error 53 while using a network boot disk

[Alex Hose]

I am trying to connect to a network drive to create a ghost image using the network boot disk created using altiris deployment server. The server is Compaq Proliant 6500 servers using the Compaq NC 3131 network card. I used the Compaq Fast Ethernet (n100.dos) driver. I have verified the network information. I am getting the error 53: The specified computer cannot be found in the network.

I am successful connecting to the network share from another computer (Proliant 6500) with different network card (Netflx3 driver).

What does the error mean? Am I using incorrect driver. Where can I find the correct driver for this network card.

[Ed Cox]

Alex,
That's the right driver. I just downloaded it from the HP website, expanded it and found that the Softpaq (SP25775) contains the n100.dos (Intel), the n1000.dos (Intel) and the q57.dos (Broadcom).
So you're on the right track there. Are you able to at least get an IP address or is it bombing out prior to that? Sounds like you've gotten past the point at which the IP address is assigned.
Usually error 53 means no connection to the Altiris Express share. This could mean the account and password is wrong, or the drive mapping is bombing out (\\servername\express).
Other than that...I'm not sure what else to tell you.
Ed Cox

[Alex Hose]

I disabled the DHCP. I am assigning the IP address for the server. It seems to me that it recognises the network card, but I get the error just prior to mapping the share to the network drive. What would be really helpful is to let me know under what conditions we would get the error 53 error.How can I test if the network card driver is OK? Any utility I copy on the floppy disc to ping etc ?

[Ed Cox]

I don't know of a utility ...but if you've assigned an IP address during the boot disk creation...can you ping this address from another machine?
Are you able to get a DOS prompt? If so...what drive letter are you getting?
A: or F:? (probably not F:)
What port on the 3131 are you using? Have you tried a different port?
There is also an LMHosts file under the a:\net directory. Try editing that file with the host info.
And...double check the account and password information. If that's incorrect...then the drive mapping will bomb out. But you probably already knew that...
Ed

[Alex Hose]

I am using the lmhost file. I am using the default port. Where can I specify a different port for the Network card using the network boot disk?

[Richard Mouser]

Alex,

You can change the network port used by the DOS driver in protocol.ini on your boot floppy. There are comments in the protocol.ini file provided with the driver (and on RDP) that show how to do this.

To see if your DOS network stack is up and running, just ping the fixed IP address from another server on the network.

Be sure you don't have a duplicate IP address on the network, that blows the DOS network stack's mind. To do this, shutdown your system that booted from the floppy, then from another system on the network, ping the fixed IP address you used for the boot floppy. If you get an answer to the ping, you need to set another fixed IP address for your floppy.

[TOUILEB]

Hey,

I got the same problem but did not found any explanation on how set the port used in protocol.ini as mentionned by Richard.
Please what can be found in this file :
; Protocol.Ini section for the HP Ethernet or Fast Ethernet NIC

DRIVERNAME = N100$

;
; Some common parameters
;
; SPEED = [0 | 10 | 100]
; 0 = Auto (default)
;
; FORCEDUPLEX = [0 | 1 | 2]
; 0 = Auto (default); 1 = Half; 2 = Full
;
; SLOT = 0x38
;
; NODE = "00AA00123456"
;
; TRANSMITBUFFERS = 20 ; range 3 - 30
;
; RECEIVEBUFFERS = 20 ; range 3 - 30
;
; CACHEFLUSH = 0 ; set to 1 to allow the driver to hook the cache flush interrupt
; ; this is needed when doing unattended installations of NT 4




Any Idea ?

Thanks

[Jochen Ströbele]

Hi,
are you sure that you have supplied the correct Subnetmask in IP. I have had the same Problem. You can ping the other hosts but it is not possible to get an NBT-Connection. You can test it with following command

net time \\any_server_in_your_domain

if you get now answer it is possible that you can´t get any NBT-Connection even you are able to ping to that serv

[Andy Getz_1]

I had that same error and i resolved it by typing in the DNS name instead of the IP address for the mapped drive. Your case may be different but that fixed my problem. Good luck

[Glen Watson_1]

Hi alex, if your disabling DHCP or that DHCP zone does not have a WINS record for shortname resolution, try putting a ip/name record of your imaging server in the a:\NET\lmhosts file.