Workgroups and SP2

[Brian]

I have set up a workgroup, called HOME, containing three
PCs all running XP. It has been performing as expected for
about a year and a half. However, it appears that I made a
potentially fatal mistake by recently applying Service
Pack 2 to two of the PCs. After pulling my hair out
trying to figure out several workgroup issues that
subsequently arose on the SP2 PCs, I gave up and performed
a system restore on both PCs. However, all is not back
to "normal."

Here is a summary of my current predicament:

The one PC that never had SP2 applied:

1. Can SEE the other two PCs in the workgroup (My Network
Places-View Workgroup Computers).

2. Cannot ACCESS other two PCs in workgroup (double-
clicking on either icon in #1 above).

Get message: \\ComputerName is not accessible. You might
not have permission to use this network resource. Contact
administrator of server to find out if you have access
permissions. Network path was not found.

3. Can't ping either of the other two PCs in workgroup
(how can I see them but not ping them?).

The two PCs that briefly had SP2 applied:

1. Cannot SEE any PCs in the Workgroup (My Network Places-
View Workgroup Computers).

Get message: HOME is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact
administrator of this server to find out if you have
access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup
is not currently available.

2. Can't ACCESS any PCs in workgroup (obviously can't
access what you can't see).

3. Can't ping each other, but CAN ping PC that never had
SP2 applied.

I have read through hundreds of posts to this newsgroup,
utilizing the advice given as it seemed appropriate.
However, at this point I have struck out (and have a lot
less hair to show for it). Any help that can be provided
to address my predicament would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Brian

 

[Max Bolingbroke]

I have set up a workgroup, called HOME, containing three
PCs all running XP. It has been performing as expected for
about a year and a half. However, it appears that I made a
potentially fatal mistake by recently applying Service
Pack 2 to two of the PCs. After pulling my hair out
trying to figure out several workgroup issues that
subsequently arose on the SP2 PCs, I gave up and performed
a system restore on both PCs. However, all is not back
to "normal."

Here is a summary of my current predicament:

The one PC that never had SP2 applied:

1. Can SEE the other two PCs in the workgroup (My Network
Places-View Workgroup Computers).

2. Cannot ACCESS other two PCs in workgroup (double-
clicking on either icon in #1 above).

Get message: \\ComputerName is not accessible. You might
not have permission to use this network resource. Contact
administrator of server to find out if you have access
permissions. Network path was not found.

3. Can't ping either of the other two PCs in workgroup
(how can I see them but not ping them?).

The two PCs that briefly had SP2 applied:

1. Cannot SEE any PCs in the Workgroup (My Network Places-
View Workgroup Computers).

Get message: HOME is not accessible. You might not have
permission to use this network resource. Contact
administrator of this server to find out if you have
access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup
is not currently available.

2. Can't ACCESS any PCs in workgroup (obviously can't
access what you can't see).

3. Can't ping each other, but CAN ping PC that never had
SP2 applied.

I have read through hundreds of posts to this newsgroup,
utilizing the advice given as it seemed appropriate.
However, at this point I have struck out (and have a lot
less hair to show for it). Any help that can be provided
to address my predicament would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Brian

Hi,

Just to check on the basics first: is Windows Firewall for the 2
briefly-SP2ed machines turned off? By default, it blocks ICMP echo
traffic (which ping uses) and will stop file sharing working, both of
which are symptoms of your problem.

Ironically, the Firewall in SP2 makes it much easier to keep the
firewall on and share drives at the same time

Max Bolingbroke

 

[ty]

I would suggest redoing sp2 on all PC's. Then re run
network wizard and do all the ussual steps. Try
comparring local securtiy Policies amoungst the computers
to see which ones work and which ones don't. The problem
is not SP2, the problem is that your settings were a
security issue before, but were never detected or made an
issue. Now that you did the sp2 thing, you have made them
an issue, regardless of whether you remove SP2 or not.

 

[Guest]

Hi Max,

Yes, the Internet Connection Firewall for the two briefly-
SP2ed machines is turned off.

Brian

 

[Max Bolingbroke]

Hi Max,

Yes, the Internet Connection Firewall for the two briefly-
SP2ed machines is turned off.

Brian

Hi,

OK, this is a bit of an odd one then.. we can try a few things. In the
Security branch of the event viewer on the sharing computer, do you see
any authetication failures associated with access denied messages when
you try and connect to the PCs?

You might also try re-sharing your shares in case the security settings
have been messed up.

If you want to get quite advanced, you might consider using Ethereal to
determine what is happening to the ICMP and SMB packets and see low
level status code information etc.

Max Bolingbroke