


              NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

TITLE:              Creating a Floppy-Drive-Only Workstation
DOCUMENT ID:        014931
DOCUMENT REVISION:  A
DATE:               23MAR94
ALERT STATUS:       Yellow
INFORMATION TYPE:   Issue
README FOR:         NA

NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION:
PERSONAL NetWare 1.0

ABSTRACT:

This document describes two ways of creating a floppy-drive-only
PERSONAL NetWare (PNW) workstation.  This function, however, is
not officially supported by Novell.

------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO
NOVELL.  NOVELL MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS TO VERIFY
THIS INFORMATION.  HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS
DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY.  NOVELL MAKES NO EXPLICIT
OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION.
------------------------------------------------------------------

ISSUE

     System Requirements

     The PERSONAL NetWare system requirements (printed on the
     PERSONAL NetWare and Novell DOS 7 box side panel) state that
     a hard drive is required.  A hard drive is required for a
     computer to act as a PERSONAL NetWare server and is strongly
     recommended for a workstation computer as well, because this
     provides the best performance and functionality.

     General Support Statement

     Some users have asked Novell for information on configuring
     a floppy-drive-only PERSONAL NetWare workstation.  As a
     courtesy, Novell, Inc. has provided the following two
     configurations (options A and B) that appear to work in a
     test environment.  Users who follow one of the two sample
     configurations should be able to successfully install and
     configure PERSONAL NetWare on a computer with no hard drive.

     This is a "read and try at your own risk" document.  No
     telephone, written, or online support will be provided by
     Novell for the information contained in this document.  If
     you are unfamiliar with some of the steps required, such as
     creating batch files, you should obtain assistance from a
     more experienced computer user who can perform the necessary
     steps.


     Options Descriptions

     The following information describes two ways of creating a
     floppy-drive-only PERSONAL NetWare (PNW) workstation:

     OPTION A is designed to take as little disk space as
     possible thereby making the installation fit on a bootable
     low-density diskette.  The installation creates a LOGIN
     directory on a server's hard drive where the
     floppy-drive-only workstation will get the files necessary
     to run the bulk of the PERSONAL NetWare software.

     OPTION B contains the basic PERSONAL NetWare software needed
     to login to the network and map drives and capture printers.
     The installation requires a high density diskette.

     GENERAL STEPS

     For either option, do the following steps first:

     1.   Install the networking hardware (including the network
          board, cabling, and associated t-connectors, and
          terminators).

     2.   Verify the network hardware is communicating properly.

     3.   Install PERSONAL NetWare on a server node.

     4.   Define the workgroup and define any shared network
          directories and printers.

     ______________________________________________________
     OPTION A STEPS

     Included in Appendix A of this document are listings of two
     batch files and several configuration files.  These files
     will facilitate the installation.  Create these batch and
     configuration files first.

     On the PERSONAL NetWare Server, do the following steps:

     1.   Run MDLOGIN.BAT (or type the commands one at a time as
          listed in the appendix).

     2.   Run MAKEDISK.BAT (or type the commands one at a time as
          listed in the appendix).

          a.   When prompted to insert the diskette in the A:
               drive, insert the diskette that will become the
               boot-floppy diskette for starting the workstation.

          b.   When prompted to enter a Volume Name, enter a name
               for the diskette and press <Enter> or press
               <Enter> for no name.

          c.   When prompted to format another diskette, answer
               No.

          d.   Copy the network board driver to the boot-floppy
               diskette.


               Example:

               If your driver is a NE2000 that is on the C: drive
               in the \NWCLIENT directory, you would type the
               following command:

                    COPY C:\NWCLIENT\NE2000.COM A:\

          e.   If the network board in the workstation is not the
               same as the network board in the server or it
               requires a different driver, you must copy the
               network board driver for the workstation to the
               boot-floppy diskette.

     3.   Edit the A:\NET.CFG file and configure it to link the
          network board driver.

          a.   Set the interrupt, port, and shared memory area
               (if used).

          b.   Also, set the Preferred Workgroup.

          c.   If you also wish to connect to native NetWare, the
               NETWARE PROTOCOL line needs to be change to the
               following:

                    BIND,NDS,PNW
     
          d.   Assuming you are using the NE2000 network board
               driver and the interrupt is set to 5, the port is
               set to 340, and the Ethernet frame needs to be set
               to 802.2, then change the NET.CFG to be similar to
               the following:

                    link driver NE2000
                         int 5
                         port 340
                         frame ethernet_802.2 (if using ethernet)

                    NetWare DOS Requestor
                         Preferred Workgroup = (enter workgroup
                         name here)
                         NetWare Protocol = BIND,NDS,PNW
                         -
                         -

     4.   Edit the STARTNET.BAT file to add the network board
          driver.

          a.   Assuming you are using the NE2000 network board
               driver, change the STARTNET.BAT to be to the
               following:

                    @echo off
                    LSL
                    NE2000
                    IPXODI
                    VLM

          b.   At this point, the boot-floppy diskette has been
               created.  It will start the workstation, load the

               network drivers and TSRs, then go into the PNW NET
               Utility.

          c.   If the network drivers do not load, then something
               is wrong with the network communications.  Refer
               back to the hardware configurations and reverify
               that the machines are able to communicate with
               each other.

     ------------------------------------------------------------
     OPTION B

     On the PERSONAL NetWare Server, do the following steps:

     1.   Format a high density (1.44 MB, 3.5-inch or 1.2 MB,
          5.25-inch) floppy diskette to boot from the
          workstation's A: drive.

     2.   Perform the following COPY commands:

          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\NET.EXE A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\NETU.OVL A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\VLM.EXE A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\IBM_RUN.OVL A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\*.VLM A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\LSL.COM A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\IPXODI.COM A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\NLS\ENGLISH\NETC.MSG A:\
          COPY C:\NWCLIENT\STARTNET.BAT A:\

          Assuming you are using the NE2000.COM network board
          driver, copy the network board driver by performing the
          following copy command:

               COPY C:\NWCLIENT\NE2000.COM A:\

     3.   The boot floppy needs a CONFIG.SYS file that includes 
          the following lines:

               Files=50
               Buffers=20
               Lastdrive=Z

     4.   Edit the STARTNET.BAT file to make sure it includes
          lines similar to the following:

          LSL
          NE2000    (or replace NE2000 with your network board
                    driver)
          IPXODI
          VLM

          These drivers can be loaded into upper memory.  DPMS
          could also be used.  The drivers listed are the minimum
          required to gain access to the network.

     5.   Check the NET.CFG file to make sure it contains
          commands that do the following:

          a.   Links the correct driver for the workstation.

          b.   Correctly sets the INTerrupt, PORT, MEM (if used),
               and FRAME (if ethernet) for the workstation's
               network board configuration.

          The boot floppy is now created.

     6.   Boot the workstation.

     7.   Run the STARTNET.BAT to load the network.

          You will not be able to run the NET or NET ADMIN
          utilities from the workstation.

          You will be able to issue NET LOGIN, NET MAP, and NET
          CAPTURE commands from the DOS prompt.

     8.   Create a login batch file.

     9.   At the bottom of the STARTNET.BAT file, add the command
          to execute the login batch file.

     ------------------------------------------------------------
     APPENDIX A

     MDLOGIN.BAT

     @echo off
     cls
     echo                             -----------
     echo This batch file creates a Personal NetWare LOGIN
     echo directory. After created, when a client loads the
     echo VLMs, its first network drive will be mapped
     echo here automatically.  This batch file also copies
     echo the files necessary for running the NET utility for
     echo  DOS into this LOGIN directory.
     echo
     echo This batch file makes the following assumptions:
     echo  You are running it on the server where you want
     echo   LOGIN to reside.
     echo  You are logged in as a user with workgroup
     echo   administrator rights.
     echo  You have SERVER configured for enough directories
     echo   that you can add one.
     echo  You have PNW installed on this machine's
     echo   C:\NWCLIENT directory.
     echo  This machine currently does not have a C:\LOGIN
     echo   directory.
     echo  This workgroup currently does not have a LOGIN
     echo   directory resource.
     echo
     echo To quit this batch file, press Ctrl+Break
     echo or Ctrl+C now.

     pause
     cls

     echo                        MDLOGIN.BAT
     echo                        -----------
     echo      Creating C:\LOGIN directory.
     md c:\login
     echo

     echo      Copying NET.EXE.
     copy c:\nwclient\ne?.exe c:\login
     echo

     echo      Copying overlay files.
     copy c:\nwclient\ibm_run?.ovl c:\login
     copy c:\nwclient\net*.ovl c:\login
     echo

     echo      Copying help files.
     copy c:\nwclient\net*.hlp c:\login
     echo

     echo      Copying English version of NETC.MSG.
     copy c:\nwclient\nls\english\netc?.msg c:\login
     echo

     echo      Creating LOGIN network directory.
     net share c:\login login
     echo


     MAKEDISK.BAT

     @echo off
     echo                        ------------
     echo This batch file creates a client diskette for booting
     echo floppy-drive-only machines to the network.  Before
     echo this diskette can be used, the LOGIN directory must
     echo have been created (MDLOGIN).
     echo
     echo This batch file makes the following assumptions:
     echo  The following files exist in the current directory:
     echo     CONFIG.EG, AUTOEXEC.EG, STARTNET.EG, and NET.EG.
     echo   These are example files that correspond to the
     echo   following boot files:
     echo   CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, STARTNET.BAT, and NET.CFG.
     echo  The A: drive will be used to generate the floppy.
     echo  There is a diskette in A: that can be re-formatted.
     echo  The C:\NWCLIENT directory contains the installed
     echo   Personal NetWare drivers.
     echo
     echo To exit this batch file, press Ctrl+Break or
     echo Ctrl+C now.

     pause
     cls

     echo                        MAKEDISK.BAT
     echo                        ------------
     echo      Formatting floppy disk.
     format a: /s
     echo

     echo      Copying CONFIG.SYS.
     copy CONFIG.EG? a:\config.sys
     echo

     echo      Copying AUTOEXEC.BAT.
     copy AUTOEXEC.EG? a:\autoexec.bat
     echo

     echo      Copying STARTNET.BAT.
     copy STARTNET.EG? a:\startnet.bat
     echo

     echo      Copying NET.CFG.
     copy NET.EG? a:\net.cfg
     echo

     echo      Copying ODI drivers.
     copy c:\nwclient\ls?.com a:
     copy c:\nwclient\ipxod?.com a:
     echo

     echo      Copying VLM drivers.
     copy c:\nwclient\vl?.exe a:
     copy c:\nwclient\auto.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\conn.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\fio.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\general.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\ipxncp.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\nmr.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\nwp.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\pnw.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\print.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\redir.?lm a:
     copy c:\nwclient\tran.?lm a:
     echo
     echo                        ****IMPORTANT***
     echo The boot floppy is now created.  Don't forget,
     echo you MUST...
     echo    1. Copy the correct MLID driver onto the floppy
     echo       diskette.
     echo    2. Edit the NET.CFG file with the correct MLID name,
     echo       hardware settings, and workgroup.
     echo    3. Edit the STARTNET.BAT to load the MLID after LSL.


     AUTOEXEC.EG

     @echo off
     CALL STARTNET.BAT
     PATH A:\;F:
     NET


     CONFIG.EG

     FILES=50
     BUFFERS=20
     LASTDRIVE=Z


     STARTNET.EG

     @echo off
     LSL
     rem The MLID driver (eg. NE2000.COM) should go here.
     IPXODI
     VLM



     NET.EG

     # Edit the Link Driver heading with the proper MLID title.
     # For example, if you are loading the NE2000 driver, the
     # heading should read:
     # LINK DRIVER NE2000
     #
     # Also, edit the hardware settings appropriately.
     #
     # Enter the name of your workgroup on the preferred
     # workgroup line.
     #
     # Remember, headings start in the left most column, and
     # parameters under headings are spaced over with spaces
     # or tabs.

     Link Driver
          int
          port
          mem  (If no upper memory address is used, remove this
               line)
          frame ethernet_802.2     (If not using Ethernet, remove
                                   this line)

     NetWare DOS Requester
         first network drive = f
         message level = 2
         netware protocol = pnw
         preferred workgroup =
         signature level = 0
         vlm = auto.vlm
         vlm = nmr.vlm

----------------------------------------------------------------
Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of
their respective owners.  Consult your product manuals for
complete trademark information.
----------------------------------------------------------------
