NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

TITLE:              Comcheck utility and support files
DOCUMENT ID:        TID014076
DOCUMENT REVISION:  A
DATE:               22NOV93
ALERT STATUS:       Yellow
INFORMATION TYPE:   Symptom Solution
README FOR:         COMCHK.EXE

NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION:
NetWare Client for DOS/Windows

ABSTRACT:

This file contains the executable and support files needed to run comcheck. 
Comcheck is a diagnostic utility used to troubleshoot possible hardware or NIC
card driver problems.

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DISCLAIMER
THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL.  NOVELL
MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION.  HOWEVER, THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY.  NOVELL
MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION.
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SYMPTOM

     Workstation communication problems.

SOLUTION

     Use the files included in COMCHK.EXE to diagnose the problem.

     Self-Extracting File Name:  COMCHK.EXE     Revision:  A

     Files Included    Size      Date      Time

     \
       COMCHK.TXT             (This File)
         $RUN.OVL      2,400   07-13-89    9:30
     CMPQ$RUN.OVL      2,400   07-26-89   10:26
     COMCHECK.EXE     76,840   09-01-87   11:53   v2.00 
     COMCHECK.HLP      2,543   05-29-90    2:03
      IBM$RUN.OVL      2,400   07-13-89    9:30
      SYS$ERR.DAT      9,170   12-10-90    1:37
     SYS$HELP.DAT     14,092   01-29-91    2:39
      SYS$MSG.DAT     25,138   01-30-91    3:10

     Installation Instructions:

     o   Copy the files included in this self-extracting file to a floppy
     diskette.
     o   Boot the workstation to DOS.

     For workstations running dedicated IPX (i.e. IPX.COM): 

     1)  Load IPX.COM from the DOS prompt.
     2)  Put the floppy diskette with the COMCHECK files on it in the A:> or
     B:> drive and type COMCHECK.
     3)  Enter the "Unique User Information" for the workstation.
     4)  See general instructions below.
  
     For workstations running ODI drivers (i.e. LSL.COM and IPXODI.COM):

     1)  Load the following files from the DOS prompt:
         LSL.COM
         NE2000.COM (or other MLID driver for your workstation, i.e.
     TOKEN.COM, NE1000.COM, etc.)
         IPXODI.COM
     2)  Put the floppy diskette with the COMCHECK files on it in the A:> or
     B:> drive and type COMCHECK.
     3)  Enter the "Unique User Information" for the workstation.
     4)  See general instructions below.

     Note:  You can also run comcheck on the file server by doing the
     following: (Typically this will only be done if many workstations are
     having problems communicating with the server.)

     1)  Notify all users the file server will be going down. 
     2)  Type DOWN at the file server.
     3)  Reboot the file server, loading only DOS, and not the Network
     Operating System.
     4)  Load the appropriate workstation style drivers as described in the
     workstation instructions listed above.

     GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

     After entering the "Unique User Information", a screen will appear
     similar to that listed below:

      _____________________________________________________________
     |                                                             |
     | Network  Node         Unique User Info  Yr Mo Dy Hr Mn Sc  *|
     |_____________________________________________________________|
     |                                                             |
     |                                                             |
     | 00000000 00001B1E7346 Station #1        93/11/16 16:11:16  *|
     | DEADBEEF 00001C024A83 Station #2        93/11/16 16:11:16   |
     | 00001234 00001B69BA25 Station #3        93/11/16 16:11:16   |
     | 0000ABCD 00001B847561 Station #4        93/11/16 16:11:16   |
     |                                                             |
     |_____________________________________________________________|

     For workstations running dedicated IPX (IPX.COM), you may get an entry
     for your workstation with a network address of 00000000 if the
     workstation shell is not loaded.  

     A "Node Address" indicates the network board is communicating with the
     rest of the network.

     The entry with an * in the last column identifies this station as the
     current station.

     VLM users will need to unload the VLMs prior to running COMCHECK. If the
     VLMs are loaded, change to the directory the VLMs were loaded from, and
     type VLM /U.  This will unload the VLMs if no other TSRs were loaded
     after the VLMs.  If other TSRs have been loaded after VLM.EXE, you will
     need to reboot the workstation without loading the VLMs.  The user will
     get the following error if running COMCHECK with the VLMs loaded:  "IPX
     Not found.  ComCheck cannot work without it."

     Pressing "Esc" from the screen shown above will bring up the options
     screen.  You will have 3 options:

     1)   Broadcast Delay Period:  (1-9989 seconds, defaults to 15 seconds). 
     How often the information is broadcast out, and updated.

     2)   Dead Timeout Period:  (11-9999 seconds, defaults to 60 seconds. 
     Must be set a minimum of 10 seconds greater than the "Broadcast Delay
     Period")

     3)   Exit ComCheck (you can also exit by entering ALT-F10 from the main
     screen)

     Troubleshooting will vary depending on the topology.  Check NIC cards,
     NIC card drivers, cables, terminators, MAUs, concentrators, etc.  Also
     verify the Frame Type specified in the NET.CFG matches the frame type
     loaded at other workstations and file servers you are connected with.
ÿ