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3Com (R) Corporation
3C90x EtherLink PCI NIC Family
Release Notes and Frequently Asked Questions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The EtherCD version 5.1 CD-ROM supports 3Com's 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
- Automatic selection of media type for EtherLink 10/100 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
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. This information is updated regularly on
3Com's World Wide Web site (www.3Com.com) and BBS (bulletin board
service).
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), run the program
manually:
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. 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 devices (one of them being an
EtherLink 10 Mbps NIC) that use the same interrupt in your
Windows 95 system, 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 devices.
The solution is to stop sharing the interrupt between the devices
and assign a different PCI interrupt number to each of the
devices. Changing the PCI interrupt that is assigned to a
device is a function of the BIOS or a utility provided by
the PC Manufacturer. For more details, refer to the
documentation provided with your PC or contact your PC manufacturer.
>>> Spurious hardware interrupts on the Compaq Proliant 5000
When running a server on the Compaq Proliant 5000, numerous
"Spurious Interrupts" warning messages may appear. 3Com has found
that these warnings should be ignored and have no effect with normal
operation. 3Com has noticed that these warnings also happen with
NICs from other manufacturing companies.
>>> Performance hint for EtherLink NICs in HP NetServers
During testing of HP NetServers and the EtherLink NIC,
3Com has observed that the performance can be maximized by
customizing the NetServer's BIOS. Within the BIOS of the NetServer,
access the Advanced Chipset Setup and set the DRAM Buffer Write to
0 and the Snoop Ahead to 1.
NOTE: This was tested on an HP NetServer 466 LF and a 466 LC, but
could apply to other models of the NetServer family.
>>> Warm booting with the DOS-based drivers running
3Com has found that some systems do not reset the PCI Bus when the
<CTRL>+<ALT>+<DEL> key combination (a "warm boot") is used to restart
the PC. If the system does not reset the PCI Bus when a warm boot
occurs, the EtherLink NIC remains in a running state that can cause
problems if there is any network activity before the driver is
reloaded. This problem can be avoided by pressing the PC's reset
button (if your PC has one) or by turning the PC completely off
before restarting.
>>> Unable to use network connections after running diagnostic tests
When using an EtherLink 3C900-COMBO NIC, 3Com has found that
running the diagnostic tests included in the 3Com NIC Diagnostics
program for Windows may cause you to lose your network connections
and make it unable to create any new connections. To correct this
problem, reboot the PC.
>>> Windows NT and S3 video driver
During testing, 3Com has observed a problem that occurs with
Windows NT involving S3 video drivers and PCI memory mapped I/O
devices installed on the secondary PCI bus. A symptom includes
system lock-up upon initialization of Windows NT.
The problem has been observed with the Dell OptiPlex GXPro 6/180
using the 3C905B NIC with Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 3.
Updating the video driver for the S3 Trio64V+ (765DRV - version
2.00.18) resolves the issue. This problem can also be resolved by
installing the 3C905B NIC in the primary PCI bus or by uninstalling
Service Pack 3.
The S3 driver included with Service Pack 3 for Windows NT has a
problem where it makes several writes to unclaimed memory space
in the PCI bridge chip, causing Windows NT to become unstable and hang.
>>> NetServer LS2 5/166 and 3C90xB NICs running Windows NT4.0 with
>>> Service Pack 3
3Com has noticed that when a 3C90xB NIC is installed in the
secondary PCI bus of a NetServer LS2 5/166 PC, the PC may hang
intermittently. The possible symptoms include a locked mouse
pointer, steady hourglass, or the inability to execute any programs.
To correct this problem, install the NIC in the primary PCI bus.
This problem has observed only in this model of the NetServer and not
on other machines of the NetServer line. 3Com is currently working with
HP to resolve this issue.
>>> Using an SNI machine with the 82440LX chip set running NetWare 4.1
>>> causes the server to abend with a stack overflow error
If the SNI machine with the 440LX chip set is running NetWare with
an Adaptec SCSI card and a 3C90xB NIC installed, and a stack
overflow occurs, contact Adaptec or SNI for an updated SCSI
driver for the machine.
>>> HP Vectra VL 5200
3Com has observed during testing that the 3C905B NIC using the
NDIS 4 driver under Windows 95 OSR2 (version b) causes the PC to
boot in Safe Mode. There is no known workaround at this time. 3Com
is working with HP on a resolution.
>>> ASUS P2B motherboard
3Com has observed that the 3C905B-TX NIC may not work properly in
the ASUS P2B motherboard. Symptoms may include Remote Wake-Up or the
BIOS not identifying the NIC correctly. This issue is fixed by ASUS
with P2B BIOS Ver. 1005. 08/01/98. You can download the new BIOS, or
the latest available BIOS, from the ASUS Web site: http://www.asus.com
>>> DOS diagnostics incompatibility with 3C905B NIC and Gateway E-3000
During testing, 3Com encountered incompatibilities with the 3C905B
NIC and the Gateway E-3000 series PC when loading the 3Com Configuration
and Diagnostics program for DOS. 3Com suggests using the 3Com NIC
Diagnostics program for Windows if you encounter this problem.
This happens if PnP OS is enabled in the BIOS settings, because DOS
is not a plug-and-play operating system.
>>> 3C905B NICs not supported in the NEC PowerMate P2200: P5 200MHz PC
3Com has observed incompatibilities with the 3C905B family of
NICs and the NEC PowerMate P2200: P5 200MHz PC. Intermittent
network connection errors were observed during testing and no known
workarounds are available at this time. 3Com suggests not using the
3C905 or 3C905B NIC in this particular PC.
>>> 3C905C NICs not supported in the AT&T Globalyst 550 (486/100MHz) PC
3Com has observed incompatibilities with the 3C905C NIC installed in
an AT&T Globalyst 550 (486/100MHz) PC with BIOS version 1.11. 3Com
suggests not using the 3C905C NIC in this particular PC.
>>> Micron Powerdign Xsu with 300Mhz Pentium II
3Com has observed that the Micron Powerdign Xsu with 300Mhz
Pentium II may occasionally hang or loose network connection
when a 3C90x NIC is installed in the 64-bit slot of this system.
For this particular PC, the 64-bit slot is not supported and
3Com suggests using any available PCI slot other than the 64-bit
slot in this system.
>>> 3Com PCI NIC installation hints
>>> Installing a PCI NIC in a PCI slot
1. Install the NIC in the computer. Refer to the NIC's user guide
or to the computer's documentation for complete installation
instructions.
2. Start the computer. In most cases, the PCI computer automatically
configures the NIC. If this does not happen, you may need
to configure the PC to work with the NIC. See the next section
for more details.
>>> Troubleshooting installation problems
3Com has found that some PCI computers require additional
configuration steps in order to install a PCI NIC. 3Com
recommends these steps:
1. Determine whether you have the latest BIOS version for your
computer. Contact your computer's manufacturer to make
sure that you are using the latest BIOS.
2. Make sure that the BIOS is set up correctly. In some PCI
computers, you may need to enable the PCI slot using the
BIOS Setup program. This is especially common in PCI
computers with a Phoenix BIOS.
After installing the NIC, turn on the computer and
enter the Setup program during system initialization
(usually by pressing [F1], [F2], or [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[S]).
The correct key to press is usually shown on the screen.
Once in the Setup program, find the entry for PCI slots
(it may be in the main menu, or sometimes in advanced
system configuration) and set these parameters to:
BIOS System Setting
Parameter
PCI Slot Number Slot where the 3Com PCI NIC is
installed (1-3)
Master ENABLED
Slave ENABLED
Latency Timer 40
Interrupt Choose any one of several available
interrupts that Setup provides.
Edge or Level Level Triggered Interrupt
NOTE: The exact wording of each of the parameters
varies from computer to computer. Save the changes,
exit the Setup program, and continue with the
installation.
>>> Echo Exchange Test using a crossover cable
The Echo Exchange Test verifies the NIC's ability to
transmit and receive data while on the network. There are two
ways to perform the Echo Exchange Test:
--Connect two PCs to the same network (using a hub or switch).
--Connect two PCs directly to each other using a crossover
cable.
Connecting Two PCs to the Same Network
--------------------------------------
1. Connect one PC (the echo server) and another PC (the
echo client) together through a hub or a switch that
generates a constant link beat.
2. Set each NICs' Media Type and Duplex settings to AutoSelect.
3. Run the Echo Exchange Test.
Connecting Two PCs Using a Crossover Cable
------------------------------------------
1. Connect the two PCs together using a crossover cable.
2. Manually set the Media Type to 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps and
the Duplex mode to full or half duplex.
3. Run the Echo Exchange Test.
>>> 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:\NWCLIENT 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.
>>> Error: " Invalid PCI Interrupt Level, Probable Hardware
>>> Incompatibility" while executing DOS diagnostics
3Com has observed that some PCs may display the above error message
when the DOS diagnostics is launched. To avoid this problem, the
"Plug & Play O/S " option should be disabled in the system BIOS.
Consult your PC's documentation for the proper steps to disable this
option.
>>> DOS Configuration and Diagnostics program unable to recognize
>>> 3C90x NICs in Windows NT 3.51 and Windows NT 4.0
3Com has observed that the DOS Configuration and Diagnostics program
occasionally does not recognize 3C90x NICs when running under
Windows NT 3.51 or Windows NT 4.0. To avoid this problem, boot your
PC with a DOS-bootable diskette and then launch the program.
>>> When running the DOS diagnostics program (3C90XCFG.EXE) on a NIC
>>> with an MBA boot ROM installed, the N-WAY Auto Select option
>>> sometimes disappears from the list. Re-running the diagnostics
>>> without rebooting restores all available settings.
This situation was observed intermittently on multiple machines but does
not have any impact on the performance of the NIC.
>>> When running the DOS diagnostics program (3C90XCFG.EXE), the
>>> diagnostic tests take the NIC off-line and force the link to
>>> 10 Mbps Half Duplex. Running the Group1 test forces a link
>>> renegotiation and the correct speed is set. Link renegotiation
>>> can also be forced by disconnecting and reconnecting the cables.
>>> These change of states can be observed with the NIC link (LNK) LED
>>> lights and the switch port status.
This scenario was observed only when the NIC was set to NWAY - Auto and
connected to a LinkSwitch 3000 port that was also set to auto negotiate.
This situation however does not have any impact on the performance of
the NIC.
>>> 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".
>>> 3C90x-COMBO NICs require a reboot to reestablish network connectivity
>>> when switching between ports on the NIC
When changing from one port to another on a 3C90x-COMBO NIC, you must
reboot your PC in order to establish a network connection. This includes
any change from AUI or BNC to TP, TP to BNC or AUI, and any changes between
BNC and AUI.
>>> 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 only functions for users with
Administrator privileges. If you have User privileges only, use the
3Com Configuration and Diagnostics program for DOS.
>>> Intermittent LED behavior on 3C905/3C905B NICs
3Com has observed that your PC must be power cycled after you have
changed speed settings from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps. The reboot allows
the LEDs to indicate the correct speed settings.
>>> 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.
>>> Changing media type or duplex mode in 3Com NIC Diagnostics
program using the NDIS 3 driver in Windows 95 (Retail)
When you change the media type or duplex mode using the 3Com
NIC Diagnostics program for Windows, you must exit the diagnostics
program and reboot the PC for the changes to take effect.
>>> DynamicAccess control panel icon disabled after removing
the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program
If you remove the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program on a PC running
Windows 98 or Windows 95 (OSR2) with the DynamicAccess LAN agent
installed, the DynamicAccess control panel icon will be disabled.
Remove and reinstall the DynamicAccess LAN agent to fix the
problem.
>>> Plug-and-play operating system using DOS
If your PC has a "Plug-and-Play OS" setting in the BIOS,
set this setting to NO if you are using DOS. The "Plug-and-Play"
BIOS setting should be set to YES only if you are using a
plug-and-play capable operating system (such as Windows 95
or Windows 98).
>>> Installing the DynamicAccess LAN agent in a Windows 95
PC that does not have a NIC installed
Do not install the DynamicAccess LAN agent on a PC that
does not have a NIC installed.
If you do install DynamicAccess on a PC that does not have
a NIC installed, the following error message will appear
after a few moments:
"3Com Dynamic Access Software did not install successfully.
From the start button run DAW95RMV.EXE..."
Do not run the DAW95RMV.EXE program. See the DynamicAccess
Software User Guide, located with the DynamicAccess LAN Agent
software on the EtherCD, for instructions on how to remove the
DynamicAccess LAN Agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
--------------------------
NOTE: Specific FAQs for Remote Wake-Up are in the WAKEFAQ.TXT
file located in the HELP directory on the EtherCD (or
EtherDisk diskette 2).
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 PCI slots that support
bus-mastering data transfers. Refer to your owner's manual
for information on which slots support bus-mastering data transfers.
Q: Which PCI slot(s) are "bus mastering" in my PCI machine?
A: Generally, if you have three PCI slots in a machine, one slot is
designated as a "slave-only" slot (that is, it does not support
bus-mastering data transfers). Slots are not always marked clearly
to distinguish between slave-only and bus-mastering slots. Refer to
your owner's manual or contact your computer manufacturer for this
information. Also, make sure that you have the latest version of
your system's BIOS.
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.
3Com has found that OS/2 version 1.3 does not support shared
interrupts, but it is only a problem if you are using the
OS/2 NDIS 2.01 driver in LAN Manager version 2.2. 3Com has also
found some problems with sharing interrupts under Windows 95.
More details are available in the "Release Notes" section earlier
in this document. If this is a problem, try using the
DOS Configuration and Diagnostic program to give each NIC
a different IRQ, and change the BIOS on your system to match.
Q: What interrupts should I avoid using with my 3Com EtherLink NIC?
A: You should avoid using any interrupts used by ISA/EISA boards that
do not properly support shared interrupts (level-triggered). If
you do not know or are unsure whether your NIC supports shared
interrupts, then avoid using them. In addition, try to avoid
using the same interrupt as that of your local hard drive
(normally IRQ 14 for IDE drives and IRQ 11 for most SCSI host
NICs), because not all hard drives support shared interrupts at
this time. For Novell NetWare servers, you should also avoid
using IRQ 7 or 15. These IRQs only support nonshared devices and
may cause problems if they are shared between two devices.
Q: Are the EtherLink ODI drivers Novell-certified?
A: Yes, 3Com's EtherLink ODI drivers are Novell tested and approved.
Q: I've purchased an HP Pavilion machine and I want to connect it to
my network, are there any issues?
A: The HP Pavilion PCs are designed for home use and as a standalone
multimedia machine. HP does not recommend using this PC as a network
PC. Issues including no available resources, PCI bus errors, and PCI
device detection problems could arise when installing a PCI NIC in
these PCs. 3Com and HP are working together to resolve this problem.
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. In order 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 do
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 the drivers using the Update NIC Drivers option
on the EtherCD. See the W95NDIS.TXT file, located in the
HELP directory on the EtherCD (or EtherDisk diskette 2), for
instructions.
Q: Which NetWare server driver should I use?
A: The Hardware Support Module (HSM) standard for NetWare 4.11 is
called HSM v3.3. NetWare 4.11 requires an HSM v3.3-compliant LAN
driver. An HSM v3.3-compliant driver is located in the \NWSERVER
directory on EtherDisk Diskette 3. An HSM v3.3-compliant driver
can also be used for NetWare versions 3.12 and 4.10. See Novell
for the correct NLMs and support files for this environment. Other
versions of NetWare are no longer supported on this EtherDisk
release.
Q: Where can I find out more information on DynamicAccess technology?
A: For detailed information about DynamicAccess technology, go to the
3Com World Wide Web site: www.3com.com/dynamicaccess
3Com Technical Support
----------------------
Refer to the EtherLink NIC's user guide for technical support information.
This information is also available in the \HELP\SUPPORT.TXT file on the
EtherCD (or EtherDisk diskette 2).
3Com, EtherLink, EtherDisk, and DynamicAccess are registered trademarks
of 3Com Corporation.
(%VER README.TXT - Release Notes v5.1.1)