Cannot Boot Windows NT on a Diskless Workstation

 Last reviewed: September 9, 1996
Article ID: Q128629
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5
  • Microsoft LAN Manager for MS-DOS, version 2.2c
  • Microsoft Network Client for MS-DOS, version 3.0

For several reasons, you cannot boot Windows NT from a diskless workstation. Primarily, Windows NT requires a local hard disk for the paging file, and RPL requires the real mode drivers (RPLBOOT.SYS, RPLDISK.SYS, etc.) to load during the boot process.

The following operating systems can be used on diskless workstations, or from any workstation using a supported network card that allows remoteboot.

  • MS-DOS 3.30
  • MS-DOS 4.01
  • MS-DOS 5.00
  • MS-DOS 6.xx
  • Microsoft Windows 3.1 running on one of the above versions of MS-DOS.

The following diskless workstation network software is supported:
  • Microsoft LAN Manager for MS-DOS, version 2.2c
  • Any protocol that DOS LAN Manager supports (NetBEUI or TCP/IP)

For more information on installation of remoteboot workstations, see the Windows NT Server version 3.5 Installation Guide, page 111.

KBCategory: kbnetwork kbenv
KBSubcategory: ntprotocol
Additional reference words: 2.20 3.00 3.10 3.50 prodnt remote boot less



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Last reviewed: September 9, 1996
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