Running Client Access/400 for Windows 95 is like hosting a dinner party for four giants. Each giant—Microsoft, IBM, NetSoft, and Novell—has its own preference for food, drink, and entertainment. They’re not particularly respectful of their hosts or each other. If a giant hates the entree, wine list, or choice of dinner music, he just wrecks the party (i.e., the Windows 95 desktop) and moves on to the next feast.

To find out what upsets a giant so it doesn’t happen again, you can ask the giant’s house staff (whom we sometimes refer to as technical support) for an explanation. However, these people are not always easy to track down, and the trick is to get answers quickly and easily.

In this article, I’ll explore some of the Internet technical support options for integrating Windows 95, Client Access/400, the NetSoft router, and Novell NetWare (our four giants) on a Windows 95 desktop. I’ll provide a map of sorts that shows Web resources for obtaining file updates and support. In many cases, these resources can help you solve and understand desktop problems.

Microsoft Resources

To maintain peace between giants, start with the 800-pound gorilla. In looking for Microsoft fixes or upgrades, first try their free download page at: http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/ default.asp This page offers fixes for most Microsoft products. You can find downloads for any product from betas to Windows NT. To hone in specifically on Windows 95, jump to the Windows 95/Free Software/Product Upgrades page at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/common/contentW95UGA.htm

Shown in Figure 1, this is where Microsoft stores service packs, OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2) downloadable components, system updates, and device driver updates. Available files change from month to month; I’ll give you a basic outline of what’s offered in each area.

Service packs include service pack 1 downloads for pre-OSR2 installs, service pack administrator guides, client tools, and Windows NT server tools for Windows
95. For Win 95/Novell Connectivity, check out the Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services download.

OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2) download components include additional Internet and multimedia support for OSR2 machines and networking support for various products. If you’re confused about this package, OSR2 is an update to Windows 95 that was released last summer. It is only available on new PCs when it is preinstalled by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). It is not sold to the general public as an upgrade to pre-OSR2 installs. OSR2 was intended to add support for new and emerging hardware and to consolidate Windows 95 upgrades for Microsoft’s OEM partners. The OSR2 page outlines the features of Windows 95 OSR2 and allows existing Windows 95 customers to download some—but not all—of the OSR2 components.

System updates include fixes and updates that have been released since the Windows 95 service pack 1 for pre-OSR2 installs. These fixes cover Internet mail, OLE32, the 32-bit data link control (DLC) upgrade needed to run Ethernet 802.2 traffic (see “Configuring the Windows 95 NetSoft Router to Run in an 802.2 Environment,” Client Access/400 Expert, September/October 1996), and other miscellaneous updates. Clicking on Device Updates will give you access to Windows 95 drivers for many popular printers, displays, network adapters, modems, sound cards, and other devices.

NetSoft Resources

For AS/400-Windows 95 integration, there are many more options on NetSoft’s home page. To find the latest patches for NetSoft’s Windows 95 router, jump to NetSoft’s Software Patches and Fixes page at: http://www.netsoft.com/products/Ptchindx/index.html All NetSoft patches are PKZIP files, so you’ll need to obtain PKUNZIP.EXE before downloading (PKUNZIP.EXE is also available on the patch page). To determine which files to download, review NetSoft’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page at: http://www.netsoft.com/support/faqe400.htm

NetSoft’s FAQ list answers questions on both sides of your Client Access link. It covers common desktop problems including configuration issues and errors. It provides a good basic view of the issues involved in getting Windows 95 to talk to OS/400. In addition to the usual patches and fixes, you can also download NetSoft products from their Web site at:
http://www.netsoft.com/products/lnkpg.htm Be aware that this isn’t a free download. All download files are password- protected, and passwords are distributed by NetSoft sales personnel. It’s not a try-then-buy situation but it can speed up order delivery. If you want to sample what NetSoft has on beta, jump to:
http://www.netsoft.com/products/Beta/beta.htm At press time, NetSoft had no beta products for review, but it’s worthwhile to check this page occasionally.

NetSoft also offers a fair number of vendor-supplied white pages at its Web site. To view their white page selection, jump to:

http://www.netsoft.com/WhtPages/whitepag.htm Granted, many of the pages can seem somewhat self-serving—such as the Connectivity Partnerships papers co-written with Microsoft or Novell—but most items provide excellent entry-level understanding of the issues involved and NetSoft’s specific solutions.

IBM Client Access/400 for Windows 95 Resources

It seems that—even though IBM offers a lot of online information—you can always use more in an integrated environment. The best place to start is the AS/400 for Client Access/400 for Windows 95/NT page at: http://as400.rochester.ibm.com/client/cawin32.htm This page (see Figure 2) runs the gamut of Windows 95 connectivity issues including security, communications, emulation, and printer and database support. It also contains links to Client Access service pack locations, copies of informational authorized program analysis reports (APARs), and FAQ lists.

To keep your client current, IBM offers a service pack download page. This page contains all current upgrades, fixes, and patches to each Windows 95 client. These packs are provided as an alternate delivery system for desktop client upgrades. You download a service pack fix file to your PC, execute it, and it upgrades your Client Access software to the specified PTF level. When you download service packs from this page, it is recommended that you also apply the corresponding AS/400 PTFs to maintain compatibility. The service pack download page is found at: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/as400/products/clientaccess/win32/ To successfully download PTFs, first determine the Client Access modification and service level for your machines. You find these levels by opening the Client Access icon in your Windows 95 Control Panel (shown in Figure 3). The modification level is the Client Access/400 for Windows 95 release you are currently running. In Figure 3, the machine has V3R1M1 installed. Currently, IBM is supporting three clients on its download page: V3R1M0, V3R1M1, and V3R1M2. The service pack level corresponds to the AS/400

PTF number your software client was assigned. In this example, the service level is SF39059.

Once you have this information, go to the FTP subdirectory for your modification level to download the latest service pack. For example, if you want to download the current service pack for V3R1M1, the FTP service pack address for that version is: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/as400/products/clientaccess/win32/v3r1m1/servicepack

This directory is shown in Figure 4. Be careful when you select service pack directories. Don’t download a V3R1M0 service pack when you are currently running V3R1M1. It may be incompatible with your current software or OS/400 code. Only

download the most current service pack for your software level. Since PTFs are assigned higher numbers as they are released, the most current service pack is the file with the largest number.

Client Access/400 for Windows 95 service packs are cumulative. Each service pack contains all the upgrades found in prior service packs so you don’t have to apply intermediate fixes. The only recommendation is to keep your AS/400 PTF level consistent with your Windows 95 service level. Always order and apply the most recent OS/400 Client Access PTFs after you apply a service pack to the client.

Novell NetWare Resources

Novell coexistence tends to be overlooked in Windows 95 situations. With Windows 95, Microsoft provides a client for Novell networks service. The basic client works with Novell 3.1x networks where users only connect in bindery mode.

NetWare Directory Service (NDS) users on NetWare 4.1x and IntraNetWare servers have two choices: they can download Microsoft’s Service for NetWare Directory Services or Novell’s NetWare Client 32. Both add-ins work with Windows 95 to provide 32-bit network access to NDS servers. Deciding on a 32-bit NetWare client is not a simple issue. It depends on what the needs of your environment are, including applications and other connectivity needs. You may want to choose Microsoft’s client for its integration into your current Windows environment. On the other hand, you might choose Novell’s client for its more current upgrades and its vested interest in maintaining NetWare coexistence in Windows 95 and AS/400 environments. A good approach might be to download both clients and test them on a standard configuration to determine which one supports your needs better.

To download the Microsoft NDS Service client, point your browser at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/software/msnds.htm The Novell 32-bit client can be found at the Novell Tech Support Search page at: http://support.novell.com/search/ As shown in Figure 5, the Novell Search page allows you to search for both files and technical information documents. For this article, typing in Windows 95 yielded approximately 25 documents concerning NDS-Windows 95 coexistence. This feature enhances the page’s value because it serves as a source of upgrades and technical resources.

Conclusion

Whenever you try to integrate products from four different vendors on one desktop, there is bound to be some compatibility issues. However, by knowing some of the places you can go online to get help, your job becomes easier.

Figure 1: The Windows 95 Upgrade Page

Figure 2: IBM Client Access for Windows 95/NT Page Figure 3: The Client Access Icon in Your Control Panel

Figure 4: One of IBM’s Service Pack Download Pages Figure 5: The Novell Search Page