MS Network Wizard runs - but shows no results afterwards

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Have an "older" XP SP2 Pro PC - let's call it B computer It's been working
great for a couple of years in the same configuration I currently have. My
network has no wireless components. The other day as the system was running,
I rebooted as I was doing some clean up, and the DHCP service collapsed for
the first time I've ever seen that. It was deaf and dumb to the outside world
- I could only get to the router. It sits on a Netgear router which links to
my other XP SP2 Pro machine - let's call it A comp. The router is wired
connected to a cable modem. After some digging I retarted and reset to
automatic the DHCP service on B and now it does have connectivity to the
outside world via the router. "A" has connectivity too and never lost it
during this crisis. But now neither will talk to each other across the router
because the "Network is not present or not started".

Now on B, I tried to reinvoke the Network Setup Wizard because I noticed
there were no elements under My Network Places>Entire Network>Microsoft
Windows Network as there used to be. The wizard launches, I fill in all the
answers to Computer Name, Workgroup name etc. and it runs through without any
error I can see. But, when I browse back to check my work and see what's
beneath My Network Places, the Microsoft Windows Network is still empty. I've
run this three other times, rebooting after each wizard - still no Microsoft
Windows Network (MWN). When I click on the MWN on B, Windows reports an error
"The network is not present or not started". On "A", none of the usual "B"
shares are there - naturally I think, because "B" has no network present or
started.

I think I may have yet an additional network service that may have failed to
start but I've gone through services.msc and can't see anything that I
recognize. Anyone here got some hint why the wizard goes OK but winds up with
no network present or started???

Thanks.
 
Have an "older" XP SP2 Pro PC - let's call it B computer It's been working
great for a couple of years in the same configuration I currently have. My
network has no wireless components. The other day as the system was running,
I rebooted as I was doing some clean up, and the DHCP service collapsed for
the first time I've ever seen that. It was deaf and dumb to the outside world
- I could only get to the router. It sits on a Netgear router which links to
my other XP SP2 Pro machine - let's call it A comp. The router is wired
connected to a cable modem. After some digging I retarted and reset to
automatic the DHCP service on B and now it does have connectivity to the
outside world via the router. "A" has connectivity too and never lost it
during this crisis. But now neither will talk to each other across the router
because the "Network is not present or not started".

Now on B, I tried to reinvoke the Network Setup Wizard because I noticed
there were no elements under My Network Places>Entire Network>Microsoft
Windows Network as there used to be. The wizard launches, I fill in all the
answers to Computer Name, Workgroup name etc. and it runs through without any
error I can see. But, when I browse back to check my work and see what's
beneath My Network Places, the Microsoft Windows Network is still empty. I've
run this three other times, rebooting after each wizard - still no Microsoft
Windows Network (MWN). When I click on the MWN on B, Windows reports an error
"The network is not present or not started". On "A", none of the usual "B"
shares are there - naturally I think, because "B" has no network present or
started.

I think I may have yet an additional network service that may have failed to
start but I've gone through services.msc and can't see anything that I
recognize. Anyone here got some hint why the wizard goes OK but winds up with
no network present or started???

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hoib,

The Network Setup Wizard is great, and can give results, when the problem is
with the software on any one computer. If it involves hardware on that
computer, or anything on any other computer, it's not so great.

The browser, which is what provides the content in Network Neighborhood,
involves multiple computers.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

Check the components and services on the computer.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components

The browser is susceptible to various problems. Check for misconfigured /
overlooked firewalls, and for registry setting restrictanonymous.
Misconfigured / overlooked firewalls:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html
Registry setting restrictanonymous:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/07/restrictanonymous-and-your-server.html

If no help yet, provide "browstat status" and "ipconfig /all" from each
computer, and we'll diagnose the problem. 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

Please let us know if any of these suggestions are of any help. What you learn
may help others in the future, and that's the purpose of these forums.
 
Hello Chuck:

We have success to report! Read through the website (it's now a Favorite!)
I went through verified everything on the hardware layer. Turning to
configuration/software, on the B machine, I noted that three additional
services had indeed shut down - TCP/NetBIOS Helper, Server and Workstation.
As soon as I relaunched those services on B, and rebooted, I was able to then
populate MS Windows Network with the Workgroup elements and upon reboots
began to see results albeit slowly. (Those services checked out OK on A
without modification) I noted that in the Networking Properties sheet, Use
NetBIOS setting from DHCP (the default) was checked on Computer A so I set it
to Enable NetBIOS via TCP/IP. Note it was working before all this happened
with the detault setting. I went to Computer B and meticulously set
everything exactly the same as close as I could come. I use ZoneAlarm on
both machines so Windows Firewall is disabled. I also went to ZA on each and
opened up an IP range in the trusted zone on each. So, happily, I'm there.

Question 1: I don't understand why the default on that Advanced WINS
Properties sheet was apparently working before when it shouldn't have been?

Question 2: Is there a simple way to save all this configuration data for
recall to each machine other than setting a restore point, in case this
happens again?

Now, if I can just add a comment for the good of perhaps anyone else who's
struggling with the same issue or following or reading this. Chuck's advice
about doing things in sequence and patiently following the guidance is
absolute/critical/essential. Do not expect instant gratification. With a
setup like mine, as simple as it looks/sounds, there will not be an immediate
ressurection. Both computers have to announce or broadcast their extistence
to the router and thus to each other which happens on the computer's
schedule, not yours! Wish there was a way to "trigger" a broadcast to speed
up the propagation. So I had to wait a bit, about an hour or two, for the
network components to be aware of each other.

I can't thank you enough, Chuck. This saved me a trip to the padded white
room...
 
Hello Chuck:

We have success to report! Read through the website (it's now a Favorite!)
I went through verified everything on the hardware layer. Turning to
configuration/software, on the B machine, I noted that three additional
services had indeed shut down - TCP/NetBIOS Helper, Server and Workstation.
As soon as I relaunched those services on B, and rebooted, I was able to then
populate MS Windows Network with the Workgroup elements and upon reboots
began to see results albeit slowly. (Those services checked out OK on A
without modification) I noted that in the Networking Properties sheet, Use
NetBIOS setting from DHCP (the default) was checked on Computer A so I set it
to Enable NetBIOS via TCP/IP. Note it was working before all this happened
with the detault setting. I went to Computer B and meticulously set
everything exactly the same as close as I could come. I use ZoneAlarm on
both machines so Windows Firewall is disabled. I also went to ZA on each and
opened up an IP range in the trusted zone on each. So, happily, I'm there.

Question 1: I don't understand why the default on that Advanced WINS
Properties sheet was apparently working before when it shouldn't have been?

Question 2: Is there a simple way to save all this configuration data for
recall to each machine other than setting a restore point, in case this
happens again?

Now, if I can just add a comment for the good of perhaps anyone else who's
struggling with the same issue or following or reading this. Chuck's advice
about doing things in sequence and patiently following the guidance is
absolute/critical/essential. Do not expect instant gratification. With a
setup like mine, as simple as it looks/sounds, there will not be an immediate
ressurection. Both computers have to announce or broadcast their extistence
to the router and thus to each other which happens on the computer's
schedule, not yours! Wish there was a way to "trigger" a broadcast to speed
up the propagation. So I had to wait a bit, about an hour or two, for the
network components to be aware of each other.

I can't thank you enough, Chuck. This saved me a trip to the padded white
room...
Click to expand...

Hoib,

That's great news! Networking is indeed a complex subject, when it goes wrong.

As far as making / restoring settings goes, there's the Network Setup Wizard.
But I think you'll find that it's a bit of a "one size fits all" tool, and
you're better off knowing the settings and how to restore them.

I have no idea why the "Default" NBT setting worked once, then stopped working.
Maybe other software which was installed and made "Default" work differently?
Some (many) things will always be a mystery to me, and the more you know, the
more mysteries you'll see. ;-)

Now to your last comment about the lack of speed of the computers announcing
themselves to each other, that's very likely the browser. There will always be
latency in the browser.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html

Other than checking for, and removing, unnecessary protocols like IPV6, IPX/SPX,
and NetBEUI, I don't know of too many ways to easily speed up the browser.
Maybe the browser article will give you an idea though.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/fix-network-problems-but-clean-up.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/fix-network-problems-but-clean-up.html

Thanks for the feedback.
 
So Aha!

I read that section much more carefully. Something I wasn't even aware of.
This is such a common question too on networking forums! The browser
conflict is then why WMP10 on computer A can play shared MP3s from computer
B. WMP can see and use the shared resources, the browser(s) can't yet until
enough time elapses. I see...

It is too bad there isn't a "Save Network Configs" command. Nothing we can
do about it except maybe take good accurate notes as we step through.

TYVM again.
 
So Aha!

I read that section much more carefully. Something I wasn't even aware of.
This is such a common question too on networking forums! The browser
conflict is then why WMP10 on computer A can play shared MP3s from computer
B. WMP can see and use the shared resources, the browser(s) can't yet until
enough time elapses. I see...

It is too bad there isn't a "Save Network Configs" command. Nothing we can
do about it except maybe take good accurate notes as we step through.

TYVM again.
Click to expand...

Hoib,

The browser question is pretty common, but it comes from dozens of causes - and
combinations of causes - so I try to treat it as unique for everybody. There
are several other common problems, too. Maybe some day a FAQ will be assembled
for this forum.

It's my personal theorem that, outside of computers owned by large corporation,
there are no 2 computers in the world that are identical. Therefore, there
should be no 2 problems approached, or treated, as identical.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/my-computer-uniqueness-theorem.html>

There is, likewise, no definable set of settings to define every network
configuration - unless you consider the Registry as a whole. If the Registry
contains every known network setting, that is - and I'll wager that there is at
least one factor, which affects network functionality, that is stored outside
the registry.
 
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