KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q90970: Setup, Network Card Settings, and Preliminary Troubleshooting

Article: Q90970
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 3.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 20-FEB-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- 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

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWFWSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:

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

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.