NwDskPe: NetWare Client on BartPE/WinPE

A fully automated PE Builder plugin using Novell's NetWare Client to access NetWare servers by IP/IPX on BartPE/WinPE.

Version 3.0.3 by Erwin Veermans
Last updated on dec 10, 2007

Feel free to send feedback, questions, bug-reports by Email.
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» Introduction » Download NwDskPe and other Plugins » Usage » Credit » History » Contact, License » Screenshots

 Introduction

What is WinPE? WinPE is a stripped down version of Windows XP or 2003 capable of running from a bootable CDROM (AKA BartPE when created with Pebuilder).

NwDskPe is a plugin for Bart's excellent PeBuilder (used to create BartPE) to add and manage Novell's NetWare Client on BartPE/WinPE for connecting to Novell NetWare servers. Choices for protocols (TCPIP or IPX or both), TCP/IP-settings, SLP-settings, FrameType, connect-information, and more can be made using (timed) graphical dialogs and saved to user-profiles to prepare for fully automated sessions including AutoLogon to NetWare NDS.

A version of NwDskPe for Microsoft's WinPE 1.2 is in rudimentary form included.

New in NwDskPe 3.0.x:

• Major internal rewrite
• Rewrote TCP/IP handling (including a DHCP fix)
• NetWare Client can now be selected from anywhere (any dir)
• Improved language support with localized NetWare Clients
• Added option to set Frame Type and/or Network Number
• Added NetBEUI support
• Added experimental Speed/Duplex support for NIC
• Added support for NICI up to 2.7.3.01 (client 4.91 sp4)

Feature list:

• Works with any Novell NetWare Client, in any language, for XP
• Defaults to Base Client install, full install is optional
• NetWare Client patches can be easily applied by overlaying them
• Multiple nic adapters supported
• Supports TCP/IP and/or IPX protocol (per adapter)
• TCP/IP configurable by DHCP or Static
• On the fly switching between Static IP and DHCP is supported
• SLP fully configurable by graphical dialog
• Polling mode to ensure SLP resolution is complete before logon
• Conigurable Frame Type and/or Network Number
• Fully automated by (timed) dialogs, choices can be saved to profiles
• Compatible with NwDsk (re-use your proven profiles)
• All dialogs can be hidden from end-user
• Supports bartpe.exe, *factory.exe, *netcfg*.exe
• Automatically installs and starts all necessary services
• Can also autostart Microsoft Client for connecting to Microsoft shares
• Will perform AutoLogon to NDS
• Implemented "nwtray.exe" (red-N in systray)
• NICI supported
• Supporting XP themes (in configuration mode)
• User can add NetWare login-scripts and/or batch-files which autorun after login
• Supports XPsp1 and XPsp2
• Absolutely free!

 Usage

Some pointers how to start:

• Add Plugin NwDskPe to PE Builder 3.0.32 or higher (click "add" on PE Builders "Plugin-List", point to the NwDskPe.cab you downloaded earlier, and click on 'Open' to add it to the plugins).
• Download any Novell NetWare Client for NT/2000/XP in your language of choice from NetWare Client and extract it into the NwDskPe-plugin-dir (extract to 'C:\Pebuilder\Plugin\Nwdskpe'). Starting with NwDskPe 3.0.1 you may also extract the client to a different location (even a network drive) since you may configure NwDskPe to find the client by selecting 'Locate Client' on the 'profile' tab (select the client-root-dir that contains setupnw.exe).
  You may also choose to overlay your client with service packs and or patches.
• When you would like to include the NetBEUI protocol to share files with older W9x machines (not running TCP/IP), grab Netnbf.inf and Nbf.sys from your XP Source CDROM (dir \Valueadd\Msft\Net\Netbeui\) and copy them to the NwDskPe-plugin-dir (even better: grab them from Windows 2000).
• From within the NwDskPe-plugin-dir run NwDskPe.exe at least once to initiate and configure the NetWare Client.
• When you upgrade PE Builder or NwDskPe or the NetWare Client, press the 'Reinitialize Client' button on the 'profile' tab to rebuild the setup (this will not alter your configuration files in 'Etc').
  To create a fully automated locked down end-user CDROM (concerning NetWare):
  • Configure you Client, SLP and Login settings (
  • Enter a password on Logon-settings to trigger AutoLogon (insecure!).
  • Check "Close Script Window" on "NetWare Authentication"-Tab.
  • Check all "Hide" boxes in the lower right corner (hide those Tabs in WinPE).
  • Press the SHIFT-key when the "Cancel"-button has focus (disable "Cancel" in WinPE).
  • Edit your script(s) in Plugin-ETC dir.
  It is very advisable not to do this on your very first try-out of NwDskPe.
• NwDskPe will auto-enable in PE Builder all NetWare components you choose and it will let you choose which Network Manager to launch upon startup (NwDskPe or PENetcfg). NwDskPe operates fine along with PENetcfg but make sure you never enable more than 1 network-auto-start to prevent them from competing for network-resources.
• NwDskPe is compatible with BartPe.exe (Bart's replacement for factory.exe and netcfg.exe).
• Build and burn your BartPE/WinPE CDROM (preferably on a RW CDROM).
• Items of the NetWare Client that are not configurable through NwDskPe's menus can be applied by adding a .REG file with your settings to dir 'Etc' under the same name as your profile (example: nwdskpe.reg). On the 'profile' tab in NwDskPe you can select this file for activation. When settings are present in both NwDskPe and in your .REG file the settings in NwDskPe prevail.
• For some non-standard configuration options run NwDskPe.exe /? to get a listing of all command line parameters available. These parameters should only be used in case of compatibility issues or other problems or for some special reasons.

NwDskPe's profiles and script structure are compatible with NwDsk. All Profiles and Scripts (*.pro, *.lan, *.scp) used with NwDsk can be re-used with NwDskPe by including them in NwDskPe's dir ETC\ in the plugin-dir (just copy your A:\ETC to NwDskPe's plugindir-ETC\). Of course you need to check if your Scripts are valid under XP.

 Download

Download latest NwDskPe and some (hopefully) usefull plugins for PeBuilder here (you might also want to check out the WinPE Forum for more plugins):

Download Cab	PeBuilder v3 Plugin Info	Updated	Version	Size	Help
NwDskPe	NetWare/Microsoft Network Services Manager for BartPE/WinPE	sep 10, 2007	3.0.3	669 KB	info
	Major rewrite, Added Browsing-for-Client, improved TCP/IP handling, Added NICI 2.7.3.01 support
AutoRun	Startup Group for Nu2Menu	dec 11, 2004	1.0.5	20 KB	info
	Autoruns (confirmed runs when 'Scroll-Lock' lit) multiple Plugins
	Already incorporated in PeBuilder 3.1.3 (and higher)
VbRun	Visual Basic 5 and 6 runtime support	feb 20, 2004	1.0.3	4 KB	info
	Auto-registers its DLLs (when building 2003-WinPE add msvbvm50.dll)
DosPe	Dos 16-bit support for WinPE	feb 20, 2004	1.0.6	2 KB	info
	Already incorporated in PeBuilder 3.0.30 (and higher); see forum for resolving 2003sp1 issue
F-Prot	F-Prot Antivirus for Dos 16-bit (F-Prot for DOS)	nov 6, 2003	1.0.1	2 KB	info
	Plugin DosPe needs to be enabled for F-Prot
RadMin	Remote Administrator (FamaTech)	feb 8, 2005	1.0.2	1 KB	info
	Remote Control: Server and Viewer
LoadHive	Remote Registry Loader (LoadHive)	mar 7, 2004	1.0.1	5 KB	info
	Load remote hive to edit remote registry
MsWsh	Windows Scripting Host (WSH) Support	mar 7, 2004	1.0.1	1 KB	info
MsHta	HTA (and WSH) Support	oct 9, 2007	1.0.4	9 KB	info
	Includes plugin MsWsh, fixed W2K3sp2 issue (thanks to Tony Pombo)
MsAdo	ADO and ADSI Support	sep 30, 2004	1.0.3	2 KB	info
MsJet	MsJET (Access) Database Support	may 27, 2004	1.0.5	2 KB	info
	See Info for applying JET Service Pack 8
OpenSSL	OpenSSL 0.9.8g (SSL support by OpenSSL)	dec 10, 2007	1.0.9	564 KB	info
Rconip	NetWare Remote Console on IP	apr 12, 2005	1.0.4	21 KB	info
	Rconip 2.5 by Paul Pergamenshchik (highly recommended to also install plugin OpenSSL)
C1	ConsoleOne for NetWare (requires plugin NwDskPe)	may 12, 2004	1.0.1	2 KB	info
	Needs a working copy of ConsoleOne (warning: this can take a huge amount of space)
ResKit	Resource Kit (Support.cab, Deploy.cab)	jul 7, 2005	1.0.2	62 KB	info
	Will auto-install Resource Kit files from XP-source or W2K3-source (if available)

Browse all download locations: All Downloads.

 Credit

NwDskPe is created by Erwin Veermans. But without Bart's PeBuilder I would not have started this project.

Credits go to:

• PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij.
• Wolfram Oestreicher from the University of Regensburg for pioneering work on applying the Netware Client to WinPE. See his German NetWare WinPE Info where he applies his stripped down NetWare Client 4.51 for WinPE. German readers will find some other valuable pages here to read as well ...
• Trey G. Tesoro from Sentara Healthcare for supplying the nsdetect/test-algorithm (see 2.3.7) that solved some nasty SLP resolution problems (currently included as the 'NwDetect' option on the 'Client'-form).
• WinPE Forums with all its contributors.

 History

3.0.3 (2007-09-10)

• added support for NICI 2.7.3.01 (4.91 sp4)

3.0.2 (2007-02-21)

• fix for missing sensapi.dll (rare bug)

3.0.1 (2007-02-15)

• major internal rewrite

2.x.x beta

• several beta releases

2.7.8 (2004-09-30)

• relocated File-sharing (Server service) for better compatibility

2.7.7 (2004-09-23)

• fixed File-sharing (Server service) on XP Sp2
• fixed problem processing Client when basedir not 'winnt'

2.7.6 (2004-09-03)

• fixed NetWare Client detection

2.7.5 (2004-08-03)

• added support for NICI 2.64.07 (4.90 sp2)
• added option to limit DHCP retries
• adjusted NetWare Client detection algorithm
• added BartPE/WinPE detection (PE Builder version info)

2.7.3 (2004-05-12)

• auto-updating Nu2menu-info after spawning factory/bartpe
• prevent updating Nu2menu-info by flag "/NoNu2menu"
• prevent loading Nwtray by flag "/NoNwtray"
• changed browser detection

2.7.2 (2004-05-11)

• added support for NICI 2.64.06

2.7.1 (2004-04-18)

• rewrote internal TCP/IP routines (by API)
• spawned-exes (regedit, nwdetect) now after gui closes

2.6.3 (2004-04-17)

• fixed tab-order for controls on TabStrip

2.6.2 (2004-04-16)

• fixed DHCP "stop pending" with STATIC IP on some machines

2.6.1 (2004-04-15)

• changed SSTAB (tabctl32.ocx) to TABSTRIP (comctl32.ocx)
• implemented TabStrip to support XP-themes
• implemented (dis/en)abling of tabs on TabStrip control

2.5.2 (2004-04-04)

• changing COMPUTERNAME upfront now
• XP themes only in Config Mode (by external manifest)
• fixed framed-buttons not exposing XP themes
• applied compiler optimalizations

2.5.1 (2004-04-01)

• supporting XP themes
• installing adapters on startup (before gui)
• changing COMPUTERNAME in ENV
• rearranged MsClient & TCPIP stuff

2.4.6 (2004-03-22)

• ...

2.4.2 (2004-03-07)

• fixed "ms_server" service disturbing SLP
• implemented "nwtray.exe" (red-N in systray)
• fixed compatibility with BartPE-plugin
• dropped i5comp.exe (only needed with outdated NICI)

2.3.9 (2004-02-27) beta

• rebuilt test.exe to nwdetect.exe
• fixed NICI problems (DAC would be incorrect)

2.3.8 (2004-02-26) beta

• incorporated nsdetect.exe functionality (fully transparant)
• nsdetect-functionality user-selectable on Client-tab

2.3.7 (2004-02-26) beta

• implemented nsdetect.exe and test.exe (by Trey G. Tesoro)
• nsdetect/test fixes SLP resolving problems

2.3.6 (2004-02-24)

• fixed launching browser from About-tab in WinPE
• added extra TimeOut counters on buttons
• dropped baptize.exe (intrinsic change-name support)
• improved services handling (stop/start/pause/continue)

2.3.4 (2004-02-20)

• added full support for BartPe.exe (replaces factory/netcfg)
• added LmHosts option with MsClient
• NwDskPe settings will overrule user supplied .REG settings
• timeout counter now visible on corresponding buttons
• improved "cancel"-routines (would leave traces in memory)
• some minor modifications

2.3.1 (2004-02-14)

• altered order to: Protocol, TCP/IP, Client
• added option to keep current protocols (from PENetcfg)
• no batch-file used when not using DOS-scripts
• import of user supplied .reg now internally
• changed cursor for better URL visibility on 'About'
• added commandline option (/WriteReg) to export to .REG

2.2.5 (2004-02-11) beta

• fixed NICI/NMAS version detection when file not exists

2.2.4 (2004-02-10) beta

• fixed non-english language support NetWare Client

2.2.3 (2004-02-08)

• fixed garbage in Script tab on Login (not showing default)
• fixed mysterious 303136 error on netcfg/penet (failure)
• fixed DA only accepting IP-addresses (now also by name)
• added option to apply user supplied .reg file
• added option to pause before logon (possible SLP improvement)
• added support for 'Network Support [PENET]' plugin
• added support for penet.exe (for netcfg and factory)
• updated NWNET.CMD
• improved NICI/NMAS version detection
• implemented some code optimalization and improvements

2.0.9 (2003-11-26)

• ...

1.3.1 (beta)

• added MS_SERVER service support to NwDskPe.exe and NwNet.cmd
• added MS_BROWSER service support to NwDskPe.exe and NwNet.cmd
• added "srvsvc.dll=2" to INF for Server service

1.3.0 (2003-10-05)

• removed dependencies on other plugins (AutoRun, VbRun)
• Visual Basic 5 and 6 Support automatically included at "burn"-time by INF
• self registers TABCTL32.OCX in WinPE
• auto-installs TABCTL32.OCX when necessary when in Configuration-mode (non-WinPE)
• auto-copies SystemDrive\Etc to Ramdrv\Etc (when not done yet) when in WinPE
• workdir defaults to Ramdrv\Etc when in WinPE
• workdir defaults to Plugin-dir\Etc when not in WinPE (configuration mode)
• Static IP available only when ipchange*.exe present in plugin Network (PeBuilder 3.0.14 or higher)

1.2.2 (2003-10-03)

• added support for Static IP (need PeBuilder 3.0.14 or higher)
• NwDskPe (nwnet.cmd) can switch between Static IP and DHCP (back and foreward)
• NwDskPe will manage all your Network Services (NetWare and Microsoft)
• added extra Plugin to let user make decision to autostart NwDskPe or not
• added support for X86NETCFG.EXE and X86FACTORY.EXE
• user can just copy A:\ETC from NwDsk to Plugin-ETC (dir PROFILE is taken care of also)

1.2.0 (2003-10-02)

• added support for SNETCFG.EXE (as alternative for NETCFG.EXE)
• added 'Sc.exe=2' to replace PsService.exe
• replaced PsService.exe with Sc.exe in NwNet.cmd (now also works with Nicm)
• rewrote some NwNet.cmd parts (adjusted NwDskPe.exe for it)
• added option to import user-supplied reg-file NwDskPe0.reg
• implemented input validation on all textboxes
• disabled NMAS support (was not functional)
• rearranged handling of NetWare components again

1.1.5 (2003-09-30) beta

• fixed autologon (fires when password not blank)
• changed to allways reset Client's REG-settings
• added 'msvcrt40.dll=2' to INF for nwsndmsg.exe
• removed PsService.exe from package
• NwDskPe will insert 'PsService.exe=2' to INF when user adds the file
• fixed several issues with enabling/disabling tabs and controls
• improved handling of selection of NetWare Components
• fixed Protocol-status now following Protocol-radio button
• hide buttons option by pressing shift key
• hide tabs by checkbox
• no timeout canceling when all tabs but first and last are disabled
• Pause flag cleared and disabled when ExecFlag=0
• wrote tooltips to give some clues

1.1.1 (2003-09-29) beta

• first public beta

 Contact, License

You are granted to use NwDskPe freely at home or within your organisation or company.
You are not allowed to include or package NwDskPe or a WinPE-CDROM (or image) containing NwDskPe with any commercial application or any product that is being charged for, without written permission by Erwin Veermans (a small fee covering media costs and/or shipping qualifies as an exception to this rule).
NWDSKPE IS PROVIDED "AS IS," WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.

Feel free to send feedback, questions, bug-reports, feature requests, success stories by Email.
Please include info like NwDskPe version, Host OS, Target OS with your message.