An intermittent view problem like this, especially in a mixed LAN (XP/2K/98), is
possibly a browser issue (no I am not talking about Internet Explorer). The
Win98 browser does not work well on a LAN with the Win 2K/XP browser.
Pick the 2 or 3 Win2K/XP computers that are online the most, or are most
reliable, and 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 all other
computers, especially the Win9x ones. See this web page for instructions on
disabling the browser on Win9x:
<
http://cms.simons-rock.edu/faq_by_subtopic/node138.html>
Power all computers off. Then power the browser computers on, and then the
others.
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>