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Technical Bulletin WIN300 Multitasking Software: Microsoft Windows 3.0x 08.23.91 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Windows 3.0x has been tested in-house and is compatible with LANtastic versions 3.x and 4.x. This bulletin should replace all other notes generated from this office on Windows 3.0x to date. While claiming Windows 3.0x and LANtastic are compatible, Artisoft is not responsible for the compatibility of any other application(s) running within Windows unless otherwise noted. The following information is based on in-house testing of Windows. If you are not a registered LANtastic owner, your questions should be directed to our technical sales staff at (602) 293-6363. Any questions or comments on this bulletin may be forwarded by FAX (602) 293-8065 or mailed to: Artisoft Inc., 575 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ., 85704, ATTN: Windows Compatibility. << Windows 3.0x and LANtastic >> ================================================================= There are two methods of installing Windows 3.0x with LANtastic: 1. Install one version of Windows on each workstation in the network. Advantages: Performance of Windows is much faster than the multi-user version of Windows. Disadvantages: Each workstation must have a hard disk with enough space to load and run Windows (about 8 megabytes). Install Windows 3.0x as described in Microsoft Windows User's Guide,Chapter 1: Installing Windows with Setup. The only modification to the setup is that the LANtastic network must first be installed and running before running SETUP. Doing this will allow SETUP to detect the network type as Microsoft network (or 100% compatible). After completing SETUP go to the following category in this document: LANtastic 4.x users go to the Additional information for LANtastic 4.x users category. LANtastic 3.x users go to The SYSTEM.INI File category. 2. Install one multi-user version of Windows on a server for all workstations to use. Advantages: It is not necessary for workstations to have hard disks. To update Windows to a newer version only one directory needs to be modified. Disadvantages: Windows performance is slower than installing Windows on each workstation. Server must have hard disk space for an expanded version of Windows (about 10 megabytes). To install a multi-user version of Windows 3.0x follow the steps in the next two sections below. >> Installing Windows 3.0x (Multi-user version) with LANtastic ----------------------------------------------------------------- When installing a multi-user version of Windows 3.0x on the LANtastic network operating system, the network must first be installed and active. The following steps must be taken (summarized from the Microsoft Windows User's Guide, Chapter 14: Networks and Windows): 1. On the server where Windows is to be installed, substitute a drive designation to the drive letter where the shared copy of Windows is to be installed (for our example, we'll use W:). SUBST W: C:\ W: 2. Create a Windows subdirectory if one does not already exist on the W: drive MD \WINDOWS 3. At the DOS prompt, create a batch file which will convert the necessary files from the Windows' installation diskettes. COPY CON EXPALL.BAT 4. Type the following information: A: FOR %%I IN (*.*) DO W:\WINDOWS\EXPAND %%I W:\WINDOWS\%%I W: 5. Press <CTRL><Z> and <Enter>. to close the batch file. 6. Insert the Windows disk #2 into the floppy drive A: and copy the EXPAND.EXE file into the shared directory. COPY A:EXPAND.EXE W:\WINDOWS 7. Insert the first Windows disk into drive A: and run the EXPALL batch file: EXPALL This command runs the expall batch file, which copies and expands the files from the Windows disks to the Windows directory on network disk drive (W:\WINDOWS). 8. Repeat the previous step for the remaining Windows install disks. 9. Make all files in the windows directory read only by using the DOS ATTRIB. CD \WINDOWS ATTRIB +R *.* >> Configuring users to run Windows (Multi-user version) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Each user on the network, including the user running on the server were Windows is installed, must run the SETUP/N program to configure Windows for the information specific to that user. This program creates a WIN.COM file and unique configuration (.INI) files for each user and places those files in the specified directory. 1. Each workstation must first log into the Windows server and redirect a drive designation to the directory in which Windows has been installed: NET LOGIN \\server_name user_name NET USE W: \\server_name\C-DRIVE To setup Windows on the server where Windows has been installed, do not issue a NET USE. Instead issue the following: SUBST W: C:\ 2. From the redirected drive designation (W:\WINDOWS in this case), type: SETUP/N 3. Follow the prompts on the screen. When Windows prompts for a directory in which to place the user's Windows files, enter any path other than the one specified for the network Windows files (ie. C:\WINFILES if the workstation has a hard drive). NOTE: Even the user on the Windows server must run SETUP/N and specify a unique directory. If Windows is installed on a diskless station follow the steps as above, however, when asked for a path in which to install the user files, select a personal Windows directory on a network drive. (ie. W:\WINBOB for the user Bob) 4. Windows then displays an initial configuration menu. If the selections shown are not correct for that workstation, use the arrow keys to change each item. Once the selections are correct, press enter to accept the changes. The network selected should be Microsoft network (or 100% compatible). << Additional information for LANtastic 4.x users >> ================================================================= With LANtastic version 4.x the SETUP program must be run a second time after the installation of the Microsoft network (or 100% compatible) driver. This second running of SETUP is to add the LANtastic drivers for the Windows enhanced mode. Do not run Windows until SETUP has been run this second time. 1. Change into the user's Windows directory. 2. Run Windows Setup without any parameters: SETUP 3. Select Network. 4. Select Other (Requires disk provided by manufacturer). 5. Replace the A:\ path with the path to the directory where you installed the LANtastic NOS files. C:\LANTASTI SETUP will find the file OEMSETUP.INF which contains the necessary settings for Windows to use when it executes. These settings will be copied into the SYSTEM.INI files so that these parameters will be used each time you run Windows. 6. Select LANtastic Network Operating System 4.0. If SETUP asks for the LANtastic Windows support disk, specify the path to the directory where you installed the LANtastic NOS files (ie. C:\LANTASTI). 7. SETUP will return to the main menu with LANtastic Network Operating System 4.0 as the network. Press Enter to accept the new Windows configuration. SETUP will make changes and return to the DOS. << The SYSTEM.INI File >> ================================================================= If a user is going to use Windows in the Enhanced or 386 mode, changes to the SYSTEM.INI file may be required to avoid memory conflicts with various network adapters, or to modify existing parameters. These changes or additions occur in the [386Enh] section and are as follows: LANtastic version 2.x & 3.x only_________________________________ [386Enh] EMMExclude=D800-DFFF This line must be added if there is a possibility of RAMBASE conflict with the network adapter (only in cases where the network adapter uses a RAMBASE, such as our 2Mbps adapter). NetHeapSize=64 NetHeapSize tells Windows the max buffer size in Kilobytes required for this data transfer. We recommend modifying this value to start between 32 and 76. Please refer to the Microsoft Windows manual, Using Networks With Windows, page 552, for more information. InDOSPolling=TRUE Value must be TRUE. Do not use this parameter with LANtastic version 4.x. LANtastic version 4.x only_______________________________________ These parameters are installed automatically by the OEMSETUP.INF used during the SETUP of LANtastic Network Operating System 4.0 driver. [386Enh] network=*vnetbios,lantasti.386 This command instructs Windows to use the LANTASTI.386 driver in the Enhanced mode. EMMExclude=D800-DFFF This line must be added if there is a possibility of RAMBASE conflict with the network adapter (only in cases where the network adapter uses a RAMBASE, such as our 2Mbps adapter). PerVMFiles=0 This command specifies the number of private file handles that Windows will allocate for each virtual machine. If NET_MGR's Max Files Open is Use CONFIG.SYS in the Server Startup Parameters, set PerVMFiles equal to 0. NetHeapSize=64 NetHeapSize tells Windows the max buffer size in Kilobytes required for this data transfer. We recommend modifying this value to start between 32 and 76. Please refer to the Microsoft Windows manual, Using Networks With Windows, page 552, for more information. NetAsynchTimeout=5.0 This value specifies the timeout period in seconds that Windows will attempt to save an asynchronous failing NETBIOS request. NetAsynchFallback=True This instructs Windows to allocate more local buffer space if there is not enough global space to handle a NETBIOS request. Upgrading from LANtastic version 2.x or 3.x to version 4.x_______ Remove the following parameters if they are present in the SYSTEM.INI: InDOSPolling=TRUE ReflectDOSInt2a=TRUE UniqueDOSPSP=TRUE << Printing >> ================================================================= Windows provides a utility, the Windows Print Manager, to handle printing. However, when using Windows with LANtastic, all printing activity to any network resource must be handled by the network spooler. Therefore it is necessary to disable the Windows Print Manager (step 3. below). Process any network print jobs through LPT2: or LPT3:. Only local (non-network) printing should be directed to LPT1:. Do not use LPTx.OS2 or LPTx.PRN for network printing as recommended in previous bulletins, use only the LPTx: ports. Log into the network, redirect the printer port, and make the necessary connections in Windows as follows: 1. Log into the server and share the server's printer resource. NET USE LPT2: \\server_name\@PRINTER 2. Run Windows, and from the MAIN group, select Control Panel then select the Printers option. 3. Clear the Use Print Manager check box to bypass the Windows spooler. 4. From the Printer menu, highlight the desired printer driver from the Installed Printers list and select the Configure button. Highlight the redirected port from the selections (LPT2: or LPT3:). Also from the Printer Configure window, set the timeouts of Device Not Selected to 900 and Transmission Retry Timeout to 950. << Using Expanded Memory Managers >> ================================================================= An expanded memory manager gives applications access to only a limited amount of expanded memory at a time, and is slower to use than extended memory. Therefore Windows uses expanded memory only when running in real mode (when running in 386 enhanced mode, Windows can simulate expanded memory for applications that require it). Windows requires that memory to conform to version 4.0 of the Lotus-Intel-Microsoft Expanded Memory Specification (LIM EMS 4.0). If an application requires expanded memory with Windows in real mode, Windows' EMM386.SYS expanded memory emulator may be used. When using EMM386.SYS, as with any other expanded memory manager, it is important to note that any conflicting memory addresses must be excluded. The following is an example of EMM386.SYS loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file, and shows how to exclude any RAMBASE which may be used by a network adapter (in this example the network adapter is using RAMBASE D800-DFFF): DEVICE=EMM386.SYS X=D800-DFFF Other expanded memory drivers may be used, such as Quarterdeck's QEMM or Qualitas' 386max. NOTE: If the expanded memory manager that is being used is loading FILES into high memory, there must be at least 20 files loaded in conventional memory (ie. FILES=20 in CONFIG.SYS). For information about Microsoft DOS 5.0's EMM386.EXE program, please see the Technical Bulletin for Microsoft DOS 5.0 from Artisoft. Artisoft Facsimile System: (602)293-1397 FAX identification number: 214. << Using Extended Memory Managers >> ================================================================= Extended memory is memory beyond 640K on 80286, 80386, and 80486 computers, and acts as an extension of the computer's conventional memory. An extended memory manager is required in order to run Windows in standard or 386 enhanced mode. Windows includes the extended memory manager HIMEM.SYS. When running in real mode, Windows uses extended memory only for storing information. << Activating Windows >> ================================================================= From the user's Windows file directory Windows may be run in one of three following modes: WIN/E Enhanced Mode: Provides all standard mode features for 386-based systems with at least 1MB of extended memory plus Virtual Memory, multiple virtual machines, configurable time-slicing for DOS applications (to determine priority of execution) and standard DOS applications can run in their own windows or full-screen. Enhanced mode may also be activated by WIN /3. WIN/S Standard Mode: Provides access to extended memory for 286-based systems or higher with at least 256K of extended memory WIN/R Real Mode: Base-level operating mode for systems with at least 640K of memory. Uses standard 640K conventional memory, standard DOS and Windows applications can use EMS memory, and standard DOS applications run full-screen in the foreground. WIN When loaded with no switch, Windows will attempt to run the mode which best suits the current configuration. NOTE: If Windows is running on a 386 server with LANtastic 3.x, ALWAYS run Windows using the /S or /R switch. Otherwise Windows will attempt to load in enhanced mode, which is not supported on a server with LANtastic 3.x. << Running the NET.EXE program from Windows >> ================================================================= Whenever a non-Windows application is executed, Windows looks for that application's Program Information File (PIF). A PIF is a special file containing settings that tell Windows how to run a non-Windows application. A PIF's filename usually matches that of the corresponding application. When creating a PIF file, Windows allocates the necessary memory for the requested .EXE file. It is possible to create a PIF file for NET, but since NET is comprised of two files: NET.EXE and NET.MNU, Windows does not allocate enough memory for both. This can be corrected by copying the NET.MNU in the LANTASTI subdirectory to NETMNU.EXE: COPY NET.MNU NETMNU.EXE Then create a PIF file called NETMNU.PIF, using all the defaults, which calls NETMNU.EXE in the LANTASTI subdirectory. Please refer to Microsoft Windows User's Guide,Chapter 12: More About Applications for more information. << Additional Tips and Suggestions >> ================================================================= The following lists additional suggestions for various problems which may be encountered during the installation and operation of Windows on LANtastic. *.Whether installing a multi-user version or a single user version of Windows always make sure that the network driver is Microsoft Network (or 100% compatible). Additionally for LANtastic version 4.x users, the LANtastic Network Operating System 4.0 network driver must also be installed (see Additional information for LANtastic 4.x users in this document). * If printing is slow only when the Print Server is running Windows, do the following in the NET_MGR on the Print Server: 1. From the Main Functions menu select the Shared Resource Management option Select the printer resource (ie. @PRINTER) Increase the Char/second to 9600 2. Escape back to the Main Functions menu of NET_MGR Change into Server Startup Parameters Ensure that the Printer Tasks are set to 1, even if there is more than one printer 3. Exit out of NET_MGR (if settings were changed in step 2, the Print Server must be rebooted). * If an Expanded Memory Manager is being used and Windows either: Reports that "DOS version 3.0 or higher is needed" when DOS 4.0x or higher is being used. Drops back to DOS after typing in WIN with DOS 3.0x. Ensure that there is at least FILES=20 in the CONFIG.SYS, anything above FILES=20 can be loaded into high memory. Also, do not load any BUFFERS high. * Do not attempt to format floppy disks from within the File Manager application. Format floppy disks in Windows only from the DOS prompt. * IRQs on the network cards must be unique. If a COM2: or second serial device is in the computer, even if it is not being used, do not use IRQ=3. The result would be the loss of the network connections after Windows has been executed in enhanced mode. * With LANtastic version 4.0 if the server starts a continuous network bleep on the Windows logo startup screen, but only when running Windows in the enhanced mode: make sure that you do not NET USE any of the server's own drive resources (ie. do not NET USE C: \\SERVER\C-DRIVE, always allow the server to have physical access to its own hard drives) If you are running Windows off of a redirected W:, do not NET USE W: \\SERVER\C-DRIVE, instead use SUBST W: C:\. A server can NET USE another server's resources just not its own drive resources. << Conclusion >> ================================================================= If a unique problem arises which we are unable to resolve either through initial phone contact or through this bulletin, please contact the Windows specialist in our technical support department at (602) 293-6363. Any questions or suggestions on this bulletin may be mailed to our offices to the attention of the Compatibility Department / Windows 3.0x Support. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Vendor Information: Microsoft Corp. One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-6399 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ARTISOFT, Inc. makes no warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of this document. LANtastic is a trademark of ARTISOFT, Inc. Brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.