networking xp with 98SE issue

[Paul Dean]

Hi,

I feel guilty posting to groups I've never read, but I'm at my wit's end
with this small network. I have 3 machines running 98 and they are all
networks nicely. They can share files and printers, which is all we need
at the moment. I have 1 xp pro machine (unfortunately without service
packs as we're still waiting for the CD). Now the 98 machines can /see/
the xp machine, but if you double click on the icon it says "resource not
available". The xp machine can't see the others at all. I've shared some
files on the xp machine.

I had a look at www.practicallynetworked.com which seems really good, but
when it refers to the "advanced" tab in various settings dialogues, my
system doesn't have the tabs! I'm not a dummy or a noob and it seems ok.
Does anyone have any experience of this particular trouble - xp not seeing
anything, 98 seeing the xp icon but not able to enter it?

much thanks to anyone with some help, or even just some sympathy!

 

[Interrogative]

Hi,

I feel guilty posting to groups I've never read, but I'm at my wit's end
with this small network. I have 3 machines running 98 and they are all
networks nicely. They can share files and printers, which is all we need
at the moment. I have 1 xp pro machine (unfortunately without service
packs as we're still waiting for the CD). Now the 98 machines can /see/
the xp machine, but if you double click on the icon it says "resource not
available". The xp machine can't see the others at all. I've shared some
files on the xp machine.

I had a look at www.practicallynetworked.com which seems really good, but
when it refers to the "advanced" tab in various settings dialogues, my
system doesn't have the tabs! I'm not a dummy or a noob and it seems ok.
Does anyone have any experience of this particular trouble - xp not seeing
anything, 98 seeing the xp icon but not able to enter it?

much thanks to anyone with some help, or even just some sympathy!

I have 2 x XP and 2 x 98SE on the one network. What you have likely done is
left NETBEUI installed on the 98 machines and they are attempting to talk to
the network using that while the XP machines correctly use TCP/IP.

If you know TCP/IP, uninstall NETBEUI from the 98 machines as it is the
better option. However, if you are not so sure what you are doing with
networking, it is definitely easier to use the newbies option and install
NETBEUI on the XP machines.

That should solve that for you.

 

[Chuck]

Hi,

I feel guilty posting to groups I've never read, but I'm at my wit's end
with this small network. I have 3 machines running 98 and they are all
networks nicely. They can share files and printers, which is all we need
at the moment. I have 1 xp pro machine (unfortunately without service
packs as we're still waiting for the CD). Now the 98 machines can /see/
the xp machine, but if you double click on the icon it says "resource not
available". The xp machine can't see the others at all. I've shared some
files on the xp machine.

I had a look at www.practicallynetworked.com which seems really good, but
when it refers to the "advanced" tab in various settings dialogues, my
system doesn't have the tabs! I'm not a dummy or a noob and it seems ok.
Does anyone have any experience of this particular trouble - xp not seeing
anything, 98 seeing the xp icon but not able to enter it?

much thanks to anyone with some help, or even just some sympathy!

Paul,

I'll bet you have a browser problem here (I'm not talking about Internet
Explorer). The Windows 98 and Windows XP browsers don't work well on the same
LAN.

Identify the two Windows 98 computers that stay online the most, and name them
the browsers for the LAN. Stop then disable the browser service on the Windows
XP computer. Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services. Enable the
browser on the Windows 98 browser computers, and disable it on the other Windows
98 computer:
http://cms.simons-rock.edu/faq_by_subtopic/node138.html

After checking / disabling / enabling as above, power all computers off to reset
the browser settings on each. Then power the browser computers on, and finally
the other computers on.

 

[Paul Dean]

I'll bet you have a browser problem here (I'm not talking about Internet
Explorer). The Windows 98 and Windows XP browsers don't work well on
the same
LAN.

Identify the two Windows 98 computers that stay online the most, and
name them
the browsers for the LAN. Stop then disable the browser service on the
Windows
XP computer. Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services. Enable
the
browser on the Windows 98 browser computers, and disable it on the other
Windows
98 computer:
http://cms.simons-rock.edu/faq_by_subtopic/node138.html

Thanks - I have a feeling you may be right.

I'll try this straight away but in the mean time I thought I'd update:

I have A, B & C running win98, D with XP Pro and E with XP Home.

THis morning, E and B can see ABCE while the others can't even see
themselves. When I left last night it was different, which leads me to
think it is a browser problem. Hmm.

I've also gone through the setup for XP on careyholzman.com and it's the
same.

 

[Paul Dean]

I have A, B & C running win98, D with XP Pro and E with XP Home.

THis morning, E and B can see ABCE while the others can't even see
themselves. When I left last night it was different, which leads me to
think it is a browser problem. Hmm.

OK, I've made the browser changes you suggest, but it still doesn't work.
Now A and D can't even see themselves.

On D (XP), it has a private automatic IP address and when I try to renew
it fails. I've tried specifying an IP address on this machine, but to no
avail. I'll specify an IP address for all the machines next, but I'm
grasping at straws.

 

[Chuck]

OK, I've made the browser changes you suggest, but it still doesn't work.
Now A and D can't even see themselves.

On D (XP), it has a private automatic IP address and when I try to renew
it fails. I've tried specifying an IP address on this machine, but to no
avail. I'll specify an IP address for all the machines next, but I'm
grasping at straws.

Paul,

Be patient please. There's more to check.

Did you power all computers off, to reset all at the same time?

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF / WF, or third party)? If
so, you need to configure them for file sharing. Firewall configurations are a
very common cause of (network) browser, and file sharing, problems.

Please provide ipconfig information for each computer, so we can decide what to
next check.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "ipconfig /all >c:\ipconfig.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\ipconfig.txt in Notepad, make sure that Format - Word Wrap is
NOT checked!, copy and paste entire contents into your next post. Identify
operating system (by name, version, and SP level) with each ipconfig listing.

Please provide browstat information for each computer, as possible.
Start - Run - "cmd". Type "browstat status >c:\browstat.txt" into the command
window - Open c:\browstat.txt in Notepad, make sure that Format - Word Wrap is
NOT checked!, copy and paste into your next post. Identify each computer by
name and operating system.

 

[Paul Dean]

Did you power all computers off, to reset all at the same time?

I rebooted the browse masters first, then the others.

Do any of the computers have a software firewall (ICF / WF, or third
party)? If so, you need to configure them for file sharing. Firewall
configurations are a very common cause of (network) browser, and file
sharing, problems.

The XP machine that's not working has a firewall, but it's not enabled on
the LAN connection, only on the dialup connection (which isn't bridged).

Please provide ipconfig information for each computer, so we can decide
what to next check.

1) Windows 98SE (no updates applied): This one works sees the others most
consistently and is a browse master.
Windows 98 IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . : ADMIN
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : No
0 Ethernet adapter :
Description . . . . . . . . : PPP Adapter.
Physical Address. . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

1 Ethernet adapter :
Description . . . . . . . . : VIA VT6102 Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-01-29-4A-CA-AA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 169.254.243.223
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 01 05 05 09:03:03
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

2) Windows 98SE (no updates applied, not a browse master, does work):
Windows 98 IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . : email-server.ioc.co.za ] This seems
nonsense
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . : 192.168.167.1 ]
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : Yes
0 Ethernet adapter :
Description . . . . . . . . : PPP Adapter.
Physical Address. . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :
1 Ethernet adapter :
Description . . . . . . . . : VIA VT6102 Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-01-29-4A-FF-69
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 169.254.181.53
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 01 05 05 10:24:35
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

3) Windows 98SE, no updates applied, does work sometimes, is a browse
master:
Windows 98 IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . : RECEPTION
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . :
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . : No
NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : No
0 Ethernet adapter :
Description . . . . . . . . : PPP Adapter.
Physical Address. . . . . . : 44-45-53-54-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . :
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :
1 Ethernet adapter :
Description . . . . . . . . : VIA VT6102 Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-01-29-4A-BD-74
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 169.254.5.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Primary WINS Server . . . . :
Secondary WINS Server . . . :
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . : 01 05 05 10:18:42
Lease Expires . . . . . . . :

4) XP Home, no SPs. This one works. Not a browse master.
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ORPHANOFFICE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ADMtek AN983 10/100 PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-BF-9A-74-6E
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.190.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

5) XP Pro, no SPs. This one doesn't work. Not a browse master.
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : director
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family
Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-1B-AB-78-4F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255

************************

The browstat command isn't found on any of the computers.

Even for the ones which can see each other it seem 'flaky' i.e. the
visibility comes and goes.

Thanks for your help. You're actually helping to do some tangible good in
the world as we are a small charity providing advocacy for AIDS orphans in
africa. http://www.fotch.org.uk/ Hence the lack of service packs - we
have a 16kbps connection, and the CD from microsoft takes months to arrive!

 

[Chuck]

I rebooted the browse masters first, then the others.


The XP machine that's not working has a firewall, but it's not enabled on
the LAN connection, only on the dialup connection (which isn't bridged).

The browstat command isn't found on any of the computers.

Even for the ones which can see each other it seem 'flaky' i.e. the
visibility comes and goes.

Thanks for your help. You're actually helping to do some tangible good in
the world as we are a small charity providing advocacy for AIDS orphans in
africa. http://www.fotch.org.uk/ Hence the lack of service packs - we
have a 16kbps connection, and the CD from microsoft takes months to arrive!

Paul,

Thanks for the feedback.

Looking at your IPConfigs (thanks), I think I see where to start.

You're using APIPA addresses on your entire LAN (no DHCP server).
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=220874

Director (the one with the problem) is self-assigning a "0.0.0.0" address, which
puts it on a different subnet from the others on "169.254.0.0/16" (the legit
APIPA subnet). This article has been relevant in the past:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=812335

 

[Paul Dean]

Looking at your IPConfigs (thanks), I think I see where to start.

You're using APIPA addresses on your entire LAN (no DHCP server).
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=220874

Director (the one with the problem) is self-assigning a "0.0.0.0"
address, which
puts it on a different subnet from the others on "169.254.0.0/16" (the
legit
APIPA subnet). This article has been relevant in the past:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=812335

Thanks for your help, Chuck. The offending machine, Director, has APIPA
enabled (as seen in the ipconfig output), but still has 0.0.0.0 IP
address. The dhcp registry entry appears correct. It doesn't include
SYMTDI; indeed SYMTDI doesn't appear to be a service on this machine.
I've uploaded the relevant registry screenprint at
http://www.deancentral.net/reg.JPG if that's any help.

I thought maybe the subnet mask was wrong, but in the IP Settings tab of
Advanced TCP/IP settings it's not possible to add subnet mask or edit the
"DHCP enabled". I tried specifying an IP address starting with 169.254
but that doesn't work either.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for your help, Chuck. The offending machine, Director, has APIPA
enabled (as seen in the ipconfig output), but still has 0.0.0.0 IP
address. The dhcp registry entry appears correct. It doesn't include
SYMTDI; indeed SYMTDI doesn't appear to be a service on this machine.
I've uploaded the relevant registry screenprint at
http://www.deancentral.net/reg.JPG if that's any help.

I thought maybe the subnet mask was wrong, but in the IP Settings tab of
Advanced TCP/IP settings it's not possible to add subnet mask or edit the
"DHCP enabled". I tried specifying an IP address starting with 169.254
but that doesn't work either.

Paul,

Manually specifying an address was a good thought. Do you get any errors when
trying this? Look in Event Viewer (Control Panel - Administrative Tools)
please.

Maybe corrupt LSP / Winsock.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=318584
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811259

For XP SP2, Start - Run - "cmd". Type "netsh winsock reset catalog" into the
command window.

Give LSP-Fix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>, WinsockFix
<http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=257>, or WinsockXPFix
<http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html> a shot.

If no help yet, reset TCP/IP.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=299357

Start - Run - "cmd". Type "netsh int ip reset c:\netsh.txt" into the command
window.

 

[Paul Dean]

Manually specifying an address was a good thought. Do you get any
errors when
trying this? Look in Event Viewer (Control Panel - Administrative Tools)
please.

There's no entry in Event Viewer, and there's no error visible. When I
ipconfig /renew it says there'a no Sprwe in state permissible for this
operation.

If I set it back to dhcp, and try ipconfig /renew I get the error "unable
to contact your DHCP server". ipconfig says the dhcp server address is
255.255.255.255.

Maybe corrupt LSP / Winsock.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=318584
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811259

The machine can access the internet with no problem... I tried resetting
tcp/ip anyway, but both that and LSP/Winsock would appear to be working if
the internet is working...(?)

For XP SP2, Start - Run - "cmd". Type "netsh winsock reset catalog"
into the command window.

Don't have any service packs yet - they're in the post.

Hmm. It gets more strange. I've set it back to automatic IP address
allocation and now get the following ipconfig output:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name.....................: director
Primary Dns Suffic............:
Node Type.....................: unknown
IP Routing Enabled............: No
WINS Proxy Enabled............: No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection specific DNS Suffix.:
Description....................: Realtek RTL8139
Dhcp Enabled...................: Yes
Autoconfiguration Engabled.....: Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address...: 169.254.46.213
Subnet Mask....................: 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway................:

Suddenly it's not 0.0.0.0, but it still doesn't work. When I try to
access MSHOME, it says "Mshome is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. ... The list of servers for this
workgroup is not currently available." which makes it sound like a browser
problem, but I know that two WIN98 machines are set as browser masters and
are on the network. The rest of the network can still see an icon for
'director' but can't access it.

Sheesh.

 

[Guest]

hi,

i keep gettin program error messages from windows media player (10) and my
yahoo messenger and i dont know what to do about it. i cant seem to do
anything with them becos the message keep showing an the programs close i
keep sending the generated error reports but nothin seems to be working and
i'm really worried.

i'd be really grateful if someone cld help me.

thanks