I have a small network - 4 computers (all - WinXP) and a 4 ports ADSL modem
router (SKYMASTER).
Sometimes computers lose part of their connections and I cannot open a
folder of one computer from another.
To fix this problem I run Add Network Place Wizard and fill in a path to
another computer in Internet or network address window, for example,
\\Lev-comp\D. But after delay (1 - 2 min) I recive next answer: The folder
you entered does not appear to be valid. Please choose another.
And \\Lev-comp\D folder marks as shared.
I check my records and see, that by this way I fix the connections before.
Why does it happen? How can I get rid of this situations?
Thanks in advance
Lev
Lev,
Your problem is symptomatic of either a browser, connectivity, or name
resolution issue. When you observe this problem, what do you do to recover?
Reboot, retry, wait patiently? The intermittent and partial nature of the
problem "Sometimes computers lose part of their connections" suggests a browser
problem (I'm not mentioning Internet Explorer here - the browser is the
subsystem that allows each computer to see the shares offered by another).
Short of providing more timely details about the problem, let's try and diagnose
it. Provide ipconfig information for each computer, as a start.
1) Start - Run - "cmd".
2) Type "ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt" into the command window.
3) Open Notepad, make sure that Format - Word Wrap is NOT checked!.
4) Open file c:\ipconfig.txt from Notepad.
5) Copy and paste entire contents of the file into your next post.
6) Identify operating system (by name, version, and Service Pack level) with
each ipconfig listing.
The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers (I'm not talking about
Internet Explorer here) you have in your domain / workgroup, at any time.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
You can download Browstat from either:
<
http://www.dynawell.com/reskit/microsoft/win2000/browstat.zip>
<
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/staff/manual/rcc/tools/browstat.zip>
Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no install. Just unzip the downloaded
file, copy browstat.exe to any folder in the Path, and run it from a command
window, by "browstat status". Make sure all computers list the same master
browser.
For more information about the browser subsystem (very intricate), see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188001
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=231312
<
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>
<
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/win95/w95brows.mspx>
--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.