When the physical device driver processes a WRITE request packet, it can be with Normal or Infinite Timeout processing. With Normal Timeout processing if no data is given to the transmit hardware within a specified amount of time, the request is completed. With Infinite Timeout processing, the request is completed only when all the data from the request has been given to the transmit hardware.

Error Alerts can be generated on the occurrence of Write Timeout, if the OS/2 Logging Facility is enabled. In order for an error alert to be generated by the physical ASYNC device driver, the appropriate mode of operation must be enabled.