Win98 box intermittantly getting 'No permission to access resource' error

[Remmy]

We have a small peer to peer network setup with 4 computers. Two computers
are running WinXP Pro, one is running Mac OSX, and the 4th is running Win98
(we have a custom app running on the '98 box that will not run on XP).

The network has been setup and working fine for years. Recently when
browsing the network from the '98 box we can see (ping, etc...) the other
computers listed in Network Neighborhood but sometimes can not access the
resources. The message is

"\\Mac (or other computer name) not accessible

No permission to access resource."


When this happens I can only see the name of the other computer in Network
Neighborhood, but cant get a level lower to actually see the shared
resources (printers & directories).


This can happen trying to access the XP machines or the Mac. If one machine
is not accessible the other still are (eg. I can access XP box A & the Mac,
but not the XP box B, OR I can access both XP box A and B, but not the Mac,
etc...)

Rebooting the '98 box and the non accessible machine several times fixes the
problem, but it will happen again either with the same machine, or different
machines several days later (all computers are shut down at night, so
basically it is hit or miss whether we will be able to connect to a
particular machine when everything is started up cold).

Boot order of the machines doesn't make a difference as the problem can
happen even if just the '98 box and only one other computer are turned on.

When a computer is not accessible to the '98 box it still is to the other
computers.

All firewalls have been disabled.

I have deleted the PWL file on the 98 box and re-entered passwords for the
shares.

Any ideas on how to correct this would be appreciated as it has been working
flawlessly for years. Nothing has changed on the '98 box and no software has
been installed recently.

TIA

 

[daytripper]

We have a small peer to peer network setup with 4 computers. Two computers
are running WinXP Pro, one is running Mac OSX, and the 4th is running Win98
(we have a custom app running on the '98 box that will not run on XP).

The network has been setup and working fine for years. Recently when
browsing the network from the '98 box we can see (ping, etc...) the other
computers listed in Network Neighborhood but sometimes can not access the
resources. The message is

"\\Mac (or other computer name) not accessible

No permission to access resource."


When this happens I can only see the name of the other computer in Network
Neighborhood, but cant get a level lower to actually see the shared
resources (printers & directories).


This can happen trying to access the XP machines or the Mac. If one machine
is not accessible the other still are (eg. I can access XP box A & the Mac,
but not the XP box B, OR I can access both XP box A and B, but not the Mac,
etc...)

Rebooting the '98 box and the non accessible machine several times fixes the
problem, but it will happen again either with the same machine, or different
machines several days later (all computers are shut down at night, so
basically it is hit or miss whether we will be able to connect to a
particular machine when everything is started up cold).

Boot order of the machines doesn't make a difference as the problem can
happen even if just the '98 box and only one other computer are turned on.

When a computer is not accessible to the '98 box it still is to the other
computers.

All firewalls have been disabled.

I have deleted the PWL file on the 98 box and re-entered passwords for the
shares.

Any ideas on how to correct this would be appreciated as it has been working
flawlessly for years. Nothing has changed on the '98 box and no software has
been installed recently.

TIA

This sure sounds like a master browser problem.

If you can expect at least one of the XP boxes to be up at any given time,
tell the Win98 boxes and the Mac to *not* try to be elected master browser
(for 98, see the services applet), then shut them down, reboot the XP boxes to
the desktop, then power-up the Macs and 98s.

 

[Remmy]

I am familiar with the master browser/ MB elections etc. and would normally
turn off the ability of the inferior OS to become a brows master.

Not sure why though this setup has been working fine form many years and has
suddenly become so flaky.

 

[CWatters]

I am familiar with the master browser/ MB elections etc. and would normally
turn off the ability of the inferior OS to become a brows master.

Not sure why though this setup has been working fine form many years and has
suddenly become so flaky.

Here is one I posted some time ago. Might be worth checking as I got various
different error messages (see below)

Colin

If you are sure you have set up your accounts and shares correctly but you
still can't access a machine over your LAN and you get either access
permission errors or "Not enough server storage" (or perhaps other
messages?) then his might be worth checking.

Look in the event log on the "server". This might be an ordinary PC in the
case of a home LAN, either way it's the PC hosting the share you are trying
to contact. See if there is an entry telling you the irpstacksize is too
small.

I believe this problems may be due to Norton Antivirus S/W...

Norton have this advisory (long URL may wrap to new line and need repair)

http://service1.symantec.com/suppor...88256d03005eb145?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam

and Microsoft have this one..

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;106167

HOWEVER the above only mention the error message being "Not enough server
storage...". I found it can also give access permission errors (something
like "Access denied" or "Insufficient acesss", I can't remember exactly).
These are really confusing to someone trying to set up a home LAN.

Here is what I found...

irpstacksize = 11 (dec) causes access permission errors.

irpstacksize = 13/14 the error changed to "Not enough server storage" or
similar.

irpstacksize = 15 and my network shares now work fine.