3.11
WINDOWS
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11
SUMMARY
This article contains a step-by-step guide for troubleshooting Remote
Access Services (RAS) in Windows for Workgroups 3.11.
MORE INFORMATION
Steps to Troubleshoot Problems with Remote Access Services
- Determine whether the modem works at the MS-DOS command prompt.
Exit Windows and issue the command "Echo ATDT5555555 > COMx" (without
the quotation marks, where x is the number of the communications port)
at the MS-DOS command prompt. If you hear the tone from the modem
dialing 555-5555, proceed to step 2. If you do not hear a dial tone, the
modem may need to be reconfigured for the correct port address and
interrupt. Also, if the modem is external, check the serial cable to
ensure a good connection and make sure the proper cable is being used.
If the modem is internal, move the modem to a different slot in the
computer and check the configuration of the jumps on the modem (if any
exist). Refer to with the modem documentation for setup and technical
support information.
- Determine whether the modem works in Windows Terminal.
In the Accessories group, open Terminal and type the command "ATDT"
(without the quotation marks). If the correct communications (COM) port
is selected for the modem, a dial tone should be heard and OK or 0
(zero) should be returned to the modem terminal screen. Pressing ENTER
should cancel the command to the modem and the message "NO CARRIER"
should be returned to the screen. If you do not hear a dial tone after
the ATDT command, choose Communications from the Settings menu to make
sure the correct Connector (COM Port) setting is selected. If you do not
see the text echoed back to the screen as you type the command, choose
Terminal Preferences from the Settings menu and select the Local Echo
option under Terminal Modes. If the modem does not work in Terminal, the
modem may not be correctly configured for Windows (or possibly MS-DOS).
If so, try the following:
- Disable 32-bit file access. To do so, choose the 386 Enhanced icon in
Control Panel, choose the Virtual Memory button, choose the Change
button, and then clear the Use 32-Bit Disk Access check box.
- In the Windows directory, open the SYSTEM.INI file and check the
[Boot] section for the proper communications driver used globally
throughout Windows. The line should read, COMM.DRV=COMM.DRV. If
COMM.DRV= is set to anything other than COMM.DRV, change the line to
read COMM.DRV=COMM.DRV. Also, make sure the COMM.DRV file in the
Windows SYSTEM subdirectory has the file date 11/1/93 and a file size
of 5968 bytes.
If the modem still does not work in Terminal, obtain the Microsoft
Application Note WW0654, "Windows 3.1 and Serial Communications." You
can have this Application Note mailed or faxed to you from the automated
Microsoft FastTips Technical Library, which you can call 24 hours a day,
7 days a week at (800) 936-4200. NOTE: The FastTips Technical Library is
available only to customers within the U.S. and Canada.
- Check RAS again after performing the above steps.
If Terminal is working and RAS is still not working, add the line
COMxFIFO=0 to the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file using a text
editor. This command turns off the 16-bit buffer built into the 16550
UART chip, forcing one-bit operation of serial data through the UART
chip.
- Check the file RASMAC.386 in the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory.
If RASMAC.386 is dated 11/1/93, disable software compression. To do
this, choose Disable Software Compression from the Options menu in RAS.
(The next time you open the Options menu, a check mark should be beside
Disable Software Compression.) If disabling software compression helps,
use hardware compression instead.
- Try a lower bits-per-second (bps) rate.
Slowing the speed of the modem can often help decrease noise on the
phone lines. It can also help with compatibility problems when using
high-speed modems (9600 bps and above) that differ slightly in their
compression and error-correction standards. If the lower bps rate works,
you may want to disable hardware flow control and/or modem compression.
To do this, choose the Phone Book Edit button in RAS, choose the Modem
button, and then clear the Enable Hardware Flow Control and/or Enable
Modem Compression options.
- Check the modem documentation to see if the recommended initialization
string differs from the one in the MODEM.INF file found in the Windows
SYSTEM subdirectory. If it does, try entering the command manually.
Choose the Phone Book Edit button, choose Modem, and select the Enter
Modem Commands Manually option. This allows you to enter a modem command
string manually to determine whether the default one in the MODEM.INF is
related to the problem.
- Check the BIOS date of the modem.
Check the BIOS date of the modem with the manufacturer to see if a newer
BIOS is available. To check the BIOS date of the modem using Terminal,
issue the command ATIx (where x is a value between 1 and 9). For
example, in Terminal, issue the command ATI3, then <enter>. A BIOS
version number should be displayed on the screen, (for example, V1.200
or ver .59). If there is a newer BIOS available, update the BIOS by
downloading the firmware (software) from the modem manufacturer's
bulletin board service (BBS) or CompuServe Information Service (CIS)
forum if available. Some modem manufacturers have a single-chip upgrade
available if the BIOS of the modem is not software upgradeable.
- Determine whether the modem is supported in RAS.
If it is an unsupported modem, refer to step 6 above for information
about checking for the correct communication string sent by RAS from the
MODEM.INF file. You can make your own section by cutting and pasting the
information from a related modem section with your own section heading
(such as [my modem]). This method is not supported, but it may be the
only way RAS can communicate with your modem.
Common Error Messages in RAS
Error 615:
When you use RAS in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, you may receive the
message "Error 615: The port was not found." This error can occur when the
Remote Access Phone Book file and the current Remote Access configuration
are inconsistent. If you have changed your communications equipment (for
example, your serial port or modem), be sure to reconfigure RAS. (For more
information, see "Reconfiguring Remote Access" in the online help file.) If
the error persists, remove and re-create the affected Phone Book entry or
reinstall RAS. The Remote Access Phone Book (RASPHONE.PBK) is in the
Windows subdirectory.
Error 640:
The message "Error 640: A Net BIOS error has occurred" is generated when
the modem does not negotiate the connection correctly or when the line is
noisy. Set the modem to a lower initial bits-per-second (bps) speed, and
then dial again. (For more information, refer to "Setting Modem Features"
in the online help in RAS.)
If reducing the modem speed does not correct this error, RAS is probably
running out of conventional memory to set up its session. RAS uses
conventional memory (about 90 kilobytes [K]) without being in the Answer
mode as the server. With RAS set up as the server and in Answer mode, RAS
uses about 120K of conventional memory. You may want to clean boot to see
if you can make more conventional memory available. Most RAS NetBIOS error
640 messages occur when your system has less than 500K free conventional
memory at MS-DOS before starting Windows for Workgroups. Remove any
terminate-and- stay-resident (TSR) programs and other network drivers to
determine whether more conventional memory solves the problem.
NOTE: Having the NET START command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and IFSHLP.SYS
in the CONFIG.SYS file are required to run RAS.
For more information on Error 640, query on the following words in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
netbios and error and 640
Error 692:
When dialing using RAS, you may receive the message "Error 692: Hardware
Failure in Port or Attached Device" even though all other communication
software is working correctly. This error message is reported when RAS
cannot correctly communicate with the modem. To correct this problem, you
must first know the reason RAS cannot communicate with the modem. Check the
selected modem for RAS with the following steps:
- Choose the RAS icon in the Network group.
- Choose Setup from the menu list and then choose Configure.
- Check the device selected and the port to which it is assigned.
The modem's handshaking requirements may not match what is being sent by
RAS, or the emulation for the modem may be incorrect. RAS uses a file
called MODEM.INF in the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory to send the right
communication strings to the modem through the selected modem in RAS. If
you use a text editor (such as Windows Write) with the No Conversion option
selected to open the MODEM.INF file, you can find the modem you have
selected in RAS to look at the COMMAND_INIT string. COMMAND_INIT string is
the communication string RAS sends to set up the modem for communication.
Refer to the modem documentation or check with the modem manufacturer for
the correct communication string for your modem.
For more information on this error message, query on the following words in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
RAS and ERROR and 692
NOTE: The following updated communication Application Notes are available
from Microsoft:
- WG0992: Updated Files for Microsoft At Work PC Fax 1.0
- WG1001: Updated SERIAL.386 Driver for Windows for Workgroups
To obtain these Application Notes:
You can find WG0992.EXE (size: 113121 bytes)
, a self-extracting file, on the following
services:
- 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 WG0992.EXE (size: 113121 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 WG0992.EXE (size: 113121 bytes)
- Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)
Dial (425) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
Download WG0992.EXE (size: 113121 bytes)
For additional information about downloading, please see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
TITLE : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
Services
You can have this Application Note mailed to you from the automated
Microsoft FastTips Technical Library, which you can call 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week at (800) 936-4200. NOTE: The FastTips Technical
Library is available only to customers within the U.S. and Canada.
If you are unable to access the source(s) listed above, you can
have these Application Notes mailed to you by calling Microsoft
Product Support Services Monday through Friday, 6:00 A.M. to 6:00
P.M. Pacific time at (425) 637-7098. If you are outside the
United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary for your area.
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