Intermittent Loss of Connectivity While Using Compaq NetFlex-3

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51 and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51 and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Network connectivity to a computer using the Compaq NetFlex-3 network card is intermittently lost and then restored every few minutes without having to restart the system.

Depending on the application, the client or application may have to be restarted to restore the connection. If the application has open files on the server, data may be lost.

Some applications report the lost connections. Others applications may seem to stop responding (hang) for several minutes before continuing.

CAUSE

The NetFlex-3 10/100 network PCI card is set to 100 MB/full duplex. The NetFlex-3 driver provided with Windows NT 4.0 does not support full duplex mode at 100 MB.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

• Obtain the updated driver for the NetFlex-3 PCI card in Softpack SP3206 from Compaq

  NOTE: SP3942 was the current version as of this writing. Go to:

        http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server
        /softpaqs/WINNT/NTSSDNTFLX.html
  

  For Windows NT 3.51 systems, get Compaq Softpack SP3302 (SSD 1.23A and NetFlex 3 driver version 3.06) from the following location:

        http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server
        /softpaqs/WINNT/NTSSDNTFLX3.html
  

  The third-party contact information included in this article is provided to help you find the technical support you need. This contact information is subject to change without notice. Microsoft in no way guarantees the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

• Set the NetFlex-3 card to half duplex.

• Set the NetFlex-3 card to 10 MB.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.