Return to MAIN-Index  Return to SUB-Index    IBM-AUSTRIA - PC-HW-Support    30 Aug 1999

Netware with diskless system



PROBLEM - When running with netware, the network drive on the diskless Valuepoint defaults to A: Some diskless clones default to F:.

Machines AFFECTED - All Valuepoint systems.

SOLUTION - The netware shell (NETX.EXE) determines what the default network drive will be. NETX determines the network drive through the following sequence of events:



o DOS INT 21 function 0E to read the value of the lastdrive statement in the CONFIG.SYS.

if no parameter is specified in the CONFIG.SYS, then E: is the default.


o BIOS INT 11 to read the equipment byte of the system. Bit 0 of AX indicates if the

system is diskless or not.


o If the workstation is not diskless, then the network drive is always made to be one more

than the value specified in the lastdrive statement in the config.sys. if no value is

specified, then F: is selected.


o If the workstation is diskless, then netx will check the drive tables using DOS int 21

function to verify that there is truly no physical disks mapped to logical disks. it

specifically checks the C: disk. If physical disks are matched to C:, then the netware shell

will automatically select A: as the network drive.



The equipment byte of a VP is set to 0 IDEntifying itself as a diskless station. since there is not a physical c: Drive installed, the netware shell will always choose a: drive as the network drive in a diskless VP.

Why do the clones select F: as the network drive? The equipment byte returned on those systems using BIOS INT 11 is probably indicating that it is not a diskless workstation. either that or the DOS drive tables indicate that a physical drive is mapped to the logical c: drive.

NOTE: There is nothing wrong with the VP. It is working as designed. There is also nothing wrong with the netware shell. It is working as designed.

Temporary work around - There are two ways to circumvent the problem, or lack thereof. One is to use netware's new VLM shell. If the customer uses this shell, he/she can specify in the net.cfg what they want the network drive to default to. Unfortunately this option was not available in the netx version of the shell. The other option is to have two sets of disk images, one for the clones and one for the Valuepoint systems. The one for VP would login to the server using the A: network drive. This requires more administration because there needs to be a file in the server called bootconf.sys that specifies which machines get which image after login the user can map everything over to the F: if he/she feels more comfortable using that drive.

Permanent fix - None - both the netware shell and VP are working as designed. see temporary work around section on how to circumvent the problem if required.


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