Wkgrp Network of 3 XP and 1 2K stopped working

[Ed Katzman]

Hi:

I've seen bits and pieces of this problem discussed, but I can't see a
whole solution.

My network:
A: WinXP Pro SP2
B: WinXP Pro SP2
C: WinXP Media Center
D: Win2000 Pro SP4

All machines have only Client for MS Networks, File and print sharing,
QoS packet scheduler, and TCP/IP active, with NetBIOS over TCP/IP
activated.

All have an Administrator account with the same password, which is
blank.

A & B are wired to the router; C & D have wireless cards.

Everything was working until recently.

My problem:

A & C can see each other in network neighborhood and exchange files.
A can see B & D by name in a net view and in a "view workgroup
computers" under My Network places
If I try to connect A to B or D by clicking on their name, I get " 'D'
(or 'B') is not accessible. You may not have permission ... network
path not found" (Same from C)
From A, I can ping C by name, but not B or D ("could not find host")
From A, I can ping C AND D by ip, but not B

From B I can see all machines in net view and "view workgroup
computers" and can connect to A and C and exchange files, etc. B cannot
access D.
B can ping A & C by name, but not D. B can ping A, C, AND D by ip.

C is just like A

D cannot access workgroup from "My Network Places", getting "Workgroup
not accessible. List of servers not currently available."
D can see A in "Search for computers" by name and ip.
D can't see B or C by name or ip in "Search"
D can ping A by ip but not by name, geting "unknown host".
D can't ping either B or C by name or ip.
From D, net view shows "List of servers is not available."

Can someone please give me a sequence of tests, as specific as possible,
using command line programs to get the information to sort this out?

Many thanks.

Ed

 

[Charlie Tame]

Ed, I suspect the blank password is a problem for a start...

Are they all at the same level of updates?

IE Tools>Internet Options>Security.

Check in Internet and Local Intranet zones towards the bottom of the list
when you press the custom button...

See if the logon options (Choice of four) are the same and if not try them
as per working machine. I suspect security updates may have changed
something to trigger the different behavior.

Same username + same password is generally the easiest way to set up access,
admin or not so something has changed...

Charlie

 

[Ed Katzman]

Charlie: Thanks for your help.

All machines have all critical updates installed.
They also all show "auto login only in intranet zone" in both Internet
and Local Internet.

Fixing passwords and firewalls solved some of the problem. Now I'm OK
except A (WinXP Pro SP2) can't access B (WinXP Pro SP2) or D (Win2000
SP4), tho they show up in My Network Places. I get " 'D'
(or 'B') is not accessible. You may not have permission ... network
path not found"

A to D and vice versa is the connection I most need.

Any more ideas? Thanks again.


Ed

 

[Charlie Tame]

Here I am going to invite criticism probably but NTFS "Everyone" permission
on folders does not always seem to work...

First make sure that both are sharing the right folders by running through
the sharing thing again, and this time under security add the specific user
names to the permissions on each shared folder...

You may have to mess with the advanced option and remove existing
permissions and inherited permissions and then go back to the "Simple" bit,
allow inherited etc etc and then let it put them back... I don't mean
removing users here, just the checkboxes... Just make sure you note the
original settings.

I would start with the 2000 machine as 2000 definitely has a problem with
NTFS permissions not doing as expected. I thought it was me but someone
explained it to me last week and it's a quirk of 2000. By all means wait and
see if anyone chips in with corrections but what you are seeing now sounds
like a permissions thing which is not entirely unexpected with newly created
accounts.

Charlie