Setting Up Windows 95 for NetWare Networks: an Overview

If you are administering a NetWare network, the move to Windows 95 will involve incremental planning, testing, and gradual implementation of Windows 95 on many computers on the network. Typically, the administrator will take awhile to complete the following tasks:

  1. Install Windows 95 on a single workstation, and experiment with various configuration alternatives, including the following:
    • Windows 95 protected-mode network client vs. Novell real-mode client
    • Protected-mode NDIS 3.1-compliant MS-DOS vs. real-mode Open Datalink Interface (ODI) drivers
    • Protected-mode IPX/SPX-compatible protocol vs. existing IPX
    • Using a sole client vs. adding Client for Microsoft Networks

    This task includes experimenting with the typical applications used at your site and working over the network to assess the performance, reliability, and robustness available under Windows 95.

  2. Prepare an implementation strategy, as summarized in Chapter 1, "Deployment Planning Basics."
  3. Test the selected configuration of network clients, protocols, and drivers on a small network. This could include any combinations of the following:
    • Windows 95 installed over an existing 16-bit, Novell-supplied workstation client, using ODI drivers
    • Windows 95 added to an existing Windows 3.x-and-NetWare installation, using Client for NetWare Networks and protected-mode network components
    • Windows 95 as a new installation using all protected-mode components, including both Client for NetWare Networks and Client for Microsoft Networks, plus peer resource sharing support
  4. Create default user profiles, system policies, and setup scripts, and perform other customization tasks for automatic installation and configuration, based on the inventory and implementation strategy.
  5. Test automatic installation on a small network.
  6. Prepare and implement the strategy for rollout on the larger network.

To support Novell NetWare integration with Windows 95, any computer on which you are installing Windows 95 should be connected to a NetWare server when you start Windows 95 Setup. This requires that the computer be configured with either an ODI driver (recommended) or the monolithic IPX driver, in addition to either NETX or VLM to access resources on a NetWare server.

Windows 95 Setup detects whether a Novell NetWare workstation shell is running on the computer. If Setup finds at least version 3.26 of NET*.COM, it automatically configures networking for NetWare networks. During the detection phase, Windows 95 Setup also tries to determine whether the computer is using real-mode TSRs that cannot be replaced (such as DOSNP.COM, TCP/IP client software, or 3720 emulators).

After detection is complete, Windows 95 Setup prepares to install protected-mode networking support based on Client for NetWare Networks, unless detection has found incompatible software components or the user specifies that network support should be based on Novell-supplied components. The new Windows 95 protected-mode components are not installed automatically if detection finds the following:

To install Client for NetWare Networks and other protected-mode networking components, Setup might perform the following actions:

The actions for software detection and installation of new networking components are defined in a file named NETDET.INI in the Windows directory. Installation actions are defined in NETDET.INI for the software listed in the following table. For a complete and current list, see NETDET.INI in your Windows directory.

Software detected

Windows 95 Setup default action

Btrieve® (BREQUEST.EXE)

Installs Client for NetWare Networks, with all protected-mode components

DOSNP.EXE

Keeps the real-mode IPX protocol in place

LAN Workplace®

Installs Client for NetWare Networks, but keeps the real-mode ODI network adapter and IPX protocol in place

Novell NetBIOS TSR

Installs the Microsoft IPX/SPX-compatible protocol and enables NetBIOS support

NACS/NASI (NASI.EXE)

Retains all existing Novell-supplied networking components


For information about the format of entries in NETDET.INI and how to customize this file, see Chapter 5, "Custom, Automated, and Push Installations."

Windows 95 Setup automatically configures settings for network adapters and protocols. The specific issues for configuring drivers and protocols depend on whether the computer is using Client for NetWare Networks or a Novell-supplied workstation shell.