Hi,

I have 190 systems running NT4, Win2K, & Windows XP Pro. All systems currently can log into Novell and access network resources without error.

I cannot get Novell to log in on a new Dell system. An IP address is obtained from our DHCP Server, and I can browse the Internet. The XP Firewall is off.

I can see the tree however, when I attempt to click the “context”… I receive the error “cannot access tree”.

I originally used the same XP Novell Client CD (8.83) as used with other XP images.

I added our DNS servers to the new Dell System

I can ping our Novell File Server by name and IP address on the new Dell System

I downloaded and installed the newest Novell Client for XP, version 9, same error “cannot access tree”.

The frame type is set to auto (default) as are all other systems running XP.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Anthony

xp firewall disabled?

Hi Anthony,

Is the server set in the client's scope? Or rather, can you logon to the server (by passing the tree) by using the IP rather than the server name?

-J

Hi,

Okay… I got it fixed… still not sure why I cannot browse to the context or tree but… it’s fixed.

This fix will seem a wee bit obvious once you read it…
Right click the Novell icon in the system tray (red letter N to the left of the Windows clock) then properties… on the client tab, manually type in the tree, context, and file server… save the info.

Although I still cannot browse at all, if I click “context” it will still return the error “cannot find tree”…. in the log in dialog box again manually type in the tree, context, and file server… save the info.

Enter the user name and password, click OK… and I’m able to get the user in.

Now, as to the root cause of not being able to browse at all… I have no idea.

Anthony

Okay, I know I'm not dealing with a Novell person here but I have information for you that will help you understand the situation. My best guess as to why you can't see the particular tree you want to comes down to two different scenarios, one related to the client, the other to the server. Windows stores login information in the registry. Once the client software is installed locally, the registry is modified. You can manually hack the registry to change the information that is stored there by deleting or editing the keys. Here is the registry path I am referring to:
HKLM\Software\Novell\Login\History\ and then there are the following subdirectories:
Contexts, Preferred Server, Profiles, Scripts, and Trees, all at the same level in the registry tree structure. If you highlight any one of these subdirectories in the left pane, you will see the information inside in the right pane. Hightlight Tree, for instance, and add the name of the NDS tree you want to log in to. Or hightlight Preferred Server and edit to enter the name of the NetWare server in question. Once that information is saved, the next time the login screen appears, hit the Advanced button and if you hit the Tree, Context, or Server buttons, your hacked registry information will be there. The server scenario is more complicated and you need to understand both NDS and Service Location Protocol to comprehend fully. In order to be able to browse a particular tree, the server you attempting to log in to must have a copy of the partition that contains the server object stored on its hard drive. All NetWare servers use SLP to advertise the location and type of services being hosted on the particular server. SLP uses something called NDAP.NOVELL to advertise the availability of the tree in question. If, in addition to NDAP.NOVELL, the server also holds a copy of BINDERY.NOVELL, then the server will also advertise the availability of the Preferred Server that you had stipulated when you altered the client32 properties, as you have written in your last post. As I said initially, I could go either way in the situation you describe; it's either the client situation or server situation, as described above.