AUTOEXEC.NCF on c:\

Locating the AUTOEXEC.NCF on the C: or A: Device

     Another recommendation applies whenever more that 16 MB of RAM is required to mount all of
     the NetWare volumes. The AUTOEXEC.NCF must be on the C: (DOS) partition if it exists, or the
     A: (floppy diskette) drive if the machine boots from floppy diskette. The reason for this
     requirement is to avoid mounting volume SYS before memory is registered. The register memory
     command must be in the AUTOEXEC.NCF. If the AUTOEXEC.NCF is on the NetWare SYS
     volume then SYS will be mounted before the register memory command is executed, a situation
     that should be avoided.

     If SYS mounts before memory above 16 MB is registered, then all subsequent volumes will
     mount in memory below volume SYS. For configurations which require more than 16 MB, the
     message "cache memory allocator out of available memory" will appear and at least one volume
     will fail to mount. In these cases, the memory above 16 MB never gets used to mount volumes.
     The Recommended Work-Around

     The following is recommended to avoid the above-mentioned problems:

     1.In the STARTUP.NCF:

     set auto register memory above 16 megabytes =OFF (if machine auto registers memory)

     set reserved buffers below 16 meg =40

     (add 20 buffers for each additional SCSI device supported by the 1540 driver, with a minimum of
     100 buffers for Sbackup.nlm and Arcserve.nlm)

     set <any other applicable commands required in the STARTUP.NCF>

     2.In the AUTOEXEC.NCF: (Must be on the C: or A: device. Delete or rename autoexec.ncf on the
     NetWare SYS: volume.)

     file server name <servername>
     ipx internal net <address>
     load aha1540 above16=y port=<port address>
     int=<interrupt>
                    or
     load aha1640 above16=y slot=<slot #>
     register memory 1000000 <memory above 16 MB>
     load <any other disk drivers which support more than 16MB of RAM>
     mount <volumes>
     load <applicable NLMs>
     set <applicable parameters>

     FOR NETWARE 4.0 or 4.01

     The work-around is much simpler, because the REGISTER MEMORY command can be used in
     the STARTUP.NCF. Here is the work-around for 4.0 and 4.01.

     In the STARTUP.NCF:

     set auto register memory above 16 megabytes = OFF
     load aha1540 above16=y port=??? int=?
     register memory 1000000 ???????
     set reserved buffers below 16 meg = xxx Where xxx depends on the number of scsi devices. Rule
     of thumb is 20 buffers per scsi device and at least 250 for Sbackup or Arcserve.

     Now the AUTOEXEC.NCF may reside on the NetWare partition.

or you can try this link: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/search.pl?database_name=tid&type=HTML&docid=%03%23F14435%3a879911146%3a%20%28%20STARTUP%2eNCF%20%29%20%20%07%01%00&byte_count=8401

I have received this same work around from the Novell knowledgebase.  This is exactly the problem I am having.  I guess I need clarification/confirmation that if I do rename autoexec.ncf on SYS:SYSTEM to perhaps autoexec.bak, and then create autoexec.ncf on c:\ the machine will see it in the boot process.  In some docs I was reading I was led to believe that the path and filename were coded and unchangeable in server.exe.

I have attempted this with Netware 3.12 when Arcserve 5 was having a problem with my AHA-1540.  I remeber there being some issue where the STARTUP.NCF had to call AUTOEXEC.NCF in some instances (been to long to remember the exact instance).  One thing I do remember is it eventually worked for me...Are you using Netware 3.x or 4.x?

I have a Netware 3.12 server.  I cannot find any docs so far that tells how to "call" the autoexec.ncf.  That is really a concern for me, because obviously I have a business down if the server doesn't come back up.  Meanwhile, we can't use the new volume weare adding, and the server is locking up because it runs out of memory.
Any ideas where to find my answer, or do you have one?
Thanks

Here is what I can suggest:

Try just making the changes.  If that doesn't work try putting C:\SERVER.312\AUTOEXEC.NCF at the end of the STARTUP.NCF (i think that is what I had to do).

Outside of that my memory just doesn't go back that far, you may also check with the controller manufacturer (what are you using).  I am sure this wouldn't be the first time they have had to do this on a 3.12 server.

Adjusted points to 130

Just to verify though, do I have to add a "call" for this new autoexec.ncf in the startup.ncf?  I knew that these changes were correct I was just not sure what was going to direct the boot process to know where this new file was.

no call is required, simply move it.  Netware looks on sys:system first, then in the startup directory.