SMS: 3COM Network Card May Cause Audit16 to Fail on Win95 Client

• Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2

SYMPTOMS

When a software audit is run on a Windows 95 laptop with a 3COM 3C589 PC card, it returns the following error in the Audit16.log:

   A file error occurred: File read error in SMS.INI file.

CAUSE

Systems Management Server does not report the 3COM 3C589 PC card adapters during the inventory collection process for client computers running Windows 95. For more information on this issue, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165735
   TITLE     : SMS: 3COM 3C589 PCMCIA Network Adapter Card Not Inventoried

WORKAROUND

To run the software audit successfully for Windows 95 clients, ensure that a network adapter card ID appears in the [Local] section of the Sms.ini file. If it is not there, add any numbers for the network adapter card ID (using any sequence of six groups of two numbers separated by colons).

You should also be aware that when the computer is restarted and the inventory process takes place during logon, the NetcardID in the Sms.ini file will be removed. This will cause any subsequent software audits to fail.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.2. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.