WFWG 3.11: How to Create a Boot Disk to Load Real-Mode Network

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11

This article discusses using Microsoft Windows for Workgroups with a floppy disk configuration. Although the information outlined in this article does allow Windows for Workgroups to access the network from a floppy disk, Microsoft does not support this procedure. If the steps or procedures described in this article do not function properly, a standard Windows for Workgroups configuration should be used to access the network.

SUMMARY

The steps below describe how to create a bootable floppy disk that loads the real-mode network, which allows you to connect to a Windows for Workgroups 3.11 server. Once connected to the server, a full or a network setup (SETUP /N) can be run to a local hard disk drive or to a directory on a server machine. This setup disk is ideal for running a large number of installations to local hard disk drives without needing the Windows for Workgroups 3.11 disks for each installation.

This article assumes the following things:

• The network hardware is already installed.
• All machines are using the same network adapter card with the same hardware settings. (If different network cards are being used, follow the instructions in the note in step 3.)
• The workstation has at least 4 megabytes (MB) of RAM if run from a diskless workstation or 3 MB of RAM if run from a machine with a hard disk drive.
• SETUP /A will be installed to a C:\WINSHARE directory.
• SETUP /N will be installed to a C:\directory.

MORE INFORMATION

1. Create a bootable floppy disk.

   NOTE: If you are using MS-DOS 6.x and you are not using DoubleSpace, you can delete the DBLSPACE.BIN file from the floppy disk to create more disk space.

2. Run an administrative installation (SETUP /A) of Windows for Workgroups 3.11 to a C:\WINSHARE directory. This machine will be referred to as the server machine.

3. From the C:\WINSHARE directory, run a shared network installation (SETUP /N) to the server's hard disk drive (for example C:\KBNETWORK). Use the Custom Setup option to perform the following steps:

   a. Clear the Set Up Printers and "Set Up Applications Already on Hard Disk(s)" check boxes.

   b. Select None for the Swapfile setting.

   NOTE: To create a second floppy disk for a different type of network adapter card, simply repeat step 3 but choose a different directory name when you run SETUP /N. Ensure that the appropriate network adapter card and its settings are detected during Setup.

4. Delete the following files from the C:\directory to free additional disk space for the floppy disk:

   *.CLN *.WIN BOOTLOG.TXT EMM386.EXE MOUSE.INI MSCDEX.EXE NCDINFO.INI SPART.PAR

5. Copy the contents of the C:\directory to the root of the floppy disk you formatted in step 1.

6. Create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file and a CONFIG.SYS file on the floppy disk with at least the following entries:

   CONFIG.SYS ==========

   Files=30 Buffers=20 Lastdrive=z Device=A:\HIMEM.SYS Device=A:\IFSHLP.SYS Device=A:\RAMDRIVE.SYS 1024 512 512 /E <Third-party disk partitioner> <Third-party disk-compression driver> <Other necessary third-party driver>

   NOTE: If the workstation has a hard disk drive, the Device=A:\RAMDRIVE.SYS is not necessary and can be removed from the CONFIG.SYS file.

   AUTOEXEC.BAT ============

   A:\SMARTDRV A+ Path=a:\;w: A:\NET LOGON UserName Password A:\NET USE W: <\\SERVER>\<ShareName> /p:No Set Temp=C:\

   NOTE: <\\SERVER> is the name of the machine that contains the Setup /A (C:\WINSHARE) copy of Windows for Workgroups. <\\ShareName> is the name given to the C:\WINSHARE directory when it is shared. (See step 9 for more information.)

7. Edit the SYSTEM.INI file on the floppy disk and set the DEVDIR entry in the [Network Drivers] section to equal A:\.

8. Edit the SYSTEM.INI file in the C:\directory and delete the AutoStart=FULL line from the [Network] section.

9. Reboot the server machine and run Windows from the hard disk drive. Share the C:\WINSHARE directory from File Manager.

10. Boot a workstation with the floppy disk you created.

    NOTE: The first time you use this floppy disk, you must reenter the password you entered in the logon line in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

11. At the A:\ prompt, change to the W: drive and install Windows for Workgroups to this workstation's hard disk drive, or just run Windows from the floppy disk by typing "win" (without the quotation marks).