Two Win98 PCs can't see one of two XP PCs

[Tracey Palmer]

Hi

I've just about run out of hair now, all due to a problem in getting two
Win98SE PCs to recognise my XP Home PC. My problem is rather difficult to
explain so please bear with me whilst I try to explain.

We have a small home network comprising two XP Home PCs and two Win98SE
PCs. My partner has a new PC which came with XP Home (OEM) already
installed and the two Win98 PCs have no trouble accessing his PC.
However, my PC was upgraded from Win98SE to WinXP Home and the two Win98
PCs have grave trouble of varying sorts in recognising my PC. However, I
can see them and can access whatever I wish on them.

Most times they can see me in Network Neighbourhood. However, when I try
to access my PC from either of them I get the dreaded \\computername not
accessible - or something like that. Other times I can open a window on
the shares on my PC but on trying to access anything they just cannot (I
can't remember the message that appears at present) get to anything at
all.

A curious thing is that once I access a Win98 PC from my XP PC, it can
then see me and access whatever I have shared but only for the PC I've
accessed - I have to access both PCs in order for both to recognise me on
the network. Another curious thing seems to be that this only occurs for
a limited time, rather as though there is a time-out set in motion after
which I have to access the two Win98 PCs again in order for them to see
me! I should also add that everything is reset if I reboot and I have to
start from scratch again.

I've done the Windows Network Wizard to death and quite clearly it has
nothing to do with that - but something is stopping the two Win98 PCs
from initially seeing me. I've checked, rechecked and checked again that
File and Folder sharing is enabled on my XP machine and yes, it is
enabled - at least as far as I can tell, both in the network setting up
and in Windows Firewall (where it is selected on the Exceptions tab).

I want to find out why it is that my partner's PC can be accessed by the
Win98 PCs but mine can't - and what I can do about it! Please bear in
mind that my partner's XP was a new install whilst mine was an upgrade;
does this have any bearing on the matter? Any help would be most
appreciated.

Many thanks
Tracey Palmer

 

[Chuck]

Hi

I've just about run out of hair now, all due to a problem in getting two
Win98SE PCs to recognise my XP Home PC. My problem is rather difficult to
explain so please bear with me whilst I try to explain.

We have a small home network comprising two XP Home PCs and two Win98SE
PCs. My partner has a new PC which came with XP Home (OEM) already
installed and the two Win98 PCs have no trouble accessing his PC.
However, my PC was upgraded from Win98SE to WinXP Home and the two Win98
PCs have grave trouble of varying sorts in recognising my PC. However, I
can see them and can access whatever I wish on them.

Most times they can see me in Network Neighbourhood. However, when I try
to access my PC from either of them I get the dreaded \\computername not
accessible - or something like that. Other times I can open a window on
the shares on my PC but on trying to access anything they just cannot (I
can't remember the message that appears at present) get to anything at
all.

A curious thing is that once I access a Win98 PC from my XP PC, it can
then see me and access whatever I have shared but only for the PC I've
accessed - I have to access both PCs in order for both to recognise me on
the network. Another curious thing seems to be that this only occurs for
a limited time, rather as though there is a time-out set in motion after
which I have to access the two Win98 PCs again in order for them to see
me! I should also add that everything is reset if I reboot and I have to
start from scratch again.

I've done the Windows Network Wizard to death and quite clearly it has
nothing to do with that - but something is stopping the two Win98 PCs
from initially seeing me. I've checked, rechecked and checked again that
File and Folder sharing is enabled on my XP machine and yes, it is
enabled - at least as far as I can tell, both in the network setting up
and in Windows Firewall (where it is selected on the Exceptions tab).

I want to find out why it is that my partner's PC can be accessed by the
Win98 PCs but mine can't - and what I can do about it! Please bear in
mind that my partner's XP was a new install whilst mine was an upgrade;
does this have any bearing on the matter? Any help would be most
appreciated.

Many thanks
Tracey Palmer

Tracey,

Any time you have Windows 9x and Windows NT (2000 / XP) computers on the same
LAN, you have to shut off the browser on either all of the Windows 9x, or all of
the Windows NT, computers. Otherwise your problem results.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/windows-9x-9598me-and-browser.html>

 

[Tracey Palmer]

Chuck

Not made any difference. I've spent many hours over the last few days
browsing the net and came across your website which said to disable the W98
browsers and that was done some six hours ago but it has made no difference.
Any other ideas?

Tracey

 

[Chuck]

Chuck

Not made any difference. I've spent many hours over the last few days
browsing the net and came across your website which said to disable the W98
browsers and that was done some six hours ago but it has made no difference.
Any other ideas?

Tracey

Tracey,

Did you do "browstat status" on both XP computers, and compare the result?

 

[Chuck]

Chuck

Hadn't done it but have now. Snag is it doesn't mean much to me. However, it
does look as though there may be a problem been flagged up. I've attached a
file with the two results from each computer. The computer Tracey is causing
me the problems at present as Jim can see and acccess all the other PCs
including mine.

Tracey

Tracey,

I'm guessing that the top one is Jim, and the bottom Tracey? Are both Jim and
Tracey the XP computers?

I think "ipconfig /all" from both would help now. Let's try and figure out the
"error = 53" on each.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>

Is the firewall setup properly on both computers?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>

Jim and Tracey have a browser conflict. To resolve that, you need to restart
them both, starting with the one that you want to be the master browser. But we
need to resolve the "error = 53" too.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html>

 

[q_q_anonymous]

It would be courteous to paste the text of those attachments here, so
that the information in the thread is properly archived by google. and
other people can learn from the problem you are having.

It is for this reason that people get angry when posters ask to be
emailed privately.

 

[Tracey Palmer]

Chuck

Many thanks for again getting back to me so quickly. I've now done an
ipconfig /all and I attach another file with both the browstat and ipconfig
results for both computers which presents it better than in a message of
limited line length. Anyone wishing to recover the file is free to do so.

From some checking out in XP earlier today, I believe that error 53 is
something like File and Print Sharing Disabled. Just done another check and
searched for error 53 in the XP help and it cam up with "Test TCP/IP
connections by using the ping and new view commands". The resulting text
does mention error 53.

As for Mr q_q_anonymous. Before you start berating me for being
discourteous, perhaps you would like to consider your action by not
including your name. As with anonymous letters etc, I treat all such
anonymous messages with contempt. You have access to the file and if you
want to download the file you are free to do so but do NOT berate me for
being discourteous when you are discourteous yourself by NOT including your
name!!! I am NOT a regular newsgroup user and did not think about it.
However, I have made the file available to all.

Tracey

 

[Chuck]

Chuck

Many thanks for again getting back to me so quickly. I've now done an
ipconfig /all and I attach another file with both the browstat and ipconfig
results for both computers which presents it better than in a message of
limited line length. Anyone wishing to recover the file is free to do so.

From some checking out in XP earlier today, I believe that error 53 is
something like File and Print Sharing Disabled. Just done another check and
searched for error 53 in the XP help and it cam up with "Test TCP/IP
connections by using the ping and new view commands". The resulting text
does mention error 53.

As for Mr q_q_anonymous. Before you start berating me for being
discourteous, perhaps you would like to consider your action by not
including your name. As with anonymous letters etc, I treat all such
anonymous messages with contempt. You have access to the file and if you
want to download the file you are free to do so but do NOT berate me for
being discourteous when you are discourteous yourself by NOT including your
name!!! I am NOT a regular newsgroup user and did not think about it.
However, I have made the file available to all.

Tracey

Tracey,

Where did you attach the file? A plain text listing, inline, with "browstat
status" and "ipconfig /all", for as many as 4 computers, is perfectly reasonable
here. While Mr Anonymous is being a bit rude himself, his concerns are
accurate. Attachments, text or whatever, are not generally welcome here.

 

[Tracey Palmer]

Chuck

I hope you've picked up my latest message including the file. As for Mr
anonymous I'm afraid that his discourtesy wound me up more than a little. I
do not like being got at in such a way. If he had been polite I would
probably have posted the details in plain text with my message but I do not
like being berated in such a way. A little bit of politeness goes a very
long way with me. However, as a service to those who want to know what is in
the file the the full details below.

browstat status
Recorded on Tracey

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{02AB3BCF-B93C-4C9A-9681-C713AB5D87F7}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: JIM
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\JIM . Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master JIM
\\JIM
There are 4 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{02AB3BCF-B93C-4C9A-9681-C713AB5D87F7}
Unable to retrieve server list from JIM: 64

**************************
browstat status
Recorded on Jim

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: TRACEY
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\TRACEY . Version:05.01 Flags: 71203 NT POTENTIAL BACKUP
MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master TRACEY
\\TRACEY
There are 4 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}

**************************
ipconfig /all
Recorded on Tracey
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Tracey
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-BD-B5-79-0F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 213.208.106.213
213.208.106.212
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 08 June 2005 13:15:30
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 19 January 2038 04:14:07
**************************
ipconfig /all
Recorded on Jim

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Jim
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 . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine III Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-F0-1D-C2
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 213.208.106.213
213.208.106.212
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 08 June 2005 23:55:38
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 19 January 2038 04:14:07
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth PAN Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-E2-3D-07
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : RT2500 USB Wireless LAN Card
browstat /? Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-DF-7D-E4

 

[Chuck]

Chuck

I hope you've picked up my latest message including the file. As for Mr
anonymous I'm afraid that his discourtesy wound me up more than a little. I
do not like being got at in such a way. If he had been polite I would
probably have posted the details in plain text with my message but I do not
like being berated in such a way. A little bit of politeness goes a very
long way with me. However, as a service to those who want to know what is in
the file the the full details below.

browstat status
Recorded on Tracey

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{02AB3BCF-B93C-4C9A-9681-C713AB5D87F7}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: JIM
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\JIM . Version:05.01 Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master JIM
\\JIM
There are 4 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{02AB3BCF-B93C-4C9A-9681-C713AB5D87F7}
Unable to retrieve server list from JIM: 64

**************************
browstat status
Recorded on Jim

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: TRACEY
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build
of browser master: 53
\\\\TRACEY . Version:05.01 Flags: 71203 NT POTENTIAL BACKUP
MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master TRACEY
\\TRACEY
There are 4 servers in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}
There are 1 domains in domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}

**************************
ipconfig /all
Recorded on Tracey
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Tracey
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-30-BD-B5-79-0F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 213.208.106.213
213.208.106.212
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 08 June 2005 13:15:30
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 19 January 2038 04:14:07
**************************
ipconfig /all
Recorded on Jim

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Jim
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 . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine III Fast Ethernet
Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-F0-1D-C2
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 213.208.106.213
213.208.106.212
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 08 June 2005 23:55:38
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 19 January 2038 04:14:07
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth PAN Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-E2-3D-07
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : RT2500 USB Wireless LAN Card
browstat /? Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-DF-7D-E4

Tracey,

OK, assuming that you have the browser running on both Jim and Tracey, and on no
others, I need you to power all computers off. Once all computers are powered
off, power the computer on that you intend to serve as the master browser. Once
that computer is up and running, power the others on. Then redo "browstat
status" on both Jim and Tracey, and post here again.

 

[q_q_anonymous]

"as a service to those who want to know what is in the file the the full details below. "

No. It is not a service you are providing. Giving all details here is
even beyond being a token of gratitude. Since it's worth more, and more
meaningful than a please or thankyou. Withholding it is tantamount to
stealing, since the problem and solution belong to the community, and
you were withholding that.

I've spent many hours over the last few days browsing the net

and you didn't browse usenet from google groups? come on, I can see
you're not 'computer stupid'. Are you telling me that you didn't see
that thousands of solutions are posted and you could only benefit when
people had posted the problem and solution. You didn't even see that
through google groups, usenet is a repository of information, a
knowledge base. You didn't see how the knowledge is built up,

Giving all details of the problem, is not just about politeness, it's a
rule. Breaking it is tantamount to stealing. It shows the utmost
disdain of humanity, since somebody just like you, could be browsing
around for hours and come across the same problem, but won't have a
solution, because a selfish thief withheld it. It shows you don't even
sympathise for somebody in your situation.

It's bad enough that you consider giving all the details as you
providing a service. It is not about providing a service. It is about
you choosing not to help people when you could easily have done so. And
it is about not stealing.

My first response to you was very polite. I'll have you know that
initially I wrote a very long criticism of your actions, but deleted
much of it.

 

[Tracey Palmer]

Mr anonymous

I could write a book in reply to your latest message but I won't. I'm afraid
its not worth it and it'll get neither of us anywhere so please lets drop
this right here and now. I just hope we have both learnt something from
this.

Tracey

 

[Chuck]

Mr anonymous

I could write a book in reply to your latest message but I won't. I'm afraid
its not worth it and it'll get neither of us anywhere so please lets drop
this right here and now. I just hope we have both learnt something from
this.

Tracey

Tracey,

Ignore him please, and power all computers off as I instructed previously.

 

[Tracey Palmer]

Chuck

I have now done as you asked and this resulted in the following BROWSTAT
STATUS reports:

Recorded from \\TRACEY

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{02AB3BCF-B93C-4C9A-9681-C713AB5D87F7}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: TRACEY
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master TRACEY
\\TRACEY
Unable to retrieve server list from TRACEY: 53


Recorded from \\JIM

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.



Hope this tells you something, doesn't mean much to me I'm afraid

Tracey

 

[Chuck]

Chuck

I have now done as you asked and this resulted in the following BROWSTAT
STATUS reports:

Recorded from \\TRACEY

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{02AB3BCF-B93C-4C9A-9681-C713AB5D87F7}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: TRACEY
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master TRACEY
\\TRACEY
Unable to retrieve server list from TRACEY: 53


Recorded from \\JIM

Status for domain MSHOME on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{F99509EE-6293-4AD2-BDD6-81A77B24A885}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.



Hope this tells you something, doesn't mean much to me I'm afraid

Tracey,

I think you need to start by reading my checklist:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html>

So far, from looking at the diagnostics you've provided, I can see:
- Both computers are on the same subnet.
- Node Types = Unknown for both, so no resolution issue.
- No excess protocols, just NBT showing in browstat.

You say that Windows Firewall is setup properly (both computers are XP SP2
then?). Do you have any other personal firewall on either computer, now or in
the past?

If it's not a personal firewall problem, check for corrupt LSP / Winsock.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/problems-with-lsp-winsock-layer-in.html>

And go down the list in Network Components and Services:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#Components>