Unable to Access Drives on Share Computers

[mcp6453]

This problem is happening on only one of the XP computers on my
peer-to-peer network. When I "View workgroup computers", all of my
networked computers appear. However, if I double click on most of them,
I get an error: "\\Server is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of
this server to find out if you have access permissions. The network path
was not found." (Server is the name of the computer being accessed.)

The problem is not on \\server as it is accessible from any other
computer on the network (so it is not a Server permissions issue, as the
error suggests.) If I Start | Run \\Server, I get the same error. If I
Start | Run \\192.168.1.88 (the correct IP address), I get to the server
and everything works fine.

The problem just started intermittently yesterday. I have replaced the
TCP/IP stack several times, per Microsoft KB articles, and nothing has
changed.

This problem was posted in the wrong newsgroup, so it is posted here, at
the other newsgroups recommendation. Here are some questions that were
posed there:

What is recorded in the Event Log?

Absolutely nothing of any help. No errors, no nothing.

Do you have Norton Internet Security installed (or any third-party firewall?)

No

If you ping the "server" by name --> what do you get back?

Path not found.

If you tracert the "server" by name --> what do you get back?

Server cannot be found.

If you ipconfig /all on each of the machines (in an opened command
prompt) --> other than the IP addresses, what is different? All using
the same DNS? All in the same subnet?

Some machines are DHCP, some are static. I have not been to each machine
to do an ipconfig /all. The problem is only happening with one machine.
The only difference is that the one XP machine cannot connect to the
share drives or folders on other machines using UNC. All machines are
using the same DNS, and all machines are in the same subnet.

Verified all the computers are in the same workgroup? (although that
matters very little most of the time - it could make a difference
depending on how you map things...)

Yes, verified twice.

Are all the computers Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP
Professional or what?

Server is XP Pro. Problem machine is XP Pro. Server is accessible from
other XP Pro and Win2K machines with no problem.

What specifically is the one computer that is acting up?

XP Pro. All computers are completely patched, no viruses, no spyware.

Have you opened a command prompt and entered: netsh winsock reset
<Enter> and rebooted to see if that helps (on the troubled machine.)

Yes, multiple times. I have also tried LSPFix.exe. It did not report a
problem with the winsock. I also removed and reinstalled Client for
Microsoft Windows, File and printer sharing, and TCP/IP.

Tried: Start button --> RUN --> netsh diag gui --> OK
and running the tests there?

I tried netsh, netdiag, msinfo32, and several other utilities, but I
cannot see the problem.

Matter of fact - have you been through this article?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314067/

Yes, I went through that article in detail before I made my first post.

Is simple file sharing turned on?

No, it is not.

Thanks.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

This problem is happening on only one of the XP computers on my
peer-to-peer network. When I "View workgroup computers", all of my
networked computers appear. However, if I double click on most of them,
I get an error: "\\Server is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of
this server to find out if you have access permissions. The network path
was not found." (Server is the name of the computer being accessed.)

The problem is not on \\server as it is accessible from any other
computer on the network (so it is not a Server permissions issue, as the
error suggests.) If I Start | Run \\Server, I get the same error. If I
Start | Run \\192.168.1.88 (the correct IP address), I get to the server
and everything works fine.

The problem just started intermittently yesterday. I have replaced the
TCP/IP stack several times, per Microsoft KB articles, and nothing has
changed.

This problem was posted in the wrong newsgroup, so it is posted here, at
the other newsgroups recommendation. Here are some questions that were
posed there:


Absolutely nothing of any help. No errors, no nothing.


Path not found.


Server cannot be found.


Some machines are DHCP, some are static. I have not been to each machine
to do an ipconfig /all. The problem is only happening with one machine.
The only difference is that the one XP machine cannot connect to the
share drives or folders on other machines using UNC. All machines are
using the same DNS, and all machines are in the same subnet.


Yes, verified twice.


Server is XP Pro. Problem machine is XP Pro. Server is accessible from
other XP Pro and Win2K machines with no problem.


XP Pro. All computers are completely patched, no viruses, no spyware.


Yes, multiple times. I have also tried LSPFix.exe. It did not report a
problem with the winsock. I also removed and reinstalled Client for
Microsoft Windows, File and printer sharing, and TCP/IP.


I tried netsh, netdiag, msinfo32, and several other utilities, but I
cannot see the problem.


Yes, I went through that article in detail before I made my first post.


No, it is not.

Thanks.

The intermittent factor is disturbing. Does it vary randomly during the day, or
maybe as other computers are turned off, and on?

To diagnose the problem, look at logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all",
"net config server", and "net config workstation", from the problem computer,
and from 2 computers that do NOT have the problem. Read this article, and
linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[mcp6453]

The intermittent factor is disturbing. Does it vary randomly during the day, or
maybe as other computers are turned off, and on?

I have not been able to determine that the problem occurs at any
particular time during the day or in relation to other computers being
turned on.

To diagnose the problem, look at logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all",
"net config server", and "net config workstation", from the problem computer,
and from 2 computers that do NOT have the problem. Read this article, and
linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

Thanks for these links. Rather than go through all of the information
above, which I may do at some point out of curiosity, I will probably
just rebuild the computer. My hope was that someone here had experienced
a similar problem and had a ready solution. It appears that the problem
is not so common and probably not worth the time to diagnose.

Thanks for taking the time!

 

[mcp6453]

The intermittent factor is disturbing. Does it vary randomly during the day, or
maybe as other computers are turned off, and on?

To diagnose the problem, look at logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all",
"net config server", and "net config workstation", from the problem computer,
and from 2 computers that do NOT have the problem. Read this article, and
linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

The problem turned out to be an IP address conflict with another
computer also set for DHCP. Thanks again for your suggestions.

 

[=?iso-8859-1?Q?_db_=B4=AF`=B7.._=3E=3C=29=29=29=BA]

interesting...

glad you figured out that
pesky setting.

--

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

The problem turned out to be an IP address conflict with another
computer also set for DHCP. Thanks again for your suggestions.

Ah. A nice simple solution. Surely better than rebuilding the computer.

Thanks for letting us know.
<http://bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/2006/09/peer-support-it-works-only-if-you-help.html>
http://bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/2006/09/peer-support-it-works-only-if-you-help.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.