%OS and %OS_VERSION Reported Incorrectly (160476)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q160476

SYMPTOMS

When you run your Novell NetWare login script from Client Services for NetWare (CSNW) or Gateway Services for NetWare (GSNW), the %OS_VERSION variable is set to MS-DOS V5.00.

CAUSE

The use of environment variables in NetWare login scripts (like Windows NT Login Scripts) permits the substitution for fixed values such as Username, MS-DOS version, or Date and Time.

One of these identifier variables is %OS_VERSION. Under MS-DOS, this variable translates to the version of MS-DOS being used on the computer that is logging on to the NetWare server.

For example, the line in the login script 
   MAP S2:=SYS:PUBLIC\%OS_VERSION

is converted to a drive mapping of 
   S2:=Y:\ [SYS:PUBLIC\V6.22]

on a computer running MS-DOS 6.22.

When Windows NT Workstation or Server runs the NetWare login script, MS-DOS version 5.00 (V5.00) is substituted for Windows NT version 4.0 (the command line environment in Windows NT is based on MS-DOS v. 5.0).

Therefore, in Windows NT, the previous example would translate from 
   MAP S2:=SYS:PUBLIC\%OS_VERSION

and is converted to a drive mapping of 
   S2:=Y:\ [SYS:PUBLIC\V5.00]

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/3/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbnetwork KB160476
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