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Networking: DOS drivers vs. WfW drivers

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First post, by iulianv

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I've been working on a 386 rig for some time, and this week-end I said I'd take it to the next level and install WfW 3.11.

Previously (MS-DOS 6.22) everything was working well (well, not everything - random hangs in Volfied, but it's no big deal yet), but after installing WfW I have this annoying issue about networking...

- If I start Windows without loading the DOS packet driver, networking works in Windows.

- Whenever I load the DOS packet driver in pure DOS, networking works in DOS

- If I first load the DOS packet driver, then start Windows, Windows takes longer to start, is unable to acquire an IP address via DHCP, and networking doesn't work in Windows. After that, if I'm using the UM9008F-based NIC and exit Windows, I never get back the DOS prompt, only a blinking cursor (keyboard is responsive, Ctlr-Alt-Del works); with the 3C509B-TPO, Windows exists just fine.

- If I load the DOS packet driver, then unload it, then start Windows, Windows would either behave like just before (with 3C509B-TPO), or hang the system at the start-up screen (hard reset is the only way out of it) with UM9008F.

Is there any elegant way for networking under DOS and WfW to coexist peacefully?

Reply 2 of 5, by iulianv

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I could do that (or keep the DOS driver unloaded until I need it), but I was hoping for a way to move from DOS networking to WfW networking and back without restarting the system...

Reply 3 of 5, by h-a-l-9000

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Can't you unload the DOS drivers before you start Windows? I don't think it will cooperate, unless you can tell Windows to use the packet driver. I had a quick look at its options but didn't find anything useful.

1+1=10

Reply 4 of 5, by Jorpho

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h-a-l-9000 wrote:

Can't you unload the DOS drivers before you start Windows?

Isn't that what he already wrote about..?

If there isn't some other option available for unloading the packet driver, maybe it's conflicting with something else. Are you loading many other TSRs? Are you loading the packet driver last?

By the way, there are programs available to load device drivers without having to go through CONFIG.SYS. That might provide you with a way to start up DOS networking after exiting Windows, but the programs may not necessarily work with whatever DOS network drivers you are using.

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