Using the DNA Network with Windows

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

The following information applies to Microsoft Windows operating system running with a DNA network. DNA is an unsupported network. This article includes the following topics:

• Setup for Microsoft or 100-percent compatible system
• Network board software needs to be revision H for Windows 3.1
• Installing on DNA's propriety boards
• Persistent network connections

MORE INFORMATION

Setup for Microsoft or 100-Percent Compatible

Windows must be installed as "Microsoft or 100% Compatible" when prompted for the network configuration.

Network Board Software Needs to be Revision H for Windows 3.1

Running Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 under the DNA Networks software may produce some problems unless you have updated to version 3.38 (Rev. H) of DNA Networks proprietary boards or to version 5.02 (Rev. H) of NetBIOS boards.

The following problems occur without the update:

• When running Setup /N from a workstation without a hard drive, the "Install Applications" section of Setup can only modify the path, not the drive.
• After entering either the graphical portion of Setup or when running Windows, floppy drive A no longer is accessible and may cause of the following error messages:

       - Current drive is no longer valid.
       - Cannot load COMMAND.COM.
       - Insert disk with batch file.
  

• Network directories may not display in the following applications' dialog boxes:

       - AMI PRO version 2.0
       - Versions 2.1d and 3.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows
       - Version 2.0 of Microsoft Word for Windows
       - WordPerfect version 5.1
  

Installing on DNA's Proprietary Boards

If you are installing on DNA's proprietary boards (as opposed to NetBIOS boards such as EtherNet), the following information applies:

1. If you are using DNA's MegaNet board, Windows must be told not to use the same area in memory that the board uses for the MegaNet Window (a 16K page). To find out which page is being used, start the machine without loading any memory managers and read the DNA device driver banner. If it is says MegaNet, then note which page it says it is using. Exclude this page from Windows by adding an EMMEXCLUDE= entry to the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file. For example, if the DNA banner reads

         MegaNet, RAM Window=C000
   

   then add EMMEXCLUDE=C000-C3FF to the SYSTEM.INI file.

   If the DNA banner reads

         MegaNet, RAM Window=C800
   

   then add EMMEXCLUDE=C800-CBFF to the SYSTEM.INI file.

2. Each machine that is running Windows should be using the DNA program WINFIX.COM. WINFIX.COM should be installed in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and can be found on DNA distribution disk 1 in the FIXES subdirectory. This will keep DNA from displaying the error

         Unsupported NetBIOS call
   

   when Windows is executed. It will also allow Windows to properly detect network printers and drives that have been redirected over the DNA network.

3. DNA networks do not support Windows running in 386 enhanced mode as the master (server) if a DNA MegaNet board is installed running in MegaNet mode (the board is using a RAM window). Windows can still be run in 386 enhanced mode at workstations.

4. Print Manager functions are not supported. The DNA network utilities PRINT.SYS and SPOOL.SYS (together with the SPOOL command) provide the same functionality.

Persistent Network Connections

If you are using DNA network software on a machine without a hard disk, and you are using persistent network connections under Windows 3.1, you may not be able to use drive A after Windows is started. You will need to restart the computer to gain access to drive A.

DNA has confirmed this to be a problem with its network driver. An updated driver can be obtained from DNA.

To disable persistent network connections:

1. Run Control Panel.

2. Choose the Network icon.

3. Clear the Restore All Connections At Startup check box.

4. Choose the OK button to save your changes.