Stumped!!--How to open up file sharing

[Gary Burton]

I have a home network with 3 computers. Until today, I had successfuly implemented file and print sharing and a shared internet connection. Now one of the computers will no longer let me see it's shared folders.

I have a wireless router. The router is hard-wired to the main computer, and that is the one that won't let me see it's files. All computers can access the internet. The two computers connected wirelessly can still share files in both directions. The main computer can see the shared folders on both of the wirelessly connected machines, but neither of them can see the files on the main computer.

I have confirmed that the wirless signal strenth is strong. The home network is clearly visible on both the wireless machines. I have disabled and re-enabled sharing on the shared folders in the main computer. Client for Microsoft Networks, and File and Print Sharing are installed. The firewall is disabled on all machines. I looked at Computer Management. Although I am not very familiar with that utility, all seems normal. There is an entry in "Shares" folder that I don't recognize (IPC$), just in case that means something.

I must be overlooking something obvious and basic, but it truly escapes me. Please help.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have a home network with 3 computers. Until today, I had successfuly implemented file and print sharing and a shared internet connection. Now one of the computers will no longer let me see it's shared folders.

I have a wireless router. The router is hard-wired to the main computer, and that is the one that won't let me see it's files. All computers can access the internet. The two computers connected wirelessly can still share files in both directions. The main computer can see the shared folders on both of the wirelessly connected machines, but neither of them can see the files on the main computer.

I have confirmed that the wirless signal strenth is strong. The home network is clearly visible on both the wireless machines. I have disabled and re-enabled sharing on the shared folders in the main computer. Client for Microsoft Networks, and File and Print Sharing are installed. The firewall is disabled on all machines. I looked at Computer Management. Although I am not very familiar with that utility, all seems normal. There is an entry in "Shares" folder that I don't recognize (IPC$), just in case that means something.

I must be overlooking something obvious and basic, but it truly escapes me. Please help.

The IPC$ (Interprocess Communications) share is automatically created
by Windows XP and is used for communicating with other computers.

The disks and folders that you've shared should also appear in the
"Shares" folder. Do they?

What happens if you try to access the main computer from one of the
others by typing the main computer's name in the Start | Run box in
this format?

\\computer

If that command shows the main computer's shared disks and folders,
what happens when you double click them?

If there's an error message in either case, what is the complete and
exact text of the message?
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Gary Burton]

Thanks! See responses below.

The IPC$ (Interprocess Communications) share is automatically created
by Windows XP and is used for communicating with other computers.

I thought it would be something like that.

The disks and folders that you've shared should also appear in the
"Shares" folder. Do they?
Yes


What happens if you try to access the main computer from one of the
others by typing the main computer's name in the Start | Run box in
this format?

\\computer

I get a dialog box that says "\\computer is not accessable. You may not have permission to use this network resource Contact the administrator of this server to see if you have access permissions. Access denied"

It works fine, however, going the other way, as you might expect from my other symptoms.

I am the administrator of my home network; but if it is a permission problem, I don't know how to set the required permission.

If that command shows the main computer's shared disks and folders,
what happens when you double click them?

It doesn't show them.

If there's an error message in either case, what is the complete and
exact text of the message?

Not applicable.

 

[Gary Burton]

New information!

It occured to me that the entire C: drive is not shared on main
machine - just folders within it. Therefore, I wouldn't have gotten a
response to \\computer anyway. I tried entering "\\computer\SharedFolder"
into my Run box and it worked. I was able to see the folder. I was also
able to see subfolders within that shared folder.

However, I still have the problem. I can go to "My Network Places",
expand "Entire Network", then expand "Microsoft Windows Network", Expand the
name of my home network and I see the computers there. But if I then try to
open the main computer, I get the "Access denied" message again, so I can't
see the shared folder within it. The same thing happens if I go to "Add a
network Place" and try to browse to my shared folder. This seems to leave
me with no way to view my shared folder.

Before, I was able to do this without sharing the entire drive of my
main computer. Once again, I must be missing something that should be
obvious.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

New information!

It occured to me that the entire C: drive is not shared on main
machine - just folders within it. Therefore, I wouldn't have gotten a
response to \\computer anyway.

There should have been a response. Typing "\\computer" should show
all of the shared drives and shared folders on that computer.

I tried entering "\\computer\SharedFolder"
into my Run box and it worked. I was able to see the folder. I was also
able to see subfolders within that shared folder.

Good. Accessing shared drives and folders is working.

However, I still have the problem. I can go to "My Network Places",
expand "Entire Network", then expand "Microsoft Windows Network", Expand the
name of my home network and I see the computers there. But if I then try to
open the main computer, I get the "Access denied" message again, so I can't
see the shared folder within it. The same thing happens if I go to "Add a
network Place" and try to browse to my shared folder. This seems to leave
me with no way to view my shared folder.

Before, I was able to do this without sharing the entire drive of my
main computer. Once again, I must be missing something that should be
obvious.

Sharing the entire drive shouldn't be necessary.

Make sure that TCP/IP is the only protocol on the network. Installing
another protocol (e.g. NWLink IPX/SPX, NetBEUI) on even one computer
can disrupt network browsing.

Are there any relevant messages in Event Viewer on the main machine?
To see, click Start | Control Panel | Performance and Maintenance |
Administrative Tools | Event Viewer. For more information, see:

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308427

Does the main machine have XP Professional or XP Home Edition? If it
has Professional, is simple file sharing enabled or disabled?
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Ron Lowe]

New information!

It occured to me that the entire C: drive is not shared on main
machine - just folders within it. Therefore, I wouldn't have gotten a
response to \\computer anyway. I tried entering "\\computer\SharedFolder"
into my Run box and it worked. I was able to see the folder. I was also
able to see subfolders within that shared folder.

However, I still have the problem. I can go to "My Network Places",
expand "Entire Network", then expand "Microsoft Windows Network", Expand
the name of my home network and I see the computers there. But if I then
try to open the main computer, I get the "Access denied" message again, so
I can't see the shared folder within it. The same thing happens if I go
to "Add a network Place" and try to browse to my shared folder. This
seems to leave me with no way to view my shared folder.

Before, I was able to do this without sharing the entire drive of my
main computer. Once again, I must be missing something that should be
obvious.

This is consistent with RestrictAnonymous being wrong.
This will prevent anonymous enumeration of shares, but not access to those
shares.

So under Simple File Sharing, you will get 'Access Denied' when you try to
look at the list of shares on the machine, but you can access the shares
themselves.

Try this for a fix:

On the machine you are trying to contact, ( 'main machine' ) go to:

start | Run | type 'Regedit' in the box.

On the left hand pane, navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA\

In the LSA folder, look in the right-hand pane.
look for the value 'RestrictAnonymous'.

It needs to be zero.
If it is not, double-click it and set it to zero.

( The value of RestrictAnonymousSam can be left at 1. )

Close regedit, and re-boot the server machine.

See if that helps.

 

[Charles B via WindowsKB.com]

I am looking forward to the reply as I have the same issue on a computer
networked at a small business. I set up the network. About a week ago,
Norton Internet Security 2003 crashed. After uninstalling and reinstalling,
I now cannot see that computer on the network, but it does have Internet
capability. Every time I try and share a folder, it tells me the server
service is not available or something like that. I have checked the file and
print sharing, firewalls and all that, but it still is not working.

New information!

[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]

main computer. Once again, I must be missing something that should be
obvious.

This is consistent with RestrictAnonymous being wrong.
This will prevent anonymous enumeration of shares, but not access to those
shares.

So under Simple File Sharing, you will get 'Access Denied' when you try to
look at the list of shares on the machine, but you can access the shares
themselves.

Try this for a fix:

On the machine you are trying to contact, ( 'main machine' ) go to:

start | Run | type 'Regedit' in the box.

On the left hand pane, navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA\

In the LSA folder, look in the right-hand pane.
look for the value 'RestrictAnonymous'.

It needs to be zero.
If it is not, double-click it and set it to zero.

( The value of RestrictAnonymousSam can be left at 1. )

Close regedit, and re-boot the server machine.

See if that helps.

 

[Ron Lowe]

I am looking forward to the reply as I have the same issue on a computer
networked at a small business. I set up the network. About a week ago,
Norton Internet Security 2003 crashed. After uninstalling and
reinstalling,
I now cannot see that computer on the network, but it does have Internet
capability. Every time I try and share a folder, it tells me the server
service is not available or something like that. I have checked the file
and
print sharing, firewalls and all that, but it still is not working.

You do not have the same issue.

This thread concerns a machine whose shares are accessible, but the list of
shares is not.

Your symptoms are different, and you should start a new thread to increase
the chances of getting a usefull response.

 

[Charles B via WindowsKB.com]

Actually..... I can see the shares, they cannot be seen on any other machine.
Seems the same to me.

charles

I am looking forward to the reply as I have the same issue on a computer
networked at a small business. I set up the network. About a week ago,

[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]

and
print sharing, firewalls and all that, but it still is not working.

You do not have the same issue.

This thread concerns a machine whose shares are accessible, but the list of
shares is not.

Your symptoms are different, and you should start a new thread to increase
the chances of getting a usefull response.

 

[Gary Burton]

There are some messages in there. Under security, I have one message in
the "Privilege use" category (event ID 576) and several in the "policy
change" category (event ID 850), but I don't know how to interpret them.
Here is the info on the policy chages. I hope it helps.
A port was listed as an exception when the Windows Firewall started.


Policy origin: Local Policy

Profile used: Standard

Interface: All interfaces

Name: Remote Desktop

Port number: 3389

Protocol: TCP

State: Disabled

Scope: All subnets

 

[Gary Burton]

Boy! That was a tough one! I really appreciate the help

I am continally amazed at how smart you guys are in smoking out these
obscure problems. How could anybody know about stuff burried that deep?

It also amazes me that these deep-rooted obscure problems occur without
any apparent reason. Do you have any theory as to how this could have
gotten changed? I don't remember doing anything that could have caused it.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

There are some messages in there. Under security, I have one message in
the "Privilege use" category (event ID 576) and several in the "policy
change" category (event ID 850), but I don't know how to interpret them.
Here is the info on the policy chages. I hope it helps.
A port was listed as an exception when the Windows Firewall started.

Policy origin: Local Policy
Profile used: Standard
Interface: All interfaces
Name: Remote Desktop
Port number: 3389
Protocol: TCP
State: Disabled
Scope: All subnets

I don't think that the policy change for Remote Desktop has anything
to do with accessing network shares, Gary.

Did you see Ron Lowe's reply saying that RestrictAnonymous might be
set wrong? I recommend trying his suggestion -- he's a top expert in
such things.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Gary Burton]

You may be interested in the fact that I found a major cause for the
"restrictanonymous" setting being wrong. CounterSpy has a utility called "My
PC Checkup", which sees a setting of "1" to be wrong and sets it to "0"
unless you specifically direct it otherwise.

Thanks again!!