[cvsnt] cvsnt not working outside program directory

[Saverio M.]

i've installed cvsnt on my laptop (and read manual and faq), under
windows hp home.
when i try to launch whatever command, for example:
SET CVSROOT=d:\dev\cvs
(HOMEPATH, HOMEDRIVE, PATH already set)
cvs co gameprog1

I receive this warning [translated from italian]:
d: unknown host
rsh.exe: impossible to establish connection
cvs[init aborted]: end of file from server (consult above messages if any)

the same command works instead if i execute the command from the CVSNT
directory.

it seems strange to me because the error is not related to the path
problem, but to the connection. also, 'd' char in 'd: unknown host' is
the first character of CVSROOT value (if i set 'c:\mydir'), the error
states 'c: unknown host').

thank you
saverio