Net Card Auto-Detection Facts (94405)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
This article was previously published under Q94405

SUMMARY

This article describes the purpose and limitations of the automatic network card detection that Windows NT performs.

MORE INFORMATION

During initial installation, Windows NT detects the user's primary net card subject to the following limitations:

  • UB CARDS ARE NOT DETECTABLE. This detection may be supported in the future, but for now, the software does not detect them.
  • You do not need to choose UB/XNS as your first net card to ensure that it is assigned to LANA 0 (required for MSMAIL compatibility). This is done automatically in the IDW software. Let detection find your NetBEUI card, then install UB/XNS (or streams-based XNS) later.
  • If you install a card manually, the manual installation overrides detection.
  • The defaults you have used in the past may not be the same as those that detection selects. This is usually because software configurable cards (such as ELNKII) have no "fixed" interrupt value; the detection software uses the first interrupt that the card can use and the system knows to be unassigned. The same is true for memory buffer addresses.

    If you know a particular setting won't work, just change it. If you believe that the software should have detected the correct interrupt/ address, report the problem to Microsoft.
  • The NET IDW triple boot setup program runs in the equivalent of CUSTOM mode. This is why, even on MIPS, you can bypass detection. In normal WINNT, CD or diskette installations, the entire process is automatic if you choose EXPRESS installation.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/30/2003
Keywords:kbnetwork kbsetup KB94405
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.