Can't connect between XP and W2K Systems

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
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We have a small LAN at work consisting of workstations running W2K Pro. We recently got 2 new Dell systems that are running WinXP and I don't want to install W2K on the new systems (until it's a last resort).

The problem I have is I can't get the WinXP systems to see a particular W2K workstation (and vice versa). I can view and share drives between the other W2K systems and the new XP systems with no problems.

We are running with the TCP/IP and NetBEUI protocols installed and static IP addresses (192.168.1.xxx) are assigned to each computer.

So far, this is what I have checked and verified:

(1) Each system is being logged in as the Administrator (same password on each system)
(2) I can ping between each W2K and XP system and get responses.
(3) All systems are on the same workgroup

I have searched for solutions with no luck.

Any suggestions?
 

azev

Golden Member
Jan 27, 2001
1,003
0
76
leave both computer on for a few hours, let the browser service do its thing. Hopefully then you can browse through network place.
 

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
126
azev:

The new systems have been up and running for over a day now, and I have had this problem from the beginning.... :(
 

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
126
OK, here's a little more info regarding the problem...

There are two W2K systems that can't see the two XP systems and vice versa. The first W2K system (DRFT1, IP 192.168.1.xxx) shows up when browsing the network, but I get the follow message when I double-click on the system:

DRFT1 is not accessible. Please check permissions.....

The second W2K system (ENGR1, 192.168.1.xxx) does not show up when browsing the network, but I can access the shared drives and printers by going into Windows Explorer and entering the IP address into the address bar (\\192.168.1.xxx)

On all the other W2K systems, I can see the shared drives and folders of the XP systems with no problems. The XP systems can see the W2K shared drives and folders as well.

I went back and made sure every system is logged in using the Administrator account with the exact same password. Therefore, it can't be a user restriction issue, right -- since everyone is logged in as the Admin?

What gives?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
load netbeui on all computers.

"what gives?"
Unless every single computer has agreed upon a method to communicate using the same protocol and same browser and the same behavior you will get very erratic behavior of windows network browsing (exactly like you described...its a very classic symptom of computers not being able to "see" each other)

Network browsing uses netbios as a means of broadcasting network resources, names and a "browse list". One computer maintains that browse list.

Loading netbeui eliminates any of the confusion on configuration otherwise you'll have to make sure your network configurations are perfect on every machine.

Perfect being:
same workgroup
every machine has "enable netbios over TCP" enabled
WINs client/server bound to netbios over TCP in the bindings and listed first
Something shared on a computer for it to show up in the browselist
A full moon with westerly wind and a temperature between 50-70 degree F. :)

Did you expect to just be able to plug it in? :evil: see sig
 

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
126
Spidey:

See my first post -- NetBEUI is installed on all the W2K and XP systems...

Perfect being:

same workgroup - OK

every machine has "enable netbios over TCP" enabled - Already done that

WINs client/server bound to netbios over TCP in the bindings and listed first - Already done that

Something shared on a computer for it to show up in the browselist - Already done that

A full moon with westerly wind and a temperature between 50-70 degree F. :)

Damn It! It's a quarter moon and the wind is out of the south today! :)

I've checked all the above prior to my original post and it still refuses to play right.
 

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
126
I checked the error logs on the XP systems and think I have found the root of my problem.

- - - - - -
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7000
Date: 9/17/2003
Time: 4:19:44 PM
User: N/A
Computer: SEC2
Description:
The NetBEUI Protocol service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the file specified.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
- - - - - -

The NetBEUI service is not starting for some reason. However, I copied the two necessary files needed for NetBEUI in WinXP as discussed in How to Install NetBEUI on Windows XP -- MS Knowledge Base Article
 

BlueWeasel

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
15,943
475
126
Well, that's what I get for not going back and checking everything :)

I neglected to see on the MS Knowledge base article regarding the installation of NetBEUI that one of the necessary files should have been copied to the \System32\Drivers directory.

I copied the file only to the \System32 directory :)

Once I found the mistake, everything worked like a champ...

Thanks guys...