Windows 95 protected-mode network clients with machine directories on the network, the network also connects to MACHINES.INI.
• IO.SYS starts Windows.
• If the computer is configured to run a Windows 95 protected-mode network client, the system completes the transition to protected-mode networking.

Because there is both a real-mode and protected-mode network logon, it is possible that the user will be prompted for logon information twice. To avoid this, you can configure the net logon statement in AUTOEXEC.BAT to use a generic user name, so that the user isn't prompted to enter information for the real-mode logon. To do this, use a statement in this format:

net logon generic_name password /y

Notice, however, that the network connection made during the original real-mode network logon remains throughout the work session, even when the system switches to protected-mode network components after the first connection. For example, if a generic login is used to make the first connection to \\NWSVR1\SYS, and in protected mode you subsequently log on under your own user name with a different logon server, the generic connection to \\NWSVR1\SYS still remains.

The following describes some configuration issues and hints related to the real-mode and protected-mode network logon:

• For Windows NT networks, you can make sure that the generic logon in real mode uses the same domain as the user's actual logon in protected mode. This avoids the connection problem altogether.
• For NetWare networks, if Client for NetWare Networks is configured to use the same preferred server as specified in the real-mode logon, Windows 95 automatically tries the same user name and password for protected-mode logon. If this is successful, the user will not see a second prompt for protected-mode logon.

Notice in all cases that for shared installations, if you make the user name and password the same for real-mode and protected-mode network logon and for Windows logon, the real-mode logon prompt always appears.