How I created a VMware Workstation Network Boot Disk...
Starting with a MS-DOS 6.22 Boot Disk that had the base minimum, "IO.SYS", "MSDOS.SYS" and "COMMAND.COM" on it and using my Windows NT4 Server VM, I used the "Network Client Administrator" [NCA] to make a "Network Installation Startup Disk" [NISD].
While in the NCA...
In the "Share Network Client Installation Files" dialog box I used the Default Settings.
In the "Target Workstation Configuration" dialog box, I chose "Drive a: is3.5"" in the "Floppy Drive" frame. I chose, "Network Client v3.0 for MS-DOS and Windows" in the "Network Client:" list. I chose, "Advanced Micro Devices AM2100/AM1500T" in the "Network Adapter Card:" drop-down list box. [Note: This IS NOT the NIC in the VM.]
In the "Network Startup Disk Configuration" dialog box, I typed "COMPNAME" for the "Computer Name:", "Administrator" for the "User Name:", "WORKGROUP" for the "Domain:" and selected "TCP/IP Protocol" in "Network Protocol:" drop-down list box. Under "TCP/IP Settings", I chose to hardcode the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway as it allows tighter control within my LAN and Firewalls and finally in the "Destination Path" I typed "A:\". I then clicked OK, OK, OK, Exit and OK.
Since this creates a NISD and all I want is a "Network Boot Disk" [NBD] and it does not contain the correct "Network Adapter Card" Information or Driver, I modified the NISD to become a NBD for the AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet Card as follows:
I deleted the "a:\net\am2100.dos" driver and added the "pcntnd.dos" driver from:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/utilities/dos_mslanman.exe
I then edited "a:\net\system.ini" and "a:\net\ protocol.ini" as follows:
In SYSTEM.INI, "[network drivers]" section I changed "netcard=am2100.dos" to "netcard=pcntnd.dos".
In PROTOCOL.INI, "[ms$am2100]" section I changed "DRIVERNAME=AM2100$" to "DRIVERNAME=PCNTND$"
While not absolutely necessary I also changed all occurrences of "ms$am2100" to "ms$AMD_PCNet" and removed, "; INTERRUPT=9", "; IOADDRESS=0x300" and "; DMACHANNEL=5 from the originally named "[ms$am2100]" section as this information is not used and applies to settings needed with a ISA NIC. This just makes it cleaner and easier to remember what it's for when all is said and done.
From the AUTOEXEC.BAT file I removed, "net use z: \\VMNT4SRV\Clients", "echo Running Setup..." and "z:\msclient\netsetup\setup.exe /$". (Again this is not needed since this is for the NISD not the NBD.) I then added "A:\DOSIDLE.EXE" at the top of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and placed the "DOSIDLE.EXE" file in the Root Dir of the Floppy. This file is from: http://www.vmware.com/software/dosidle210.zip and keeps the CPU from running Hot.
Last but not least... I added the IP Address and Computer Names to the "a:\net\lmhosts" file for the Computers that I intended to access. [Note: This should not be necessary if you attaching directly to an MS Server OS although it is for a MS Workstation OS like Windows 98. Although YMMV]
I now have a VMware Workstation Network Boot Disk!
Please DO NOT ASK me to email you a copy of the VMware Workstation Network Boot Disk that I've created as I DO NOT have a License to Redistribute the MS-DOS OS Kernel or the Network Files created by the Windows NT4 Server Network Client Administrator. It is my understanding that some or all of these files can be obtained on the WWW and I cannot vouch for the validity or legality of the sources unless you are getting them directly from the Owner of the files, like Microsoft as an example for any of the MS Files, etc.
Keep in mind that if you plan to make multiple concurrent connections to one (or more) systems using the NBD you will need to use a different Computer Name for each concurrent connection. (If necessary this can be automated and accomplished using a batch file and concatenating the input into the final protocol.ini file having been broken into logical pieces for this type of operation.) You may also need to change the workgroup and logondomain parameters as needed based upon your network configuration. Also the username and password must match an existing account on the target system.
Below is the full content of my A:\CONFIG.SYS, A:\AUTOEXEC.BAT, A:\NET\SYSTEM.INI and A:\NET\PROTOCOL.INI files with the exception of setting A:\NET\PROTOCOL.INI to use DHCP vs. a Hard Coded IP. If you want to Hard Code the IP, etc. do not use the Dot ".". Example: "IPAddress0=192.168.1.100" would be "IPAddress0=192 168 1 100" and change "DisableDHCP=0" to "DisableDHCP=1". I have also included a Directory Listing of the Floppy Disk.
================================
CONFIG.SYS
---------------
files=30
device=a:\net\ifshlp.sys
lastdrive=z
DEVICE=A:\NET\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=A:\NET\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
================================
================================
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------------
A:\DOSIDLE.EXE
path=a:\net
a:\net\net initialize
a:\net\netbind.com
a:\net\umb.com
a:\net\tcptsr.exe
a:\net\tinyrfc.exe
a:\net\nmtsr.exe
a:\net\emsbfr.exe
a:\net\net start
================================
================================
A:\NET\SYSTEM.INI
-----------------------
[network]
filesharing=no
printsharing=no
autologon=yes
computername=COMPNAME
lanroot=A:\NET
username=Administrator
workgroup=WORKGROUP
reconnect=no
dospophotkey=N
lmlogon=0
logondomain=WORKGROUP
preferredredir=full
autostart=full
maxconnections=8
[network drivers]
netcard=pcntnd.dos
transport=tcpdrv.dos,nemm.dos
devdir=A:\NET
LoadRMDrivers=yes
[Password Lists]
================================
================================
A:\PROTOCOL.INI
---------------------
[network.setup]
version=0x3110
netcard=ms$amd_pcnet,ms$AMD_PCNet,1
transport=tcpip,TCPIP
lana0= ms$amd_pcnet,1,tcpip
[ms$amd_pcnet]
DRIVERNAME=PCNTND$
[protman]
drivername=PROTMAN$
PRIORITY=MS$NDISHLP
[tcpip]
NBSessions=6
DefaultGateway0=
SubNetMask0=
IPAddress0=
DisableDHCP=0
DriverName=TCPIP$
BINDINGS=ms$amd_pcnet
LANABASE=0
==========================
==========================
DIR /O/S A:
--------------
Volume in drive A is VMWARE_NBD
Volume Serial Number is FFFF-FFFF
Directory of A:
05/13/2003 02:00 AM <DIR> NET
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 182 autoexec.bat
05/31/1994 06:22 AM 54,645 COMMAND.COM
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 120 config.sys
05/07/1998 03:41 PM 12,214 DOSIDLE.EXE
4 File(s) 67,161 bytes
Directory of A:\NET
05/13/2003 02:00 AM <DIR> .
05/13/2003 02:00 AM <DIR> ..
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 120,926 emm386.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,294 emsbfr.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 29,136 himem.sys
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,644 ifshlp.sys
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 49 lmhosts
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,468 ndishlp.sys
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 2,619 nemm.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 450,342 net.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 76,234 net.msg
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 8,513 netbind.com
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 123,066 neth.msg
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 395 networks
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 22,826 nmtsr.exe
07/08/1996 06:08 PM 52,736 pcntnd.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 21,940 protman.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 13,782 protman.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 795 protocol
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 355 protocol.ini
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 1,531 setup.inf
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 622 shares.pwl
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 392 SYSTEM.INI
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,174 tcpdrv.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 71,040 tcptsr.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 233 tcputils.ini
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 37,024 tinyrfc.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 3,325 umb.com
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 1,477 wcsetup.inf
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 840 wfwsys.cfg
28 File(s) 1,057,778 bytes
Total Files Listed:
32 File(s) 1,124,939 bytes
3 Dir(s) 244,736 bytes free
###
Starting with a MS-DOS 6.22 Boot Disk that had the base minimum, "IO.SYS", "MSDOS.SYS" and "COMMAND.COM" on it and using my Windows NT4 Server VM, I used the "Network Client Administrator" [NCA] to make a "Network Installation Startup Disk" [NISD].
While in the NCA...
In the "Share Network Client Installation Files" dialog box I used the Default Settings.
In the "Target Workstation Configuration" dialog box, I chose "Drive a: is3.5"" in the "Floppy Drive" frame. I chose, "Network Client v3.0 for MS-DOS and Windows" in the "Network Client:" list. I chose, "Advanced Micro Devices AM2100/AM1500T" in the "Network Adapter Card:" drop-down list box. [Note: This IS NOT the NIC in the VM.]
In the "Network Startup Disk Configuration" dialog box, I typed "COMPNAME" for the "Computer Name:", "Administrator" for the "User Name:", "WORKGROUP" for the "Domain:" and selected "TCP/IP Protocol" in "Network Protocol:" drop-down list box. Under "TCP/IP Settings", I chose to hardcode the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway as it allows tighter control within my LAN and Firewalls and finally in the "Destination Path" I typed "A:\". I then clicked OK, OK, OK, Exit and OK.
Since this creates a NISD and all I want is a "Network Boot Disk" [NBD] and it does not contain the correct "Network Adapter Card" Information or Driver, I modified the NISD to become a NBD for the AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet Card as follows:
I deleted the "a:\net\am2100.dos" driver and added the "pcntnd.dos" driver from:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/utilities/dos_mslanman.exe
I then edited "a:\net\system.ini" and "a:\net\ protocol.ini" as follows:
In SYSTEM.INI, "[network drivers]" section I changed "netcard=am2100.dos" to "netcard=pcntnd.dos".
In PROTOCOL.INI, "[ms$am2100]" section I changed "DRIVERNAME=AM2100$" to "DRIVERNAME=PCNTND$"
While not absolutely necessary I also changed all occurrences of "ms$am2100" to "ms$AMD_PCNet" and removed, "; INTERRUPT=9", "; IOADDRESS=0x300" and "; DMACHANNEL=5 from the originally named "[ms$am2100]" section as this information is not used and applies to settings needed with a ISA NIC. This just makes it cleaner and easier to remember what it's for when all is said and done.
From the AUTOEXEC.BAT file I removed, "net use z: \\VMNT4SRV\Clients", "echo Running Setup..." and "z:\msclient\netsetup\setup.exe /$". (Again this is not needed since this is for the NISD not the NBD.) I then added "A:\DOSIDLE.EXE" at the top of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and placed the "DOSIDLE.EXE" file in the Root Dir of the Floppy. This file is from: http://www.vmware.com/software/dosidle210.zip and keeps the CPU from running Hot.
Last but not least... I added the IP Address and Computer Names to the "a:\net\lmhosts" file for the Computers that I intended to access. [Note: This should not be necessary if you attaching directly to an MS Server OS although it is for a MS Workstation OS like Windows 98. Although YMMV]
I now have a VMware Workstation Network Boot Disk!
Please DO NOT ASK me to email you a copy of the VMware Workstation Network Boot Disk that I've created as I DO NOT have a License to Redistribute the MS-DOS OS Kernel or the Network Files created by the Windows NT4 Server Network Client Administrator. It is my understanding that some or all of these files can be obtained on the WWW and I cannot vouch for the validity or legality of the sources unless you are getting them directly from the Owner of the files, like Microsoft as an example for any of the MS Files, etc.
Keep in mind that if you plan to make multiple concurrent connections to one (or more) systems using the NBD you will need to use a different Computer Name for each concurrent connection. (If necessary this can be automated and accomplished using a batch file and concatenating the input into the final protocol.ini file having been broken into logical pieces for this type of operation.) You may also need to change the workgroup and logondomain parameters as needed based upon your network configuration. Also the username and password must match an existing account on the target system.
Below is the full content of my A:\CONFIG.SYS, A:\AUTOEXEC.BAT, A:\NET\SYSTEM.INI and A:\NET\PROTOCOL.INI files with the exception of setting A:\NET\PROTOCOL.INI to use DHCP vs. a Hard Coded IP. If you want to Hard Code the IP, etc. do not use the Dot ".". Example: "IPAddress0=192.168.1.100" would be "IPAddress0=192 168 1 100" and change "DisableDHCP=0" to "DisableDHCP=1". I have also included a Directory Listing of the Floppy Disk.
================================
CONFIG.SYS
---------------
files=30
device=a:\net\ifshlp.sys
lastdrive=z
DEVICE=A:\NET\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=A:\NET\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
================================
================================
AUTOEXEC.BAT
------------------
A:\DOSIDLE.EXE
path=a:\net
a:\net\net initialize
a:\net\netbind.com
a:\net\umb.com
a:\net\tcptsr.exe
a:\net\tinyrfc.exe
a:\net\nmtsr.exe
a:\net\emsbfr.exe
a:\net\net start
================================
================================
A:\NET\SYSTEM.INI
-----------------------
[network]
filesharing=no
printsharing=no
autologon=yes
computername=COMPNAME
lanroot=A:\NET
username=Administrator
workgroup=WORKGROUP
reconnect=no
dospophotkey=N
lmlogon=0
logondomain=WORKGROUP
preferredredir=full
autostart=full
maxconnections=8
[network drivers]
netcard=pcntnd.dos
transport=tcpdrv.dos,nemm.dos
devdir=A:\NET
LoadRMDrivers=yes
[Password Lists]
================================
================================
A:\PROTOCOL.INI
---------------------
[network.setup]
version=0x3110
netcard=ms$amd_pcnet,ms$AMD_PCNet,1
transport=tcpip,TCPIP
lana0= ms$amd_pcnet,1,tcpip
[ms$amd_pcnet]
DRIVERNAME=PCNTND$
[protman]
drivername=PROTMAN$
PRIORITY=MS$NDISHLP
[tcpip]
NBSessions=6
DefaultGateway0=
SubNetMask0=
IPAddress0=
DisableDHCP=0
DriverName=TCPIP$
BINDINGS=ms$amd_pcnet
LANABASE=0
==========================
==========================
DIR /O/S A:
--------------
Volume in drive A is VMWARE_NBD
Volume Serial Number is FFFF-FFFF
Directory of A:
05/13/2003 02:00 AM <DIR> NET
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 182 autoexec.bat
05/31/1994 06:22 AM 54,645 COMMAND.COM
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 120 config.sys
05/07/1998 03:41 PM 12,214 DOSIDLE.EXE
4 File(s) 67,161 bytes
Directory of A:\NET
05/13/2003 02:00 AM <DIR> .
05/13/2003 02:00 AM <DIR> ..
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 120,926 emm386.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,294 emsbfr.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 29,136 himem.sys
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,644 ifshlp.sys
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 49 lmhosts
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,468 ndishlp.sys
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 2,619 nemm.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 450,342 net.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 76,234 net.msg
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 8,513 netbind.com
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 123,066 neth.msg
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 395 networks
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 22,826 nmtsr.exe
07/08/1996 06:08 PM 52,736 pcntnd.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 21,940 protman.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 13,782 protman.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 795 protocol
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 355 protocol.ini
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 1,531 setup.inf
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 622 shares.pwl
05/13/2003 02:00 AM 392 SYSTEM.INI
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 4,174 tcpdrv.dos
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 71,040 tcptsr.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 233 tcputils.ini
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 37,024 tinyrfc.exe
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 3,325 umb.com
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 1,477 wcsetup.inf
08/09/1996 01:30 AM 840 wfwsys.cfg
28 File(s) 1,057,778 bytes
Total Files Listed:
32 File(s) 1,124,939 bytes
3 Dir(s) 244,736 bytes free
###
