Can't add a computer to a WorkGroup

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Guest

So I have three computers. Two of them are Windows XP Home, 5.1 sp2, and the
other is Xandros v2. I am trying to setup a workgroup called KUNGFU, so that
I can transfer files more easily between the two. The Xandros machine, and
one of the Windows XP machines can see everything just fine.

And then there is this other Windows XP machine. Here are the things that I
have noticed on this wacked Windows XP machine:

1) I change the workgroup to KUNGFU, but when i go through the wizard again,
it thinks it should be MSHOME. Not sure if this is because the Wizard is
resetting it, or if the computer is just special.

2) When I go to MyNetworkPlaces, there is nothing to browse. Meaning on the
working Windows machine, I can look at stuff in the local network, and stuff
on Internet. Inside the local network it shows the workgroup that I am
appart of. I can look in the work group, and see the good Windows machine,
and the Xandros machine. On the bad Windows machine, I see none of this.

3) I cannot open shared directories on other machine by saying
//machine-name/folder. I can however do //ip-address/folder. So I know that
I can communicate to the other machines.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can look into to try to fix this?
 
I always use the 'Change' button, not the wizard, to set the workgroup.

The wizard doesn't actually show the existing workgroup, but what it thinks
you should set. That might be confusing the issue.

The networking problem might be due to a firewall, or perhaps the netbios
cache needs flushing. Try entering 'nbtstat -R' at a command prompt, and then
wait a few minutes. (Note, unusually for Windows this command IS
case-sensitve)

Or, you could do a demo with a few bricks in front of it. The wallpaper
might pale a little, and the computer suddenly become very co-operatve. ;-)
 
So I have three computers. Two of them are Windows XP Home, 5.1 sp2, and the
other is Xandros v2. I am trying to setup a workgroup called KUNGFU, so that
I can transfer files more easily between the two. The Xandros machine, and
one of the Windows XP machines can see everything just fine.

And then there is this other Windows XP machine. Here are the things that I
have noticed on this wacked Windows XP machine:

1) I change the workgroup to KUNGFU, but when i go through the wizard again,
it thinks it should be MSHOME. Not sure if this is because the Wizard is
resetting it, or if the computer is just special.

2) When I go to MyNetworkPlaces, there is nothing to browse. Meaning on the
working Windows machine, I can look at stuff in the local network, and stuff
on Internet. Inside the local network it shows the workgroup that I am
appart of. I can look in the work group, and see the good Windows machine,
and the Xandros machine. On the bad Windows machine, I see none of this.

3) I cannot open shared directories on other machine by saying
//machine-name/folder. I can however do //ip-address/folder. So I know that
I can communicate to the other machines.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can look into to try to fix this?
Click to expand...

Aaron,

When you say that you can get results from "//machine-name/folder" (I hope that
you meant "\\machine-name\folder"), but can get results from
"//ip-address/folder", it sounds like a name resolution problem, to start.
Please start with my troubleshooting guide.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html

If no help, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each computer.
Read this article, and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp
 
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