How to install NetBEUI in Windows Server 2003

Microsoft has discontinued support for the NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI) network protocol in Microsoft Windows Server 2003. However, migration to another network protocol, such as TCP/IP, may involve significant time in planning and testing. Therefore, users who plan to migrate their system environments to Windows Server 2003 should notice that they can find the NetBEUI protocol in the \Valueadd\Msft\Net\Netbeui folder on the 32-bit version of the Microsoft Windows XP CD-ROM.
This article describes how to manually install the unsupported NetBEUI protocol on a Windows Server 2003-based computer. You have to manually copy the NetBEUI files from the Windows XP CD before NetBEUI will be displayed in the list of network protocols that you can install.

Install NetBEUI on Windows Server 2003

The files necessary to install the NetBEUI protocol on a Windows Server 2003-based computer are Netnbf.inf and Nbf.sys. To install NetBEUI, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD or DVD drive.
2. Open the \Valueadd\Msft\Net\Netbeui folder.
3. Copy the Nbf.sys file to the %Systemroot%\System32\Drivers folder.
   
   Note %Systemroot% is a Windows environment variable that identifies the directory in which Windows Server 2003 is installed, for example, C:\Windows. To view the value associated with %Systemroot% and other environment variables at a command prompt, type set, and then press ENTER.
4. Copy the Netnbf.inf file to the %Systemroot%\Inf folder.
   
   Note This is a hidden folder.
5. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.
6. Right-click the adapter to which you want to add NetBEUI, and then click Properties.
7. Click the General tab, and then click Install.
8. Click Protocol, and then click Add.
9. In the list, select NetBEUI Protocol, and then click OK.
10. When you have finished installing the NetBEUI Protocol, restart the Windows Server 2003 computer computer.
    
    Note You must follow this step for the changes to take effect.

For more information about NetBEUI in Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: