File Sharing Problems with XP Pro

[Mike M]

I have two systems with XP Pro and want to share files
between systems. I have set up a default network MSHOME
on both. Systems are connected through a Linksys wireless
router which is connected to a DSL modem. Both systems
can see access the Internet with no problems.Both systems
can "see" the MSHOME network but neither one can access
the other system or see an shared resources on the other
system.

One system is using NTFS, the user is using FAT32. I have
checked all the TCP/IP settings and am using Netbios over
TCP/IP on both systems. Each system has only a single
account with no password and it is set up as Admin; Guest
account is Not enabled. ICF is NOT enabled. I am
currently using SImple file sharing (although I have
tried turning this on and off on both systems and it did
not seem to make a differnce).

After trying numerous different settings I still continue
to get messages such as "The network path was not found"
and "\\(computer name) is not accessible". Any insights
would be appreciated. thanks.

 

[Mike M.]

Nope. No firewall software on either system. Windows
firewall is also disabled. I have Norton antivirus on one
system and Norton SystemWorks on the other. But no
firewall sw.

--Mike

-----Original Message-----
Usually this means a firewall on one or both machines is interfering.

--

Ken Wickes [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I have two systems with XP Pro and want to share files
between systems. I have set up a default network MSHOME
on both. Systems are connected through a Linksys wireless
router which is connected to a DSL modem. Both systems
can see access the Internet with no problems.Both systems
can "see" the MSHOME network but neither one can access
the other system or see an shared resources on the other
system.

One system is using NTFS, the user is using FAT32. I have
checked all the TCP/IP settings and am using Netbios over
TCP/IP on both systems. Each system has only a single
account with no password and it is set up as Admin; Guest
account is Not enabled. ICF is NOT enabled. I am
currently using SImple file sharing (although I have
tried turning this on and off on both systems and it did
not seem to make a differnce).

After trying numerous different settings I still continue
to get messages such as "The network path was not found"
and "\\(computer name) is not accessible". Any insights
would be appreciated. thanks.

.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have two systems with XP Pro and want to share files
between systems. I have set up a default network MSHOME
on both. Systems are connected through a Linksys wireless
router which is connected to a DSL modem. Both systems
can see access the Internet with no problems.Both systems
can "see" the MSHOME network but neither one can access
the other system or see an shared resources on the other
system.

One system is using NTFS, the user is using FAT32. I have
checked all the TCP/IP settings and am using Netbios over
TCP/IP on both systems. Each system has only a single
account with no password and it is set up as Admin; Guest
account is Not enabled. ICF is NOT enabled. I am
currently using SImple file sharing (although I have
tried turning this on and off on both systems and it did
not seem to make a differnce).

After trying numerous different settings I still continue
to get messages such as "The network path was not found"
and "\\(computer name) is not accessible". Any insights
would be appreciated. thanks.

I agree with Ken Wickes that it sounds like a firewall problem. I've
also heard of antivirus programs causing trouble Try disabling all of
the Norton products.

Otherwise, here are some things that should help:

1. Make sure that the Computer Browser service is running:

a. Right click My Computer, and click Manage.
b. Double click Services and Applications.
c. Double click Services.
d. Double click Computer Browser. If the Service status is
Stopped, click Start.
e. Set the Startup type to Automatic.

2. Look in Event Viewer for any error messages, particularly ones
about NetBT.

3. In Network Connections, click Advanced | Advanced Settings, click
the LAN connection in the upper window, and make sure that all of the
boxes are checked in the lower window.

4. Double check that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is set to Enabled, not to
Default.

5. Try these ping tests on each computer. All of them should receive
four replies:

ping <first computer IP address>
ping <second computer IP address>
ping <first computer name>
ping <second computer name>
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Mike M.]

Steve,

I appreciate the input. In a nutshell I have already
tried all the items you mentioned: 1) Browser Service is
running and set to Automatic; 2) All boxes are checked in
Network Connections; 3) NetBios over TCP/IP is set to
Enabled; 4) I can ping each machine from the other
machine.

There is no firewall software or windows firewall active
on either machine. This has been driving me nuts. I've
been to the MS KnowledgeBase, checked several reference
books, as well as several other sites and it seems like
I'm doing everything right. Any other thoughts?

--Mike

-----Original Message-----

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Steve,

I appreciate the input. In a nutshell I have already
tried all the items you mentioned: 1) Browser Service is
running and set to Automatic; 2) All boxes are checked in
Network Connections; 3) NetBios over TCP/IP is set to
Enabled; 4) I can ping each machine from the other
machine.

There is no firewall software or windows firewall active
on either machine. This has been driving me nuts. I've
been to the MS KnowledgeBase, checked several reference
books, as well as several other sites and it seems like
I'm doing everything right. Any other thoughts?

--Mike

Can each machine ping the other by IP address and by computer name?

Run "ipconfig /all" and look at the "Node Type" at the beginning of
the output. If it says "Peer-to-Peer" (which should be
"Point-to-Point") that's the problem. It means that the computer only
uses a WINS server, which isn't available on a true peer-to-peer
network for NetBIOS name resolution.

If that's the case, run the registry editor, open this key:

HLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netbt\Parameters

and delete these values if they're present:

NodeType
DhcpNodeType

Reboot, then try network access again.

If that doesn't fix it, open that registry key again, create a DWORD
value called "NodeType", and set it to 1 for "Broadcast" or 4 for
"Mixed".

For details, see these Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

Default Node Type for Microsoft Clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160177

TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314053
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Mike M.]

Bingo! Checked ipconfig and it said "peer-peer". Went
into regedit and looked at HLM\...\Netbt\Parameters and
did not find NodeType, but found DhcpNodeType and deleted
it. Rebooted the system and viola, the two systems were
talking to each other and I could see the shares on each
system with no problems.

So removing DhcpNodeType did the trick. My only question
is why?

I appreciate the help and the advice. This was really a
bizarre incident. Thanks.
--Mike

-----Original Message-----

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Bingo! Checked ipconfig and it said "peer-peer". Went
into regedit and looked at HLM\...\Netbt\Parameters and
did not find NodeType, but found DhcpNodeType and deleted
it. Rebooted the system and viola, the two systems were
talking to each other and I could see the shares on each
system with no problems.

So removing DhcpNodeType did the trick. My only question
is why?

I appreciate the help and the advice. This was really a
bizarre incident. Thanks.

You're welcome! I'm glad that my suggestion helped you solve the
problem.

I see a lot of reports of bad node type settings in Windows XP. I
suspect that they come from the DHCP servers that are built into
broadband routers.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com