Can't Access File Server From 1 PC

[Ketchup]

Starting about a week ago, I lost access from the PC in my sig to the computer we use as our home file server (Windows 10). The odd part though, everything else in the house - other computers (wired and wireless), Roku and streaming devices, can connect to it just fine, and if I add a wireless NIC to the desktop, it connects to the server just fine.

At first I thought it might be the the Windows Update 1803, but I upgraded the server to 1803 after the problem started and connect and RDP just fine from everything else.

I played with a trial of Server Essentials 2016 on the file server, trying their logon app on the desktop, and I think this is what started breaking things. After removing and going back to my regular server drive, I still had to tell my desktop to not use a domain, had to get rid of an "Other user" on start screen, and had to re-enable to rule in Windows Firewall to allow the RDP connection for Private.

I was wondering if you all had some other thoughts while I continue to look into this one.

 

[mikeymikec]

When you say you cannot access the server, do you mean for Windows filesharing services?

You mention 'playing with a trial of 2016 Essentials', do you mean you changed the OS on the file server, or in some VM or what?

It's probably not relevant to your problem, but I had a bizarre situation with file sharing between three Win10-64 Home workstations recently and rebooting the router seemed to be instrumental in fixing the problem (despite the errors not being of a "cannot find server" nature).

 

[Ketchup]

Not running services. The "server" is just its name. It is a Windows 10 PC (aside from playing with Windows 10). I did reset the router when the issue started, but not recently, so may try it again.2016 essentials was installed on the server PC using another hard drive, so the Windows 10 install on that machine should not have been harmed, but it I suspect it made some changes to the desktop in my sig that I just haven't found yet.

Honestly, just about everything on the OS drive is backed up anyway, so I am about ready to nuke it. It would be nice to figure out what is causing the problem though.

 

[Ketchup]

So, I had some time to look into this issue today. As "luck" would have it, I was running into 2 different issues at the same time.

The first was caused by the 1803 update. Numbers 3 and 4 of this page fixed the issue (short version: the update killed the service that this machine needed for the connection to work):
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/network-computers-not-showing-in-windows-10
And I was able to regain normal LAN access to the "server."

The second was due to a "fix" for 1803, KB4103721, which "Addresses an issue that may cause an error when connecting to a Remote Desktop server." Now the only way I can access this "server" through RDP is with the IP address.

But all is back to working. Gee, can't wait to see what the next "updates" bring

 

[mikeymikec]

Wow, talk about lightning striking twice in the same place. You haven't encountered any techie-looking witches or gnomes recently who might have cursed you, have you?