                        3Com (R) Corporation
                   EtherDisk (R) Diskette for the
        3C90X Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL Bus Master NIC Family
            Release Notes and Frequently Asked Questions


The EtherDisk XL diskettes support 3Com's family of bus mastering PCI
network NICs with a common driver set.  Products included in this
family are the Fast EtherLink XL 10/100BASE-TX and EtherLink XL PCI TPO/
COMBO NICs.  Key product features include:

-   Parallel Tasking (R) architecture for highest performance
-   Bus mastering for low CPU utilization and optimal overall system 
    performance 
-   Ease of installation with AutoLink (TM), and Auto Select Media Type for 
    EtherLink XL Bus Master NICs and Auto Select Link Speed for Fast 
    EtherLink XL NICs
-   Broad driver support, including NetWare, NDIS 2.01, NDIS 3.0, NDIS 4.0
    and others 
-   SNMP manageability
-   Lifetime warranty
-   Full duplex enabled for switched 10/100 Mbps environments

                             
Frequently Asked Questions and Release Notes
--------------------------------------------
This file contains the release notes and answers to some frequently asked
questions about the PCI environment to help you obtain maximum performance 
from your 3Com Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL Bus Master NICs.  This 
information is updated regularly on 3Com's CompuServe forum (3ComForum),
3Com BBS (bulletin board service), and 3Com's World Wide Web site 
(http://www.3Com.com).
                              

    Release Notes
    -------------
        Potential problem when sharing interrupts under Windows 95
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        If you install two or more PCI NICs (one of them being 
        EtherLink XL) in your Windows 95 system using the same interrupt, 
        your system may exhibit strange behavior.  3Com has found that 
        sharing the interrupt can cause a blue screen errors or continuous 
        system reboots, that are caused by disabling or enabling your NIC 
        by using the Device Manager or the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program.  
        This problem has been found on multiple different systems and with 
        other manufacturer's PCI network cards.  The solution is to stop 
        sharing the interrupt between the NICs and assign a different PCI 
        interrupt number to each of the NICs.  Changing the PCI interrupt 
        assigned to a NIC is a function of the BIOS or a utility provided 
        by the PC Manufacturer.  For more details refer to the 
        documentation provided with your computer or consult with the 
        manufacturer.

        
        Windows NT 4.0 Incompatibility with Miniport Drivers
        ----------------------------------------------------
        3Com has observed occasional system shutdowns on some 
        multiprocessor servers (servers with more than one CPU)
        that use Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 running miniport drivers,
        including the 3Com EL90X.SYS miniport driver.  This situation 
        is not unique to the EL90X.SYS miniport driver and may occur 
        with other miniport architecture drivers used with Windows NT 4.0.
        A new SRV.SYS driver from Microsoft fixes this problem. This 
        driver is included in the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack #1, 
        and can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site.

        Spurious Hardware Interrupts on the Compaq Proliant 5000
        --------------------------------------------------------
        When running a server on the Compaq Proliant 5000 lot of Spurious 
        interrupts warning messages may appear.  3Com has found that these 
        warnings should not be worried about and have no effect on normal 
        operation.  3Com has noticed that these warnings also happen with 
        NICs from other manufacturing companies.


        Stopping the driver in a Windows NT  System
        -------------------------------------------
        3Com has found that if you stop the driver while there are no 
        protocols installed in your system it will crash with a blue 
        screen error.  When this error occurs the system is dead and must 
        be rebooted.  Microsoft has admitted that there is a problem in 
        Windows NT and it will be fixed in Service Pack 2.0 and later
	versions.  To avoid this problem simply keep at least one protocol
	loaded and Windows NT will not let you stop the driver.

        
        Performance Hint for the Fast EtherLink XL NICs on HP NetServers
        ----------------------------------------------------------------
        During testing of HP NetServers and the Fast EtherLink XL NIC,
        3Com has observed that the performance can be maximized by 
        customizing the NetServer's BIOS.  Within the BIOS of the NetServer, 
        access the Advanced Chipset Setup and set the DRAM Buffer Write to 
        0 and the Snoop Ahead to 1.  
        
        NOTE: This was tested on an HP NetServer 466 LF and a 466 LC, but 
              could apply to other models of the NetServer family.


        Warm Booting with the DOS based Drivers Running
        -----------------------------------------------
        3Com has found that some systems do not reset the PCI Bus when the
        <CTRL><ALT><DEL> key combination is used to restart the computer. 
        If the system does not reset the PCI Bus when a "warm boot" occurs
        the 3C90X Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL Bus Master NIC Family stay
        in a running state that can cause problems if there is any network 
        activity before the driver is reloaded.  This problem can be avoided
        by pressing the reset button if your system has one or by turning 
        the system completely off before restarting.  


        Compaq Prolinea 575 Computer Notification
        -----------------------------------------
        3Com has observed issues with a particular system BIOS revision
        for the Compaq Prolinea 575 computer.  If the system BIOS version 
        is dated 11/18/97, it should be updated to a later revision.  The 
        Compaq Prolinea 575 Configuration and Diagnostics utility should 
        be used to verify the revision date of the system BIOS (system ROM).
        Consult the manual for the Compaq Prolinea for instructions on 
        verifying and updating the system ROM version and on obtaining 
        updated system ROM software, or contact Compaq for assistance.


        Unable to Use Network Connections After Running Diagnostics
        -----------------------------------------------------------
        When using the Etherlink XL 3C900-Combo NIC, 3Com has found that
        running the diagnostic test contained in the Windows based 3Com 
        NIC Diagnostics may cause you to lose your network connections 
        and make it unable to create any new connections.  This can be 
        corrected by rebooting the system.


        Installation Issues in OS/2 Warp
        ------------------------------------------
        3Com has noticed that during the install of early releases of 
        OS/2 Warp 3.0 that the LAPS might incorrectly install the 3C90X NIC.  
        If this does occur, the user will see the following message when 
        the machine is rebooted:
             
            LT00042: The EL90XIO2_nif MAC was not able to bind. 
                     Return code = 0x22
            PR00025: An error occurred when the program tried to bind 
                     LANDD to EL90XIO2_nif
            
        To work around this issue, edit the PROTOCOL.INI file and locate the
        following section:

            [EL90XIO2_nif]
            
        Next, change the line 
            
            DriverName = EL9X$ to DriverName = EL90X$
            
        NOTE: This problem only occurs to earlier release of OS/2 Warp 3.0
              and not later releases. 


        Windows NT and S3 Video Driver
        -------------------------------
        During testing, 3Com has observed a problem that occurs with Windows
        NT involving S3 video drivers and PCI memory mapped I/O devices
        installed on the secondary PCI bus. The symptoms include system
        lock-up upon initialization of Windows NT.

        The problem has been observed with the Dell OptiPlex GXPro 6/180
        using the 3C905B with Windows NT 4.0 and Service Pack 3 installed.
        Uupdating the video driver for the S3 Trio64V+ (765DRV - version
        2.00.18) resolved the issue. This problem can also be resolved by
        installing the 3C905B in the primary PCI bus or by uninstalling
        Service Pack 3.

        The S3 driver included with the Service Pack 3 for NT has a problem
        where it makes several writes to unclaimed memory space in the PCI
        bridge chip causing NT to become unstable and freeze.


        NetServer LS2 5/166 and 3C90XB NICs running Windows NT4.0 with
        --------------------------------------------------------------
        Service Pack 3
        --------------
        3Com has noticed that when the 3C90XB NIC is installed in the
        secondary PCI bus of this particular machine, the machine may hang
        intermittently.  The possible symptoms could be a locked up mouse
        pointer, steady hourglass, or the inability to execute any programs.
        However, Windows NT 4.0 runs flawlessly if the NIC is installed in
        the primary PCI bus.  This is observed only in this model of the
        NetServer and not on other machines of the NetServer line.  3Com is
        currently working with HP to resolve this issue.  


        Using a SNI machine with the 82440LX chip set running Netware 4.1,
        ------------------------------------------------------------------
        causes the server to abend with a stack overflow error.
        --------------------------------------------------------
        If the SNI machine, with the 440LX chip set, is running Netware with
        an Adaptec SCSI card and the 3C90XB NIC installed and a stack
        overflow occurs, please contact Adaptec or SNI for an updated SCSI
        driver for the machine.


	Unattended Installation of Win95/ Win95 OSR2 with 3C905 and 3C905B
	------------------------------------------------------------------
	When performing an unattended installation of Windows 95 or Windows 95
	OSR2 using the 3C90X NIC, an exception OE error might occur.  Although 
	this is a non critical error and can be bypassed by pressing any key,
	3Com suggests downloading a customized version of the NIC install file
	from our web site:  www.3com.com.  This file contains a customized NIC 
	installation file in addition to a readme which provides an overall 
	procedure in performing an unattended installation.  For complete
	instructions, please refer to the Windows 95 resource kit or Microsoft's
	web site:  www.microsoft.com.


	HP Vectra VL 5200
        -----------------
        3Com has observed during testing that the 3C905B NIC using the
        NDIS 4 driver under Windows 95 OSR 2 (version b) causes the PC to boot
        in Safe Mode. There is no known workaround and 3Com recommends that
        you not use the 3C905B NIC in this PC.


        DOS diagnostics incompatibility with 3C905B and Gateway E-3000
        --------------------------------------------------------------
        During testing 3Com encountered incompatibilities with our 3C905B
        NIC and the Gateway E-3000 series PC when loading our DOS
        diagnostics program. 3Com suggests using our Windows based
        diagnostics if you encounter this problem. The Windows diagnostics
        have been shown to work without error.  


        3C905B-TX-NM and Zenith Z STATION-VP Incompatibility
        ----------------------------------------------------
        3Com has observed that the 3C905B-TX-NM NIC is not properly recognized
        by the Zenith Z STATION-VP,  equipped with a Pentium 75 processor and 
        AMI BIOS 1994 v4.06. At this time, there is no known workaround for
        this problem. 3Com suggests using a 3C905B-TX NIC in this particular PC. 


        3C905(B) family of NICs not supported in the NEC PowerMate
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        P2200: P5 200Mhz
        -----------------
        3Com has observed incompatibilities with the 3C905(B) family of NICs
        and the NEC PowerMate P2200: P5 200Mhz. Intermittent network connection
        errors were observed  during testing and no known workarounds are
        available at this time. 3Com suggests not using the 3C905 or 3C905B
        family of NICs in this particular PC.


        Manual Change for Remote Wake Up
        --------------------------------
        On page 5-1 in the user guide, the default setting for Remote
        Wake-up should be Yes.  Remote Wake-up is set to ON at the factory.


             3Com PCI NIC Installation Hints
             -----------------------------------
            Installing a PCI NIC in a PCI slot
            --------------------------------------
            1.  Put the NIC in the computer. Refer to your computer 
                documentation.
            
            2.  Start the computer.  In most cases, the PCI computer will
                automatically configure the NIC.  If this does not 
                happen, you may need to configure the computer to work
                with the NIC. See the next section for further
                details.


            Troubleshooting Installation Problems
            -------------------------------------
            3Com has found that some PCI computers require additional 
            configuration steps in order to install a PCI NIC.  3Com 
            recommends these steps:
      
            1.  Determine whether you have the latest BIOS version for your 
                computer.  Contact your computer's manufacturer to make 
                sure you are using the latest BIOS.  Here are the phone
                numbers for some PCI system manufacturers:

                Company    Phone           Notes/Web site
                            
                ALR*       (800) 257-1230  www.alr.com/service/support
                                           /support.hml
                Ambra*     (800) 465-2227  Not available  
                AST*       (800) 727-1278  www.ast.com/americas/files.html
                AT&T*      (800) 543-9935  www.ncr.com/support/pc/pcdesc
                           (800) 531-2222  /machines.html
                Compaq*    (800) 652-6672  www.compaq.com/support/files
                           (800) 345-1518  /compaq.html      

                NOTE: Compaq DeskPRO XL should have a BIOS dated Oct. 1994
                      or later for best performance.
                 
                Dell*      (800) 626-4308  www.dell.com/  
                           (800) 624-9896
                Digital    (800) 354-9000  www.dec.com/  
                Equipment*
                Gateway*   (800) 846-2070  www.gateway2000.com/  
                           (800) 846-2301
                Hewlett-   (800) 322-HPPC  www.hp.com/cposupport   
                Packard*   (800) 752-0900  /cpoindex.html
                IBM*       (800) IBM-3333  www.pcco.ibm.com/  
                Micron*    (800) 438-3343  www.mei.micron.com/services/bbs
                                           /techbbs.htm  
                Packard    (800) 733-4411  www.packardbell.com/gfx/support  
                Bell*                      /support.html
                Unisys*    (800) 328-0440  www.pc.unisys.com/  
                Zenith*    (800) 227-3360  www.zds.com/htdocs/zds/htm
                                           /files.htm  
                ZEOS*      (800) 554-7172  www.mei.micron.com/Services
                           (800) 228-5390  /zeosbbs.htm  

                In addition, here are the phone numbers and on-line 
                addresses of several popular OEM motherboard manufacturers:
                
                Company     Phone             On-line address
     
                Intel*      (503) 264-7999    ftp://ftp.intel.com\pub\bios
                Micronics   (510) 651-6837    www.micronics.com/support/
                ASUS        (408) 956-9084    http://asustek.asus.com.tw
                
                * Third-party trademarks and copyrights are the property of
                their respective owners.

            2.  Make sure the BIOS is set up correctly.  In some PCI 
                computers, you may need to enable the PCI slot using the 
                BIOS Setup program.  This is especially common in PCI 
                computers with a Phoenix BIOS.

                After installing the NIC, turn on the computer and 
                enter the Setup program during system initialization 
                (usually by pressing [F1], [F2], or [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[S]). 
                The correct key to press is usually shown on the screen.
                Once in the Setup program, find the entry for PCI slots 
                (it may be in the main menu, or sometimes in advanced 
                system configuration) and set these parameters to:

                BIOS System          Setting 
                Parameter

                PCI Slot Number      Slot where the 3Com PCI NIC is 
                                     installed (1-3)
                Master               ENABLED
                Slave                ENABLED
                Latency Timer        40
                Interrupt            Choose any one of several available
                                     interrupts that Setup provides.
                Edge or Level        Level Triggered Interrupt

                NOTE: The exact wording of each of the parameters will 
                      vary from computer to computer. Save the changes, 
                      exit the Setup program, and continue with the
                      installation.


        3Com Diagnostic and Configuration Program Runs in DOS Mode Only
        --------------------------------------------------------------
        If you are running Windows 95 or windows NT, please use 
        3NICDIAG.exe, which is installed in your SYSTEM directory from 
        the EtherDisk 2 diskette when you install the NIC.


        Echo Exchange Test Does Not Support Crossover Cable
        ---------------------------------------------------
        Because the Echo Exchange test verifies the NIC's ability to
        transmit and receive data while on the network, both the echo 
        server and the echo client must be connected to a network.  An 
        EtherLink XL NIC uses link beats to determine whether it is
        connected to a network when the 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, or
        100BASE-T4 Media Type is selected.  A constant link beat is
        needed for the Echo Exchange test when the 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX,
        or 100BASE-T4 Media Type is selected.  Before starting the Echo 
        Exchange test, connect the echo server and the echo client 
        together through a hub or a switch that generates a constant link
        beat.  Using crossover cable to connect the echo server and the 
        echo client directly does not work.
        
        
        Performance on Some Early Pentium Pro Models
        --------------------------------------------
        During testing, 3Com has observed that some early Pentium Pro 
        models using Intel's (54x?) PCI chip sets do not fully support
        the full bandwidth throughput of the PCI bus.  Symptoms can 
        include an abnormal number of dropped packets or performance 
        below what the wire can support.  This problem can sometimes be 
        fixed by getting a more recent BIOS from your system vendor.  
        Contact your vendor to see if such an upgrade is available.
        
        
    Running the DOS ODI Driver with a Non-Novell Protocol in DOS
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Please add the keyword NO_PIPELINE to your NET.CFG file when 
    running the DOS ODI driver with a non-Novell protocol in a DOS 
    environment.  To add the keyword NO_PIPELINE to your NET.CFG file,
    proceed as follows:

    1.  Access the C:\NWCLIENT directory and open the NET.CFG file.  
        Type: 
     
        EDIT NET.CFG [Enter]

    2.  Scroll through the file to the LINK DRIVER 3C90X section and 
        locate the following line:

        LINK DRIVER 3C90X

    3.  Add NO_PIPELINE after LINK DRIVER 3C90X.  Your file should 
        now look like this:

        LINK DRIVER 3C90X
           NO_PIPELINE    {<- make sure this is indented a few spaces }


    Windows 95 Installation Notes
    -----------------------------
    This information applies to the Windows 95 operating system.

    When installing an EtherLink XL or Fast EtherLink XL NIC under 
    Windows 95, the operating system automatically detects the presence 
    of the NIC and asks for the diskette containing the driver 
    software for the NIC (the EtherDisk 1 diskette).  At this point,  
    you can choose to cancel the installation of driver software  
    and install it later.  Even though the driver installation has been  
    canceled, the fact that the NIC is installed is recorded in the  
    System Registry.

    Later, when you install the driver software using the Network 
    applet in the Control Panel, the operating system assumes that you
    are installing another instance of a NIC, not installing 
    software for the already recorded instance.  This results in two 
    instances of a NIC being recorded in the System Registry.  
    The Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL NIC will not operate correctly 
    under these circumstances.

    To fix this problem, open the System applet in the Control Panel.  
    In the Device Manager dialog box, under Network NICs, the two
    instances of the Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL NIC are shown.  
    Remove the one that is marked disabled, and restart your computer.
    The remaining entry for the Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL NIC 
    in the same dialog box should show that the NIC is operating 
    correctly.


    Windows 95 OSR2 Installation Notes
    ----------------------------------
    If the Windows 95 OSR2 PC is pre-installed with an Etherlink XL or
    Fast Etherlink XL NIC, a previous version of the 3C90X driver and 
    installation files may be installed.  If this is the case, the machine
    may lockup, exhibit Windows Protection Error, or experience software
    installation problems when the second NIC is installed.  To
    avoid these problems, perform the following:

	1) Before installing the second NIC, right click on Network
	   Neighborhood and select Properties with the left button.
        2) Highlight the 3Com Fast EtherLink XL/ EtherLink XL NIC.
        3) Click the Remove button.
        4) Select OK to save changes but don't reboot the PC.
        5) Click on the Start button and click on Find.  Click on Find 
	   Files or Folders.
	6) Left click on the Advanced tab and have Win95 search for all
	   files containing the text "VEN_10b78" and "DEV_9050".  Delete
	   all of these files.  These are the previous versions of the
	   installation files.
	7) Power off the PC and install the second NIC.
        8) After installing the second NIC, power the PC back on
           and let Windows 95 detect both NICs.
        9) When Windows 95 prompts for the driver, insert the 3C905B
	   EtherDisk.  This will install the driver sets for both NICs.
        10) Configure the desired protocols and services according to the
           type of network the machine is attached to.
  
        
        
Frequently Asked Questions 
--------------------------
This section is now split into two categories; general FAQ's and
Remote Wake Up FAQ's.

General FAQ's
-------------  
    Q:  How do I stop the 3Com tray icon from appearing in my system tray?
    
    A:  You can stop the 3Com tray icon from appearing by double clicking
        on the icon to start the diagnostic program.  On the main page of 
        the 3Com NIC Diagnostics program there is a check box titled 
        "Enable Tray Control".  Click on the check box to remove the check
        mark and stop the 3Com tray icon from appearing upon reboot.  If 
        for some reason this does not stop the 3Com tray icon from appearing
        on reboot you can right click on the icon choose Disable 3Com TaskBar 
        Icon and then delete the file COMSMD.EXE from your system directory.
        Your NIC will not be harmed in any way by deleting that file.
        
    Q:  How do I remove the software that comes with my Fast EtherLink 
        XL/EtherLink XL NIC from my system if I have a compatibility problem.
        
    A:  3Com has developed a uninstall program for uninstalling the software 
        that comes with the Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL NIC.  You may 
        remove the 3Com Nic Diagnostics Program from your system at any time 
        by running the uninstaller in the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel.
        (Windows NT 3.5/3.51 users will have to run the program UN3C90X.EXE 
        in the system32 directory).  This will remove the diagnostics program 
        and the 3Com tray Icon. If you remove all the Fast EtherLink 
        XL/EtherLink XL NICs from the control panel the uninstall program
        will be run automatically.
 
    Q:  Do I have to configure my 3Com PCI NIC for my computer?
       
    A:  PCI is a self-configuring bus architecture.  Most of the time you
        will only need to install the board in your system; PCI then does
        the rest.  However, on some PCI computers (mostly with combination 
        PCI/ISA or PCI/EISA buses in the same machine), you may be required
        to configure the computer's BIOS manually after installing your PCI
        NIC.  If you need to configure your system manually, refer to 
        the owner's guide for your computer.  3Com testing has shown, for 
        example, that the AST Premmia GX P90 seems to require you to run 
        the EISA configuration utility once you install the board to make 
        sure that the I/O base address of the device does not conflict with 
        other devices in the system.

    Q:  Which PCI slot is best for my 3Com PCI NIC?
       
    A:  3Com PCI NICs are designed to work in any PCI slot, including
        "slave-only" slots.  The NICs perform best in those slots that
        support bus mastering data transfers.  Refer to your owner's manual
        for information on which slots support bus mastering data transfers.

    Q:  Is your Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL NIC compliant with PCI 
        Spec 2.1?

    A:  Yes.  3Com's Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL NICs comply with PCI 
        Spec 2.1.  For further details, please see the product data sheet.

    Q:  Which PCI slot(s) are "bus mastering" in my PCI machine?

    A:  Generally, if you have three PCI slots in a system, one slot will
        be designated as a "slave-only" slot (that is, it does not support 
        bus mastering data transfers).  Slots are not always marked clearly
        to distinguish between slave-only and bus mastering slots.  It is 
        best to refer to your owner's manual or contact your computer 
        manufacturer for this information.  Also, make sure that you have
        the latest version of your system's BIOS.  Phone numbers for 
        leading PCI system manufacturers are included earlier in this 
        document.
      
    Q:  Which interrupt should I use with my 3Com PCI NIC?
      
    A:  Unless your system is a PCI-ISA/EISA combination computer that
        requires manual configuration, you should not have to worry about
        setting interrupts.  However, if your computer is not self-
        configuring, you will need to set your PCI NIC's interrupts
        manually.  To do this, you may need to set a jumper on your 
        motherboard or set the interrupt in the system's BIOS.  In either 
        case, you will need to assign the PCI interrupt (INTA) to any
        available interrupt not being used by an ISA or EISA add-in board 
        already in your computer.  Keep in mind that the interrupt 
        configuration on your computer's motherboard and in your BIOS must
        match.  Since PCI supports shared interrupts, multiple 3Com PCI 
        NICs can use the same PCI interrupt (except as noted below).

    Q.  Does my PCI NIC support shared interrupts?
      
    A.  The drivers for the Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL Bus Master
        NICs support shared interrupts.  However, because there is no 
        industry-standard way to support shared interrupts, other NICs
        may support them differently, or not at all.  If you have another 
        PCI NIC that does not support shared interrupts (for example, 
        a SCSI host NIC), either contact the manufacturer for a shared
        interrupt driver or try running the system setup program to assign
        it a different interrupt.  We have found that OS/2 version 1.3 does 
        not support shared interrupts, but it is only a problem if you are 
        using the OS/2 NDIS 2.01 driver in LAN Manager version 2.2.  3Com
        has also found some problems with sharing interrupts under 
        Windows 95, more details are available in the release note section
        earlier in this document.  If this is a problem, try using the DOS 
        configuration utility to give each NIC a different IRQ, and change 
        the BIOS on your system to match.

    Q:  What interrupt should I avoid using with my 3Com PCI NIC?
      
    A:  You should avoid using any interrupts used by ISA/EISA boards that
        do not properly support shared interrupts (level-triggered).  If 
        you do not know or are unsure whether your NIC supports shared
        interrupts, then avoid using them.  In addition, try to avoid 
        using the same interrupt as that of your local hard drive 
        (normally IRQ 14 for IDE drives and IRQ 11 for most SCSI host
        NICs), since not all hard drives support shared interrupts at 
        this time.  For Novell NetWare servers, you should also avoid
        using IRQ 7 or 15.  These IRQs only support nonshared devices and
        may cause problems if they are shared between two devices.

    Q:  Is my 3Com PCI NIC a 3.3 V or 5 V NIC?
       
    A:  The 3Com NIC currently being shipped is a 5 V NIC. It will
        not fit in a 3.3 V slot.

    Q:  My 3Com PCI NIC driver will not load when EMM386.EXE is loaded. 
        Why?  
         
    A:  Microsoft's EMM386.EXE versions 4.48 and earlier may conflict with
        some PCI systems' ROM BIOS.  If you are using EMM386 version 4.48 
        or earlier, make sure you run A:\MSUPDATE\MSUPDATE.EXE, which will
        replace your current EMM386 with an updated version. Unless you 
        are running a version of DOS earlier than version 6.0.  In that
        case you will have to update your version of DOS to version 6.22
        or higher to fix the problem. NOTE: if you have a version of DOS
        higher than 6.22, you will not need to update EMM386.EXE.

    Q:  The NIC works fine in DOS, but I can't execute programs loaded 
        over the net when Windows is running. What's wrong?

    A:  If the EMM386.EXE memory manager is not loaded by your CONFIG.SYS 
        file, Windows loads an equivalent driver when Windows is started. 
        The problem is that the EMM386 Windows emulator that ships with 
        Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 is not compatible with
        PCI computers. To solve this problem, put the following statement
        in your CONFIG.SYS file: 

        DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS

        immediately following the line

        DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS

        Make sure you are running version 4.49 or newer.  If you are not
        sure which version of EMM386 you have, run EMM386UP.BAT on the
        EtherDisk 1 diskette. This program will update EMM386 if the  
        update is needed.  Unless you are running a version of DOS 
        earlier than version 6.0.  In that case you will have to update 
        your version of DOS to version 6.22 or higher to fix the problem.

    Q:  Two EtherLink XL NICs cannot be loaded in my NetWare 3.11 
        server.  When the second one loads, it generates the message, 
        "Attempt to reinitialize re-entrant module FAILED.  LAN driver 
        <name> is not loaded."

    A:  The default NetWare 3.11 Packet Receive Buffer is not large enough
        for the 3C90X NIC.  Set the Minimum Packet Receive Buffer to 50
        or more to resolve the problem.  Consult Novell documentation for 
        detailed instructions.

    Q:  Are my Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL Bus Master ODI drivers Novell
        certified?
         
    A:  Yes. 3Com's Fast EtherLink XL/EtherLink XL Bus Master ODI drivers
        are Novell tested and approved.

    Q:  When I attempt to run the DOS configuration utility for the 3C905-XL 
        and 3C595-TX NIC, the following error appears: "!!!  Error  !!!  
        Incorrect configuration is set by the BIOS.  Get an updated BIOS 
        from the PC manufacturer or try to install the NIC in another slot."
    
    A:  This error occurs in the Micron Millenia (M55HI) computer with BIOS 
        version 3, and only in slots 1, 2, and 3.  The solution is to 
        install the NIC in slot 4, or if slot 4 is unavailable, disable 
        Plug and Play in your system's BIOS.  This eliminates the error 
        in all four slots.  Enable Plug and Play after you have exited the
	DOS configuration utility.
          
    Q:  When I am installing the 3Com NIC in Windows NT 3.51, why does my
        machine hang when I click on the Continue button on the "3Com NIC
        diagnostics v.1.0" message screen?
   
    A:  3Com has noticed that there is a small percentage of PCs which may
        exhibit this problem.  To avoid this, run the 3Com Diagnostics
        Program after the driver is installed.  The NIC will function
        normally in either instances.

    Q:  I've purchased an HP Pavilion machine and I want to connect it to
        my network, are there any issues?

    A:  The HP Pavilion PCs are designed for home use and as a standalone
        multimedia machine.  HP doesn't recommend using this as a network
        PC. Issues including: no available resources, PCI bus errors, PCI
        device detection problems could arise when installing a PCI network
        NIC in these PCs.

    Q:  When I install a second NIC (3C90XB) in my Windows 95 OSR 2 with an
        existing 3C905-TX NIC, my machine hangs, why?

    A:  If the you have an existing 3C905 NIC installed an a machine and
        they want to add a second NIC, follow these steps:

        1) Right click on Network Neighborhood and select Properties with
           the left button.
        2) Highlight the 3Com Fast EtherLink XL/ EtherLink XL NIC.
        3) Click the Remove button.
        4) Select OK to save changes and reboot the PC.
        5) Power off the PC and install the second NIC.
        6) After the installation of the second NIC, power the PC back on
           and let Windows 95 detect both NICs.
        7) Use the 3C905B EtherDisk to install the driver sets for both
           NICs.
        8) Configure the desire protocol and services according to the
           type of network the machine is attached to.

        By removing the pre-existing driver prior to the installation of
        the second NIC, the OS is ensured to use the most current drivers
        for both NICs for optimal performance.

    Q:  After installing Novell Client 32 for Windows 95, I get an error
        "Your driver could not be disabled." when I try to run the 3Com
        Windows diagnostics, why?

    A:  If the PC is configured with Novell Client 32 using the 32-bit ODI
        driver, the 3Com Windows Diagnostics utility doesn't support driver
        suspension.  In order to run the diagnostics, either boot the
        machine in MS-DOS mode and execute 3C90XCFG.EXE from EtherDisk #1
        or reconfigure Novell Client 32 to use an NDIS driver.  For exact
        directions, please refer to your Client 32 instructions.  If you do
        experience the above message when you attempt to run the 3Com
        Windows diagnostics, verify that the hardware device is enabled
        before rebooting the machine. Perform these steps:

        1) Right click on My Computer at the desktop.  Left click on
           Properties.
	2) Double click on Network adapters to expand its entries.  
	3) Double click on the 3Com Fast Etherlink XL/ Etherlink XL NIC.
	4) Look at the Device Usage box and make sure the Current
           Configuration is checked.  If you have only one hardware
           profile, it will appear as "Original Configuration (Current).
           If you have multiple hardware profiles, check the box where the
           NIC should be enabled.
	5) Click OK once and then again OK to save settings.

    Q:  How do I update my 3C90X drivers in Windows 95 OSR2?

    A:  You can perform an update on your existing 3C90X driver set by
        performing the following: 

        1) Right click on 'My Computer.'
	2) Left click on 'Properties.'
	3) When the System Properties screen appears, click on the 'Device
           Manager' tab.
	4) Double click on the 'Network Adapter' icon and double click on
           the 3Com Fast Etherlink/ Etherlink XL NIC icon.
	5) Click on the 'Drivers' tab and then click the 'Update Driver...'
           button.
	6) When the Update Driver Wizard appears, do not select the option
           which lets Windows 95 search for the driver.  Instead, select
           'No. Select Driver from list' option.  Click the 'Next>' button.
	7) The description for the NIC should now appear.  Click on the
           'Have Disk....' button and path to the location of the Etherdisk
           and click OK.
	8) Windows 95 will then start copying the files and updating the
           registry.

    Q:  Where can I get a Packet driver?
 
    A:  A packet driver for the 3C90X family will be available through
        3Com's CompuServe forum (3ComForum), 3Com BBS (bulletin board
        service), and 3Com's World Wide Web site (http://www.3Com.com) in
        January of 98.

    Q:  Where can I get a DEC Alpha driver. 

    A:  A DEC Alpha driver for the 3C90X family will be available through
        3Com's CompuServe forum (3ComForum), 3Com BBS (bulletin board
        service), and 3Com's World Wide Web site (http://www.3Com.com) in
        January of 98.

    Q:  The EtherDisk 3.0 contains an el90xnd3.sy_ and el90xnd4.sy_ file.
        What are these files and their differences?

    A:  The el90xnd3.sy_ is the NDIS 3 driver.  The el90xnd4.sy_ is the
        NDIS 4 driver.

    Q:  Why is there a need for two drivers??

    A:  To make sure that you can use this NIC with the latest and future
        releases of Windows 95 and Windows NT.

    Q:  Why does the file name change on these drivers after installation?

    A:  The files are decompressed during installation.  The el90xnd3.sy_
        file becomes el90xnd3.sys. Same for the el90xnd4.sy_.

    Q:  How does the OS know which driver to load?

    A:  During installation, the OS is informed which driver to load.

    Q:  Which OS supports NDIS 3? NDIS 4? 

    A:  NDIS 3 supports all versions of Windows 95 and Windows NT.
        NDIS 4 is used by Windows 95 OSR 2 (version b) and Windows NT 4.0.

    Q:  What should I do if the OS does not install the driver correctly
        automatically? 

    A:  Use the detailed instructions in Chapter 3 in the 3C905B user guide
        to install the driver for your OS.

Remote Wake Up (RWU) FAQ's
--------------------------

    Q:  Which 3Com NICs are capable of Remote Wake Up (RWU)? 
 
    A:  The 3C905B-TX and 3C905-TX-W are Remote Wake Up capable NIC's.
        (Note the 3C905-TX-W is only available as an installed option
        through certain PC manufacturers.) The 3C900, 3C905-TX and
        3C905B-TX-NM are not Remote Wake Up capable NIC's.

    Q:  How can I tell if my NIC is Remote Wake Up capable or not?

    A:  There are 3 methods to check the card.  The first method, which is
        the easiest if your NIC is currently installed in a PC, involves
        running the diagnostics utility (DOS or Windows based).  To do this,
        perform the following:

	DOS:
	1) Execute 3C90XCFG.EXE from a clean DOS boot.
	2) Click on View NIC information.
	3) If the entry for the 'Remote wake-up connector' is 'YES', then
           this will indicate that you have a RWU board.

	Windows:
	1) Double click the 3Com icon at the System Tray or execute
           3NICDIAG.EXE from the Windows\System directory.
	2) Click on the 'NIC Details...' button.
	3) If the entry for the 'Remote wake-up connector' is 'YES', then this
           will indicate that you have a RWU board.

	The second method requires the user to remove the cover for the PC
        and locate the AUX power cable.  This power cable is the one that
        connects the NIC to the motherboard.  The connector on the NIC is
        located to the right of the Bootprom socket with the bracket
        positioned facing left.

        The third method is to verify the 3C part number is either 3C905B-TX
        or 3C905-TX-W by looking directly at the NIC. 
	
    Q:  What does RWU stand for and what does it do?
 
    A:  Remote Wake Up.  It's the ability to wake up a PC remotely from
        standby or suspend mode using one of two methods. The first method,
        a wake up packet, (also known as a Magic Packet), that is sent to
        the NIC over the LAN from a network management station. The second
        method is by a change in link state which is accomplished by
        disconnecting or reconnecting the RJ45 connector on the NIC when the
        PC is in a standby or suspend state. When the RWU capable NIC senses
        the packet or link state change, it asserts a Power Management
        Enable (PME) signal to the PC which initiates the boot process.
        Remote Wake Up is also commonly known as Wake On LAN or Wake Up On
        LAN.

    Q:  What is the advantage of RWU?

    A:  By waking up the PC from a remote location, MIS can update software
        during non-peak hours to eliminate productivity loss.  They can also
        manage networks and tune the performance at a remote location when
        users are not logged on. There are also multitudes of other benefits
        with the ability to power on the PC remotely that can not be listed
        here.

    Q:  Is there any security risk?
 
    A:  The RWU PC doesn't exhibit any further security risk than a standard
        PC. The advantage of the RWU PC is its ability to boot up by 'remote
        control'. It doesn't compromise the machine's current security any
        more than booting the machine up by its normal On-Off switch.    

    Q:  Is my 3C905B-TX or 3C905-TX-W NIC supported in a PC that is not
        capable of Remote Wake Up?

    A:  Yes. The 3C905B-TX and 3C905-TX-W NIC can be used in any legacy PC
        that meets the system requirements outlined in the User Guide but
        the Remote Wake Up capability of the 3C905B-TX and 3C905-TX-W can
        only be utilized in PC's specifically designed for this function. 

    Q:  Which PC's support Remote Wake Up?  Which ones don't?
 
    A:  The 3C905B-TX and 3C905-TX-W NICs are capable of Remote Wake Up in
        PC's that have a 3 pin header on the motherboard for RWU, a power
        supply that provides auxiliary power and a BIOS that supports RWU.
        When all three are present, the RWU functionality of the NIC should
        work. Presently, only certain Pentium based machines can possess
        this feature.  No 486 based machines support RWU. For further
        information contact your PC manufacturer or vendor to determine if
        your PC is RWU capable.

    Q:  What type of software is compatible for waking up my 3Com RWU NIC?

    A:  The 3Com RWU NIC is compatible with software that conforms to AMD's
        specification for the Magic Packet.  Examples are:  Intel LanDesk
        Manager, Tivoli TME 10, Microsoft SMS, HP Openview Top Tool,
        Computer Associates' UniCenter and McAfee.

    Q:  What is a magic packet?

    A:  A magic packet is a valid Ethernet packet that contains a
        synchronization stream immediately followed by 16 repetitions of
        the destination MAC address.  The synchronize stream is a 6 byte
        field of F's.  This magic packet is not protocol specific.  It can
        be IP, IPX, etc as long as it contains the sync stream and the 16
        repetitions.  This magic packet can be 	routed in order to wake up
        a remote PC.  Since it is a valid Ethernet address, the RWU NIC can
        accept broadcast or multicast packets as long as the NIC's MAC
        address follows the above format.
	
    Q:  What if I want to disable the Remote Wake Up function?

    A:  You can disable this either through the NIC's Advanced Properties
        screen located at the Network configuration window or by editing the
        system registry.  The keywords are: WAKEONLINK and WAKEONMAGIC.

    Q:  What is WAKEONLINK?

    A:  WAKEONLINK is a registry keyword that when set to "yes" gives the
        3C905B-TX and 3C905-TX-W the ability to wake up a PC in stand by or
        suspend mode simply by disconnecting or reconnecting the network
        cable connection. This feature can be useful when troubleshooting a
        system that is not waking up. Note that WAKEONLINK default entry is
        enabled.

    Q:  What OS's support RWU?
 
    A:  RWU is only supported in Microsoft's Win95 OSR2 and NT4.0.

    Q:  How do I suspend my PC for RWU?
 
    A:  This process will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.  If the PC
        has its own power sustain mode, you could perform a shut down of the
        machine and it will shut down into a suspend mode.  This low power
        consumption suspend mode will wake up once a magic packet is
        detected by the RWU NIC.

    Q:  What are the pin outs for the AUX power on my NIC?
 
    A:  There are 3 pins located on the connector on the board.  With the
        dovetail key slot at the bottom, pin 1 is located on the right.

	Pin 1.....+5V Standby power
	Pin 2.....ground
	Pin 3.....PME signal

    Q:  Is there anything in the BIOS that I can check to see if RWU is
        enabled?
 
    A:  Typically, the BIOS contains user configurable settings for waking
        up the PC on PME or LAN signals.  This might be under the Power or
        Boot category of the BIOS.  If you are experiencing difficulties
        locating this, please refer to your PC's reference manual or contact
        your PC vendor for specific instructions on accessing the BIOS.

    Q:  What if my RWU function is not working?  What can I check?

    A:  In the event that the PC doesn't boot up when a magic packet is
        sent, perform these general troubleshooting steps:

	1) Verify that the function Wake On Link and Wake on Magic Packet
           are enabled. (Note: the default settings are enabled.)  In order
           to do this, right click the Network Neighborhood icon.  Move the
           cursor to "Properties" and left click the mouse.  Double click
           the 3Com NIC icon and click the "Advanced" tab. Make sure the
           Wake On Link and Wake on Magic Packet are enabled. If these
           settings do not exist, either the NIC is not a RWU NIC or the
           driver installation file is outdated. For the latest Fast
           Etherlink XL/ EtherLink XL drivers and installation files,
           download EtherDisk 3.0, or later, from the 3Com web site:
           www.3com.com.
	2) After both settings are enabled, suspend the machine.  At this
           state, the machine is in a standby mode with the NIC's Link LED
           still enabled.  Unplug the TP cable from the back of the PC.
           This should invoke a Power Management Enable (PME) signal which
           will power on the PC.  If this doesn't occur, the next step is to
           verify the driver version.  The driver has to be at least version
           3.00.00.  One easy way to determine the driver version is to
           locate the el90x.sys file located in the Windows\System
           directory. Right click on the file and left click on Properties.
           Under the "Version" tab, you will find the version of the
           el90x.sys driver.  If the version is lower than 3.00.00, download
           an updated version of the driver available at the 3Com web site:
           www.3com.com.
	3) If the version of the driver is up to date and the keywords are
           enabled and the machine is still not waking up, check the BIOS.
           Since the BIOS plays an important role in the function of Remote
           Wake Up, the settings for waking the PC must be enabled.  Boot
           the machine and enter into the BIOS.  Locate the function for
           Wake up on PME signal or/and Wake up on LAN event.  Verify that
           these are enabled.  If you are experiencing difficulties locating
           these settings, consult your PC's reference manual or contact your
           PC vendor for clarification. 
	4) The next step, after all the preliminary verifications are done,
           is to unplug the PC from its power source, open up the PC's
           chassis and check its connection.  Locate the 3Com NIC and verify
           that the auxiliary power cable is plugged in to the NIC as well
           as the motherboard.  Unplug and reinsert the cable if necessary.
	5) If all the above has been performed and the NIC is still not
           waking up, install a known good working RWU NIC and the auxiliary
           power cable in the machine and recheck since the NIC in question
           may be faulty.  If the machine works with a known good RWU NIC,
           contact your PC vendor or reseller for a replacement of the 3Com
           NIC.  After verifying with a known good working NIC and the
           machine still doesn't wake up, there might be a problem with the
           motherboard which would require consultation with your PC vendor.

    Q:  When I install the RWU NIC, the install process doesn't prompt for
        any files and the Remote Wake Up functionality doesn't work.  What's
        wrong?

    A:  Problems could arise if the user installs a new NIC (3C905-TX-W or
        3C905B-TX), in a PC which had Windows 95 OSR2 installed.  During the
        installation of the new NIC, the Windows NIC install process uses
        the old W95EL90X.INF file shipped with the system and will not copy
        over the new drivers. Moreover, no warning messages will occur.
        Thus, with a RWU NIC, the failure to copy new drivers to the OS will
        result in the Remote Wake Up function being disabled.  To alleviate
        this problem, locate the old W95EL90X.INF, EL90X.DOS, EL90X.VXD files
        located in the C:\Windows\Options\Cabs directory and either rename
        them or delete them. Currently, the Gateway 2000 E-3000 is the only
        machine that 3Com has experienced this issue.

    Q:  When my Windows 95 OSR2 machine wakes up from a suspend mode, I
        loose my NetWare drive mappings, how could I correct this?	

    A:  Once the machine goes into a suspend mode, the RWU NIC no longer
        transmits packets out onto the wire.  This becomes an issue for
        NetWare since it will drop the drive mapping when it no longer
        receives a packet from the station. This is a NetWare related issue
        and the current work around for this is to reboot the machine to
        reestablish the NetWare drive mappings.

    Q:  Will my RWU NIC respond to ARP requests when it is asleep?

    A:  No.  Since the NIC will not transmit when it is asleep, it will not
        respond to ARP requests.  Thus, if the management station and the
        Remote Wake Up machine are on different subnets of the router and
        the router's ARP table is flushed, the RWU NIC would not be able to
        respond to the ARP request generated by the router that results from
        the magic packet that is sent from the management station to the IP
        address of the RWU client. Fortunately, most management applications
        utilize broadcast IP address rather than unicast packets to the RWU
        station.  A broadcast IP address causes the router to broadcast the
        magic packet to the client's subnet which wakes the RWU station up.

    Q:  What is ACPI?

    A:  Advanced Configuration and Power Interface.  It is a specification
        developed by Intel, Microsoft, and Toshiba Corp which allows more
        advanced power management features through the operating system to
        the hardware interfaces.


3Com Technical Support
----------------------
Please refer to your PCI user guide for technical support information.
In addition, this information is also available in the
\HELP\SUPPORT.TXT file on the EtherDisk 1 diskette.


3Com, EtherLink, and EtherDisk are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation.


                  (%VER README.TXT - Release Notes v1.1b)

