Documenting your network
In the day-to-day maintenance of your network, you may find yourself tracking huge inventories of network components, cable layout diagrams, and serial number documentation. Sometimes, getting access to the information you need to properly troubleshoot your file servers takes longer than actually fixing the problem.
When it comes to tracking information about your network's file servers, Novell includes a console command that enables you to quickly access the configuration information for each file server. At your file server's command console prompt, type
LOAD REGISTER -C and press [Enter].
When you do, an ASCII text file named CONFIG.NFO is written to your file server's SYS:\SYSTEM subdirectory. You can access the file contents with any text editor to view information such as:
How much space are compressed files using on a your NetWare server?
If you have disk compression enabled on your server and wonder how much space you're saving, you can quickly find out buy using the NDIR command with a few command line switches. The command you should use at your workstation's DOS prompt is:
ndir /d /comp /do /s
You'll see all of the files in the current directory along with subdirectories appear on your screen. The screen will display the actual file size, the compressed size, the file date, and percentage saved.
Problems using Citrix WinFrame with Novell's intraNetWare Client for Windows NT
If you use WinFrame on some of the Window NT workstations on your network along with Novell's Intranetware Client for Windows NT, you're probably having problems. You're not alone.
When Citrix developed WinFrame they were given access to the source code of the Microsoft Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA). They updated it to include it as part of the WinFrame solution. The installation program of the Novell intraNetWare Client v4.10 for Windows NT replaces the Microsoft GINA with Novell's GINA named NWGINA. Because a component of the WinFrame solution is hard-coded in the Microsoft GINA, when customers install the intraNetWare Client v4.10 for Windows NT, the WinFrame solution no longer functions correctly.
Novell's release of the intraNetWare Client v4.11 for Windows NT in August 1997 attempted to work around this problem. When you install this verion of client, it detects if the Citrix WinFrame product has been installed. If it has, the installation program won't replace the default Microsoft GINA. This will allows you to use both the WinFrame product and the Novell intraNetWare Client for Windows NT. However, doing so makes the Client not fully functional.
Novell is working with Citrix to get the code that is currently only in the Microsoft GINA moved from the Microsoft GINA to WinLogon so that the WinFrame solution will not be limited to functioning only when Microsoft's GINA is loaded. This modification has to be performed and delivered by Citrix. Novell also plans to modify the manner in which NWGINA stores configuration information for the WinFrame solution to be complete when used in conjunction with the intraNetWare Client for Windows NT. So hang in there!
Don't count on those Pop-ups!
As a network administrator, sometimes you have to send messages to all of your users to alert them of upcoming events. The normal way to do so is through broadcast messages.
On DOS, Windows 3.x and OS/2 workstations, broadcast messages appear overtop of other activity, so your users dont miss the messages. However, on Windows 95 workstations, this doesnt always work.
Popup messages generated by NWPOPUP.EXE, including broadcast messages, system error messages, and messages sent from other users, don't always appear on top of everything else on the Win95 desktop. As a result you can't depend on these messages to alert users.
Novell Engineering is working on the issue to be resolved in a future release of the Client32.
Blocking Broadcast Messages on your Macintoshes
Do you use Apple MacIntoshes as clients on your Netware network? And have you been trying to figure out how to block those sometimes annoying system-broadcast messages from appearing? If so, you're in luck.
If you use Netware Client for MAC OS 5.11, you can block broadcast messages by first locating the Netware Tree icon located across the top pulldown bar. Click it and select Configure. Next, click Options and remove the check from the Allow Incoming Messages option.
If you are use Netware Client for MAC OS 5.1, open your Mac's Control Panel. Next, double-click the Netware Client icon. Click the Options button and remove the check from the Allow Incoming Messages option.
Stopping relogins to Netware when connecting to your ISP
Have you noticed when you try to dial into your ISP that your Netware client suddenly asks you to relog into your Netware server or that your Netware login script starts to run?
If this happens, you can stop it by going to your Dial-Up Networking area. Select the Dial-up icon used for your ISP. Right click the icon and select Properties. Next, click the "Server Type" button. In the Advanced options, uncheck "Log on to network."
Everything should be fine now!
Problems with using Citrix WinFrame with Novell's intraNetWare Client for Windows NT
If you use WinFrame on some of the Window NT workstations on your network along with Novell's Intranetware Client for Windows NT, you're probably having problems. You're not alone.
When Citrix developed WinFrame they were given access to the source code of the Microsoft Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA). They updated it to include it as part of the WinFrame solution. The installation program of the Novell intraNetWare Client v4.10 for Windows NT replaces the Microsoft GINA with Novell's GINA named NWGINA. Because a component of the WinFrame solution is hard-coded in the Microsoft GINA, when customers install the intraNetWare Client v4.10 for Windows NT, the WinFrame solution no longer functions correctly.
Novell's release of the intraNetWare Client v4.11 for Windows NT in August 1997 attempted to work around this problem. When you install this verion of client, it detects if the Citrix WinFrame product has been installed. If it has, the installation program won't replace the default Microsoft GINA. This will allows you to use both the WinFrame product and the Novell intraNetWare Client for Windows NT. However, doing so makes the Client not fully functional.
Novell is working with Citrix to get the code that is currently only in the Microsoft GINA moved from the Microsoft GINA to WinLogon so that the WinFrame solution will not be limited to functioning only when Microsoft's GINA is loaded. This modification has to be performed and delivered by Citrix. Novell also plans to modify the manner in which NWGINA stores configuration information for the WinFrame solution to be complete when used in conjunction with the intraNetWare Client for Windows NT. So hang in there!