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Q145592: I/O Channel Ready Settings on the Intel EtherExpress 16

Article: Q145592
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.11 3.50 3.51
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 
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SUMMARY
=======

When you install the driver for the Intel EtherExpress 16 local area network
adapter, one of the configuration fields is I/0 Channel Ready. This option can
have three possible values: Late, Early, and Never. Typically, Windows NT will
only allow the user to set this field to Later or Never. This article includes
configuration information for both Windows NT and Windows for Workgroups.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The I/O Channel Ready settings optimize the timing of 16-bit data transfers. The
Never value forces the card into 8-bit mode; the Late and Early values both
allow the card to work in 16-bit mode. The setting that works on most computers
is Late, although a few computers require Early to function in 16-bit mode.

Some computers will experience problems when the card is set to Early. These
problems can range from data loss when transferring large files to computer
hangs that require removing the card, transferring it to another computer and
using the Softset utility to reset the network adapter.

Windows NT
----------

Because of the potential for serious problems, Windows NT setup does not offer
Early as one of the options unless one of the following is true:

- Setup detects that the card is already set to Early. -or-

- The .INF file for the Intel EtherExpress has been modified to allow the early
  setting.

Even when the Early option is available, if you select it, you will receive the
following error message:

  Use of the Early setting may cause system failure in some machines. Are you
  sure you want to continue?

While those computers that require Early will not function when the card is set
to Late, the EtherExpress driver is capable of detecting this case and it will
default the card to Never, which is always safe. Unfortunately, there is no way
to detect when Early is not safe without experiencing the problems mentioned
above.

If you have a computer that requires the Early setting and it is not displayed as
an option in Windows NT, you can add Early to the list by doing the following:

1. Open the OEMNADIN.INF file in the %systemroot%\SYSTEM32 subdirectory with a
  text editor.

2. Find the line that reads "AllowEarly =" and change the value after the equal
  sign from 0 to 1.

3. Save the file.

4. Use the network applet in Control Panel to configure the network adapter
  settings. Early should then show up as an option for I/O Channel Ready.

Windows for Workgroups
----------------------

When you install the network adapter and run the Softset utility in Windows for
Workgroups, both the Softset and Windows for Workgroups stop responding (hang).

If your network adapter has the Early setting and you want to change it to the
Late setting:

1. Obtain E16LATE.EXE, a self-extracting file, from one of the following
  locations:

   - Intel World Wide Web site
     (http://www-cs.intel.com/all/selfhelp/6263.HTM)

   - Intel FTP server
     (ftp://ftp.intel.com/pub/PCandNetworkSupport/EtherExpress)

   - Intel Bulletin Board Service at (503) 264-7999

2. In the CONFIG.SYS file, remark out the following line with REM using a text
  editor, such as EDIT.COM:

  REM DEVICE=<drive>:<path>\EXP16.DOS

3. Save CONFIG.SYS and reboot your computer.

4. Using a text editor, modify the lines in PROTOCOL.INI file to the following:

  IOCHRDY=LATE
  IOADDRESS=<Correct I/O Port Address>

5. Save PROTOCOL.INI.

6. Run LATE.EXE (one of the files extracted from E16LATE.EXE) utility. This
  utility resets the EEPROM of the Etherexpress NIC I/O Channel Ready to the
  current IOCHRDY information from PROTOCOL.INI.

7. In the CONFIG.SYS file, remove REM for EXP16.DOS, as follows:

  DEVICE=<drive>:<path>\EXP16.DOS

8. Power down the computer and wait a few seconds.

9. Turn the computer on restart Windows for Workgroups.

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent
of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these
products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words: prodnt 3.11 ether express

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbAudDeveloper kbWFWSearch kbWFW311
Version           : 3.11 3.50 3.51

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