Thanks, that explains the origins and uses of the Master Browser pretty
good. I did not read in there how to fix the problem, though. So far,
we are up to hour 13 from the last reboot... so far so good..
Here's hoping that the Protected Files Verification did its magic.
"David Candy" <.> wrote in message
The user interface to the microsoft browser is My Network Places. It
simply a list of what is on the network. All computers on the network hold
elections (often every few minutes) and who wins becomes the master
browser for a while. It can take 12 minutes for a network object that goes
offline to be noticed (it gets 3 chances 4 minutes apart to say "I'm
really still here").
It has nothing to do with the internet.
The Browser
The Browser service (not to be confused with a Web browser) was originally
designed to be a simple workgroup enumeration tool, but has been enhanced
significantly over time. The Browser service supports browsing computers
on the network and being browsed by other computers.
It is the service that gathers and organizes the list of computers and
domains that is displayed in Network Neighborhood. (You can also see the
browse list by typing net viewin the command window.) The Browser
maintains an up-to-date list of computers and provides this information to
programs that require it.
Note
Under Windows NT version 3.5x, use the File Manager Connect Network Drive
dialog box to view the computer browser list.
Master Browser Elections
The Primary Domain Controller (PDC) for a domain always functions as the
Domain Master Browser and is responsible for replicating the browse lists
to all Master Browsers within the domain. A Master Browser is elected on
each subnet within the domain.
Each domain has one Master Browser per subnet that contains computers
listening for server announcements. The Master Browser maintains lists of
available resources that can be requested by client computers.
As the number of hosts on a subnet grows, the Master Browser will start to
replicate the browse list to Backup Browsers. If the Master Browser is
shut down, an election takes place to determine the new Master Browser.
Existing Backup Browsers have an advantage in the election. For this
process, workgroups and domains function alike, except that all Windows NT
Servers are either a Master Browser or Backup Browser, and Windows NT
Workstation and Windows for Workgroups computers are not allowed to become
Backup or Master browsers unless specifically configured.
Master Browser elections take place over the special <domain>[1E] NetBIOS
name using subnet broadcasts (without using WINS). The election is fully
automatic and takes into consideration a number of heuristics: operating
system, version number, uptime, role (Workstation, Backup Domain
Controller, Primary Domain Controller), etc. In general, the most robust
computer on the network wins. Elections are forced when:
a.. A client cannot find its Master Browser at startup.
b.. A client detects that a Master Browser has disappeared.
c.. A Windows NT Server starts on the network.
Maintaining Browse Lists
File servers periodically (once every 12 minutes) announce their presence
to the special <domain>[1D] NetBIOS name in an IP subnet broadcast. The
Master Browser builds a list from these broadcasts. In addition, all
Master Browsers register a group name \0x01\0x02__MSBROWSE__\0x02\0x01on
the local subnet (not with WINS). Periodically the Master Browsers in the
domains and workgroups announce their presence to this special name. Thus,
in addition to the workgroup or domain membership lists, Master Browsers
also maintain lists of other domains with their associated Master
Browsers.
Requesting Browse Lists
When a browse request is made from a client, a "GetBackupListRequest" is
sent to the <domain>[1D] name (the Master Browser) that returns a list of
Browser servers for the local subnet. The "GetBackupListRequest" is also
unicast to the Domain Master Browser, which handles the case in which the
queried domain has no members on the subnet. The client Browser service
selects three of the browsers from the list and stores them for future
use. Then when further browsing is done, by calling the NetServerEnum API,
one of the three saved names is contacted by the client.
When a client queries its workgroup or domain browser, it first gets back
a list of all of the domains and workgroups that the browser has learned
about through the \0x01\0x02__MSBROWSE__\0x02\0x01 name as well as the
name of the Master Browser for each. When the user expands a domain or
workgroup into a membership list, the client sends a request to
<domain>[1D] to get to the list (this is translated to a local subnet
broadcast by WINS). If this fails, it contacts the Master Browser for the
particular domain or workgroup and fetches the membership list.
The Domain Master Browser
As mentioned earlier, the PDC always acts as the Domain Master Browser.
Because each locally-elected Master Browser will only hear local
membership announcements, there needs to be a mechanism to consolidate all
of the members into a single list. This is the role of the Domain Master
Browser.
Periodically, all of the locally-elected Master Browsers contact the PDC
and replicate their membership lists to it. The PDC merges the list with
the "master" list for the whole domain and replicates the master list back
down.
The replication algorithm is "smart" in that the local Master Browsers
only replicate the members that they have learned about locally to the
domain master. This whole mechanism allows members in a domain to span
subnets and, for all clients (eventually), to be able to get complete
membership lists.
On WINS-enabled networks, the browser code in Windows NT versions 4.0 and
3.5x periodically connects to WINS and learns all of the computers that
have registered any <domain>[1B] names. The Browser then does a
GetDCName() on each of the <domain>[1B] names (followed by an attempt on
<domain>[1C]), and adds the <domain name> <master browser name> to its
domain/workgroup list. This allows members of one domain to locate the
Master Browser for another domain even when it is on another subnet and
the two domains have no "broadcast area" in common.
Browsing for Other Windows-based Computers
Browser code for Windows for Workgroups computers has been enhanced
several times to reduce the dependency on having a BDC per subnet. The
updated files are available from ftp.microsoft.com. Windows 95 computers
also contain enhanced browsing code.
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peter said:
Its not a Browser like Internet Explorer as I understand it.Its the
actual
computer itself
I get the same message about every 2 days and the way I understand
it...one
computer cant find the other for some reason so it sets itself as the
"master"
I have narrowed down my start date for this problem to about the time I
installed SP2
But other than that it does not in any way seem to interfere with me
using the
net or Email.My system does not lock up.
There are times when in the middles of downloading a newsgroup message
things
seem to go real slow but a few minutes later its all back up to speed.
I would like to solve this problem too .......so if there is a solution
out
there lets hear it!!!
peter
I am having the exact same problem. I am using XP Home. I have two
computers
networked as a Workgroup via a Linksys 4 port router to a DSL modem. I
am
using Norton Systemworks and Microsoft Firewall. I have been using this
setup
for atleast a year and this problem has just started occuring. The only
changes to the system that have been made is the regular Windows Update
changes. Unfortunately, I have no idea when it started exactly to see if
it
was a particular Update.
I get the same error in the Event Viewer, however.. my first indication
that
there is a problem.. somewhere between 8 and 12 hours, every day... I
get a
TCP/IP error while trying to connect to my email server using Outlook
Express
(error 0x800CCC15). At that time, Netscape 7.x and IE 6.x stop working.
My
IM clients (YM and AOL) continue working for a few minutes before I get
a
memory overflow error which completely locks down the system.
I have tried setting the local services, such as "Computer Browsing" to
restart the service as a recovery option, but it had no effect. I am
totally
at a loss. As far as I know, my computer never needed a Master Browser
before....now all of a sudden it does...and it can not find it??? I
checked
the Event Viewer...and it lists the OTHER computer on the network as the
Master Browser instead of this one.
In response to the Knowledge Base, I just ran "sfc /runnow" and verified
the
protected files. Several libraries were rewritten. I have no idea if
this
has fixed anything.. I will have to wait to see if the TCP/IP stack
fails
again.
Any clues would help greatly.
I have 4 computers networked (as a Workgroup, not a Domain) via a
Linksys 8
port router to a DSL modem. I am getting recurring Warnings and Errors
in
Event Viewer (Application) under the heading of ESENT.
It reads:
SOURCE: Browser
Category: None
Event ID: 8021
The browser was unable to retrieve a list of servers from the browser
master
\\TESSA-1 on the network
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{5861C454-1B3E-499E-B052-52D0FB343013}. The data is
the
error code.
Why is one computer designated the "master" on a network where all
computers
are connected through the router as a Workgroup? I am also getting
multiple
emails (the same email being recieved mutiple times, sometimes over
100).
The OS is WinXP Pro w/SP2. AVG 7 antivirus. I have run AdAware SE and
Registry Mechanic with nothing other than stored cookies found.
HijackThis
doesn't reveal anything unusual.
Suggestions?
Thanks,
Fitz
