Loading Operating Systems and Applications onto the Network

You may want to load workstation operating system (OS) files onto the network to save workstation disk space or to allow diskless workstations to log in to the network.

Loading DOS onto the Network

Prerequisites

• A workstation running DOS 3.30 or later
• The Supervisor or Create right to the directory where you want to load the application

Procedure

1. Create a directory in SYS:PUBLIC for each workstation type and version of DOS you will be using on your network.

   Name your directories according to the following convention:

   SYS:PUBLIC/machine/os_type/os_version

   For each directory, replace machine with the six-letter machine name of the workstation (such as IBM_PC or COMPAQ).

   Replace os_type with the type of DOS you are using (such as MSDOS or DRDOS). Replace os_version with the DOS version number.

   For example, to install MS-DOS* 5.0 on an IBM PC, go to SYS:PUBLIC to create the DOS subdirectory. To use the DOS MD command, type the commands shown below (in order):

   MD IBM_PC <Enter>

   CD IBM_PC <Enter>

   MD MSDOS <Enter>

   CD MSDOS <Enter>

   MD 50 <Enter>

   CD 50 <Enter>

2. Load DOS.

   Follow the instructions in the DOS documentation to load the DOS software into the directories you created.

3. In the system login script, map the second search drive to the DOS directory.

   If all users have the same types of workstations and are using the same version of DOS, you will probably have only one DOS directory. In this case, add a line similar to the following, substituting the correct directory names:

   MAP S2:=SYS:PUBLIC\IBM_PC\MSDOS\50

   If your network has more than one DOS directory, use variables to indicate the directory path. These variables are replaced by the correct information from the workstation software when each user logs in. Enter the following command, exactly as shown, in the login script:

   MAP S2:=SYS:PUBLIC\%MACHINE\%OS\%OS_VERSION

   (The first search drive should be mapped to the PUBLIC directory so that users can access NetWare utilities.) For the %MACHINE variable to work, make sure the long machine type is set in each station's NET.CFG file. For example, a station might have the following line in its NET.CFG file:

   LONG MACHINE TYPE = IBM_PC

4. Add COMSPEC to the system login script.

   Following is the proper syntax for the COMSPEC command:

   COMSPEC=Y:COMMAND.COM

   This command tells the workstation where to find the command processor.

Additional Information

Loading MS Windows onto the Network

You can load MS Windows onto a network in several ways:

• Load all MS Windows files on a user's local hard drive.
• Load MS Windows program files on the server, and load user files on local hard drives.
• Load all MS Windows program and user files on the server. In most cases, this installation provides the easiest maintenance and most efficient use of resources.

Instructions for the first two options are included in the documentation that came with your MS Windows software. Instructions for loading program and user files on the server are included in this section.

Following are some advantages of having all MS Windows files installed on the server:

• Program and configuration files are backed up and secure.
• No hard disk is required on the user workstation.
• The.INI and driver files for all users can be updated from one location.
• Configuration files always match hardware.

The only real disadvantage of having all MS Windows files installed on the server is that it causes more network traffic.

Files Needed for NetWare Functionality in MS Windows

Use the following files to run MS Windows with NetWare functionality. These files are in the Workstation for DOS/Windows kit.

Guidelines for Running MS Windows on the Network

• Use a permanent swap file on a local hard drive if possible; do not use network directories for swap files. If a local swap file is not possible, consider increasing RAM to a minimum of 8 MB.
• RAM plus swap file size should be a minimum of 10 MB.
• Remove MS Windows search drives from the workstation AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Loading and Setting Up MS Windows

Prerequisites

• A workstation running DOS 3.30 or later
• The Supervisor or Create right to the directory where you are loading MS Windows
• A licensed network copy of MS Windows 3.1 (or later), Windows 95/98, or Windows NT
• 16 MB of available disk space
• NetWare Client for DOS and MS Windows

Procedure

1. Install MS Windows server software, using the SETUP /A option.

   For complete information about the MS Windows SETUP options and the installation procedure, see the documentation that came with your MS Windows software.

2. Create a Group object for users who will be running MS Windows.

   For instructions for creating a Group object, see Managing Group Objects.

3. Make the MS Windows Group object a trustee of the MS Windows directory.

   For instructions on granting trustee assignments, see Adding a Trustee to a Directory or File.

4. Create a directory for each user to store user-specific MS Windows files.

   WIN.COM and files such as .GRP and .INI files are stored here.

5. Add the following information to the system login script.

   An example of the syntax for these login script entries appears at the end of this step.

   1. Map a drive to the user-specific directories for the MS Windows group.

   2. Map a search drive to the MS Windows directory for the MS Windows Group object.

   3. Set the MS Windows TEMP directory to a subdirectory of the user directory.

   The following example shows the system login script entries you would add to set up MS Windows 3.1 on the network:

   IF MEMBER OF WIN31 THEN

   MAP INS P:=SYS:USERS\%LOGIN_NAME\WIN31

   MAP INS S16:=SYS:APPS\WINAPPS\WIN31

   SET TEMP = P:\USERS\%LOGIN_NAME\WIN31\TEMP

   END

6. Set up the workstations by completing the following steps.

   1. Change to the search drive mapped to the MS Windows directory.

      Enter the drive letter only.

   2. Modify the user AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files by typing:

      SETUP /N <Enter>

      Select the Custom option to make sure environment variables are correct. When MS Windows prompts for a path during setup, enter the drive letter instead of the path.

   3. Install the Novell Client software.

      Follow the instructions in the Novell Client documentation to install the workstation software and update NetWare-specific files in the MS Windows directory.

Additional Information

Loading Other Applications onto the Network

You can load various types of network applications, such as word processing or spreadsheet programs, to make them available to users. When loading applications, keep the following in mind:

• You need the Create right in the directory where you will be loading the application.
• Follow the instructions in the application's documentation for loading the application onto a network.
• Make sure the application is designed for network (multiuser) use, and that you observe any licensing restrictions on the number of users who can access the application.
• To allow users to access network-based applications, map search drives to the directories that contain these applications. To make these search drives permanent, place them in login scripts, which are executed when users log in.
• If the application requires that it be installed at the root of a volume, but you would rather install it in a subdirectory for security reasons, you can map the directory to a fake root. To map a fake root directory, use the MAP ROOT command as explained in MAP.
• You can create a Directory Map object that points to an application directory.

  Directory Map objects are useful in login scripts. Instead of mapping a drive to a specific directory path, you map a drive to a Directory Map object that points to a directory.

  Then, if you change the directory path, you need to change only the Directory Map object's definition.

Additional Information

Assigning Trustee Rights to Operating System and Application Directories

Application programs need a set of file system rights that make them available to users, yet protect them from being corrupted. Keep the following guidelines in mind as you assign file and directory rights to executable, application, and program files.

When you are ready to assign file and directory attributes and rights, see Making the File System Secure and Accessible.

Use the FLAG utility to assign the following rights:

• Assign the Shareable and Read-Only attributes to application and workstation operating system files.
• Assign the Execute Only attribute to executable files for which you keep permanent backups.
• Assign Read and File Scan rights to the User or Group objects that need to use the application.

Additional Information