DOCUMENT:Q103811 08-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :How Windows NT Constructs the supported Network Adapter List PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:3.1 3.5 3.51 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbsetup ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51 - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= When you choose to manually add a network adapter either during setup or after setup through Control Panel, Windows NT presents you with a list of network adapter choices. The contents of the list depends on which network adapters you have .INF files for in your SYSTEM32 subdirectory of Windows NT, as well as the bus type of your computer. MORE INFORMATION ================ All network adapters that can be installed under Windows NT must have an .INF file for them in the SYSTEM32 subdirectory of Windows NT. These files are always of the following format OEMNADxx.INF where "xx" is a two-letter abbreviation representing the network adapter. Each .INF file contains a section with the following header: [PlatformsSupported] This section can contain the following values: ISA EISA MCA "Jazz-Internal Bus" Each value indicates a bus type that is supported by the network cards described in the .INF file. NOTE: "Jazz-Internal Bus" is the bus on Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) computers such as the SGI MIPS and DEC Alpha. When the network Setup program compiles the list of network adapters that can be added to the computer, it parses these files and lists any adapters whose .INF file contains the correct bus option for the computer on which you are installing the network adapter. Note that while network adapters that are ISA-only can be installed on EISA computers and are therefore listed as an available option, the reverse is not true. The text strings that are added to the network adapter options list are contained in each .INF file in the [OptionsTextENG] section. For more information on the network adapter INF files, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: network and services and inf Additional query words: prodnt NETWORK SERVICES ====================================================================== Keywords : kbsetup Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTW310 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS310 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinNTS310search kbWinNT310Search kbWinNTW310Search Version : 3.1 3.5 3.51 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.