I am running a network with 4 XP Pro machines. All machines have my username
as valid. All have SHAREDDOCS publically visible.
One machine has a shared printer. All the other machines can use the
printer. But they cannot see the machine itself when I use NETWORK
NEIGHBORHOOD. This machine can see everyone else. I've tried everything
(except the one thing that will fix it).
Can anyone help?
Bill,
Are all computers in the same workgroup? Did you look for the problem computer
under Entire Network - Microsoft Windows Network?
If that's not it, let's check the browser situation (no I'm not talking about
Internet Explorer). Identify the two most reliable computers that will stay
online the most - designate them the browsers.
Make sure the browser service is running on each browser computer. Control
Panel - Administrative Tools - Services. Verify that the Computer Browser, and
the TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper, services both show with Status = Started. Disable
the browser on the other two. Power all four computers off. Power the two
browsers on, then the other two.
The Microsoft Browstat program will show us what browsers you have in your
domain / workgroup, at any time.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
You can download Browstat from either:
<
http://www.dynawell.com/reskit/microsoft/win2000/browstat.zip>
<
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/staff/manual/rcc/tools/browstat.zip>
Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no install. Just unzip the downloaded
file, copy browstat.exe to any folder in the Path, and run it from a command
window, by "browstat status". Make sure all computers give the same result.
For more information about the browser subsystem (very intricate), see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188001
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305
<
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/deploy/prodspecs/ntbrowse.mspx>
Next, look at registry key [HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa], value
restrictanonymous, on each computer.
<
http://www.microsoft.com/windows200...2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/regentry/46688.asp>
<
http://www.jsifaq.com/subf/tip2600/rh2625.htm>
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=246261
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=296403
The above articles refer to Windows 2000. Remember WinXP is NT V5.1, and Win2K
is NT V5.0.
Have you used the Registry Editor before? If not, it's a scary tool, but it's
pretty simple once you get used to it. Here are a couple articles that might
help:
<
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...home/using/productdoc/en/tools_regeditors.asp>
<
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/registry>
Just remember to backup the key (create a registry patch) for
[HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa] before making any changes, if
appropriate.
From the Annoyances article:
You can create a Registry patch by opening the Registry Editor, selecting a
branch, and choosing Export from the File menu. Then, specify a filename, and
press OK. You can then view the Registry patch file by opening it in Notepad
(right-click on it and select Edit). Again, just double-click on a Registry
patch file (or use Import in the Registry Editor's File menu) to apply it to the
registry.
