WG0970: VNETBIOS.386 Corrects Real-Mode Transport Problems

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11

Microsoft has an Application Note, "WG0970: VNETBIOS.386 Corrects Real-Mode Transport Problems," that corrects problems you may experience if you run multiple real-mode transports with Windows for Workgroups when the protected-mode redirector (VREDIR.386) and the protected-mode server (VSERVER.386) are loaded.

You can obtain this Application Note from the following sources:

• Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet
• The Internet (Microsoft anonymous ftp server)
• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)
• Microsoft FastTips Technical Library
• Microsoft Product Support Services

THE TEXT OF WG0970

  Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
      WG0970: VNETBIOS.386 CORRECTS REAL-MODE TRANSPORT PROBLEMS

                                                   Revision Date: 1/94
                                                         Disk Included

 --------------------------------------------------------------------
| INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY    |
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| Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER     |
| EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED     |
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| the use of this Application Note. This Application Note may be     |
| copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All |
| text must be copied without modification and all pages must be     |
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| must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R)  utility        |
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|                                                                    |
| Copyright (C) 1994 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.    |
| Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows is a    |
| trademark of Microsoft Corporation.                                |
| DEC is a registered trademark and Pathworks is a trademark of      |
| Digital Equipment Corporation.                                     |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

If you run multiple real-mode transports with Windows for Workgroups when the protected-mode redirector (VREDIR.386) and the protected- mode server (VSERVER.386) are loaded, you eventually run out of network control blocks (NCBs). As a result, you receive the following error message:

   Too many outstanding commands.

To install the updated VNETBIOS.386 file

1. Insert the enclosed WG0970 disk in the appropriate floppy disk drive. Copy VNETBIOS.386 to your Windows SYSTEM subdirectory using the following command

         copy <drive>:\vnetbios.386 <destination>
   

   where <drive>is the floppy disk drive containing the WG0970 disk and <destination> is the drive and directory of your Windows SYSTEM subdirectory.

   For example, if the WG0970 disk is in drive A, and your Windows directory is C:\WINDOWS, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

         copy a:\vnetbios.386 c:\windows\system
   

2. Open the SYSTEM.INI file in Microsoft Windows for Workgroups Notepad, and edit the Network= entry by changing *vnetbios to vnetbios.386. For example, change

         Network=*vnetbios,*vwc,vnetsup.386,vredir.386,vserver.386
   

   to:

         Network=vnetbios.386,*vwc,vnetsup.386,vredir.386,vserver.386
   

3. Add the following line to the [386Enh] section:

         NumHCBs=32
   

   The default for NumHCBs is 32. If you are using DEC(R) Pathworks(TM), you must increase this value to 64 to avoid running out of NCBs. If other installed network components are using a lot of NCBs, you may need to use a value higher than 64. The NumHCBs entry has no hard-coded limit, but it is limited by memory. You shouldn't need to set NumHCBs higher than 96.

4. Save the SYSTEM.INI file, and then quit and restart Windows.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11. We are researching this problem and will post new

information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

TO OBTAIN THIS APPLICATION NOTE

You can find WG0970.EXE (size: 19880 bytes) 
                       , a self-extracting file, on the following

• Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet

        On the www.microsoft.com home page, click the Support icon.
        Click Knowledge Base, and select the product.
        Enter kbfile WG0970.EXE (size: 19880 bytes) 
                               , and click GO!
        Open the article, and click the button to download the file.
  
  

• Internet (anonymous FTP)

        ftp ftp.microsoft.com
        Change to the Softlib/Mslfiles folder.
        Get WG0970.EXE (size: 19880 bytes) 
  

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

        Dial (425) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
        Download WG0970.EXE (size: 19880 bytes) 
  

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
               Services