FT//s and FT//e (Panther II) and NetWare

As the FT//s and FT//e servers are now shipping, there are a number of issues that should be noted when installing NetWare onto these new servers.

Server Environment Packs

There is no NetWare v2.x Server Environment Pack for the FT//s and FT//e servers. The new servers can be used to run NetWare v2.x (when used with Adaptec SCSI cards and suitable LAN adapters), but the added features such as the in-built UPS will not have software support under NetWare v2.x. There are no plans at present to produce a NetWare v2.x Server Environment Pack to support the FT//s and FT//e.

NetWare v3.1x and NetWare v4.0 support is included in the NetWare 3.1x/4.0 Server Environment Pack Release 7.1. This new release will support the FT//s and FT//e as well as the earlier server platforms, and the drivers will operate under NetWare v3.11, SFT III (v3.11) and NetWare v4.0. Earlier versions of NetWare 3.x Server Environment Packs can be upgraded by returning the install disks with a covering letter to the Network Support Department. It should be noted that Release 7.1 of the NetWare 3.1x/4.0 Server Environment Pack does NOT include Adaptec drivers, as these are now shipped with the cards (and are available for download from the Apricot Technical Support BBS).

FT//s and FT//e with more than 16MB of memory and NetWare v3.11

The new FT//s and FT//e servers are capable of taking well in excess of 16MB of RAM on the motherboard, however, unlike the earlier server products, no special configuration is needed for NetWare v3.11 to recognise this memory. If a server has more than 16MB of RAM on the motherboard, NetWare v3.11 will automatically see the memory at boot-time, and so does not require a special REGISTER MEMORY command. Also, as these new servers do not use a Chips and Technologies chipset, the ABOVE16.EXE program is NOT required. The only setting that may be required is to use the SET RESERVED BUFFERS BELOW 16 MEG command in STARTUP.NCF, setting it to a suitable value (such as 200).

We will issue a separate bulletin for NetWare v4.0 configurations with more than 16MB of RAM, as there are a number of specific installation steps that need to be taken (as a result of the memory being seen at startup time).

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