LastDrive Affects Windows on Novell and LAN Manager

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

Not having a LastDrive statement in the CONFIG.SYS file or setting the LastDrive statement to a "low" (that is, alphabetically early) drive letter (such as E) limits the number of network drive connections available when you are using Microsoft LAN Manager version 2.0, 2.1, or 2.2 and Novell NetWare (when you are using a monolithic workstation redirector [NETX.COM or NETX.EXE]).

MORE INFORMATION

LAN Manager Versions 2.0 and 2.1

If the LastDrive statement in the CONFIG.SYS file is not present, LastDrive is set to a default of E. If drive E is being used by a physical partition or for some other purpose, the default LastDrive setting needs to be increased.

If LastDrive is set to a low drive letter and all drive letters become used, Windows may hang at startup or may display the error message "Cannot read from drive x:."

LAN Manager Version 2.2

If the LastDrive statement in the CONFIG.SYS file is not present, LAN Manager sets LastDrive to E by default unless the last physical partition on the local drive is greater than E; in that scenario, LastDrive is set to the letter value of the last physical partition on the local drive. Once the number of drives in use equals the letter value of LastDrive, LastDrive does not allow connections to additional drive letters. This limitation of available drives also occurs if the LastDrive statement is set to a low drive letter and all the network drives are in use.

When all network drives are in use, File Manager does not allow additional network drive connections. Usually, the Drive Letter box automatically increments to the next available drive letter. However, if all network drives are in use, the Drive Letter box remains blank because no more network drive letters are available.

To correct this problem, edit the LastDrive statement in the CONFIG.SYS file so that it reads "LastDrive=Z" (without the quotation marks) and then restart your computer.

Now, when you connect to a new network drive the Drive Letter box should increment to the next available drive letter.

Novell NetWare Using a Monolithic Workstation Redirector

Novell NETX.COM and NETX.EXE use the LastDrive statement to determine at which drive letter network drives are available. For example, if LastDrive=Z, then it is impossible to log on to Novell.

To correct this problem, edit the LastDrive statement in the CONFIG.SYS file so that it uses the last physical drive on the local workstation and then restart your computer.

This should allow you to log on to the Novell server successfully.