LAN users cannot connect to shared drive

[Stattlich]

I just enabled a RAID1 drive for sharing on a LAN, but while users can see it through the LAN on their own machines, they cannot connect to it. Trying to do so through mapping a network drive or just trying to go in through My Network Places results in an error message stating something about lack of storage space and permissions.

What could be the problem here?

edit: latest developments starting on Page 2

edit2: It was the integrated nVidia NIC! installed a discrete NIC (trusty old D-Link DFE-530TX+) and everything started working immediately. Beautiful! Thanks to all that assisted me through this process- had we only known before. FYI, when nothing makes sense anymore and you're starting to question your ability, replace the hardware and see what happens.

 

[ktwebb]

error message stating something about?

Post the error message. And while your at it provide what version of XP your running, as well as how you've gone about sharing the resources. if you want help then help the potential reply poster.

 

[Stattlich]

Sorry, I assumed you guys were smart enough to not need all the nitty-gritty details and just do shop-talk. My bad.

Windows XP Pro SP2, the shared drive is a RAID1 setup comprised of two 300GB Seagate SATA hard drives and was shared simply through Windows (it has the hand holding the drive for the icon), enabling everyone to see it and to change all files. Like I said, all users on the peer-to-peer LAN can see the server, but when they try to connect to the shared drive through My Network Places OR try to map that network drive as a shortcut for their My Computer screen, the following error messages pop up:

"\\Lukeserv\Lukeserv (s) is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permission."

"Not enough server storage is available to process this command."

LUKESERV is both the name of the computer, and the name of the shared drive (S). The array was formatted using NTFS and is completely accessable and useable locally.

Thanks in advance- this is for my church who doesn't have any organization-based backup plan yet and they are expecting this to get working by week's end. Please help!

 

[JackMDS]

One possibility, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/177078/

Otherwise, http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html

:sun:

 

[Stattlich]

Outstanding- that sounds like a possibility for a fix as I did install Norton AV on the machine with the shared drive. The Windows Firewall is enabled as well.

I'm going to make a trip to the location this afternoon and give your ideas a shot. Will post back with results then- thanks!

If anybody else has ideas, please post them up as well!

 

[440sixpack]

I had the same problem and the MS link JackMDS posted was the solution that worked for me.

 

[Stattlich]

Originally posted by: 440sixpack
I had the same problem and the MS link JackMDS posted was the solution that worked for me.

Outstanding.

I got caught up with a few other things this afternoon and am not sure if I'm going to be able to make it out there today, but I'll post back here tomorrow when I do. Looking forward to doing so now- this has gotta be it.

 

[ktwebb]

Originally posted by: Stattlich
Sorry, I assumed you guys were smart enough to not need all the nitty-gritty details and just do shop-talk.

Tech intellect has nothing to do with it. Troubleshooting IS details. And when your talking about a forum post where the responders cannot touch the box it's not only important, it's critical. Your response and the subsequent suggestions will likely play out as a point maker. Hope that is what your issue is.

 

[Stattlich]

Alright, guys... that didn't fix it. Since I don't have the server here with me to diagnose, I took down as many applicable notes as I could think of for a better diagnosis. Those aspects mentioned mean the check box next to them has been checked if not otherwise noted:

DHCP enabled
automatic metric
Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes
Append parent suffixes of the primary DNS suffix
Register connection's address in DNS
Enable LMHOSTS lookup
Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
TCP/IP Filtering Properties
Enabled, Permit All on all 3


> Quota mgmt disabled
> Folder shared, allow network users to change files
> Windows Firewall disabled
> Norton disabled but not uninstalled
> Can access drive through LAN locally, but not by other users on LAN
> NetBEUI location in XP if issue?

 

[Stattlich]

Also, I had to create the IRPStackSize in the registry and made its value 18. Should that value be greater?

 

[Stattlich]

Pretty pretty please bump

 

[Thor86]

You say the workstations can view the share, but not connect?

Sounds like an NTFS issue. On the RAID1 drive paritition, assuming it's NTFS, then try adding the everyone account to read/execute and see if that fixes the connection issue.

Then, if you aren't worried about access control, you can set the everyone group to modify or full permissions.

 

[Stattlich]

The drive is already formatted for NTFS and the 'everyone' option is already enabled, full permissions (no worries with users).

Or do I have to set up an account for every single user on this system? I didn't think I'd have to.

 

[Stattlich]

Quick bump before I head over to troubleshoot this thing again later this afternoon- please drop me some more ideas if you have them! Thanks!

 

[Stattlich]

I'm on-site now this afternoon but I'm working on something else at the moment. I would really appreciate some help on this- thanks!

 

[tyanni]

Are you using simple file sharing?

 

[Stattlich]

Originally posted by: tyanni
Are you using simple file sharing?

Yes- 'Just Use File Sharing' is what I've got selected (I'm going back to work on this more tomorrow).

 

[Stattlich]

Bump!

 

[spidey07]

What exactly is the symptom and what exactly is the error message and exactly what are you doing to get this error?

To elievate any windows browsing nonsense try access the server with \\ipaddress.

 

[Stattlich]

Originally posted by: spidey07
What exactly is the symptom and what exactly is the error message and exactly what are you doing to get this error?

To elievate any windows browsing nonsense try access the server with \\ipaddress.

^3rd post of the thread.

I'll try going to the IP address- I'm on my way back out there to be on-site in about an hour.

 

[Stattlich]

I am finally sitting in front of the server right now looking at it, and pinging into the LAN for the server's IP address (Ethernet based) from my laptop (WiFi based), it IS pinging the IP (10.0.1.91 - internal).

I increased the IRPStackSize to the maximum of 50 ('Decimal', according to MS link provided by another member above) and uninstalled Norton SystemWorks 2006 entirely, and created an empty shared folder within the shared drive and still nothing is working. The error message is coming back faster now, having done that, FWIW:

\\Servername is not accessable. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The specified network name is no longer available.

Ok, well at least the memory error I mentioned earlier is gone- this is all that's left now.

In the 'My Network Places' window where all the LAN's shared folders are showing up, this new shared folder I created is NOT showing up in this list, despite a refresh. The share itself WILL show up under 'View Workgroup Computers', but again, I cannot access it and will get the same message above.

What's next?

 

[Stattlich]

I should also mention that from this server having the problem, it CAN see other network shares and resources, both Ethernet and WiFi, and access them without a problem. It can also access itself through My Network Places without a problem. Not a duplex issue- one way.

Talk about a head scratcher. I have a bad port on the switch it uses to connect to the LAN (simple Linksys EZXS55W), but it says the port it's on has a good connection (switch lights + Local Area Connection status window). I wonder if that is causing an issue nonetheless.

 

[Stattlich]

Just replaced the switch with a new simple Netgear FS605 V2. All ports working. Error message from the LAN to the new server has now changed:

\\Servername is not accessable. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The network path was not found.

All else the same...

The server's NIC is managed locally by nVidia's 'ForceWare' Network Access Manager through a browser. Should anything be changed in that from default? It's not dropping packets to or fro, FWIW.

Pinging the server's external IP address times out from my wireless notebook on the same LAN, but pinging its internal IP address still works like a charm.

I'm heading home for the day but would love to hear some responses on this so I can hit this again on Monday. The church is starting to get flustered. I called MS tech support, but after 15 minutes of transfers and waiting, gathering all my personal information, they offered me web-based support or $250 to continue support over the phone. I would hope for that kind of money that some gal would talk dirty to me until tomorrow morning, but that's likely not the case. The web-based support page?

"support.microsoft.com"

That was a bunch of help. Don't bother, for future reference. But you guys probably already knew that, heh.

 

[Stattlich]

Weekend bump

 

[RebateMonger]

I'll give my mandatory warning that NForce Firewall software has been known to cause weird networking issues. Personally, I'd remove and disable the whole NVidia networking and firewall thing and install a $5 PCI network card, just in case Nvidia drivers are causing your problems.