What is a Clean Boot for WFWG 3.1 with Novell Connectivity (92603)

SUMMARY

A "clean boot" (starting your computer after all unnecessary commands have been removed from your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files) is used as a basic troubleshooting step to test possible conflicts between Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and various terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) programs and device drivers. There are different types of clean boots; the correct one to use depends on whether or not Windows for Workgroups has been installed.

NOTE: This article explains how to clean boot your system up to the point when you start Windows. To start Windows without loading any third-party programs, you must clear the StartUp group, clear the LOAD= and RUN= entries in the WIN.INI file, and ensure the SHELL= entry in the SYSTEM.INI file is loading PROGMAN.EXE. Also, make sure the SYSTEM.INI file does not include third-party virtual device drivers (VxDs) or other third-party Windows components.

MORE INFORMATION

Before Clean Booting

Create a bootable floppy disk that contains the MS-DOS system files and any other files that are required to make the system operational, such as disk-compression utilities (for example, Stacker), disk- partitioning drivers (for example, Disk Manager), and other third-party device drivers.

To Clean Boot Before Running Windows for Workgroups Setup

If you are not using any disk-compression software, disk-partitioning software, or other third-party drivers necessary to boot the computer, the machine can be booted on a floppy disk that contains only the MS-DOS system files, without a CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

If there is disk-partitioning, disk-compression, or other third-party software required to boot the computer, the startup files on the disk created above should appear as follows:

   CONFIG.SYS                              AUTOEXEC.BAT
   ----------------------------------------------------

   FILES=45                                PROMPT $P$G
   BUFFERS=20
   <Third-party disk-partitioning driver >
   <Third-party disk-compression driver>
   <Other required third-party driver>

After Windows for Workgroups 3.1 is installed with Novell NetWare as a second network, a clean boot should appear as follows:

   CONFIG.SYS                                    AUTOEXEC.BAT
   ----------------------------------------------------------

   FILES=45                                      <valid path>NET START
   BUFFERS=20                                    <valid path>MSIPX
   DEVICE=C:\<Windows 3.1 directory>\HIMEM.SYS   <valid path>NETX
   <Third-party disk-partitioning driver>        PROMPT $P$G
   <Third-party disk-compression driver>         PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS;C:\ 
   <Other required third-party drivers>          SET TEMP=C:\<valid path>
   DEVICE=<valid path>\PROTMAN.DOS /I:<directory
           where PROTOCOL.INI is located>
   DEVICE=<MAC DRIVER>.DOS
   DEVICE=<valid path>MSIPX.SYS
   DEVICE=<valid path>WORKGRP.SYS
   SHELL=C:\<valid path>\COMMAND.COM  /E:1024 /P
   LASTDRIVE=P
   STACKS=9,256

Exceptions

The following are examples of drivers that should NOT be removed; these drivers are used when the computer is turned on to make the hard drive accessible. This is not a complete list, but it does include most of the commonly used drivers:

   Hard Disk Drivers:          SQY55.SYS, SSTBIO.SYS, SSTDRIVE.SYS,
                               AH1544.SYS, ILIM386.SYS, ASPI4DOS.SYS,
                               SCSIHA.SYS, SCSIDSK.EXE, SKYDRVI.SYS,
                               ATDOSXL.SYS, NONSTD.SYS

   Disk-Partitioning Drivers:  DMDRVR.BIN, SSTOR.SYS, HARDRIVE.SYS,
                               EDVR.SYS, FIXT_DRV.SYS, LDRIVE.SYS,
                               ENHDISK.SYS

   Disk-Compression Utilities: STACKER.COM, SSWAP.COM, SSTOR.EXE,
                               DEVSWAP.COM

If the purpose of a device driver or program is unknown, do NOT remove it. Most device drivers and programs display a message describing the purpose when they are initialized.

A clean boot does NOT include the following:

DOS=HIGH,UMB
EMM386.EXE
INSTALL=SHARE.EXE
INSTALL=FASTOPEN.EXE
Third-party memory managers
RAM disk devices
JOIN, GRAPHICS, PRINT, SUBST, APPEND
MODE for printer redirection
Multiple path statements
MS-DOS-level mouse drivers
Third-party disk caches
Various third-party TSRs
LOGIMENU, CLICK
Virus checkers
Drivers for scanners/fax
Drivers for CD-ROM/network
Tape backup spoolers/redirectors/buffers
Data acquisition units
Keyboard accelerators/buffers