After I upgraded from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000 (Win2K), the timeout in boot.ini reset to 30 seconds. How can I change the value back to my previous value
The boot.ini file defines the timeout value, which is the amount of time you have to choose your OS during startup. When you upgrade to Win2K (or any version of Windows), the timeout value resets to 30 seconds, regardless of your past settings. To return to your preferred value, right-click My Computer on the desktop, then click Properties. On the Advanced tab, click Startup and Recovery. Change the value in the Display list of operating systems for X seconds box. Click OK twice.
You can also reset this value by directly editing the boot.ini file. Remember that the boot.ini file is a read-only file, so you first need to write-enable it. Simply go to Windows Explorer, right-click the file, select Properties, and clear the Read-only check box. Change the timeout value to the number of seconds you require:
[boot loader]
timeout=<number of seconds>
Can I install Microsoft IntelliPoint 3.0 on Windows 2000 (Win2K) and Windows NT systems
The new Microsoft mouse devices use IntelliPoint 3.0 software that runs under NT Service Pack 3 (SP3). Win2K doesn't support version 3.0. However, you can use the following command to install the software on a Win2K system:
C:\> <X>:\setup\setup setup win2000
where X is the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive (e.g., D). If you try to install directly from the CD-ROM's autorun program, you'll experience an OS error.
The new mouse has a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection. Trying to connect through USB on NT 4.0 doesn't work, but Win2K's USB connection works. The Natural Keyboard Pro software also runs on Win2K, although not all the buttons work (e.g., volume, calculator, My Computer).
At press time, Microsoft has released IntelliPoint 3.1, which offers full Win2K support. You can download the software from http://www.microsoft.com/products/ hardware/mouse/driver/drivers_pc.htm.
My WINS clients have stopped registering and querying the WINS server. What happened
When clients stop using WINS, they exhibit the following telltale signs:
- The client can't ping a remote computer (across a router) by its computer name (i.e., NetBIOS name).
- The client can't log on to a domain if the only domain controllers are on the other side of the routers.
- The client can't perform Net View or Net Use on computers that are on the other side of the routers.
- The client can't retrieve the browse list of a remote domain that the client sees in its local browse list.
At boot, the client registers its name with the primary WINS server (or, when performing a name query, the client first sends the request to the primary WINS server). If the primary WINS server doesn't respond after three attempts, the client sends the registration or query to the secondary WINS server that the IP properties dialog box lists. If the secondary WINS server doesn't respond, the client resends the query to the primary WINS server, then alternates between the primary and secondary WINS server until one of them responds.
If the IP properties dialog box lists no secondary WINS server, you have a problem. The client might revert to broadcast-only (i.e., B-node) behavior and stop querying the WINS server completely. To solve this problem, you need to define a secondary WINS server. If you have only one WINS server, list it in both the primary and secondary boxes. You can update clients in the Control Panel Network applet. Select the Protocols tab, then TCP/IP. On the WINS tab, fill in the boxes. If the clients use DHCP, be sure to configure the scope with both primary and secondary servers.
Microsoft fixed this problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98, but it remains in NT 3.51 and Win95. For more information, see the Microsoft article "WINS Client Stops Querying or Renewing with WINS" at http://support.microsoft.com/support/ kb/articles/q155/5/01.asp.
[Editor's Note: Sean Daily, John Savill, and John Green contributed answers to this Tricks & Traps.]