MSNDS Drops Connections to More Than Eight Servers (160824)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2.1
This article was previously published under Q160824

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services (MSNDS) to connect to NetWare servers, idle connections to drives mapped to NetWare servers are disconnected after approximately 10 minutes if there are connections to more than 8 servers.

CAUSE

There is a problem with the MSNDS version of the Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks (NWRedir). This client assumes a maximum of eight server attachments, and automatically disconnects any idle connections to servers after the first eight.

This limitation was originally designed for compatibility with older versions of Novell's NetWare client. However, this limitation does not apply to Novell's NetWare Directory Services (NDS) clients. In this respect, MSNDS is not fully compliant with the comparable Novell client.

RESOLUTION

STATUS

This problem no longer occurs in Windows 98. To resolve this problem, install the current version of Windows. For information about the current version of Windows, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows.

MORE INFORMATION

This symptom has also been observed with the Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks (bindery version, without MSNDS). Although this behavior is by design for the bindery client, it can be worked around with the following steps:
  1. Obtain and install the Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services (MSNDS).
  2. Obtain and install the update identified in the "Status" section above.
  3. Configure the MSNDS client to log in to the bindery server instead of to an NDS tree. For information about how to do this, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    164558 Configuring MSNDS to Log in to a NetWare Bindery Server

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/1/2006
Keywords:kbnetwork kbprb KB160824
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