[Perfesser]

I have a couple of older systems set up to network using WFW; everything works fine generally - they'll even network with the main 98 machine - but:
when I try to start up either of the 2 WFW machines without the network cable connected the boot sequence hangs at a black screen. I have to use win /n (no net support) to start up if I just want one system up.
It doesn't seem to be Windows as I can't get a bootlog, don't see the Windows logo, and it's a hard crash; even '3 fingers' doesn't restart the system.
I have IP addresses assigned, correct Workgroup names, NetBEUI installed, etc.
It almost looks like it just needs to see a carrier from one other machine on the network since either machine starts OK once the other box has finished loading DOS.
I haven't found much on the net so far about this - one of the problems with playing with old software.
Any ideas??
Thanks.

[Rockn]

Yea...it is attempting to load the network components which is exactly why it is hanging up. It is initializing the network connection and looking for a compatible network and it will always do it unless you do the /n switch. Why would you try to start them without the cable connected in the first place?

[Perfesser]

This 'network' is a couple of OLD systems I had sitting around. (I can't throw away anything that works).
I don't always run both computers at the same time. The only real reason for setting it up in the first place was to see it work; it sets up the same as 95 or 98 networking. I run a few DOS games and some 3.1 apps that don't work on 98. I also use one of them as a file server for my Dauphin DTR1's.
98 doesn't hang if there's no network connected, so I was curious whether this is a quirk of WFW or if there was some setting I've missed that would work. If there's no workaround I can live with it; just wanted to know for sure.
Thanks for the info.