Installing Network Support During Windows 95 Setup

If you want to install Windows 95 on a computer that already has networking support from a network vendor other than Microsoft or Novell NetWare, you should be sure the network client from that vendor is installed correctly under MS-DOS, Windows version 3.1, or Windows for Workgroups.

The network software should be running when you start Windows 95 Setup. If Setup detects a network adapter but the computer is not running network software when you install Windows 95, then Setup installs Client for Microsoft Networks by default. Although in most cases the Network option in Control Panel provides the same controls for adding and removing networking components after Windows 95 Setup is complete, Microsoft recommends that you install networking support during Windows 95 Setup.

Note For computers running multiple network clients, Windows 95 Setup can install but cannot remove support for networks from other vendors.

To add a network client while running Windows 95 Setup

1. Make sure that the network client from your vendor is already installed under MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, or Windows for Workgroups. The network software should be running when you start Windows 95 Setup.
2. Start Windows 95 Setup as described in Chapter 3, "Introduction to Windows 95 Setup," and choose the Custom setup type.
3. When the Network Configuration screen appears during Setup, your network client should appear in this list automatically, because Setup should detect the network you are running. If the list is correct, click OK to continue with Setup.

   If you need to add the network client manually, click the Add button. Then double-click Client in the Select Network Component Type dialog box. In the Select Network Client dialog box, click the appropriate network vendor in the Manufacturers list, and click the name of the client in the Network Clients list. Then click OK.

   Note Support for DEC PATHWORKS 5.x is installed as a protocol together with Client for Microsoft Networks, so DEC PATHWORKS does not appear in the Select Network Client dialog box. For information about installing support for this product, see "DEC PATHWORKS" later in this chapter.

4. Because the network client keeps track of the network adapter and protocols, no protocols or adapters should be listed in the Network Configuration dialog box.

   If you want to install Client for Microsoft Networks in addition to the network client from your vendor, follow the steps described in "Installing Client for Microsoft Networks with Other Networks" later in this chapter. Otherwise, click the Next button and continue with Windows 95 Setup.

5. After Windows 95 is installed, check AUTOEXEC.BAT to make sure that all commands point to the correct directory for your network software.

On computers running multiple clients, Windows 95 Setup stores all real-mode networking components, including PROTOCOL.INI, in the Windows directory. On computers running a real-mode client as the primary network, the networking components are left in place. The settings in PROTOCOL.INI affect only real-mode NDIS drivers. Changing these values has no effect on protected-mode NDIS drivers. If you need to change settings in PROTOCOL.INI, use the Network option in Control Panel whenever possible. For information about PROTOCOL.INI entries, see Chapter 8, "Windows 95 on Microsoft Networks."

All the Setup options for installing and configuring network support described in this chapter can be defined in custom setup scripts for automatic installation. To install Windows 95 using setup scripts, the Windows 95 source files must be placed on a server using Server-based Setup, and custom setup scripts must be created, as described in Chapter 4, "Server-Based Setup for Windows 95." For information about installing support for another network client in custom setup scripts, see Appendix D, "MSBATCH.INF Parameters."