Menu:
OS/2 had quite good client support from Novell (plus the ability to host a virtualised instance of the NetWare server). All versions of OS/2 above from 1.2 and up have a freely available client available while the clients for OS/2 versions 1.0 and 1.1 were possibly only bundled with very old versios of NetWare. The final client release was 2.12 in 1996 with support ending after the year 2000.
For figuring out which version of the OS/2 Client ("Netware Requester for OS/2") to install on your OS/2 computer refer to the Supported client versions table. For example, if you're running OS/2 Warp 3 or 4 you can run either v2.11 to v2.12. Where possible run v2.12 - it fixes many bugs and has much improved support for DOS and Win-OS2 applications.
Refer to the table below to figure out which version of the Netware Requester for OS/2 to use for a given version of OS/2. It can be a little confusing to read due to OS/2 and the NetWare client using similar version numbers.
| OS/2 Version | Netware Requester (client) for OS/2 version | Notes | |
| Minimum | Maximum | ||
| 1.0 Standard & Extended | April '88 Developers Release | 1.0 | This manual indicates OS/2 1.0 needs Requester v1.0. The April 88 developers release is the earliest client discovered so far that supports OS/2 1.0. |
| 1.1 Standard & Extended | 1.1 | 1.1 | This manual indicates OS/2 1.1 needs Requester v1.1. |
| 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | This post says the v1.1 requester is incompatible with OS/2 1.2. The v1.3 client supports OS/2 v1.2+ according to its manual. |
| 1.21 | 1.21 | 1.3 | This post says the version check changes in the v1.21 client is needed for OS/2 1.21. The v1.3 client supports OS/2 v1.2+ according to its manual. |
| 1.3 | 1.21 | 1.3 | The v1.2 client only mentions compatibility with OS/2 1.2. TID20747 (discussing the v2.11 client) says OS/2 1.3 needs to use the v1.3 client. |
| 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.01* | TID15833 (and the more recently updated TID 10051720) list the 2.01 client as working but not officially supported (possibly due to its age by 1998). |
| 2.1 | 2.01 | 2.11† | v2.01 supports OS/2 2.1. |
| 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.11† | |
| Warp 3 | 2.11 | 2.12† | Based on various usenet posts it looks like the 2.10 client will work too but likely has bugs. The 2.11 client was the first to officially support "WARP". |
| Warp 4 | 2.11 | 2.12 | 2.11 was bundled with OS/2 Warp 4. |
* The 2.11 client may work on OS/2 2.0 - I have found no clear answer on this so its probably worth giving a go. An early version of the 2.11 FAQ from 1995 lists OS/2 2.10 as the minimum version while the latest version of the FAQ says 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 are supported. This post which appears to be quoting a readme file says says all 2.x releases made prior to 15 April 1994 are supported.
† I can find no documentation stating what versions of OS/2 the v2.12 client supports. Given novell didn't feel the need to document this perhaps it supports the same versions of OS/2 as the 2.11 client? Probably worth giving the 2.12 client a try first and if it doesn't work switching to 2.11 (or perhaps 2.01 for OS/2 2.0)
| Version | Date | Notes | Link |
| 2.12 | 16 October 1996 |
This version ships with Netware 4.11 and IntranetWare. It is the final client release for OS/2 with technical support ending after the year 2000. This client is Y2K compatible. Unless you're planning on installing from diskettes you want the network install version - just copy/download CLOS2N1.EXE onto your OS/2 machine, extract it and then run the installer.
Diskette install README Network install README TID 2918835 - OS/2 2.12 OS2UTIL files too big for 1.44 disk os2u1.exe, Readme - OS/2 Utilities for NetWare v3.12, 4.02 and 4.10 as 20 September 1995 Updates: These patches are cumulative so only the most recent is needed. OS2PT1.EXE, Readme - 14 August 1998 - latest patches OS2PT2.EXE, Readme - 18 December 1998 - latest patches for the NetWare Client v2.12 for OS/2 (NetWare Requester for OS/2). |
CLOS2N1.EXE (net install) CLOS2D1.EXE (diskette install) |
| 2.11 | 16 December 1994 |
This version shipped with NetWare 4.1 and OS/2 Warp 4. It also supports OS/2 2.1, 2.11 and Warp 3.0. The FAQ (linked below) and this post suggest OS/2 2.0 should work too. The client is available as a single self-extracting exe (clin0s2.exe) containing a further seven self-extracting exes: WSOS21.EXE - First install disk WSOS22.EXE - Client program files WSOS23.EXE - Windows libraries and RPL files WSDRV1.EXE - ODI LAN drivers OS2UT1.EXE - Workstation Utilities OS2DC1.EXE - Electronic Documentation in native OS/2 format OS2VMB.EXE - VLM boot disk iamge (Creates a Private Dos session that runs VLMs. This allows an OS/2 workstation to run NWADMIN, NETADMIN and other DS Utilties)These files files are also available from here if you'd rather download them separately. In there you'll also find OS2UTA.EXE and OS2UTB.EXE, OS/2 Utilities for use with NetWare v3.11. TID 1200634 - NetWare Client 2.11 for OS/2 FAQ - Last Modified: 26 April 1999 Updates: These all seem to "Contain the latest field test patches for v2.11 requester" as of some date. The readmes note the patches have not been through novells system test so perhaps only apply them if the readmes describe a problem you're having. R211FT.ZIP, Readme - January 1995 Field Test (repacked by someone as a zip) R211FT.EXE - March 1995 Field Test R211FT.EXE, Readme - May 1995 Field Test R211FT.EXE - August 1995 Field Test OS2C1.EXE, Readme - 21 September 1995 OS2C2.EXE OS2C3.EXE, Readme - 6 February 1996 OS2C4.EXE, Readme - 22 February 1996 OS2C5.EXE, Readme - 10 July 1996 |
clin0s2.exe containing: WSOS21.EXE WSOS22.EXE WSOS23.EXE WSDRV1.EXE OS2UT1.EXE OS2DC1.EXE OS2VMB.EXE LAN Drivers |
| 2.10 | 14 April 1994 |
This is the version shipped with NetWare 4.02. It supports OS/2 version 2.10. Note the readme file is plain text despite a .doc extension. Files are: nc21os21.zip - Disk 1 - Installation disk - WSOS21 nc21os22.zip - Disk 2 - Requester/RIPL - WSOS22 nc21drv1.zip - Disk 3 - LAN Drivers - WSDRV1 nc21ut1.zip - Disk 4 - Utilities - OS2UT1 nc21dc1.zip - Disk 5 - Documentation - OS2DC1 |
Readme, nc21os21.zip, nc21os22.zip, nc21drv1.zip, nc21ut1.zip, nc21dc1.zip |
| 2.01 |
This is the version shipped with Netware 3.12, 4.0 and 4.01. This post indicates it was available from NetWire and also discusses some problems with running DOS and Win16 apps from network shares. Applying R201FX.EXE should correct some of these. This is the final client to officially support OS/2 version 2.0 and the only freely available version of the client to do so. After some brief testing this client (or OS/2 2.0 itself) appears to be incompatible with the version of login.exe shipped with NetWare 4.11 (it crashes before displaying a login prompt). The version installed by the client (C:\netware\login.exe by default) seems to work fine against NetWare 4.11 though. Updates: R201FX.EXE, Readme - 6 November 1993 - Fixes issues with WinOS2 sessions R201ST.EXE |
Readme, WSOS21, WSOS22, WSOS2D |
|
| 2.0 | March 1992 |
This version appears to have only been available for sale - it wasn't made available on ftp.novell.com or CompuServe. This post gives an overview - US$200/NZ$500 for a site license. The Client 2.11 FAQ states it was also shipped with NetWare 3.1x (my copy of NetWare 3.11 does include this version). Press Release (text file despite the .REL extension) Updates: NSD201.EXE, Readme - October 1992 - ? NSD202.EXE, Readme - 23 April 1993 - Misc fixes. Note the readme file is a plain text file despite the .doc extension. |
|
| 1.3 | April 1991 |
This version was only initially available for download from NetWire for around a month until 7 May 1991, after that it was only available to buy on physical media. It also apparently shipped in "older" boxes of NetWare 3.11. As later versions of the client didn't support OS/2 v1.3 it was made available again at some point on Compuserve under the filename REQ13.EXE. It comes as four .V13 files which are really just zip archives. The manual says this client needs a 286 or better, OS/2 v1.2+ and a supported network board (3Com EtherLink MC 3C523, EtherLink 3C501/3C503/3C505, IBM TOken Ring PC Adapter, PC Network Adapter II and II/A, Novell Ethernet NE/2, NE/2-32, NE1000, NE2000, NE2100, RX-Net, RX-Net/2). It is perhaps significant that TID 10051720 lists the NSD004.EXE patch under IBM OS/2 v1.3 - it doesn't list it as a patch for Microsoft OS/2 v1.3. This could be because it doesn't work on Microsofts OS/2 or perhaps it was simply never tested on Microsoft OS/2 (the TID lists IBM OS/2 1.3 as supported while the Microsoft OS/2 only gets "limited support"). Updates: NSD001.ZIP, Readme - 19 April 1991 - Misc fixes (see the readme) NSD002.ZIP, Readme - 16 July 1991 - Misc fixes. Includes fixes from NSD001. NSD003.ZIP, Readme - 9 December 1991 - Misc bug fixes. Includes fixes from NSD002 and NSD001. Readme is a plain text file despite the .DOC extension. NSD004.EXE, Readme - 22 March 1994 - Fixes problems with Named Pipes. Should include fixes from previous three NSD patches NWSPOL.EXE, Readme - 1 July 1993 - Updated version of NWSPOOL.EXE which allows remapping of network printers to queues in Print Manager without rebooting. |
Readme, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 |
| 1.21 | August 1990 |
This version includes a number fixes the most important being a change to allow it to load on any version of OS/2 1.x greater than v1.1. This post mentions using it with OS/2 v1.3. And this post says its required for OS/2 v1.21 as well. I am currently unsure if the linked file, OS2121.ZIP, is simply an update to the v1.2 client or if it can be installed directly on its own. It possibly just replaces disk 1 (12REQ1.ZIP, REQUESTER) from v1.2. |
Readme, OS2121.ZIP |
| 1.2 | May 1990 |
More information on os2museum.com. The manual is in part6 (12REQ6.ZIP/manual.txt) and contains the system requirements. This release appears to only support OS/2 v1.2. The files belong to the following diskettes: 12REQ1.ZIP: REQUESTER 12REQ2.ZIP: OS2UTIL-1 12REQ3.ZIP: OS2UTIL-1 12REQ4.ZIP: OS2UTIL-2 12REQ5.ZIP: OS2UTIL-2 12REQ6.ZIP: OS2UTIL-3 Updates: 12REQA.ZIP - 13 December 1991 - This file contains updates to 12req1.zip dated 1 June 1990. Updated files are NWREQ.SYS and NWIFS.IFS. |
Readme, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 |
| 1.1 | January 1989 |
This version only supports OS/2 v1.1 - This post
states OS/2 v1.2 needs the Requester version 1.2 while the manual linked below says OS/2 v1.0 needs Requester version 1.0. I can find no references to this
version being available for public download or if there were any restrictions on redistribution - it was likely only available on physical media. Probably
it was available separately for existing customers and maybe bundled with some versions of NetWare 2.x. Listed release date is from the linked manual while OS/2 Museum puts the release date as September 1989. A manual (the manual?) for 1.0 and 1.1 - originally called TEXT.DEV for some reason and from this archive. Source is here. More information on OS/2 Museum |
Available from Archive.org |
| 1.0 | September 1988 |
The manual (linked below) indicates this version supports OS/2 v1.0 only. I can find no references to this version being available for public download - it was likely only available on physical media. Probably it was available separately for existing customers and maybe bundled with some versions of NetWare 2.x. A manual (the manual?) for 1.0 and 1.1 - originally called TEXT.DEV for some reason and from this archive. Source is here. |
|
| Developers Release | 6 April 1988 |
This is the "OS/2 Requester Developer's Release" which supports OS/2 1.0. It is apparently not complete however. Michal Necasek gives a thorough overview of this client which is well worth reading. The client can be found in http://cd.textfiles.com/ems/emspro17/disk2/NWUTIL/REL102.ZIP. Note that this file has been modified by the author of the shareware CD (contains an ADVERT.EMS file) |
REL102.ZIP |
The v2.12 client is Y2K compatible. For prior versions there is an updated copy of NWLOCALE.DLL is available in clty2kp1.exe (readme). The readme doesn't say which versions of the client it applies to though so it might be a case of try it and see.
According to TID 10051720 if you're logged into the server and the OS/2 Utilities are installed on the server you can just run NVER and it will give you the version of the OS/2 Requester. Otherwise, check the date on NWREQ.SYS in the NETWARE directory and refer to the table below:
| File | Date | Version | Notes |
| NWREQ.SYS | 13 February 1991 | Original v1.3 release | Shipped with NetWare 3.11 |
| NWREQ.SYS | 9 April 1992 | NSD004.EXE | Original v1.3 release with the NSD004.EXE patch applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | 19 May 1992 | Original v2.0 release | Shipped with NetWare 3.1x |
| NWREQ.SYS | 11 September 1992 | NSD201.EXE | Original v2.0 release with the NSD201.EXE patch applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | 5 November 1992 | NSD202.EXE | Original v2.0 release with the NSD202.EXE patch applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | 3 February 1993 | Original 2.01 release | Shipped with netWare 3.12, 4.0, 4.01 |
| NWREQ.SYS | 17 November 1993 | R201ST.EXE | Original 2.01 with the R201ST.EXE patch applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | 5 April 1994 | Original v2.10 release | Shipped with NetWare 4.02 |
| NWREQ.SYS | 28 October 1994 | Original v2.11 release | Shipped with NetWare 4.10 |
| NWREQ.SYS | 6 March 1995 | R211FT.exe | Original v2.11 release with one of two versions of the R211FT.exe patch applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | 14 August 1995 | R211FT.exe or OS2C1.EXE | Original v2.11 release with OS2C1.EXE or one of two versions of the R211FT.exe patch applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | later than 14 August 1995 | OS2C2.EXE or OS2C3.EXE | v2.11 patched with OS2C2.EXE or OS2C3.EXE |
| NWREQ.SYS | 26 September 1995 | OS2C4.EXE | v2.11 patched with OS2C4.EX |
| NWREQ.SYS | 10 July 1996 | OS2C5.EXE | v2.11 patched with OS2C5.EXE |
| NWREQ.SYS | 26 July 1996 | Original 2.12 release | Shipped with NetWare 4.11 |
| NWREQ.SYS | 13 February 1997 | OS2PT1.EXE | Original 2.12 release with OS2PT1.EXE applied |
| NWREQ.SYS | 18 December 1997 | OS2PT2.EXE | Original 2.12 release with OS2PT2.EXE applied |
Data in this table comes from TIDs 10051720, 10051720, inspecting the v2.11 OS2Cx.EXE update files and inspecting the v2.12 release and patch files.
After much searching I've been unable to find the following:
I'm not a netware expert, don't have any of those fancy novell certifications and have never administred a netware network; I've just played with it at home occasionally since 2004 or so. Email me if you've got any suggestions or corrections for this page or any extra information you think is worth including here. My address is david at this websites domain name (without the www bit of course).