Windows NT 3.5 SETUP.TXT File

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5

SUMMARY

This article contains the complete text of the Windows NT 3.5 SETUP.TXT file.

MORE INFORMATION

PRE-INSTALLATION NOTES FOR
MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT VERSION 3.5

Install Windows NT from CD-ROM or floppy disks as
described in Chapter 1 of the Installation Guide.
This file contains additional information you may
need prior to installing Windows NT on some
hardware configurations

CONTENTS=========================================

Additional Installation Information
Installing over the Network Without Floppy Disks
Boot Floppy Disks
Creating Backup Disks
Upgrading Windows NT 3.1 to
   Windows NT Server 3.5
Upgrading When Third-Party System
   Software is Present
Running Windows NT 3.5 on PCI Bus Systems
Update Required when Retaining Windows NT 3.1
Installation Directory
Installing to Mirrored Partitions
Selecting Keyboard Layout
NextStep Changes to Partition Tables
Disk Fragmentation Can Prevent Installation
MS-DOS Undelete Sentry Blocks
Using MS-DOS Based Disk Utilities
Interrupt Conflicts
ROM Shadowing on Multiprocessor Systems
CD-ROM Installations Require Local CD-ROM Drive
SCSI Devices Must Be On for Setup
Disconnect UPS Serial Connections
ACER AcerFrame 3000 MP
Digital Alpha AXP Firmware Must Be Upgraded
Gateway Nomad and TI Travelmate Notebooks
IBM Personal System/2
IBM ThinkPad
Intel EtherExpress 16 LAN Adapter
Toshiba T4400SX Monochrome
Caching Disk Controllers and Drives
Installing Windows NT on an ESDI
   Disk Drive with More Than 1024 Cylinders

=================================================


Additional Installation Information
-----------------------------------
For general hardware information, see Chapter 2,
"Troubleshooting," in the Installation Guide. This
chapter contains general troubleshooting
information about interrupt conflicts, unsupported
peripherals, network adapter cards, SCSI drives,
and video display adapters.

See the Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List to
determine which hardware components have been
tested by Microsoft for compatibility with Windows NT.

After you install Windows NT, read the following
three text files:

README.WRI contains general information about
Windows NT, including information on specific
hardware and software.

PRINTER.WRI contains information about specific
printer problems or components.

NETWORK.WRI contains information about networks,
including information on network adapter cards and
network interoperability.


Installing over the Network Without Floppy Disks
-------------------------------------------------
If you are upgrading or installing Windows NT from
a share on your network, you can start WINNT.EXE
or WINNT32.EXE with the /b switch and you will not
need to use floppy disks during the process. You
must have 4 MB of free hard disk space in addition
to the minimum required for Windows NT files.

To use this switch, the device your computer boots
from must also be supported by Windows NT without
requiring drivers from the equipment manufacturer.
Most boot devices are supported by Windows NT
without needing additional drivers.

Microsoft suggests that when the Setup program
offers to create boot floppies you accept the
offer because these floppies are required when
using the Repair disk to repair a Windows NT
installation.


Boot Floppy Disks
-----------------
The boot floppy disks supplied with the CD-ROM
version are identical to those used for a
floppy disk installation of Windows NT.


Creating Backup Disks
---------------------
If you are a registered user and are having
difficulty in creating a backup copy of the
installation disks, contact your local subsidiary
or Inside Sales regarding fulfillment disks.

Disks formatted with DMF (Setup Disk 4 and beyond)
can not be copied to a standard high density 3.5"
disk using the MS-DOS DISKCOPY or Windows COPY
command.

Because DMF is a new format, many existing disk
utilities such as Norton Disk Doctor, Central
Point’s PC Tools, and Microsoft’s ScanDisk do not
recognize DMF and may try to write over the file
on the installation disks.  Therefore, you should
NOT attempt to use disk utilities to diagnose DMF-
formatted disks.


Upgrading Windows NT 3.1 to Windows NT Server 3.5
-------------------------------------------------
You can upgrade Windows NT 3.1 systems to Windows
NT 3.5 Server.

You cannot upgrade the computer to be a primary or
backup domain controller. You can only upgrade the
computer to be a server that does not participate
in validating users.


Upgrading When Third-Party System Software is Present
----------------------------------------
If you are using third-party system software
that installs its own services, such as network
redirectors, contact the software vendor to determine
if any of these services should be disabled before
upgrading.


Running Windows NT 3.5 on PCI Bus Systems
-----------------------------------------
To run Windows NT on a PCI bus system, it may be
necessary to enable the interrupts either via the
CMOS screen or by switching jumpers on the
motherboard.  Refer to system documentation to
find out how to enable interrupts for your system.


Update Required when Retaining Windows NT 3.1
---------------------------------------------
Caution:  If you are installing Windows NT 3.5 and
also keeping a copy of Windows NT 3.1 on the same
computer, you must run UDPATE.EXE if you want to
prevent damage to FAT partitions and to ensure
that any version of Windows NT 3.1 installed on
your computer can still access files on your NTFS
partitions.  If you do not run UPDATE.EXE, then
after Setup is complete, the files on NTFS
partitions cannot be seen by Windows NT 3.1.
Also, using long filenames on FAT partitions might
render those partitions inaccessible from within
Windows NT 3.1.

You do not need to run UPDATE.EXE if you are
upgrading or reinstalling this new version and do
not want to keep the older version of Windows NT
on your computer.

To update your Windows NT 3.1 system with
UPDATE.EXE

1. Before running the Windows NT 3.5 Setup
   program, switch to the \FS31UPD\system_type
   directory on the Windows NT 3.5 CD-ROM.
   For example, you might switch to
   E:\FS31UPD\I386 for x86-based systems.
   - Or -
   For x86-based computers only, insert the
   Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 Update Disk in drive A
   and make that the active drive.

2. Run UPDATE.EXE.

Follow the directions on the screen to complete
the update.


Installation Directory
----------------------
You should not install Windows NT 3.5 in the
directory that contains Windows NT 3.1 unless you
are upgrading. That is, Windows NT Setup might
indicate that it has found a version of Windows NT
on C:\WINNT, for example, and offer to upgrade the
old installation. If you answer No to upgrading,
then do not select this same directory (C:\WINNT)
for installing version 3.5.


Installing to Mirrored Partitions
---------------------------------
Setup cannot write to partitions that are part of
a fault-tolerant configuration.  Therefore, it is
necessary to break the mirror of a fault-tolerant
set before installing to or upgrading an existing
installation on that partition.  Additionally,
Setup must be able to write to the system
partition, so it is necessary to break the mirror
of system partitions that are configured as fault-
tolerant sets.

Since Setup treats fault-tolerant sets as though
they have no free space, you will receive a "not
enough space" error if you attempt an installation
on a fault-tolerant partition.  If you encounter
such a message, and you are sure that you have
enough space, check to see if your system
partition and/or installation partition are fault-
tolerant sets.  If either or both partitions are
mirrored, then break the mirror(s), and attempt
the installation again.


Selecting Keyboard Layout
-------------------------
Be sure that usernames and passwords that are
set for all users on a system are available on the
default keyboard layout chosen for that system at
setup time because there is no way to change
keyboards at the logon screen.

If you have selected a keyboard that does not
include characters used in your username and
password, and if you have the screen saver on with
the lock option, then if you leave the system idle
and the lock option is activated, you have no way
of inputting your username and password without
knowing the ALT+NUMPAD codes for the characters
making it up.


NextStep Changes to Partition Tables
------------------------------------
NextStep makes unconventional changes to partition
tables. These changes can distort measurement of
the amount of space remaining on a drive. If more
space is reported than is actually available,
installation can fail because of the lack of space
on the drive.


Disk Fragmentation Can Prevent Installation
-------------------------------------------
If your disk is too fragmented, there may not be
enough room for Windows NT Setup to create
essential system files. If this occurs, Setup will
not be able to convert a volume at the conclusion
of installation. Before trying to convert the
volume again, either delete some files, or back up
and reformat the drive.


MS-DOS Undelete Sentry Blocks
-----------------------------
Windows NT cannot recognize free space that was
created on a FAT partition using the undelete
sentry feature in MS-DOS version 6.2. With the
sentry method, MS-DOS reserves part of the hard
drive to remember deleted files, then compensates
during MS-DOS queries about free space. Because
Windows NT doesn’t understand sentry, it reports
the space on the FAT partition as used.


Using MS-DOS Based Disk Utilities
----------------------------------
The new long filename format introduced in Windows
NT 3.5 uses file elements on FAT partitions
differently than MS-DOS. Using MS-DOS-based
disk utilities on FAT partitions used by Windows
NT 3.5 can cause files to be deleted or long
filenames to be lost. Microsoft recommends that
you run only disk utilities specifically designed
for Windows NT 3.5 or, when running MS-DOS, the
chkdsk or scandisk utilities.

To prevent the Windows NT 3.5 FAT file system from
using long names, you must set to 1 the following
Registry entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet
  \Control\FileSystem\Win31FileSystem

After changing the entry, you must restart your
computer for the change to take effect.

Caution:  PCTools’ diskfix utility is known to
delete all files on the FAT partition. If you use
MS-DOS-based disk utilities on a FAT disk
partition used by Windows NT 3.5, the utility may
cause the loss of long filenames or delete files
on the FAT partition unless this Registry entry is
set to 1. You should back up the FAT partition
before running any disk utility other than chkdsk.


Interrupt Conflicts
-------------------
A common problem in a computer with several
supported devices is conflicting interrupts, I/O
ports, or memory usage. Where possible, we have
identified such cases in this document. However,
if one of the supported devices does not seem to
work, it may be due to the particular hardware
configuration. For more specific information, see
your hardware manual or contact your system
manufacturer.


ROM Shadowing on Multiprocessor Systems
---------------------------------------
If you encounter persistent installation problems
on multiprocessor systems, try installing with ROM
shadowing disabled.


CD-ROM Installations Require Local CD-ROM Drive
-----------------------------------------------
Installation from CD-ROM requires a supported SCSI
CD-ROM drive physically attached to your computer.


SCSI Devices Must Be On for Setup
---------------------------------
You should ensure all SCSI devices are on prior to
installing or upgrading Windows NT version 3.5.


Disconnect UPS Serial Connections
---------------------------------
UPS serial-monitoring cable connections should be
disconnected during Setup. Windows NT attempts to
automatically detect devices connected to serial
ports, which could cause problems with UPS
equipment connected to a serial port.


ACER AcerFrame 3000 MP
----------------------
Before installing Windows NT, disable shadow RAM
Video BIOS.


Digital Alpha AXP Firmware Must Be Upgraded
-------------------------------------------
Before installing Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
or Windows NT Server 3.5 on an Alpha AXP system,
you must upgrade your system's firmware to the
latest version.

Read the README.TXT file provided in the following
locations to understand the firmware revisions
needed for your specific Alpha AXP system. This
document also provides specific instructions for
obtaining and applying the firmware update.

The README.TXT file is available in the following
locations:

*  On CompuServe, in the DEC4WNT forum in the
   Library Section [4], Hardware Support.

*  Via FTP on GATEKEEPER.DEC.COM. Once connected
   to the gatekeeper, the README.TXT file can be
   found in /private/fwaxp.

If you are still unsure about your particular
upgrade requirements, call the Digital Equipment
Corporation technical support line at
1-800-354-9000 for further assistance.


Gateway Nomad and TI Travelmate Notebooks
-----------------------------------------
To successfully install Windows NT on these
machines, you must choose "Custom Setup." If you
encounter problems running setup while scanning
for SCSI Adapters, you can skip SCSI detection to
solve the problem.

To properly use the floppy drive with Windows NT,
configure the system using its setup utility. Set
the Advanced Operating System option to Auto. When
power management drivers for these machines are
available from Texas Instruments, using the Auto
option will not be necessary.


IBM Personal System/2
---------------------
On some IBM PS/2 systems only planar memory is
recognized when booting from the Windows NT CD-ROM
boot disk or Disk #1 of the floppy disk
installation set. This is a memory card problem.
You may encounter this problem if your system
contains a card with the following part numbers:

FRU-88F0075
Option 87F9856 or 87F9860

Newer model cards are available that correct this
problem. Part numbers for the newer cards are:

FRU-87F9916 or 34F2825
Option 34F3077 or 34F3011

Using Kingston expansion memory can also correct
this problem.

It is recommended that before you install Windows
NT, you update your system configuration using the
PS/2 Reference Diskette version 1.21 or later.


IBM ThinkPad
------------
The IBM ThinkPad 700c and 720c portables require
an ABIOS patch to install and run Windows NT. Copy
the following files from the ThinkPad Reference
Diskette onto C:\ 
     ABIOS.SYS
     SF*.BIO 

Intel EtherExpress 16 LAN Adapter
---------------------------------
In some cases, selecting "early" in the I/O
Channel Ready box can stop the network adapter
card from functioning correctly and may require
reconfiguring with the Intel SoftSet utility. If
you are unsure whether your system can take
advantage of this network setting, consult your
hardware vendor.


Toshiba T4400SX Monochrome
--------------------------
The Toshiba T4400SX display is not supported when
an external monitor is connected.


Caching Disk Controllers and Drives
-----------------------------------
Windows NT supports caching disk controllers and
drives only if one of the following is true:

*  The controller has a driver that specifically
   supports caching (several of these exist: DPT
   and IBM SCSI Caching Adapter).

*  Write-through is active (i.e. write caching is
   disabled) by setting it either manually or by
   default when the computer starts.

*  The entire cache option is off, by setting it
   either manually or by default when the computer
   starts.

Using a caching controller or drive in other
situations risks loss of data if the computer is
rebooted or a power failure occurs before the
cache has flushed itself. You can minimize risk by
waiting at least 1 minute (less if you know the
maximum time the cache waits before flushing
itself) after all system activity stops before
rebooting.  The disk activity light is a good
indicator of how write caching is being done on
your system. This applies to the initial Windows
NT installation as well as shutdown. Note that
unexpected power failure at any time can
potentially corrupt data on the disk, possibly to
the extent that the disk becomes unreadable.
Making the delay time that write data is cached
before being flushed to disk as small as possible
reduces this risk.

Certain applications are data-sensitive and
require that write-through is active. Examples of
this are SQL Server-based applications and NTFS
partitions.


Installing Windows NT on an ESDI
Disk Drive with More Than 1024 Cylinders
----------------------------------------
In some cases, on disk drives with more than 1024
cylinders, Windows NT installation proceeds
normally until the first boot from the hard drive
where Windows NT is installed. The Windows NT Boot
Loader will load various files and then produce a
Fatal System Error: 0x0000006b with the message
that Phase 1 Process Initialization failed.
Following this message will be some type of
hexadecimal dump, and the system will be locked
up. If you experience this difficulty, the
following information can help.

Microsoft has tested the ESDI controllers
listed in README.WRI using a hard drive with a
capacity exceeding 516 MB (MB=1,048,576 bytes)
formatted. The MS-DOS limit of 1024 cylinders
creates a situation where special BIOS mapping on
the controller is used to change the geometry of
the drive. ESDI drives are capable of being
prepared with various values of sectors per track
(spt) such as 53 or 63 spt geometry during a low-
level format, as shown in the following example:

1024 cylinders x 15 heads x 53 spt x 512 bytes per
sector = 398 MB formatted capacity

- Or -

1024 cylinders x 15 heads x 63 spt x 512 bytes per
sector = 472 MB formatted capacity

Thus, using 63 spt will yield 74 MB more space.
Windows NT is perfectly compatible with either
geometry and, depending on the drive or
controller, can access the remaining cylinders
beyond 1024. This space can be partitioned and
formatted but not accessed by MS-DOS. However,
some controllers can successfully remap the
remaining cylinders beyond 1024 so that either
MS-DOS or Windows NT can use the entire capacity.
For example:

1632 cylinders x 15 heads x 53 spt x 512 bytes per
sector = 634 MB formatted capacity
 

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords : ntsetup
Version : 3.50
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :