WG0990: ELNK3.386 Corrects System Hangs (Non-802.3 Packets)

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11

Microsoft has an Application Note titled "WG0990: ELNK3.386 Corrects Problem with Systems that Hang with Non-802.3 Packets."

When you use the Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 ELNK3.386 driver, your system may stop responding (hang) when it encounters non-802.3 packets. This problem typically occurs on extremely congested networks that contain a variety of packet types, especially non-NetBEUI packets. This Application Note includes a disk that corrects this problem.

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 WG0990

  Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
      WG0990: ELNK3.386 CORRECTS PROBLEM WITH SYSTEMS THAT HANG
                        WITH NON-802.3 PACKETS

                                                   Revision Date: 2/94
                                                       1 Disk Included

| INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY SOFTWARE THAT MAY     |
| ACCOMPANY THIS DOCUMENT (collectively referred to as an Application |
| Note) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER      |
| EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED      |
| WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR       |
| PURPOSE. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and    |
| 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      |
| included;  2) If software is included, all files on the disk(s)     |
| must be copied without modification (the MS-DOS(R)  utility         |
| diskcopy is appropriate for this purpose);  3) All components of    |
| this Application Note must be distributed together;  and  4) This   |
| Application Note may not be distributed for profit.                 |
|                                                                     |
| Copyright (C) 1994 Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.     |
| Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows is a     |
| trademark of Microsoft Corporation.                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

Introduction

When you use the Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 ELNK3.386 driver, your system may stop responding (hang) when it encounters non-802.3 packets. This problem typically occurs on extremely congested networks that contain a variety of packet types, especially non-NetBEUI packets.

The WG0990 disk included with this Application Note contains a new ELNK3.386 driver to correct this problem. The new driver correctly handles unknown packet types in heavy network traffic situations.

To install the new ELNK3.386 file

1. Quit Windows for Workgroups.

2. Make a backup copy of the currently installed ELNK3.386 file by typing the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then pressing ENTER

         ren <drive>:<path>\elnk3.386 elnk3.old
   

   where <drive>:<path> is the location of your Windows SYSTEM subdirectory.

   For example, if your Windows directory is called WINDOWS and is on drive C, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

         ren c:\windows\system\elnk3.386 elnk3.old
   

3. Insert the enclosed WG0990 disk in the appropriate floppy disk drive.

4. To copy the file to the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER

         copy <drive>:\elnk3.386 <destination>
   

   where <drive> is the floppy disk drive containing the WG0990 disk and <destination> is the drive and directory of your Windows SYSTEM subdirectory.

   For example, if the WG0990 disk is in drive A and your Windows directory is called WINDOWS and is on drive C, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER:

         copy a:\elnk3.386 c:\windows\system
   

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 WG0990.EXE (size: 27599 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 WG0990.EXE (size: 27599 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 WG0990.EXE (size: 27599 bytes) 
  

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

        Dial (425) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
        Download WG0990.EXE (size: 27599 bytes) 
  

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