Troubleshooting Common Problems

Most connectivity problems between Windows 2000 and NetWare are caused by an incorrect setup. Without proper setup, access to NetWare resources is either inconsistent or nonexistent.

If you experience any of the following symptoms when connecting to the NetWare network, you probably have an incorrect setup:

• Access is denied to applications residing on NetWare servers.
• Programs fail to run and display error messages.
• Data throughput is slow.
• Users see the error message "Server not found."
• Users are denied access to network resources located on NetWare servers.
• Access to NetWare resources is limited.
• Some clients have some access to NetWare services, but others have no access.
• Users can connect to servers running Windows 2000 and Windows NT, but not to NetWare servers.
• Users can connect to some NetWare servers but not to others.

Because connectivity involves resources on both Windows 2000 and NetWare computer resources must be set up correctly on both Windows 2000–based computers and NetWare computers.

First, verify that access to NetWare resources is correctly configured on the NetWare file servers. You must check a variety of parameters, depending on the problem and its severity. Consider the following questions when resolving connectivity problems:

• Are user accounts set up correctly on the NetWare file server?
• Are the appropriate groups set up?
• Is group membership set up correctly?
• Are the correct rights set for the required resources?

Note

Contact your NetWare administrator or consult your NetWare documentation for information on proper NetWare configuration procedures.

When you have verified that the necessary configurations and rights are set up on the NetWare file servers and the problem has still not been resolved, test the configuration on the Windows 2000–based computer. For best results, follow the steps in Figure 12.17. Each step is discussed later in this section.

Enlarge figure

Figure 12.17 Troubleshooting Windows 2000 and NetWare Connectivity Problems

Are NWLink and Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare installed?

For a client or server running Windows 2000 to access NetWare servers, NWLink and Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare must be installed on the computer running Windows 2000. When Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare is installed, NWLink is installed automatically.

To verify NWLink and Gateway Service/Client Service installation

1. Double-click My Computer, double-click Control Panel, and then double-click Network and Dial-up Connections.
2. In the Network and Dial-up Connections window, right-click the connection you want to configure, and then click Properties.
3. In the properties for your connection, verify that NWLink and either Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare is listed.

For more information about how to install Client Service for NetWare or Gateway Service for NetWare, see "Configuring Gateway Service and Client Service" earlier in this chapter.

Are the correct frame type and network number installed?

When you install Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare and NWLink, the Auto Detect feature is enabled. For more information about Auto Detect, see "NWLink Auto Detect" earlier in this chapter. In most cases, Auto Detect detects the correct frame type and network number. However, problems can occur when a network is using multiple frame types or when an incorrect frame type is set manually. If NWLink detects no network traffic, NWLink sets the frame type to 802.2.

To verify that the frame type is set to Auto Detect

1. In the properties box for your connection, double-click NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol.
2. On the General tab, verify that Auto frame type detection is selected as the adapter method.

To determine the frame type set on the NetWare server

1. Connect to the NetWare server system console locally or connect to it remotely by using the NetWare Rconsole utility.
2. At the console, type:

Config

The frame type is displayed.

To determine the installed frame type and network number on the Windows 2000 Server–based computer

1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click Command Prompt.
2. At the command prompt, type:

ipxroute config

Verify that the frame and network number in the Frame and Network columns are correct for your installation.

If you have multiple network adapters, examine the Node MAC address column to determine the network number that is associated with the specified card.

To manually set the correct frame type and network number, follow the procedures in "Frame Types and Network Numbers," earlier in this chapter.

Is the computer set to the correct bindery server or to the correct NDS tree and context?

When Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare is configured with an incorrect bindery server or an incorrect context within the NDS tree, users have problems accessing network resources.

To reset the current preferred server or default tree and context

1. Double-click My Computer, then double-click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click the Gateway Service for NetWare or the Client Service for NetWare icon.
3. The preferred bindery server or default tree and context is displayed.
4. If the default tree and context or preferred server is incorrect, select the correct default tree and context or preferred server, and then click OK.

Note

If you do not want to set a preferred server, click None. You then connect to NetWare through the nearest available NetWare bindery-based server. However, you are not actually logged on to this server; you can use it only for browsing.

Are the user name and password the same across the LAN servers?

If a user running Windows 2000 Professional cannot gain access to certain servers on the network, the user name and password might not be synchronized across the network.

To determine whether the user name and password is synchronized

1. Log on to the network on the Windows 2000 Professional–based computer that is having a problem, using a user name and password combination that is known to work.
2. If you can access the desired network resources using this alternate account, the original account needs to be synchronized across the network. Set the password on the client running Windows 2000 to propagate the password across the network.

Tip

Use the Change Password option on the client running Windows 2000 Professional to automatically modify the password on both the servers running Windows 2000 and the NetWare servers. If you modify the password only on the NetWare servers, it does not propagate to the servers running Windows 2000.

Are the file sizes and timestamps for Gateway Service or Client Service and IPX/SPX files correct?

In some instances files do not copy correctly, or they become corrupt during the file copy process.

To determine if the file sizes and timestamps are correct

1. Examine the file sizes and timestamps for the files created when NWLink, Gateway Service for NetWare, or Client Service for NetWare is installed on the Windows 2000–based client or server that is having a problem.

   For a list of files that are installed when Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare is installed on a computer running Windows 2000 see "NWLink" and "Gateway Service and Client Service" earlier in this chapter.

2. Make sure that they are the same as the identical files on a working Windows 2000–based client or server.

   If the file sizes and timestamps are not identical, your files could be corrupt.

To correct a problem with file corruption

1. In the properties for your network connection, select Client Service for NetWare on a Windows 2000 Professional computer or Gateway (and Client) Services for NetWare on a Windows 2000 Server computer, click Uninstall, and then click OK.
2. Check whether all of the Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare and NWLink files have been deleted. If any files remain, rename them rather than deleting them, in case you need them later. To rename the files, replace each file name extension with .bak (for example, rename file Nwlnknb.sys to Nwlnknb.bak, and so forth).
3. Reinstall Gateway Service for NetWare or Client Service for NetWare.

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