Network path not found errors

[Guest]

Hi,

I have minimal knowledge of networking, so please give me answers without
too much technical gobbledy-gook. I have Win2kPro on my machine and it is
networked to one other PC running WinME. Up until today, the network was
working fine. Yesterday, I installed the Win2k new service pack 4, and WinME
also had a new service pack installed. I also installed McAfee Spamkiller on
both machines yesterday.

The WinME PC has the printer connected to it and is able to print fine.

The Win2k PC shares the printer through a local network, but is now getting
an error that the printer is not installed. When I look into My Network
Places, and ask it to search the entire network for computers, it finds both
mine and the WinME PC. When I double click on the WinME PC, it gives me a
"network path not found" error.

I have tried to print and look at the network with Spamkiller disabled, but
it has not effect. I have the feeling that this is more related to Service
Pack 4 than the spam program.

Any suggestions as to how to fix this? I'm just sick about this because I
work out of my home, and now I can't work!

 

[Steve Duff [MVP]]

First, make sure you don't have any software "firewalls"
or other low-level network monitoring or security software
that may be interfering.

Second, make sure you aren't infested by some type of
malware or virus. A number of these things (such as
netdotnet) hook in to the network protocols and can
interfere with networking. Likewise, an improper
"disinfection" of these things can leave your network
in a half-functional state.

One possible, simple solution to your problem may be
to simply install the IPX/SPX protocol on both computers.
You do this in the network properties on the ME system and
in the connection's properties on Windows 2000. These
protocols don't need configuration and this may work
around whatever issue you are having since TCP/IP
won't be involved.

Otherwise, since you haven't changed your network
configuration I assume, it seems something has corrupted
it. On the ME system you can record all the network
settings, then remove EVERYTHING from the installed
network properties list, reboot the machine, and thenresinstall everything
and configure it as it was before. This will often
fix a corrupt IP protocol.

 

[Babak]

- Try to use NetBeui On Both Computer protocol.

First, make sure you don't have any software "firewalls"
or other low-level network monitoring or security software
that may be interfering.

Second, make sure you aren't infested by some type of
malware or virus. A number of these things (such as
netdotnet) hook in to the network protocols and can
interfere with networking. Likewise, an improper
"disinfection" of these things can leave your network
in a half-functional state.

One possible, simple solution to your problem may be
to simply install the IPX/SPX protocol on both computers.
You do this in the network properties on the ME system and
in the connection's properties on Windows 2000. These
protocols don't need configuration and this may work
around whatever issue you are having since TCP/IP
won't be involved.

Otherwise, since you haven't changed your network
configuration I assume, it seems something has corrupted
it. On the ME system you can record all the network
settings, then remove EVERYTHING from the installed
network properties list, reboot the machine, and thenresinstall everything
and configure it as it was before. This will often
fix a corrupt IP protocol.