Ref: 22140007
Title: Installing Optinet CD ROM-Sharing Software
Date: 4/3/91

Copyright 3Com Corporation, 1991.  All rights reserved.

This article outlines the steps required to install the Optinet
software for making CD ROM drives shareable read-only drives.  The
Optinet software requires only that either NetBIOS or IPX protocols are
running on the network.  Therefore, it does not matter which 3Com operating
system is used, since a full version of NetBIOS can be used with either.

The system consists of an Optinet server, which is a dedicated PC AT-class
machine, a CD ROM drive hung off the server, and numerous workstations that
access the databases on the CD ROM drive.  There can be many Optinet servers
on the network; each is accessed by an assigned server number.


INSTALLING THE OPTINET SOFTWARE:

1.  Copy the files from the installation diskette to a subdirectory on
a public server.  For example,

    3f link z: \\server\appsadmn /np
    copy a:\*.* z:\optinet

You will also need to copy the CD ROM device drivers and the Microsoft
Extensions software to the same directory to have the installation program
set up the software on the server and user stations.

2.  At the installation directory, type INSTALL and press Enter.

3.  Specify the destination drive and path where the software is to be
configured to, usually C:\OPTINET.

4.  Select the type of station to be created.

A non-dedicated server will allow the Optinet server software to run in
the background of the server machine.  This does not leave much memory
to be used for other functions, but the amount of memory can be adjusted by
using a memory manager such as QEMM or 386MAX.

5.  Select the protocol that is running on the network.  For 3Com networks,
select NetBIOS.

6.  Select the CD ROM device driver to be used.

7.  Enter the number of drives controlled by the driver, usually 1.

The basic driver parameters are installed for you.  However, they can
be modified if desired by the installation program.  If you want to modify
the driver parameters, review the driver documentation for adjustable
parameters, such as the drive letter of the CD ROM.

8.  Verify the configuration, and modify it if necessary.

9.  Copy the Microsoft Extensions software into the workstation or server
OPTINET subdirectory.

The installation program makes the necessary changes to the CONFIG.SYS
and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

10. Verify the changes to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files with the
installation documentation for each configuration.

