An automated menu-driven plug 'n play DOS boot disk for accessing NetWare servers by IP/IPX.

The boot disk can be constructed using Novell's 32-bit client (NLM) or the 16-bit client (VLM) or even both. Choices for protocols (TCPIP or IPX or both), frame types, topology (ethernet, token-ring, FDDI), TCPIP-settings, NIC driver detection, packet-driver support, connect-information, and more can be made using menus and saved to user-profiles on diskette to prepare for fully automated sessions.

When PXE and WinPE (see NwDskPe) are not applicable an NwDsk diskette can be used for processing images between workstations and NetWare servers using Deploy Center or Ghost (even Multicast), or server to server using Storage Manager. It can also serve as the starting point for launching a pre-configured unattended installation of your client OS like XP, W2K, NT or W98 from a NetWare server. Next to that NwDsk is being used as a sole TCP/IP stack (by packet driver on 16/32-bit IPX, or directly on 32-bit TCPIP) to serve Citrix's DOS ICA client, VNC's DOS viewer, and the IP DOS print server PPRD.

New:

• FreeDOS Kernel update (fixed W2K/XP installer problem)
• FreeDOS XMS/UMB update (fixed 'NIOS 1-byte XMS' and VMware issues)
• Added option to run NwDsk from hard disk and bypass RAMDISK
• Added UltraDMA hard disk support (UDMA.SYS FreeDOS) for faster hard disk access
• Added CDROM cache (CDRCACHE.SYS FreeDOS) for better CDROM performance
• Plug 'n play support for certain PCMCIA/CardBus NICs using point enablers
• Complete un- and re-loading of 16- and 32-bit Client without needing to reboot
• IP LPD print server module (PPRD) available (alternative NPRINTER for IP)
• Menu-driven SLP-configuration (Scopes, DAs), SLP-diagnostics by SlpInfo
• Option not run twice on same PC in a row (disabling rerun when floppy not removed)
• Integrity check available (immediate abort when diskette has been compromised)

NwDsk Features:

• Features 32-bit (NLM) and 16-bit (VLM) NetWare client
• Supports TCP/IP (NLM) and IPX/SPX (NLM & VLM) protocol (even simultaneously)
• Supports 32-bit ODI NIC drivers (NLM) and 16-bit ODI NIC drivers (NLM & VLM)
• PCI NIC auto-detection (uses pré-saved list to speed up detection)
• ISA NIC auto-selection (selects single ISA NIC upon PCI NIC auto-detection failure)
• Supports multiple Frame types (including SLOT auto-detection with 32-bit ODI drivers)
• Supports Ethernet, Token-Ring (LSB/MSB), FDDI topologies (auto-detected by NIC)
• TCP/IP and SLP fully configurable by dialogs (SLP-diagnostics by SlpInfo.bat)
• Client fully unloadable and reloadable without rebooting (both 16- and 32-bit client)
• Packet Driver support on IPX (VLM & NLM) available (Wattcp, Ghost Multicast)
• IP LPD print server module (PPRD) available (works with NDPS printer agent)
• Minimum hardware requirements: 386, 16 MB Ram, NIC, 1.44 MB floppy drive
• Can be made to boot (without user intervention) from a bootable CDROM
• Fully automated by (timed) dialog boxes, choices can be saved to profiles on diskette
• All dialog boxes can be hidden from end-user
• Modular design (add/drop components as you wish)
• Very easy driver plugin support (user can build and add own driver modules)
• IP-address and/or MAC-address are captured into ENV-vars (IPADDR, MACADDR)
• Also in 8-char format (IPADDR8, MACADDR8) for conditional (short-name) mappings
• User can add NetWare login-scripts and/or batch-files which autorun after login
• Already-run detection available (NwDsk will not run twice in a row on same PC)
• User may allow/deny login per MAC/IP-address (in exception to the rule above)
• Integrity check available (immediate abort when diskette has been compromised)
• Scroll back console screens (press SCROLL-LOCK and ARROWS to scroll the screen)
• Fits on one diskette inluding NIC drivers and various add-ons
• Default diskette supports: Mouse, Cdrom, Ntfs-readonly, int.-Keyboard, NC-clone
• Extra available modules: Linux-EXT2, Long File Name, FdApm (suspends CPU)
• FreeDOS supported and included (much lighter & faster, but less compatible: try it!)
• OpenDOS (DRDOS) supported and included
• Absolutely free!

Visit NwDsk for documentation, FAQ, and more downloads.

Any comments, questions, bug-reports, new drivers to nwdsk@TAKETHISOUTveder.com.