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Setting up Remote Access Service on a leased line

Question

I try to reconnect to a Windows NT RAS server from a Windows NT Workstation, but it seems that the previous connection has not been terminated. Why ?

Answer

Explanation
When setting up a Windows NT PC to call a Windows NT RAS server, some problems may occur. When disconnecting the operator from the server - the modems will still be connected, i.e. it takes a long time before the RAS server notices that the operator actually has hung up. When wanting to reconnect the server it cannot be done before the server has the previous user disconnected. It is impossible to reconnect when the previous user has not been disconnected. When restarting Windows NT it detects serial devices, and this can interfere with the modem connected to the serial port.

Solution
There is a setting in the registry called AutoDisconnect. This is a timeout option for the connection between the operator and the server. Default is set to 20 minuttes, but it can be reduced to 1 minute instead. Then the RAS server will disconnect the user after this timeout. The setting is located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services \RemoteAccess\Parameters\Autodisconnect. To disable the detection of devices on COM ports in Windows NT:

  1. Make a backup copy of the Boot.ini file.
  2. Remove the hidden, system, and read-only attributes from the Boot.ini file.
  3. Open the Boot.ini file in a text editor (such as Notepad) .
  4. Add the /NoSerialMice option to the end of each entry in the [operating systems] section of Boot.ini. See the example below for more information.
  5. Save Boot.ini and quit Notepad.
  6. Restore the hidden, system, and read-only attributes to the Boot.ini file.
  7. Shutdown and restart Windows NT.
The following is a sample of the Boot.ini file:
[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT35
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT35="Windows NT Workstation
Version 3.51" /NoSerialMice
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT35="Windows NT Workstation
Version 3.51 [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos /NoSerialMice

NoSerialMice Syntax
-------------------
/NoSerialMice - Disables the detection of serial mice on all COM ports.
/NoSerialMice:COMx - Disables the detection of serial mice on COM x, where x is the number of the port.
/NoSerialMice:COMx,y,z - Disables the detection of serial mice on COM x, y and z.

NOTE: The /NoSerialMice option is not case sensitive.