🚀 go-pugleaf

 Hi Gerry,
I used to get this problem all the time!
In the end I increased the set parameter!

For your information I've included some of the Novell FYI's

Hope this helps
Dave Yardy


------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE:	Outstanding NCP Directory Search Limit
DOCUMENT ID#:	FYI.A.1615
DATE:	17MAY91
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Problem:  Console message "You have exceeded your outstanding NCP directory
search limits" or directories not showing up using programs that recursively
search directories for files (like Norton File Finder).  This has only been
a problem under NetWare v3.0 and v3.1.
Solution:
a.	Increase the limit at the server console by typing:
SET MAXIMUM OUTSTANDING NCP SEARCHES=1000
This will increase to the maximum the number of outstanding NCP searches
that the server can handle.
b.	Re-write the search algorithm in the program to save off directories
onto a "stack" and finish the find-next calls until failure. The algorithm
should then change into each subdirectory and repeat the process (usually
recursively)...see me for sample source code.
Reason:
Typically, when a program recursively searches directories for a file, it
jumps into a directory as soon as it finds it and begins another
find-first/find-next within that directory, and so on.  The information for
the find-first/find-next operations is partially stored at the file server
(in an "NCP search buffer") and is only cleared when a find-next fails or
when the task that began the find-first ends.  Therefore, when the typical
file-finder gets deep into the directories, many of these "NCP search
buffers" remain in use.  Since the default for this count is only 51, and
since the count includes all stations, and since a find-first/find-next is
used even when DOS needs to load a program, these buffers can really add up.
That is why one station may only go 8 directories deep to re-produce the
problem.  With 8 buffers for directories, one for files, and one for running
the program adding up to 10 buffers, this may not seem like much, but all
the stations must be taken into account.  With this scenario, 6 stations
would need 60 buffers which would overload the default max of 51.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE:	"You Exceeded Your Outstanding NCP Directory..."
DOCUMENT ID#:	FYI.P.12495
DATE:	18MAY93
PRODUCT:	NetWare
PRODUCT VERSION:	3.11
SUPERSEDES:	NA
SYMPTOM
When the user exited Windows, the following error message was returned:
MESSAGE:
ERROR 1.1.90 You exceeded your outstanding ncp directory search limit.
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Windows can initiate a large number of NCPs when it is closed.  A large
number of Windows applications need to be closed quickly; therefore, a
larger number than the default value is needed in the "Maximum Outstanding
NCP Searches:" SET parameter.
On page 290 of the NetWare Version 3.11 System Administration manual, the
documentation implies that "Maximum Outstanding NCP Searches" is
system-wide, which is incorrect.  It reads as follows:
	"This advanced parameter determines the maximum number of NetWare
Core Protocol (NCP) directory search that can be processed at the same time.
	Normally, only one NCP directory search occurs at a time.  Increase
this default only if you are using applications that support multiple
outstanding directory search operations at the same time and you have
problems with corrupted or invalid directory information.
	Supported values:  10 to 1000
	Default:  51"
The following is the description on the server console:
	"Description: maximum number of simultaneous NCP directory searches
that a connection can have"
SOLUTION
The description on the server console is correct.  This parameter is per
connection instead of server wide.  It is a buffer for "find-first
find-next" directory searches.  This parameter is a maximum on the number of
buffers that can be created by the workstation's connection; it only uses
more memory if it is needed.  Therefore, Novell recommends changing from the
default value of 51 to 150.