HP Package Revision: Q3C5020a / 3COM ED5.02
Date : 18th of june, 1999
3C905C Fast EtherLink XL Bus Master Network Interface Card
Release Notes and Frequently Asked Questions for Vectra PCs
Installation tips in Hewlett Packard Brio, Vectra and Kayak PCs
---------------------------------------------------------------
The EtherDisk diskettes support the 3Com family of EtherLink 10/100 PCI
bus-mastering network interface cards (NICs) with a common driver set.
Key product features include:
- Parallel Tasking II (R) architecture for high performance
- Bus mastering for low CPU utilization and optimal overall system
performance
- Ease of installation with AutoLink (TM) software
- Automatic selection of media type for EtherLink 10 Mbps NICs
- Automatic selection of link speed for EtherLink 10/100 Mbps NICs
- Broad driver support, including NetWare, NDIS 2.01, NDIS 3.0, NDIS 4.0,
NDIS 5.0, and others
- SNMP manageability
- Lifetime limited warranty
- Full duplex enabled for switched 10/100 Mbps environments
Driver installation:
- Help.exe program on Disk3 contains software installation instructions.
Win95, Win98 installation :
- Make sure Bios setup PnP OS field is set to Yes for Win95 SR2.x, Win98
For Win95 RTM and Win95 SR1, set Bios setup PnP OS field to No.
- During NIC installation, Win9x may prompt for Win95 master disks.
When using HP preloaded Win9x, they're located on C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
- If the 3Com 3C905x NIC is added after a fresh installation of Win95 OSR
2.5, the NDIS 3 driver might be installed. This driver will be the default
network driver if there was no previous installations of networking nor dial-up
components in the system. Although the NDIS 4 driver is the recommended driver,
there is no significant performance degradation nor limitations in using the
NDIS 3 driver. If the user choose to use the NDIS 4 driver instead of the NDIS
3, there is a simple work around that will configure the OS to do so.
Step 1: Right click on Network Neighborhood and select Properties.
Step 2: Click the OK button.
The next time the OS reboots, it will use the NDIS 4 driver.
- Update from a PC pre-installed with an older driver version.
For unattended installation purposes, older driver files may have been copied into
C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS and C:\WINDOWS\INF folders.
When upgrading to ED5.02 driver, Windows install Diagnostics from older driver which
may not support 3C905C adapter. This results in a Windows 3COM diagnostic failure.
To prevent this, please delete tcaatdi.inf and tcaitdi.inf files in C:\WINDOWS\INF
and C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS folders before starting installation with ED5.02 driver disks.
NT installation:
- Make sure Bios setup PnP OS field is set to No
- During NIC installation, NT4 may prompt for NT4 master disks.
When using HP preloaded NT4, they're located on C:\I386
- After any network installation (NIC, protocols, clients, etc...), always re-apply latest NT Service Pack.
Some errors may be encountered before Service Pack re-application, they should be ignored.
Please notice that on some PCs, some drivers must be re-installed after Service Pack application.
When using HP preloaded NT4, latest supported Service Pack is located on C:\I386\SPx
(x stands for Service Pack revision)
- If you want to install drivers on NT4 from hard disk (i.e. diskettes copied on hard disk):
* create a folder on hard disk, example: C:\LANDRV
* copy DISK1 content on C:\LANDRV
* copy DISK2 content on C:\LANDRV, when NT4 prompt for a confirmation to overwrite PARTNO file, answer Yes.
* Proceed with installation as specified in Help.exe program (Disk3).
When prompted for LAN driver path, enter C:\LANDRV
Win3.11 installation:
- With HP PCs released with Phoenix Bios, please add following line in DEVICE.SYS file before
starting installation if EMM386.EXE program is used:
* c:\dos\EMM386.exe NOEMS X=E800-FFFF
Network Remote Boot:
- Before using Network Remote Boot, make sure Network Remote Boot is enabled in Bios setup.
Release Notes and Frequently Asked Questions
--------------------------------------------
This file contains release notes and answers to some frequently asked
questions to help you obtain maximum performance from your 3Com EtherLink NIC.
Release Notes
-------------
>>> 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows not available in
Windows 95 (Retail)
If the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows is not available in
the Windows Start menu (under Programs, 3Com NIC Utilities,
3Com NIC Doctor), manually run the program:
1. Open the Windows Start menu and select Run.
2. Type TCAUDIAG, and then click OK.
3. Select the Show Icon in System Tray check box to enable the
3Com icon to appear in the Windows system tray. You can then
double-click the icon to start the 3Com NIC Diagnostic program.
>>> Potential problem when sharing interrupts under Windows 95
If you install two or more PCI NICs (one of them being an
EtherLink 10 Mbps NIC) in your Windows 95 system that use the
same interrupt, your system may exhibit strange behavior.
3Com has found that sharing interrupts can cause a blue screen
error or continuous system reboots, which are caused by disabling
or enabling the NIC using the Windows Device Manager or the 3Com
NIC Diagnostics program. This problem has been found on multiple
systems and with other manufacturer's PCI network interface cards.
The solution is to stop sharing the interrupt between the NICs and
assign a different PCI interrupt number to each of the NICs.
Changing the PCI interrupt that is assigned to a NIC is a function
of the BIOS. For more details, refer to the documentation provided
with your PC or contact HP support services.
>>> Warm booting with the DOS-based drivers running
3Com Adapters require an hardware PCI reset when the <CTRL>+<ALT>+<DEL>
key combination (a "warm boot") is used to restart the PC.
Please check that the Bios setup "PCI reset" field is set to "Long".
>>> Configuration settings are not saved when using 3Com
>>> Windows based configuration utility
It is recommended that you reboot your PC to properly save
any configuration changes made using the 3Com Windows based
or DOS based configuration utility. This includes, but is not
limited to, changes to media type, duplex settings, and
speed settings.
>>> Echo Exchange Test does not support crossover cable
Because the Echo Exchange test verifies the ability of the NIC to
transmit and receive data while on the network, both the echo
server and the echo client must be connected to a network. An
EtherLink NIC uses link beats to determine whether it is
connected to a network when the Media Type is selected. A constant
link beat is needed for the Echo Exchange test when the Media Type
is selected. Before starting the Echo Exchange test, connect the
echo server and the echo client together through a hub or a switch
that generates a constant link beat. Using a crossover cable to
connect the echo server and the echo client directly does not work.
>>> Running the DOS ODI driver with a non-Novell protocol in DOS
Add the keyword NO_PIPELINE to your NET.CFG file when running the
DOS ODI driver with a non-Novell protocol in a DOS environment.
To add the keyword NO_PIPELINE to your NET.CFG file:
1. Access the C:directory and open the NET.CFG file.
Type:
EDIT NET.CFG [Enter]
2. Scroll through the file to the LINK DRIVER 3C90X section and
locate the following line:
LINK DRIVER 3C90X
3. Add NO_PIPELINE after LINK DRIVER 3C90X. Your file should
now look like this:
LINK DRIVER 3C90X
NO_PIPELINE {<- make sure this is indented a few spaces }
>>> Windows 95 and Windows 98 installation notes
This information applies to the Windows 95 and Windows 98 operating
systems.
When installing an EtherLink NIC under Windows 95/98, the operating
system automatically detects the presence of the NIC and asks for
the diskette containing the driver software for the NIC (EtherDisk
diskette 1). At this point, you can choose to cancel the installation
of driver software and install it later. Even though the driver
installation has been canceled, the fact that the NIC is installed
is recorded in the System Registry.
Later, when you install the driver software using the Network
icon in the Windows Control Panel, the operating system assumes that you
are installing another instance of a NIC, not installing
software for the already recorded instance. This results in two
instances of the NIC being recorded in the System Registry.
The EtherLink NIC does not operate correctly under these circumstances.
To fix this problem, open the System icon in the Windows Control Panel.
In the Device Manager, under Network adapters, the two instances of
the EtherLink NIC are shown. Remove the one that is marked disabled,
and restart your computer. The entry for the remaining EtherLink NIC
in the same dialog box should show that the NIC is operating
correctly.
>>> Win95 OSR 2.5 installs the NDIS 3 driver
If the 3Com 3C905x NIC is added after a fresh installation of Win95 OSR
2.5, the NDIS 3 driver might be installed. This driver will be the
default network driver if there was no previous installations of
networking nor dial-up components in the system. Although the NDIS 4
driver is the recommended driver, there is no performance degradation
nor limitations in using the NDIS 3 driver. If the user choose to use
the NDIS 4 driver instead of the NDIS 3, there is a simple work around
that will configure the OS to do so.
Step 1: Right click on Network Neighborhood and select Properties.
Step 2: Click the OK button.
The next time the OS reboots, it will use the NDIS 4 driver.
>>> Error when running the DOS Diagnostics program (3C90XCFG.EXE) from
>>> a DOS window under Windows 98
To avoid possible errors, 3Com suggests booting from a DOS-bootable
diskette when running the DOS diagnostics program (3C90XCFG.EXE).
Alternatively, the DOS diagnostics program can be run by rebooting
your PC in "Safe Mode - Command Prompt Only."
>>> Windows NT and 3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows
Because of security features in the Windows NT operating system, the
3Com Diagnostics program for Windows functions only for users with
Administrator privileges. If you have User privileges only, use the
3Com Configuration and Diagnostics program for DOS.
>>> Client 32 installations in Windows 98
3Com does not recommend using the ODI LAN driver for Client 32
installations under Windows 98. The Windows NDIS driver should be
used instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
--------------------------
Q: How do I remove the software that comes with my EtherLink NIC
from my system if I have a compatibility problem?
A: You may remove the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program from your system at
any time by running the uninstaller in the Add/Remove Programs
Control Panel. If you remove all of the EtherLink NICs from the
Control Panel, the uninstall program will be run automatically.
Q: Which PCI slot is best for my 3Com EtherLink 10/100 PCI NIC?
A: 3Com PCI NICs are designed to work in any PCI slot.
Q. Does my PCI NIC support shared interrupts?
A. The drivers for the EtherLink NICs support shared interrupts.
However, because there is no industry-standard way to support shared
interrupts, other NICs may support them differently, or not at all.
If you have another PCI NIC that does not support shared interrupts
(for example, a SCSI host NIC), either contact the manufacturer for
a shared interrupt driver or try running the system setup program
to assign it a different interrupt.
Q: Are the EtherLink ODI drivers Novell-certified?
A: Yes, 3Com EtherLink ODI drivers are Novell tested and approved.
Q: After installing Novell Client 32 for Windows 95, the error message
"Your driver could not be disabled" appears when I try to run the
3Com NIC Diagnostics program for Windows. Why?
A: If the PC is configured with Novell Client 32 using the 32-bit ODI
driver, the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program will not support driver
suspension. To run the diagnostics program, either boot the
machine in MS-DOS mode and execute 3C90XCFG.EXE from EtherDisk
diskette 3, or reconfigure Novell Client 32 to use an NDIS driver.
For exact directions, refer to your Client 32 instructions. If you
experience the above message when you attempt to run the 3Com NIC
Diagnostics program for Windows, verify that the hardware device is
enabled before rebooting the machine. Perform these steps:
1) Right-click on the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.
2) Double-click Network adapters.
3) Double-click the 3Com Etherlink NIC.
4) Make sure that the Current Configuration is checked on
the Device Usage box. If you have only one hardware profile, it
appears as "Original Configuration (Current)." If you have
multiple hardware profiles, check the box where the NIC should
be enabled.
5) Click OK, and then OK again to save settings.
Q: How do I update my 3C90x drivers in Windows 95 (OSR2)?
A: You can update your existing 3C90x driver set by
performing the steps below:
1) Right click on the My Computer icon.
2) Click Properties.
3) When the System Properties screen appears, click the
Device Manager tab.
4) Double-click Network Adapters, and then double-click the
3Com Etherlink NIC.
5) Click the Drivers tab, and then click Update Driver.
6) When the Update Driver Wizard appears, do not select the option
that lets Windows 95 search for the driver. Instead, select the
'No. Select Driver from list' option, and then click Next.
7) Click Have Disk, and then click OK.
8) Windows 95 starts copying the files and updating the registry.
Q: Where can I find out more information on DynamicAccess software?
A: For detailed information about DynamicAccess software, go to the
3Com World Wide Web site: http://www.3com.com/dynamicaccess
Q: Where can I find MS LAN Manager Installation Notes?
A: For installation instructions, go to the 3Com World Wide Web site:
http://support.3com.com/infodeli/tools/nic/3c905B/family.htm
Q: Where can I find IBM LAN Server DOS and OS/2 Client installation
notes?
A: For installation instructions, go to the 3Com World Wide Web site:
http://support.3com.com/infodeli/tools/nic/3c905B/family.htm
Q: Where can I find information about Installing a NIC in a NetWare
OS/2 ODI Client?
A: For installation instructions, go to the 3Com World Wide Web site:
http://support.3com.com/infodeli/tools/nic/3c905B/family.htm
Brio, Vectra, Kayak are registred trademarks of HP Corposration.
3Com, EtherLink, and EtherDisk are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation.
(%VER HPREADME.TXT - Release Notes v5.0.3.HP)
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.