Excel Not Responding Hangs in Win XP Novell Network

[KIMCTI]

Hope someone can help me.
Have a Novell Netware 4.2 server. Have a Win XP Pro computer that everytime you use Excel it stops responding (hangs). You can pull up files from the server and you could save to server but not save as. Also, hangs up when you switch from one worksheet to the other in the same file. I am sure it has to be a networking issue because it will run fine with local files (save and retrieve). I am out of suggestions. If anyone has any suggestions, I am extremely receptive

 

[TheLad]

What version of the NW Client are you running on XP?

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"It's true, its damn true!"
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[KIMCTI]

At the risk of stupidity/inexperience, I currently do not have a client loaded (as I never needed to use it before). I did however download 4.83 just yesterday, but didn't install it yet. I am very inexperienced with XP/Novel. The know enough just to be dangerous kind. Thank you for any help.

 

[ak8899]

Hi Kimcti

I had a similar problem, but with a Novell Client istalled.
The problem might have the same source. I had the problem of `hanging` MS office apps, when there were drives in explorer that were not connected. So to say network drives that had been used once but had not been restored in the actual session. Deleting these Mappings solved the problem.




regards,
Alain

 

[KIMCTI]

Thank you, Alain. Was mapping more than one drive, disconneted the others... and waaaalaahh...working like it should. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer, I truly appreciate it!!!

 

[VKSHARMA]

Hi,
I have the same problem, however there are different mappings to other parts of a data volume.

Is there a fix or update patch that is available for this issue, as Excel just hangs for a long time and sometimes comes back as not responding.

Copying files also takes forever, however a 5MB file over the network in TXT format takes only seconds.

 

[Granvillew]

I found that if I map the drive I use for Office to the root of the Novell volume, then navigate to the required directory I have FEWER problems.

However this is a pain in the proverbial, and still rather flakey. If anyone has a proper fix, I would be ever so happy to hear it. Thanks.

 

[erkwolf]

We had a similar problem at my work, we tried everything. Then found out the network admin. had the ACL,s on (access control list ) once those were turned off the machines in question came right up and no more hanging problems.

 

[VKSHARMA]

If we disabled the ACL's then everyone would have open access to the system or not?

THis issue seems to be affecting a few other people I know that I have asked for pointers on and seems to be not something that stops with me. Surely when this is resolved half the Novell support techies would be able to breath a sigh of relief.

Thanks to all that read and reply.

 

[TheLad]

VKSHARMA - What virus scanning software are you running on the server (if any)? Have you tried disabling it and then opening/copying Office files?

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"It's true, its damn true!"
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[VKSHARMA]

Hi,
Have disabled virus scanning on the system and on the server, (mcAfee disabled office integration on workstation) changed the Novell properties to file caching off and set intel NIC to 100/Full Duplex.

Scratching head now .. not working!

 

[erkwolf]

From what I understand it wasn't all the acl's causing the problem. After determining it was the acl's. He started playing with them to find out which one caused the problem. I am not a network guy so I don't know which one's he disabled or which he left on. All I know is the acl's caused the problem and he was able to figure out which ones to disable.We had them all on at one point because we were getting killed with my doom, so we had quite a lot of users experiencing this problem. If I understand just a tad there is an acl for network access from user machines within the network. Should be able to stop outside access and not interfere with the lan. I think ??.
good luck

 

[VKSHARMA]

Hi,
Not quite sure about the ACL's but haev checked access etc anyway to be sure..

This damn thing still is not working even upgraded to Novell 4.9sp1 with OpLock2 etc thinking that would sort it. but no....

HELP!!!

Regards

V.

 

[Sky14657]

Hi,
we have a similar problem with Novell client 4.9sp1. Thought it could be a timeout problem of the Novell-server, but it wasn't that. The people are accessing the server from NT or 2k-machines, and the problem exists - for us - only from within Office-programs, Office 97 and 2k involved.
But it would be great to find a detailed description of this Novell-client, didn't find a description on their site - and you have a lot of possibilities in the settings...

So help would be very appreciated.

Regards

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Everybody has the right to be stupid -- but some people abuse the privilege. (a quote from Stalin - and I am one of the abusers, sometimes...)
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Experienced in the IT-chaos since 1984...

 

[VKSHARMA]

Well,
From the start of me logging this message I have done the following.

Disabled File Caching on the Client PC.
Upgraded to Novell Client 4.9 sp1a (this has worked on some PC's)

My contract is due to finish soon so am trying to get it sorted by then, otherwise will always help and post on this topic if anyone else wants more information.

One thing that is more of a workaround is the client PC was changed from 100MB Full Duplex to 10MB Full Duplex.

Telnet into the switch and did the following commands

changed port negotitation to disabled
set port speed to 10 MB
set port duplex to full

This is now working on 70 MB spreadsheets as if the problems never existed, however am still trying to get things resolved so that users and port negotiation can be set to AUTO or 100MB Full Duplex and for it to work ok.

Did a ping on 1494 bytes and worked ok.

Maybe this is something you could try.

Hope this issue gets resolved soon, new contract does not use Novell but will post back to this forum as and when additions or suggestions are made, as i am sure that I will come across it again.

Regards

Viresh