XP loses network places when I disconnect laptop

[nzuri]

I'd be very grateful for some help with this - have searched and found
similar problems with XP/Win98 networks but not XP-XP. Grovelling apologies
if I've missed obvious references.

I use a network cable to connect my desktop and laptop machines. (Realtek
fast ethernet cards in both machines). Almost every time I disconnect then
reconnect the laptop, both machines lose their 'my network places' settings
so I can't access one disk from the other. Sometimes using network setup
cures this, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes rebooting works, sometimes it
doesn't. It's maddening!

The machines are connecting to one another according to the local area
network status info, but just can't see each other.

Would be very grateful for any help anyone can provide - can't afford to
tear any more hair out!


Andrew
UK

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I'd be very grateful for some help with this - have searched and found
similar problems with XP/Win98 networks but not XP-XP. Grovelling apologies
if I've missed obvious references.

I use a network cable to connect my desktop and laptop machines. (Realtek
fast ethernet cards in both machines). Almost every time I disconnect then
reconnect the laptop, both machines lose their 'my network places' settings
so I can't access one disk from the other. Sometimes using network setup
cures this, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes rebooting works, sometimes it
doesn't. It's maddening!

The machines are connecting to one another according to the local area
network status info, but just can't see each other.

Would be very grateful for any help anyone can provide - can't afford to
tear any more hair out!


Andrew
UK

I'm sorry, Andrew, but I don't know why the shortcuts in My Network
Places are disappearing. Are there any relevant messages in Event
Viewer? To run it, click Start | Control Panel | Performance and
Maintenance | Administrative Tools | Event Viewer. For more
information, see:

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308427

However, you don't need to use My Network Places to access one
computer from the other. You can access a computer or a shared
disk/folder directly by typing its name in the Start | Run box, in
this format:

\\computer
\\computer\share

You can also click "Add a network place" in My Network Places to
create a new shortcut.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Nzuri]

I'm sorry, Andrew, but I don't know why the shortcuts in My Network
Places are disappearing. Are there any relevant messages in Event
Viewer? To run it, click Start | Control Panel | Performance and
Maintenance | Administrative Tools | Event Viewer. For more
information, see:

Many thanks Steve - and apologies for the delay in replying. Problems
using Network Places again this morning, although the Event Viewer
includes an 'information' event that a network adaptor was detected
and that 'normal operation' was initiated. The next event is a warning
that the computer 'was not able to renew its address from the network'
and that the 'semaphore timeout period has expired'. Another event
warning says 'The ISPEC services service was terminated with the
following error: The attempted operation is not supported for the type
of object referenced'.

These were all messages on my laptop - on the desk-top to which I'm
trying to connect there are a lot of messages which say 'the MS home
id could not be registered on the interface with IP address [X]. The
machine with IP address [y] did not allow the name to be claimed by
this machine.'

Could this explain the problems I'm experiencing?

Thanks again

Andrew

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I'm sorry, Andrew, but I don't know why the shortcuts in My Network
Places are disappearing. Are there any relevant messages in Event
Viewer? To run it, click Start | Control Panel | Performance and
Maintenance | Administrative Tools | Event Viewer. For more
information, see:

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308427

However, you don't need to use My Network Places to access one
computer from the other. You can access a computer or a shared
disk/folder directly by typing its name in the Start | Run box, in
this format:

\\computer
\\computer\share

You can also click "Add a network place" in My Network Places to
create a new shortcut.

Many thanks Steve - and apologies for the delay in replying. Problems
using Network Places again this morning, although the Event Viewer
includes an 'information' event that a network adaptor was detected
and that 'normal operation' was initiated. The next event is a warning
that the computer 'was not able to renew its address from the network'
and that the 'semaphore timeout period has expired'. Another event
warning says 'The ISPEC services service was terminated with the
following error: The attempted operation is not supported for the type
of object referenced'.

These were all messages on my laptop - on the desk-top to which I'm
trying to connect there are a lot of messages which say 'the MS home
id could not be registered on the interface with IP address [X]. The
machine with IP address [y] did not allow the name to be claimed by
this machine.'

Could this explain the problems I'm experiencing?

Thanks again

Andrew[/QUOTE]

You're welcome, Andrew. Those are certainly unusual error messages.

Check the IP address on each computer. Does the laptop have
169.254.x.x, 192.168.x.x, or something else? Does the desktop have
169.254.x.x, 192.168.x.x, or something else? Is either one the same
as [X] in the error messages on the desktop? Is either one the same
as [Y]?

It might be helpful to disable the computer browser service on the
laptop:

1. Right click My Computer, and click Manage.
2. Double click Services and Applications.
3. Double click Services.
4. Double click Computer Browser. If the Service status is Started,
click Stop.
5. Set the Startup type to Disabled.

Then, reboot the laptop and try accessing the network again.

When looking at the event logs, check the time of each message and
concentrate on current messages only.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com