Setup, Network Card Settings, and Preliminary Troubleshooting

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups

SUMMARY

This article contains questions and answers about Windows for Workgroups Setup, network card settings, and important preliminary troubleshooting steps.

MORE INFORMATION

The following information applies to Microsoft Windows(TM) for Workgroups version 3.1.

1. Q. What are the memory and disk space system requirements for Microsoft Windows for Workgroups?
   
   A. Windows for Workgroups must be run in 386 enhanced mode in order to share resources. 386 enhanced mode requires a minimum of 3 megabytes (MB) of memory; however, 4 MB is recommended. Standard mode operation requires a minimum of 2 MB of memory. These memory requirements refer to total conventional and extended memory only. Windows for Workgroups requires a minimum of 9.5 MB and a maximum of 14.5 MB of free disk space. Upgrading over Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 reduces these free disk space requirements to a minimum of 3.5 MB and a maximum of 8.5 MB. Workgroup Connections require 320 kilobytes (K) of free conventional memory and 1 MB of free disk space.
   
   Windows for Workgroups must be installed on a workstation that has a hard disk drive. Windows for Workgroups and Workgroup Connections are supported on MS-DOS-based systems.



2. Q. I'm having difficulty installing Microsoft Windows for Workgroups. What should I do?
   
   A. Complete information on installing Windows for Workgroups is contained in the "Getting Started" manual. The following are five general setup tips:
   
   
   1. Before you run the Setup program, start your machine with a minimal configuration. For more information, please refer to the section titled "Streamline the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT Files" in Chapter 6 of the "Getting Started" manual. The examples provided in this manual refer to a minimum configuration after Windows for Workgroups is loaded. The last three lines in the CONFIG.SYS file and the first line in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file that relate to the network are not loaded before installation.
   
   
   
   2. Windows for Workgroups installations are most successful when installed to a newly created and empty subdirectory. This applies to all packages of Windows for Workgroups, including upgrade packages. Upgrading over a Windows 3.x environment configured for a network other than Microsoft LAN Manager or Novell(R) NetWare(R) may cause incompatibility issues. If Windows 3.x is currently installed on your computer for a network, choose the Windows Setup icon, choose Change Systems Settings from the Options menu, and select the No Network Installed option before you run the Windows for Workgroups upgrade.
   
   
   
   3. If your Windows 3.x environment is not installed for a network and you are using any third-party drivers, font software, desktop shells, or utilities, consider installing Windows for Workgroups to a different directory. If you choose to upgrade over the Windows 3.x directories, at least disable any third-party products from the Windows 3.x environment before you run Setup.
   
   
   
   4. Workgroup Connections should be installed to a different subdirectory; do not upgrade over Windows. If you do so, a new SYSTEM.INI file is created.
   
   
   
   5. During Setup, if your machine locks up, reboots itself, or displays corrupt images on the screen, Setup may have incorrectly recognized your hardware. For solutions to these problems, please refer to the section titled "Setting Up Windows for Workgroups" in Chapter 6 of the "Getting Started" manual.
   
   
   



3. Q. Where can I find more information about setup entries and the setup of supported network adapter cards?
   
   A. To properly configure your network card, please refer to the complete instructions in the section titled "Setting Up a Network Card" in Chapter 6 of the "Getting Started" manual. The following are four general tips:
   
   
   1. Entries referring to Workgroup and ComputerName should be limited to 15 characters. All other share names should conform to the MS-DOS file-naming convention, which consists of an eight-character maximum filename and an optional extension limited to three characters.
   
   
   
   2. The Windows for Workgroups Setup may not always detect your network card and its configuration accurately. For this reason, you may want to choose Custom Setup so that you can modify the network card configuration. This configuration can also be changed in the Windows for Workgroups Control Panel after Setup is complete.
   
   
   
   3. Some cards, such as the Intel(R) EtherExpress(TM), may be software configurable; therefore, there may not be any jumpers and/or switches on the card to configure the IRQ, I/O port, and RAM addresses. The Windows for Workgroups network card installation software configures these cards.
   
   
   
   4. Windows for Workgroups supports only the NetBEUI protocol. The MSIPX protocol is available only after you install the optional network functionality for Novell NetWare. The protocols conform to the Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS). If you want to use another protocol, obtain the NDIS-compliant protocol driver and an OEMSETUP.INF file from the software company that provides the protocol.
   
   
   



4. Q. Where can I find information on installing unlisted network protocols and adapters?
   
   A. Information on installing third-party networks and protocols can be found on pages 152 and 204 of the "User's Guide." The following are six general tips:
   
   
   1. For information about using the Microsoft LAN Manager TCP/IP protocol with Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, please refer to the Windows for Workgroups Resource Kit. For information on purchasing Microsoft Data Link Control (DLC) and Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows for Workgroups, Call Microsoft Consumer Sales at (800) 426-9400. Both TCP/IP and MSDLC are supported by Microsoft LAN Manager support.
   
   
   
   2. The MSIPX protocol is available only after you add Novell NetWare connectivity to Windows for Workgroups.
   
   
   
   3. If you have an Ethernet adapter that can emulate either an NE1000 or an NE2000 network card, choose the NE1000- compatible adapter for an 8-bit card or the NE2000- compatible adapter for a 16-bit card in the Network Adapter dialog box.
   
   
   
   4. If you have an ArcNet(R) adapter that conforms to the Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS), select ArcNet Compatible in the Network Adapter dialog box.
   
   
   
   5. If your network card is not listed in the Network Adapter Compatibility List, you must obtain the NDIS driver specific to your network card and the OEMSETUP.INF file from the vendor of your network card.
   
   
   



5. Q. I'm receiving the error message, "The Protocol Manager has reported an incomplete binding." What is causing this error?
   
   A. The error "The Protocol Manager has reported an incomplete binding" is most often caused by a conflict in the upper memory area or an incorrect setting in the PROTOCOL.INI file. To correct the error, use the following two steps:
   
   
   1. If the memory manager EMM386.EXE is loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file, modify the line to read as follows:

      
      device=<path>emm386.exex=a000-efff 

   
   
   
   2. Save this file and restart the computer. If the

      incomplete binding

      error message continues after you modify the CONFIG.SYS file, the answers to the next two questions may help you correct this problem.
   
   
   



6. Q. I'm still receiving the "incomplete binding" error message after I exclude the upper memory area with EMM386 in the CONFIG.SYS file. What should I try next?
   
   A. If you still receive the "incomplete binding" error message after you have excluded the upper memory area, use the following four steps to check for possible PROTOCOL.INI setting errors:
   
   
   1. In the Control Panel window, choose the Network icon.
   
   
   
   2. Choose the Adapters button and note the brand name and model of the network card listed under Network Adapter In Use. If the network adapter is incorrect, choose the Remove button, then choose the Add button to select the correct driver.
   
   
   
   3. Note the IRQ, I/O Port, and Base Memory address configurations. If any of these settings is incorrect, change the entry to its correct setting. This configuration information can also be found by choosing the Setup button in the Network Adapter dialog box.
   
   
   
   4. The last item to check is the protocol. You must have at least one protocol selected in the dialog box titled Protocols In Use. Windows for Workgroups supports the NetBEUI protocol. MSIPX is only available after Novell NetWare connectivity is added to Windows for Workgroups.
   
   
   



7. Q. I'm still receiving the "incomplete binding" error message even after I have confirmed and corrected all the settings in the PROTOCOL.INI file. What should I do now?
   
   A. If you continue to receive the "incomplete binding" error message after you verify that all the settings in the PROTOCOL.INI file are correct, and if you are using the Intel EtherExpress adapter card, use the following three steps:
   
   
   1. Turn off the computer and disconnect any cables from the card.
   
   
   
   2. Attach a T connector to the card with two terminators on the T.
   
   
   
   3. Restart the computer. If the message

      The Protocol Manager has reported an incomplete binding

      no longer displays, there is a problem with the cable.
   
   
   



8. Q. I'm running Microsoft Windows for Workgroups on a Novell Token Ring network and am receiving the error message

   File server cannot be found.

   What is causing this error?
   
   A. If you are running on a Novell Token Ring network, the error

   File server cannot be found

   may be caused by loading ROUTE.COM in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and remove the line that loads ROUTE.COM. After you save the file, restart your machine.



9. Q. I'm running on a Novell Ethernet network and am receiving the error message

   File server cannot be found.

   What is causing this error?
   
   A. If you are running on a Novell Ethernet network, the error message

   File server cannot be found

   may be caused by exceeding the user limit of the Novell software or by an entry in the PROTOCOL.INI file referring to the incorrect Ethernet frame type. If you have not exceeded your user limit on the Novell network, try correcting this problem by using the following four steps:
   
   
   1. In the Control Panel window, choose the Network icon, then choose the Adapters button.
   
   
   
   2. Select the adapter that is bound to MSIPX, choose the Setup button, then choose the Advanced button.
   
   
   
   3. Select Novell IPX from the Protocols In Use box, then choose the Settings button.
   
   
   
   4. In the Adapter Media Type Value box, you will see either Novell/Ethernet or Ethernet_II(DIX). Note which parameter is indicated, and then select the other Media Type parameter.
   
   
   



10. Q. I'm receiving the error message

    NetBIOS session limit exceeded.

    What is causing this error?
    
    A. "NetBIOS session limit exceeded" refers to the number of connections that can be made to your server at any one time. This limit is affected by the number of sessions set in the [MS$NetBEUI] section of the PROTOCOL.INI file. Other protocols refer to variables other than SESSIONS. Please refer to your network protocol documentation for more information. Use the following four steps to increase the number of sessions:
    
    
    1. Open the PROTOCOL.INI file from the WINDOWS directory in an ASCII text editor, such as Microsoft Windows Notepad.
    
    
    
    2. Locate the section titled [MS$NetBEUI].
    
    
    
    3. Double the value following SESSIONS=. When you increase the value following SESSIONS=, you must also increase the value following NCBS=. The NCBS value should be double the value of SESSIONS.
    
    
    
    4. Save the file and restart Windows.
    
    
    

Additional query words: 3.10 ivrfax wfwg wc AWG31

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Platform : WINDOWS
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