Search Mode Limitation in Client for NetWare Networks

• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

After installing Windows 95 and changing from the Novell NetWare NETX or VLM client to the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks (NWREDIR.VXD), you may not be able to run network tools or applications that you did before you installed Windows 95. In particular, when you try to run an application from a NetWare server you receive error messages indicating that an auxiliary file needed by the application cannot be found.

CAUSE

The search mode functionality provided by the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks differs from that provided by the Novell NetWare VLM and NETX clients. These differences can cause the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks to be unable to find auxiliary files needed by applications, even though the VLM or NETX clients could locate them.

STATUS

This behavior is caused by the fact that the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks does not provide the same functionality as the Novell NetWare VLM and NETX clients, not by a problem in Windows 95.

MORE INFORMATION

The VLM and NETX clients use a default search mode of 1, which means that these clients search any drives mapped as search drives when attempting to find auxiliary files needed by applications. However, the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks uses a default search mode of 0, which means that the client does not search drives mapped as search drives when attempting to find auxiliary files.

The fact that the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks uses a search mode of 0 can cause problems when you attempt to run applications that require one or more auxiliary files. For example, assume that you have the following drive mappings, where SERVER is a Novell NetWare server:

   Drive Q mapped to SERVER/SYS:
   Drive Z mapped as a search drive to SERVER/SYS:PUBLIC

   The system message file "SYS$MSG.DAT" could not be opened.
   Program Initialization Failure - Execution Terminated.

NOTE: The search mode value used by the Windows 95 client for NetWare networks is stored in the following registry location:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\NWRedir

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