CompuServe Thread

Networked CD-ROM

18 messages in this thread
#37629From: Paul KudlachJan 21, 1993 9:33 PM
Steve, I recently installed Windows for Workgroups. I can read the the files on a Nautilus disc from a machine that is sharing its cd-rom drive with another machine. However I can't run the Nautilus application from the remote machine. Is there anything special needed or is this not possible yet (I know there are RPCs in the works for Windows). I'm in the process of getting a new cd-rom drive for the remote machine, so it's no big deal to do this, I was just curious. Paul
#37978From: Steve LuperJan 25, 1993 6:46 AM
Paul, Good question. We haven't tested under the scenario you describe. I'll have to try that out and see what happens. What occurs when you "can't run the Nautilus application from the remote machine?" – Lupes
#38000From: Peter SimonJan 25, 1993 11:10 AM
May I add a comment? I am encountering the same problem trying to access Nautilus on a shared CDROM drive on a Novell Network. I also have a CDROM in my workstation on which I can run Nautilus just fine. Howevever, when I try to run it thru the network, Nautilus complains that my networked CDROM, mapped to a drive such as L, is not a valid CDROM drive. It appears that Nautilus checks for an actual internal drive before it allows the application to start. Is there any way of getting around the check. For example, is there a way of telling the MS Multimedia extensions MSCDEX that drive L is a valid CDROM drive, thereby satisfying Nautilus.
#38018From: Margo RiedelJan 25, 1993 4:17 PM
Peter Actually, you *can* bypass the drive-letter check. Try this. 1. Open NAUTILUS Startup. 2. Now, hold down the Control key down while exiting (choosing Exit from the System menu or using Alt-F4)… yes, I know, real intuitive. But it was a back end trick I added for a "just in case" kind of scenario – such as this! 3. You will now find a NAUTILUS.INI file in the same directory as Startup.tbk. Open this file (using Notepad or whatever) and you will find a line that says: Romdrive=L:\ or something similar. 4. Change the romdrive= parameter to whatever letter is appropriate. 5. Restart Nautilus Startup. This should bypass the validation check. Let me know how that works for you. Margo Riedel Nautilus
#38103From: Peter SimonJan 26, 1993 3:53 PM
I tried the procedure and sure enough, it works! Thankyou. Now, I better make sure I don't lose my copy of your note.
#38175From: Margo RiedelJan 27, 1993 8:34 AM
Peter — I'm glad it worked. <whew… that was a close one!> BTW, you must be a real "rock" with a name like 'Peter Simon' … Margo Riedel Nautilus
#38146From: Paul KudlachJan 27, 1993 1:12 AM
Steve and Margo, Thank you for the network solution. It works beautifully. Now I have Nautilus running on my new machine. I have a graphics bug with Toolbook with the new machine (Gateway 2000 486/66 Local Bus with the ATI Graphics Ultra Pro VLB). The file folder bitmap (the gray portion underlying the file listings) and various button graphics appear at other places on the screen. This may be a video driver problem and I thought I report it here. I'm sorry that Mr. Pitsch is upset with my using this section. I was afraid this might happen. All I can suggest is that if possible, that the subscribers to Nautilus, such as myself, be given a section where we can communicate with fellow subscribers who want to keep in touch. I've found the companionship and information shared as valuable as the subscription itself. Thank you, Paul
#38158From: Lynne EllinwoodJan 27, 1993 4:58 AM
Paul, Several months ago, I found this forum and was disappointed that there was so little traffic in the Nautilus area. I quit coming, because I don't like to pay online charges for customer service messages. Maybe, with a core of enthusiastic subscribers, we can generate enough interesting discussion to attract other happy customers, sell a few subscriptions for Margo and Steve, and make it worthwhile for Michael to mark participation threads rather than the entire section. Discussing the performance of Nautilus on our different types of equipment has tremendous benefits–it's the quickest way there is of finding out whether a problem is in the equipment or the software. BTW, I was fascinated by Margo's solution to your networking problem, as it is something that may turn up when my husband sets up a network between our 486 and semi-retired XT. Lynne
#38279From: Paul KudlachJan 27, 1993 10:08 PM
Lynne, Thanks Lynne, I was feeling pretty badly last night after reading Mike's message to Kevin and I. I forget that many people don't have TAPCIS or other thread managers to reduce their costs. I hope I didn't offend anyone with my political commentary. I just hope that both parties take the iniative to fix the country and do it with integrity. Margo has a few tricks up her sleeve concerning networking. I now have a nautilus.ini file that I can manually adjust to configure the cd-rom drive. I don't have my Multisound card yet, so I can't use all the multimedia features yet. I've been using the MS speaker driver, but it is limited (it can't play stereo wave files, midi and video files). I guess having a network for a home system is a bit unusual, but it is a convenient way to use all the equipment I have. Paul
#38421From: Lynne EllinwoodJan 29, 1993 1:38 AM
Paul, Ray is busy with his Windows NT installation, and won't get to the network "just for fun" for a while yet. But I think your idea of using the older computer as a storage area is excellent, and I'm now in favor of the project (rather than just humoring him). This matters, because we will probably have cables running up and down our stairwell. And of course I'm going to try experimenting with CDROM on the system–because I'm already filling up a 360 meg hard disk! I'm keeping "When in ROM" on my sections list, so that I don't miss any of the discussions about whatever happens to be the topic of the moment . . Right now, of course, "ROM" appears to be totally empty. Lynne
#38561From: Paul KudlachJan 30, 1993 10:58 AM
Lynne, I checked out that section too. You're right about it being empty. You're right about the disks filling up. Everytime I add something nowadays it seems like it uses 10 megabytes at a crack. If you're getting a new cr-rom drive make sure it works with NT first. I wasn't sure that I could share a cd-rom drive as I had tried to using Nautilus. If it wasn't for Margo's tip, I wouldn't have known it could be done. Now, all I have to do is figure out how to get Cinemania, Bookshelf, etc. to do the same. Dallas by 10. Paul
#38623From: Edward L. WaldorphJan 31, 1993 12:06 AM
>>Right now, of course, "ROM" appears to be totally empty.<< Lynne: I'm not surprized (;{)] Who's going to read a general bulls**t section when they can read a section like this with _specific_ bulls**t? I guess we should mention something about the disk of the month in each of our messages. Sort of the old gag about taking someone out to lunch and having him ask you how's business so you could write it off. So, did you get the E-Book Peter to run? Mine kept crashing after the intro. Say, how about those Niners! -Ed
#38632From: Paul KudlachJan 31, 1993 1:21 AM
Ed, The impression I got is that we're welcome here and it's ok to be ourselves. I wasn't sure of that until you guys spoke up and the sysops supported you. I've only been active in the forums for a couple of months, so what do I know about etiquette? I hope we don't have to talk business all the time. Your good humor keeps me stitches as usual. Keep up the good work. Paul
#38176From: Margo RiedelJan 27, 1993 8:34 AM
Paul — I'm glad to hear the solution worked for you. Could you do me the favor of letting me know how "well" that works. I've never talked to anyone running a CDROM application across a network and I'm very curious as to the performance issues. I would suspect the ToolBook problem you mention is really a video driver problem (which you also mention). 99.99% of the time this is the case (I won't go so far as to say %100, but it's almost *ALWAYS* solved by an updated video driver). Sounds like you've a real sweet machine though…! Paul, you mention that "Mr. Pitsch" is upset… I must have missed that part of the thread, can you elaborate as to what the problem is. This section of this forum is, of course, all about Nautilus and is available for the purposes you describe. Please let me know what was said (feel free to Email me, if appropriate) so that I can follow this up properly. Anything else we can do for you…?! Margo Riedel Nautilus
#38280From: Paul KudlachJan 27, 1993 10:08 PM
Margo, I'm waiting for my Multisound card to come in so I can't tell you how well everything performs yet. However using Windows for Workgroups and the Intel card that comes with the kit, Toolbook performs well in file access to the cdrom drive. I'll let you know how well other features work when all the pieces are together. BTW, I had to put the AT P command before the telephone number for Nautilus Link to use pulse dialing on your volume 3_1. I have no problem to report regarding Mr. Pitsch. He simply wishes some brevity and relevency to our messages. Paul
#38256From: Jack L. ChalkerJan 27, 1993 8:19 PM
ATI is still reporting some driver problems, and I assume these would be more acute with the local bus, since that's a far newer technology all around. At least it's working. Had to yank my wonderful #9 TIGA board and FedEx it back to #9 for repair this evening. It became convinced it was in a dual monitor setup no matter what, so the only way to run Windows was to go back and physically unplug the connector and replug it into the other jack! Sigh…. Hard to get used to a mere 1024 X 768 again….
#38281From: Paul KudlachJan 27, 1993 10:08 PM
Jack, I think there are a lot of driver problems to be resolved this year. ATI, as you already may know, has promised a multimedia video driver to ship in February. As you know, the addition of Video for Windows has really put a strain on the drivers currently out there. Are you upgrading or just repairing the TIGA? Paul
#38165From: Gerry LegerJan 27, 1993 7:05 AM
Peter, PMJI re. your problem of using Nautilus on CDROM on Novell, but what are you using as your LAN CD product, e.g., SCSI EXPRESS, CD-NET, OPTI-NET, and is it the newer NLM version? We're about to select on of these for our Novell LAN, and it is precisely this fear of not being able to run certain CDs because of lack of "real" MSCDEX etc that we're worried about. Can you elaborate on your setup and give me whatever advice etc please. Tanx // Gerry