Setting Up Windows 98 for NetWare Networks: An Overview

If you are administering a NetWare network, the move to Windows 98 will involve incremental planning, testing, and gradual implementation of Windows 98 on many computers on the network. Typically, the administrator will take time to complete the following tasks:

Install Windows 98 on a single workstation, and experiment with various configuration alternatives.
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 98.
For information about choosing protocols and a network client, see the section "Planning for Windows 98 on NetWare Networks."
Prepare an implementation strategy, as summarized in Chapter 1, "Deployment Strategy."
Test the selected configuration of network clients, protocols, and drivers on a small network.
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.
Test automatic installation on a small network.
Prepare and implement the strategy for rollout on the larger network.

Windows 98 Setup detects whether a Novell NetWare workstation shell client is running on the computer. During the detection phase, Windows 98 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 98 Setup determines whether to remove the existing components and install Client for NetWare Networks. If Setup finds the NETX client, it removes NETX and automatically configures Client for NetWare Networks. See "Installing or Upgrading a Real-Mode client" for issues you should consider before upgrading NETX or VLM.

However, Windows 98 Setup does not automatically install Client for NetWare Networks if detection finds the following:

The computer is using Novell Client for Windows 95/98 or VLM with NetWare 4.x NDS, and you call Login.exe either in Autoexec.bat or a batch file referenced by it (such as Startnet.bat). In this case, Setup leaves all existing networking components in place.
Certain TSRs are present that require ODI. In this case, Setup installs Client for NetWare Networks but configures it to run over ODI.
Certain TSRs are present that are not compatible with the protected-mode client, but can use the new implementation of the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol. In this case, the real-mode network client and adapter drivers are left in place, but Setup installs the new protocol.
Certain TSRs are present that are not compatible with Client for NetWare Networks or other protected-mode components. In this case, Setup leaves all existing real-mode networking components in place.

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

Comment out NetWare-related TSRs in Autoexec.bat that are not required with Client for NetWare Networks or other Windows 98 components.
Move certain TSRs from Autoexec.bat to Winstart.bat so that this software can be loaded at the appropriate time during system startup.
Install new 32-bit, protected-mode versions of networking components such as protocols and network adapter drivers.
Comment out entries from System.ini that are not required when using protected-mode networking components.
Configure settings in the registry related to support for NetWare networks

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 Table 17.1. For a complete and current list, see Netdet.ini in your \Windows directory.

Table 17.1 Windows 98 Setup software detection and installation

Software detected	Windows 98 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 3, "Custom Installations."

Windows 98 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.

Note

Windows 98 Setup does not automatically install the Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services, which provides integration with NDS. To install Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services, follow the procedure "To add Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services after installing Windows 98" in "Setting Up Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services" later in this chapter.