EXHIBIT 99.1

                        CONTACT
                        -------
                                   Christine Mohrmann
                                   Director of Investor Relations
                                   (770) 569-3299

                                   Dave Murray
                                   Neale-May & Partners
                                   (415) 328-5555 ext. 114


               VANSTAR ANNOUNCES PLANNED OFFERING
                 OF CONVERTIBLE TRUST INTERESTS


PLEASANTON, Calif. (August 27, 1996) Vanstar Corporation (VST -
NYSE) today announced that it plans to offer approximately
$125,000,000 ($150,000,000 if the over-allotment option is
exercised in full) of convertible preferred trust interests in an
offering within the United States to qualified institutional
buyers and a limited number of other institutional accredited
investors and outside the United States to foreign investors. 
The trust interests will entitle holders to quarterly
distribution payments and will be convertible to shares of
Vanstar common stock.  The transaction is expected to be
structured to permit Vanstar to treat the convertible preferred
trust interests as indebtedness for federal income tax purposes.

     The net proceeds of the offering are anticipated to be used
to repay a portion of Vanstar's existing long term indebtedness
as part of a refinancing plan directed at converting a
substantial portion of its long-term variable rate debt to fixed
rate debt and reducing its overall interest costs.  The
refinancing plan also contemplates repayment of the remainder of
Vanstar's long term indebtedness with the proceeds of an accounts
receivable-based asset securitization transaction to be
implemented promptly following consummation of the offering. 
Management does not anticipate that the effect of these
transactions, taken together, will be dilutive. Vanstar expects
to complete the refinancing plan, including the offering and the
asset securitization transaction, during the course of its
current fiscal quarter.

     The Securities to be offered as part of the refinancing will
not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and may not be
offered or sold in the United States absent registration
thereunder or the availability of an applicable exemption from
the registration requirements thereof.

     This press release contains certain forward looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties.  Although
Vanstar plans to proceed promptly with the offering and the asset



securitization, among the risks and uncertainties are that the
offerings contemplated herein may not be consummated or that the
terms upon which they are consummated may differ materially from
those currently contemplated by Vanstar.  As a result, the actual
results experienced by Vanstar could differ materially from the
statements made herein.  Recipients of this press release are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward looking
statements made herein.