<PAGE>







     AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 2, 1996
                                                     Registration No. 33-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549
                                  _____________

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  _____________

                               VANSTAR CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              DELAWARE                                   94-2376431
    (State or other jurisdiction              (I.R.S. employer identification
  of incorporation or organization)                       number)

                                  _____________

              5964 WEST LAS POSITAS, PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA  94588
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                  _____________

                               VANSTAR CORPORATION
                      1996 STOCK OPTION/STOCK ISSUANCE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                                  _____________

                            H. CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON
              Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                               Vanstar Corporation
                              5964 West Las Positas
                          Pleasanton, California  94588
                                 (510) 734-4000
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                                  _____________

                                    Copy to:
                             Lawrence G. Graev, Esq.
                        O'Sullivan Graev & Karabell, LLP
                              30 Rockefeller Plaza
                            New York, New York 10112
                                 (212) 408-2400

                        CALCULATION  OF REGISTRATION  FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Title of securities to    Amount to be registered       Proposed maximum          Proposed maximum         Amount of registration
       be registered                                  offering price per share     aggregate offering                fee
                                                                                        price(2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>                       <C>                          <C>                       <C>
 Common Stock; $.001 par        3,300,000 shares                 (1)                   $79,629,000                $27,458.28
 value
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>

(1)  The average offering price per share of Common Stock, $.001 par value (the
     "Common Stock"), of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of 3,300,000
     options which may be granted after filing of this Registration Statement is
     $24.13 and has been determined solely for the purpose of calculating the
     registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act
     of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), based on the average of the
     high and low prices for the Common Stock as quoted on the New York Stock
     Exchange on September 27, 1996.
(2)  The maximum aggregate offering price of 3,300,000 shares of Common Stock to
     be registered pursuant to this Registration Statement is $79,629,000 and
     has been determined solely for the purpose of calculating the registration
     fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act, based on the
     average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock as quoted on the
     New York Stock Exchange on September 27, 1996.
<PAGE>
                                     PART I

                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
                            SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

     The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I will be sent
or given to employees as specified by Rule 428(b)(1).  Such documents are not
being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus
supplements pursuant to Rule 424.  Such documents and the documents incorporated
by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of
this Form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements
of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.        INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          (a)  The following documents, which have been filed by Vanstar
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Registrant"), with the Commission, are
incorporated herein by reference:

               (i)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
fiscal year ended April 30, 1996, filed with the Commission pursuant to the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

               (ii)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 
15(d) of the Exchange Act since April 30, 1996.

               (iii)  The description of the Common Stock contained in the 
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission 
pursuant to the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the 
purpose of updating such description.

          (b)  In addition, all documents filed by the Registrant with the
Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.        DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

               Not applicable.

ITEM 5.        INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

               Not applicable.

ITEM 6.        INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

          Pursuant to Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law
(the "DGCL"), Article VI of the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
(the "Restated Certificate of Incorporation") eliminates the liability of the
Company's directors to the Company or its stockholders, except for liabilities
related to breach of duty of loyalty; actions not in good faith and certain
other liabilities.


                                      II-1
<PAGE>

          Section 145 of DGCL provides for indemnification by the Company of its
directors and officers.  In addition, Article IX, Section 1 of the Company's By-
laws requires the Company to indemnify any current or former director, officer
or employee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.  In addition, the
Company has entered into indemnity agreements with its directors and certain
officers which obligate the Company to indemnify such directors and officers to
the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.  The Company also maintains officers'
and directors' liability insurance, which insures against liabilities that
officers and directors of the Company may incur in such capacities.

ITEM 7.        EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

               Not applicable.

ITEM 8.        EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.                            Description
-----------                            -----------

    3.1      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (1)
    3.2      By-laws of the Registrant (1)

    4.1      1996 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan

     5       Opinion of O'Sullivan Graev & Karabell, LLP special counsel
             to the Corporation (including the consent of such special
             counsel) regarding the legality of securities being offered
    23.1     Consent of O'Sullivan Graev & Karabell, LLP special counsel
             to the Corporation (included in its opinion filed as
             Exhibit 5 hereto)

    23.2     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors


---------------
(1)  Incorporated by reference to exhibits filed with the Registrant's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 33-80297) as declared
     effective by the Commission on March 8, 1996.

ITEM 9.             UNDERTAKINGS

          (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

              (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
          Securities Act of 1933;

             (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
          after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
          recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
          aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
          in the registration statement;

            (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
          of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement
          or any material change to such information in the registration
          statement;


                                      II-2
<PAGE>

     PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
     the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
     Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
     registration statement.

          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

          (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes
of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      II-3
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Pleasanton, State of California, on this 2nd day of
October, 1996.

                                   VANSTAR CORPORATION


                                   By:/s/ William Y. Tauscher
                                      ---------------------------
                                      William Y. Tauscher
                                      Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
                                        Officer and Director


          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed on the 2nd day of October, 1996, by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.


               Signature                                Title
               ---------                                -----


                                        Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
/s/ William Y. Tauscher                 Officer and Director (Principal
--------------------------------        Executive Officer)
          William Y. Tauscher


                                        Vice Chairman of the Board, Chief
/s/ Jeffrey S. Rubin                    Financial Officer and Director
--------------------------------        (Principal Financial and Accounting
          Jeffrey S. Rubin              Officer)


                                        President, Chief Operating Officer and
/s/ Jay S. Amato                        Director (Principal Executive Officer)
--------------------------------
          Jay S. Amato


/s/ John W. Amerman                     Director
--------------------------------
          John W. Amerman


/s/ Richard H. Bard                     Director
--------------------------------
          Richard H. Bard


/s/ Stephen W. Fillo                    Director
--------------------------------
          Stephen W. Fillo


/s/ Stewart K.P. Gross                  Director
--------------------------------
          Stewart K. P. Gross


                                      II-4
<PAGE>

               Signature                                Title
               ---------                                -----


/s/ William H. Janeway                  Director
--------------------------------
          William H. Janeway


                                        Director
--------------------------------
          John R. Oltman


/s/ John L. Vogelstein                  Director
--------------------------------
          John L. Vogelstein


/s/ Josh S. Weston                      Director
--------------------------------
          Josh S. Weston


                                      II-5
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15910}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "VANSTAR CORP", "cik": "0001004939", "assigned-sic": "7373", "irs-number": "942376431", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-13301", "film-number": "96638517"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5964 WEST LAS POSITAS BOULEVARD", "street2": "MAIL STOP J1 1F", "city": "PLEASANTON", "state": "CA", "zip": "94588", "phone": "5107344000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5964 WEST LAS POSITAS BLVD", "street2": "MAIL STOP J1 1F", "city": "PLEASANTON", "state": "CA", "zip": "94588"}}
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 2, 1996
                                                     Registration No. 33-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549
                                  _____________

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  _____________

                               VANSTAR CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              DELAWARE                                   94-2376431
    (State or other jurisdiction              (I.R.S. employer identification
  of incorporation or organization)                       number)

                                  _____________

              5964 WEST LAS POSITAS, PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA  94588
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                  _____________

                               VANSTAR CORPORATION
                      1996 STOCK OPTION/STOCK ISSUANCE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                                  _____________

                            H. CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON
              Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                               Vanstar Corporation
                              5964 West Las Positas
                          Pleasanton, California  94588
                                 (510) 734-4000
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                                  _____________

                                    Copy to:
                             Lawrence G. Graev, Esq.
                        O'Sullivan Graev & Karabell, LLP
                              30 Rockefeller Plaza
                            New York, New York 10112
                                 (212) 408-2400

                        CALCULATION  OF REGISTRATION  FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Title of securities to    Amount to be registered       Proposed maximum          Proposed maximum         Amount of registration
       be registered                                  offering price per share     aggregate offering                fee
                                                                                        price(2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock; $.001 par        3,300,000 shares                 (1)                   $79,629,000                $27,458.28
 value
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  The average offering price per share of Common Stock, $.001 par value (the
     "Common Stock"), of the Corporation issuable upon exercise of 3,300,000
     options which may be granted after filing of this Registration Statement is
     $24.13 and has been determined solely for the purpose of calculating the
     registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act
     of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), based on the average of the
     high and low prices for the Common Stock as quoted on the New York Stock
     Exchange on September 27, 1996.
(2)  The maximum aggregate offering price of 3,300,000 shares of Common Stock to
     be registered pursuant to this Registration Statement is $79,629,000 and
     has been determined solely for the purpose of calculating the registration
     fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act, based on the
     average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock as quoted on the
     New York Stock Exchange on September 27, 1996.
PART I

                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
                            SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

     The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I will be sent
or given to employees as specified by Rule 428(b)(1).  Such documents are not
being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus
supplements pursuant to Rule 424.  Such documents and the documents incorporated
by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of
this Form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements
of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.        INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          (a)  The following documents, which have been filed by Vanstar
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Registrant"), with the Commission, are
incorporated herein by reference:

               (i)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
fiscal year ended April 30, 1996, filed with the Commission pursuant to the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

               (ii)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 
15(d) of the Exchange Act since April 30, 1996.

               (iii)  The description of the Common Stock contained in the 
Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission 
pursuant to the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the 
purpose of updating such description.

          (b)  In addition, all documents filed by the Registrant with the
Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.        DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

               Not applicable.

ITEM 5.        INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

               Not applicable.

ITEM 6.        INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

          Pursuant to Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law
(the "DGCL"), Article VI of the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
(the "Restated Certificate of Incorporation") eliminates the liability of the
Company's directors to the Company or its stockholders, except for liabilities
related to breach of duty of loyalty; actions not in good faith and certain
other liabilities.

                                      II-1
Section 145 of DGCL provides for indemnification by the Company of its
directors and officers.  In addition, Article IX, Section 1 of the Company's By-
laws requires the Company to indemnify any current or former director, officer
or employee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.  In addition, the
Company has entered into indemnity agreements with its directors and certain
officers which obligate the Company to indemnify such directors and officers to
the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.  The Company also maintains officers'
and directors' liability insurance, which insures against liabilities that
officers and directors of the Company may incur in such capacities.

ITEM 7.        EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

               Not applicable.

ITEM 8.        EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.                            Description
-----------                            -----------

    3.1      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (1)
    3.2      By-laws of the Registrant (1)

    4.1      1996 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan

     5       Opinion of O'Sullivan Graev & Karabell, LLP special counsel
             to the Corporation (including the consent of such special
             counsel) regarding the legality of securities being offered
    23.1     Consent of O'Sullivan Graev & Karabell, LLP special counsel
             to the Corporation (included in its opinion filed as
             Exhibit 5 hereto)

    23.2     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors

---------------
(1)  Incorporated by reference to exhibits filed with the Registrant's
     Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 33-80297) as declared
     effective by the Commission on March 8, 1996.

ITEM 9.             UNDERTAKINGS

          (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

              (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
          Securities Act of 1933;

             (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
          after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
          recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
          aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
          in the registration statement;

            (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
          of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement
          or any material change to such information in the registration
          statement;

                                      II-2
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
     the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
     Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
     registration statement.

          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

          (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
     amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes
of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-3
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Pleasanton, State of California, on this 2nd day of
October, 1996.

                                   VANSTAR CORPORATION

                                   By:/s/ William Y. Tauscher
                                      ---------------------------
                                      William Y. Tauscher
                                      Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
                                        Officer and Director

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed on the 2nd day of October, 1996, by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.

               Signature                                Title
               ---------                                -----

                                        Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive
/s/ William Y. Tauscher                 Officer and Director (Principal
--------------------------------        Executive Officer)
          William Y. Tauscher

                                        Vice Chairman of the Board, Chief
/s/ Jeffrey S. Rubin                    Financial Officer and Director
--------------------------------        (Principal Financial and Accounting
          Jeffrey S. Rubin              Officer)

                                        President, Chief Operating Officer and
/s/ Jay S. Amato                        Director (Principal Executive Officer)
--------------------------------
          Jay S. Amato

/s/ John W. Amerman                     Director
--------------------------------
          John W. Amerman

/s/ Richard H. Bard                     Director
--------------------------------
          Richard H. Bard

/s/ Stephen W. Fillo                    Director
--------------------------------
          Stephen W. Fillo

/s/ Stewart K.P. Gross                  Director
--------------------------------
          Stewart K. P. Gross

                                      II-4
Signature                                Title
               ---------                                -----

/s/ William H. Janeway                  Director
--------------------------------
          William H. Janeway

                                        Director
--------------------------------
          John R. Oltman

/s/ John L. Vogelstein                  Director
--------------------------------
          John L. Vogelstein

/s/ Josh S. Weston                      Director
--------------------------------
          Josh S. Weston

                                      II-5