Microsoft KB Archive/104333

= FastTips: Troubleshooting Windows for Workgroups Q&A =

ID: Q104333

3.11 WINDOWS kbnetwork kb3rdparty kbfasttip kbtshoot

This information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11

1. Q. I have several files with the extension .CLN in my Windows subdirectory. What is the purpose of these files?

A. Three .CLN files (PROTOCOL.CLN, SYSTEM.CLN, and WIN.CLN) are created upon completion of the Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 setup procedure. These files are copies of your PROTOCOL.INI, SYSTEM.INI, and WIN.INI files. If you encounter a problem after installing and using Windows for Workgroups, you can use these files to return to your original installation state. To do this, copy each .CLN file to the respective .INI file.

2. Q. I'm receiving the error message, "The Protocol Manager has     reported an incomplete binding." What is causing this error?

A. The error "The Protocol Manager has reported an incomplete binding" is most often caused by a conflict in the upper memory area or an     incorrect setting in the PROTOCOL.INI file. To correct this error, add the line X=A000-EFFF to the end of the EMM386 line in your CONFIG.SYS file.

3. Q. I'm still receiving the "incomplete binding" error message after I exclude the upper memory area with EMM386 in the CONFIG.SYS file. What should I try next?

A. If you still receive the "incomplete binding" error message after you have excluded the upper memory area, use the following three steps to check for possible errors:

1. Run Network Setup (located in the Network group in Program        Manager), choose Drivers, and note the brand name and model of         the network adapter card listed under Network Drivers. If the network adapter card is incorrect, choose the Remove button, then choose the Add Adapter button to select the correct driver.

2. In Network Setup, choose Drivers, then choose Setup and note the IRQ, I/O Port, and Base Memory address configurations. If any of        these settings is incorrect, change the entry to its correct setting.

3. The last item to check is protocols. You must have at least one protocol selected in the Network Drivers dialog box. Windows for Workgroups supports the NetBEUI protocol.

4. Q. I'm still receiving the "incomplete binding" error message even after I have confirmed and corrected all the settings in the PROTOCOL.INI file. What should I do now?

A. If you continue to receive the "incomplete binding" error message after you verify that all settings in the PROTOCOL.INI file are correct and you are using a network adapter with a BNC thinnet connector, try the following steps:

1. Turn off the computer and disconnect any cables from the card.

2. Attach a T connector to the card with two terminators on the T.

3. Restart the computer. If the message "The Protocol Manager        has reported an incomplete binding" no longer displays, there is a problem with the cable.

4. Confirm the I/O port address and IRQ settings in Control Panel match the actual settings of the network card.

5. Verify that there are no I/O port address or IRQ conflicts occurring between your network card and other adapters in your computer.

5. Q. I'm running Microsoft Windows for Workgroups on a Novell Token Ring network and receiving the error message "File server cannot be     found." What is causing this error?

A. If you are running on a Novell Token Ring network, the error "File     server cannot be found" may be caused by loading ROUTE.COM in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and remove the line that loads ROUTE.COM. After you save the file, restart your machine.

6. Q. I'm receiving the error message "NetBIOS session limit     exceeded." What is causing this error?

A. "NetBIOS session limit exceeded" refers to the number of     connections that can be made to your server at any one time. This limit is affected by the number of sessions set in the [MS$NetBEUI] section of the PROTOCOL.INI file. Other protocols refer to variables other than SESSIONS. For more information, refer to your network protocol documentation. Use the following steps to increase the number of sessions:

1. From the Windows directory, open the PROTOCOL.INI file in an        ASCII text editor, such as Microsoft Windows Notepad.

2. Locate the section titled [MS$NetBEUI].

3. Double the value following SESSIONS=. When you increase the value following SESSIONS=, you must also increase the value following NCBS=. The NCBS value should be double the value of SESSIONS=.

4. Save the file and restart Windows.

7. Q. What is Microsoft Network Diagnostics?

A. Microsoft Network Diagnostics is a tool designed to aid network administrators and Microsoft support engineers in troubleshooting network connectivity problems with networks using an IPX or NetBIOS protocol. To most effectively use this tool, exit Microsoft Windows and type "net diag" (without the quotation marks) at an MS-DOS command prompt. For more information on using NET DIAG, consult the "Using Microsoft Network Diagnostics to Troubleshoot Networking     Problems" section in Appendix E of the "Windows for Workgroups 3.11      User's Guide." KBCategory: kbnetwork kb3rdparty kbfasttip kbtshoot KBSubcategory: wfw wfwg Additional reference words: tshoot 3.11

Last Reviewed: June 26, 1998