NETWARE DOS REQUESTER README (04/20/94) To print this file to a local printer, 1. Insert the workstation diskette containing this file into drive A: (or B:). 2. At the DOS prompt, type "A:" (or "B:") and press . 3. At the DOS prompt, type "COPY READVLM.TXT PRN" and press . NOTE: If you have a postscript printer, import this file into a word processing application and print from the application. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Contents This document contains the following topics about the NetWare Client for DOS and MS Windows: 1.0 Description of NetWare DOS Requester Software 2.0 NET.CFG File Parameter for the NetWare DOS Requester Option 3.0 Additional Information on the NetWare DOS Requester 3.1 Loading VLMs from a Directory Other Than the Current Directory 3.2 Specifying a NET.CFG File Outside the Current Directory 3.3 Understanding the Load Order for VLM Software 3.4 Disabling Specific VLM Software 3.5 Specifying the Load Order for Specific NetWare protocols 3.6 Using the NETX.COM File or Related Shells with the VLM Software 3.7 The IPXNCP.VLM File is not a Replacement for the IPXODI.COM File 3.8 The Personal NetWare Client Software Components are Now Included in The NetWare Client Kit 3.9 First Available Drive Is Different 3.10 Login Drive Prompt Appears To Be a Root Mapped Drive 3.11 Search Mode Now Uses the DOS ENVIRONMENT Variable 3.12 Difference In Diagnostic Information Reported In the NETX.VLM 3.13 File Compared to the NETX.COM and Related Files 1.0 Description of NetWare DOS Requester Software The NetWare DOS Requester consists of a number of files that provide NetWare support for a DOS client. Unlike previous versions of the NetWare DOS client, the Requester is built on a number of Virtual Loadable Modules (VLMs). The VLM.EXE (VLM manager) is responsible for loading the required modules. NOTE: The NetWare DOS Requester is NOT compatible with NETX.COM or NETX.EXE. Use NETX.VLM for compatibility with shell calls. The following table lists the current core modules in their default load order. The table also includes descriptions, default values, and flags indicating whether the module is "Required" or "Optional" for each of NetWare Directory Services or bindery services. MODULE DESCRIPTION NDS BIND PNW ====== =========== === ==== === CONN.VLM Connection table manager R R R IPXNCP.VLM Transport protocol R R R implementation using IPX TRAN.VLM Transport protocol multiplexor R R R SECURITY.VLM NetWare enhanced security O O O NDS.VLM NetWare protocol implementation R O O using Directory Services BIND.VLM NetWare protocol implementation O R O using the Bindery PNW.VLM NetWare protocol implementation O O R using Personal NetWare NWP.VLM NetWare protocol multiplexor R R R FIO.VLM File Input/Output R R R PRINT.VLM Printer Redirection O O O GENERAL.VLM Miscellaneous functions for R R R NETX.VLM and REDIR.VLM REDIR.VLM DOS redirector R R R NETX.VLM NetWare shell compatibility O O O RSA.VLM RSA encryption for directory O O O services reauthentication WSSNMP.VLM Desktop SNMP module, which O O O includes support for MIB-II System and SNMP groups WSREG.VLM MIB registration module O O O WSASN1.VLM ASN.1 translation module O O O WSTRAP.VLM Trap module O O O MIB2IF.VLM MIB-II interface groups support O O O MIB2PROT.VLM MIB-II support for the O O O TCP/IP groups AUTO.VLM Auto-reconnect/auto-retry O O O NMR.VLM NetWare management responder O O O 2.0 NET.CFG File Parameter for the NetWare DOS Requester Option The following table lists the parameters for the various modules of the NetWare DOS Requester. The following list is complete. Any parameters which may have been used previously by the NetWare DOS Requester but are not listed here are invalid. Parameter/Default Minimum Maximum Module SET STATION TIME = ON VLM.EXE USE DEFAULTS = ON -- -- VLM.EXE VLM = -- 50 VLMs VLM.EXE EXCLUDE VLM = -- -- VLM.EXE MESSAGE LEVEL = 1 0 4 VLM.EXE 0 = V_LEVEL_STD; always display message and critical errors 1 = V_LEVEL_WARNING; display warning type messages 2 = V_LEVEL_PROG; display the program load message 3 = V_LEVEL_CONFIG; display configuration information 4 = V_LEVEL_DIAG; display diagnostic information NETWARE PROTOCOL = VLM.EXE Note: The is the list of protocols to be used (NDS.VLM, BIND.VLM and PNW.VLM) by the Requester in the order of their priority. Each protocol is separated by a comma or space in the list (NDS,BIND,PNW). If you exclude any one of the protocol .VLM files from the list, the excluded .VLM file will not load. CONNECTIONS = 8 2 50 CONN.VLM FIO.VLM NDS.VLM SECURITY.VLM AUTO.VLM AVERAGE NAME LENGTH = 48 2 48 CONN.VLM MAX TASKS = 31 5 254 CONN.VLM LOAD LOW CONN = ON -- -- CONN.VLM LOAD CONN TABLE LOW = OFF -- -- CONN.VLM CHECKSUM = 1 0 3 IPXNCP.VLM NWP.VLM 0 = disabled 1 = enabled but not preferred 2 = enabled and preferred 3 = required LARGE INTERNET PACKETS = ON -- -- IPXNCP.VLM NWP.VLM LOAD LOW IPXNCP = ON -- -- IPXNCP.VLM HANDLE NET ERRORS = ON -- -- IPXNCP.VLM PREFERRED TREE = -- -- NDS.VLM NAME CONTEXT = "" -- -- NDS.VLM Note: Quotation marks are required. PREFERRED SERVER = -- -- BIND.VLM MESSAGE TIMEOUT = 0 0 10000 NWP.VLM SIGNATURE LEVEL = 1 0 3 NWP.VLM SECURITY.VLM 0 = disabled 1 = enabled but not preferred 2 = preferred 3 = required NOTE: This parameter designates the level of enhanced security support. Enhanced security includes the use of a message digest algorithm and a per-connection/pre-request session state for increased protection against intruder attacks. When this parameter is set to 0 (disabled), the SECURITY.VLM will not load. CACHE BUFFERS = 5 0 64 FIO.VLM CACHE BUFFER SIZE =(Media dependent) -- FIO.VLM CACHE WRITES = ON -- -- FIO.VLM TRUE COMMIT = OFF -- -- FIO.VLM PB BUFFERS = 3 0 10 FIO.VLM IPXNCP.VLM 0 = off nonzero = on PBURST READ WINDOW SIZE = 16 2 64 FIO.VLM PBURST WRITE WINDOW SIZE = 10 2 64 FIO.VLM PRINT HEADER = 64 0 1024 PRINT.VLM PRINT TAIL = 16 0 1024 PRINT.VLM PRINT BUFFER SIZE = 64 0 256 PRINT.VLM NETWORK PRINTERS = 3 0 9 PRINT.VLM NOTE: If set to 0, PRINT.VLM will not load. LOCAL PRINTERS = 3 0 9 PRINT.VLM FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = A Z GENERAL.VLM NETX.VLM NOTE: If FIRST NETWORK DRIVE is not specified, it will default to the first available drive letter. SEARCH MODE = 1 0 7 GENERAL.VLM READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY = ON -- -- REDIR.VLM SHOW DOTS = OFF -- -- REDIR.VLM DOS NAME = MSDOS 1 5 chars NETX.VLM GENERAL.VLM LONG MACHINE TYPE = IBM_PC 1 6 chars NETX.VLM GENERAL.VLM SHORT MACHINE TYPE = IBM 1 4 chars NETX.VLM GENERAL.VLM AUTO RECONNECT = ON -- -- AUTO.VLM NDS.VLM Note: When this parameter is OFF, the AUTO.VLM load fails at pre-initialization time. AUTO RETRY = 0 0 3640 AUTO.VLM AUTO LARGE TABLE = OFF -- -- AUTO.VLM Note: When this parameter is OFF, the user name and password maximum lengths are 16 chars each for auto reconnect. BIND RECONNECT = OFF -- -- AUTO.VLM BIND.VLM BROADCAST RETRIES = 2 0 255 PNW.VLM BROADCAST SEND DELAY = 0 0 255 PNW.VLM BROADCAST TIMEOUT = 3 1 255 PNW.VLM MOBILE MODE = 0 0 65535 PNW.VLM RESPONDER = ON -- -- PNW.VLM PREFERRED WORKGROUP = -- -- PNW.VLM WORKGROUP NET = -- -- PNW.VLM MINIMUM TIME TO NET = 0 -- VLM.EXE CONFIRM CRITICAL ERROR = ON|OFF {default is ON} VLM.EXE Previously in Windows, critical errors may have been intercepted by Windows, prior to when the VLMs would receive the critical error. If the user entered CANCEL after receiving the Windows error "Cannot read from device network-- Cancel--Retry", Windows would proceed to tear the connection to the server down without user intervention or notification. This new net.cfg parameter will intercept the INT 24, and allow the user to "Retry" manually, prior to the connections being torn down. For this parameter to work, an updated NETWARE.DRV must be loaded. Make a backup copy of NETWARE.DRV in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory, and copy the updated NETWARE.DRV to WINDOWS\SYSTEM. Make sure to have the following in the SYSTEM.INI file: [boot] network.drv=netware.drv The updated NETWARE.DRV can be obtained from NETDRV.EXE in the NSD forum of Compuserve. EOJ = ON|OFF {default is ON} -- -- VLM.EXE This version of the VLMs will now parse the EOJ = ON|OFF NET.CFG parameter. Previous versions of the VLMs would not parse this parameter. This option will turn the end of job automatic closing of files, locks, semaphores, etc, ON or OFF. This supports EOJs from a DOS INT 21 D6 function call. FORCE FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = ON|OFF {default is OFF} VLM.EXE If set to ON, this parameter will force the SYS:LOGIN drive to be mapped to the "FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = ?" drive upon logout. Previously, if you typed logout from any drive other than a local drive or the FIRST NETWORK DRIVE, the SYS:LOGIN drive would be mapped to the drive letter you logged out from. LOAD LOW REDIR = ON|OFF {default is ON} REDIR.VLM REDIR.VLM now loads Low (In conventional or UMB memory) by default. This increases performance for repeated reads and writes, such as with database applications. To load the transient portion of REDIR.VLM into XMS/EMS memory, add the following parameter to the workstation's net.cfg under the NETWARE DOS REQUESTER heading: LOAD LOW REDIR = OFF LOCK DELAY = xxx {default is 1, min is 0, max is 255} VLM.EXE This version of the VLMs will now parse the LOCK DELAY = NET.CFG parameter. Previous versions of the VLMs would not parse this parameter. "Lock Delay" determines the delay between LOCK RETRIES. The delay value determines the number of 64k empty loops to execute between RETRIES. This parameter is dependant on processor speed. Faster CPUs will execute a 64k no-op loop faster, and therefore may need to have this parameter increased. LOCK RETRIES = xxx {default is 3, min is 0, max is 255} VLM.EXE This version of the VLMs will now parse the LOCK RETRIES = NET.CFG parameter. Previous versions of the VLMs would not parse this parameter. "Lock Retries" determines the number of retries that are executed if a SHARE violation/failure occurs when opening or locking a file. 2.1 Changes to the NET.CFG Parameters Since the v1.10 VLMs Changes to the "READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY" Parameter Under the NetWare DOS Requester Option In previous versions of the VLMs, READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY defaulted to ON. The default was changed to make the VLMs consistent with NETX.EXE v3.32. 3.0 Additional Information on the NetWare DOS Requester 3.1 Loading VLMs from a Directory Other Than the Current Directory The current directory is used for VLMs. To load VLMs from another directory, use the "VLM =" command in the NET.CFG file. For example VLM=C:\NWCLIENT\CONN.VLM 3.2 Specifying a NET.CFG File Outside the Current Directory To specify a path for the NET.CFG file, type a command similar to the following (or put the command in AUTOEXEC.BAT): VLM /C=C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG 3.3 Understanding the Load Order for VLM Software The VLM software must be loaded in a specific order to operate correctly. For example, the NWP.VLM file is a multiplexor for NetWare protocol modules. Therefore, you should load the NetWare protocols (NDS.VLM and BIND.VLM) before the NWP.VLM file. The Load order for the VLM software is as follows: CONN.VLM IPXNCP.VLM TRAN.VLM SECURITY.VLM NDS.VLM BIND.VLM PNW.VLM NWP.VLM FIO.VLM PRINT.VLM GENERAL.VLM REDIR.VLM NETX.VLM See section "2. Description of NetWare DOS Requester Modules," in this README file for a description of each of these modules. 3.4 Disabling Specific VLM Software Disable specific VLM software in one of the following ways: 1> Rename the module with an extension other than .VLM. Use the NETWARE PROTOCOL parameter. See section 3, "Configurable Parameters" in this README for information on how to use this parameter. 2> Use the EXCLUDE VLM parameter. See section 3, "Configurable Parameters" in this README for information on how to use this parameter. 3> Rename the module with a different extension (for example,.SAV). 4> Delete the module (not recommended). For example, to configure your workstation for running on a NetWare 3.x network only, type one of the following in your NET.CFG file: NETWARE DOS REQUESTER NETWARE PROTOCOL BIND or, NETWARE DOS REQUESTER EXCLUDE VLM = NDS.VLM EXCLUDE VLM = PNW.VLM 3.5 Specifying the Load Order for Specific NetWare protocols Use the "NETWARE PROTOCOL" parameter to specify the NetWare protocol VLM software (NDS.VLM, BIND.VLM, and PNW.VLM) you wish to load, in the order you wish to load them: NETWARE PROTOCOL = NDS,BIND,PNW 3.6 Using the NETX.COM File or Related Shells with the VLM Software You cannot load NETX.COM and NETX.VLM simultaneously. Use the NETX.VLM file instead of the NETX.COM file or related shells such as NET3.COM, NETX.EXE, BNETX.EXE, XMSNETX.EXE, etc.. These files conflict with the REDIR.VLM file; the REDIR.VLM will not load if the NETX.COM file is loaded. However, the NETX.VLM file is designed to replace NETX.COM and related NETX shells, and is compatible with the NetWare DOS Requester. 3.7 The IPXNCP.VLM File is not a Replacement for the IPXODI.COM File The IPXNCP.VLM requires the IPXODI.COM File to be loaded in order to operate. 3.8 The Personal NetWare Client Software Components are Now Included in The NetWare Client Kit The PNW.VLM file is now included in the Client Kit. This will allow you to connect to a Personal NetWare Server from your client. However, the Personal NetWare utilities are not included. 3.9 First Available Drive Is Different The conventional NetWare Shell for DOS used drives after the LASTDRIVE parameter; NetWare DOS Requester starts using the first available drive before the LASTDRIVE parameter. Consequently, users who had, for example, a LASTDRIVE=G: setting in their CONFIG.SYS are used to seeing drive H: as the first NetWare drive rather than drive F:. To maintain compatibility with existing batch files, you may want to add the command like "FIRST NETWORK DRIVE = H" under the NetWare DOS Requester portion of the NET.CFG file. Otherwise, batch files assuming drive H: as the first drive must be altered. 3.10 Login Drive Prompt Appears To Be a Root Mapped Drive Because NetWare DOS Requester is a redirector on the back-end of DOS, no directory path can be in the drive structure maintained by DOS when the parent of the directory is unaccessible. This is the case with an unauthenticated connection and the drive mapped to the SYS:LOGIN directory. Users see "F:\>" instead of "F:\LOGIN>" when they first load the DOS client software. 3.11 Search Mode Now Uses the DOS ENVIRONMENT Variable The "SEARCH MODE" function uses the "PATH" DOS ENVIRONMENT variable rather than the public search mode table provided in the NETX.VLM file. You will experience no change unless users corrupt their workstation environment. If you exceed the PATH limitation, your search drive mappings will not be included in the PATH. 3.12 Difference In Diagnostic Information Reported In the NETX.VLM File Compared to the NETX.COM and Related Files Some of the current diagnostic information supported in the NETX.COM file will appear to be invalid in the NETX.VLM file. This is because the NetWare DOS Requester is responsible for much of the diagnostics information previously maintained in the NetWare Shell for DOS. Some of the information maintained in the diagnostics responder will not be updated. Such information includes the following: Bad reply header (InvalidReplyHeaderCount) Bad slot (InvalidSlotCount) Bad sequence number (InvalidSequenceNumberCount) No router found (NoRouterFoundCount) Request in process (BeingProcessedCount) Bad server slot (InvalidSlotFromServerCount) Bad net address (NetworkGoneCount) Bad local address (BadLocalAddressCount) Allocate slot errors (AllocateSlotCannotFindRoute, AllocateNoSlotsAvailable, AllocateServerIsDown) The NetWare Management Responder (NMR.VLM) file will now provide diagnostic information similar to that mentioned above. ------------------------------------------------------------------ DISCLAIMER Novell, Inc., makes no representations or warranties with respect to any NetWare software, and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability, title, or fitness for a particular purpose. Distribution of any NetWare software is forbidden without the express written consent of Novell, Inc. Further, Novell reserves the right to discontinue distribution of any NetWare software. Novell is not responsible for lost profits or revenue, loss of use of the software, loss of data, costs of recreating lost data, the cost of any substitute equipment or program, or claims by any party other than you. Novell strongly recommends a backup be made before any software is installed. Technical support for this software may be provided at the discretion of Novell.