How to Install Third-Party Network Adapter Drivers

• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

SUMMARY

This article describes how to install, configure, and troubleshoot third- party OEM network adapter drivers.

NOTE: This article contains information about using Windows NT 4.0 with third-party products or configurations that have not been tested and are not supported by Microsoft. If the steps described in this article do not function properly, use a supported configuration or contact the manufacturer of your third-party product for more information.

Windows NT 4.0 includes Microsoft-supported drivers for many network adapters. The Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM also contains third-party drivers for many other network adapters that may or may not be on the Windows NT 4.0 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). These drivers are supported by the OEM, not by Microsoft. You can locate these drivers in the following two folders on the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM:

   Drvlib\Netcard\<platform>
   <platform>\Drvlib.nic

Other Windows NT 4.0 network adapter drivers are created by OEMs. These drivers may be available in any of the following ways:

• Included on a floppy disk or CD-ROM with a new network adapter.
• Accessible from the Internet or the OEM's electronic bulletin board service (BBS).
• By mail from the OEM.

MORE INFORMATION

This section discusses the following topics:

• Before installing the driver in Windows NT
• General installation
• Troubleshooting tips

Before Installing the Driver in Windows NT

Before installing the driver, verify that the network adapter is configured properly by running any configuration or Setup program included with the adapter. The configuration program may also include a diagnostic test to verify that the hardware is working correctly.

If no configuration program is available for the network adapter, check the documentation for the adapter to determine how to verify the adapter's settings.

Configuration information you should note before installing the driver includes the following:

• I/O port address setting
• Interrupt request (IRQ) line
• Direct memory access (DMA) channel
• Transceiver type
• Bus type

General Installation

To install the network adapter driver, follow these steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Network.

2. On the Adapters tab, click Add.

3. Click Have Disk.

4. Type the path to the third-party network adapter driver files in the Insert Disk box. If the driver files are on a floppy disk, verify that the disk is inserted in the floppy disk drive before proceeding. Click OK.

5. Click the network adapter driver for your network card in the Select OEM Option box, and then click OK.

6. Choose the configuration settings for your network adapter, and then click OK.

7. Choose or type any other necessary network configuration options on the Identification, Services, and Protocols tabs, and then click Close.

8. If any additional network software options are installed, you may be prompted for additional information about these settings.

9. Click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

Troubleshooting Tips

If Windows NT does not detect or initialize the network adapter, you may receive the following error message after Windows NT starts:

   At least one service or driver failed during system startup. Use Event
   Viewer to examine the event log for details.

   Event ID: 7000
   The <your network adapter> Driver service failed to start due to the
   following error: A device attached to the system is not functioning.

1. Verify that the I/O address and IRQ line that you specified for the network adapter is correct. You may need to run the Setup program for the adapter, or you may need to consult the network adapter's documentation to check these settings. If the I/O address or IRQ line is different from the value you specified when you installed the driver in Windows NT, change the value to match the settings you specified in Windows NT.

2. Verify that the I/O address and IRQ line being used by the network adapter are not being used by any other device in your computer.

3. Verify that the network adapter passes all diagnostic tests included with the Setup program. If the network adapter fails the diagnostic tests, it does not function correctly in Windows NT.

If you have made several attempts to configure the network adapter or you had another network adapter installed before the adapter you are currently installing, it may be necessary to restore the Windows NT network configuration to the default settings and then reinstall the network adapter driver. To do so, use the following steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Network.

2. Click the network adapter on the Select Adapters tab, and then click Remove.

3. Click Close, and then click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

4. Reinstall the network adapter driver.

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