WTF does this mean?

[Mr Meltdown]

My PCs can't access the shares on each other now, but they see each other and can access the Internet thru the gateway PC (my PCs dial-up) but I can't get them to allow access to shared folders or drives.



On my PC I can't even access my own shares thru networking and get the same message as above, but I CAN see a shared CD drives contents thru networking on my own PC.

Answers before you ask 'em:

Plenty of space on the hard disks.
Plenty of ram.
Plenty of power
The network "works" 'cause I can see the PCs and surf my shared connection.
SP1 and all updates installed.
It did work fine, but have reinstalled (repair) XP and SP1 on one of them, plus lot's of hardware and motherboard changes as well just to really cock everything up!
I've run and re run the network setup wizard many times, I've deleted the shares and re shared them, I've deleted the network connections and reinstalled them.
PCs are on the same WORKGROUP.

I had to email some screenshots from one PC to the other it's that daft!

I don't profess full knowledge on networks but can defo set up a little network and access shares!

I expect it's something dopey and I'll kick myself but can someone put some light on it please?

UPDATE:

OK, just to fine tune this a bit more....

With my main PC already on, if I switch on the other PC I can see and access the shares and move files around between the two for about 40 seconds and then the shares and access are "lost". I cannot access them again until I reboot the PC.

So some how my main PC is locking it out after about 40 seconds or so. The 2nd and 3rd PCs can acccess each others shares fine with nor problems, so the problem lays with my main PC somewhere.

All are XP Pro, SP1.


Cheers,

MM

[m0dm0]

try setting the same usernames and passwords on both machines and see if it makes a difference, as ive had similar issues before.

m0.

[m0dm0]

Also try Start > Control Panel > User Accounts > *YOURACCOUNT* > Manage my network passwords > Add > and enter remote pc's ip address and remote username & password which has admin rights.

Good luck

m0.

(also check firewalls & check xp built in one is disabled/configured correctly)

[Howard]

Guest account enabled on both machines? I'm rather tired and if you've mentioned it, I'm sorry... Lol..

[Raz316]

Is Norton AntiVirus 2002 running on your machine? If so..

Open regedit. (Backup your registry if ya want...)
Point yourself to...
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters]

There should be a variable called IRPstackSize. it will be set to some value between 4 - 12 (in decimal) usually. Edit the IRPstackSize key and delete the numeric VALUE (not the key).

I do not know if the above works, I do not have Norton 2002 installed and do not have the mentioned key. Try at your own risk and all that

[m0dm0]

yeah, try my methods at your own risk as well

m0.

[Mr Meltdown]

Raz306 I tried that and it makes no difference.

Let me just clarify, I can't even access my own shares on my own PC FROM that very same PC thru "My Network Places" with it giving the error above.

I can access the shared CDROM drive and view it's contents, but not the shared folders / drives or even the default "shared documents"folder. SO this is just bloody well daft!

Howard: Guest account enabled? You mean user accounts or the authentication under networks?

Turned on Guest user account and it's still the same (unless a reboot is required), and guest authentication is ON under networking as well.

At the moment I am just trying to "fix" my own PC so that I can access the shares thru networking on it as that is surely what it's supposed tio be able to do.

Here's my network settings:



No DNS / WINS stuff as it isn't needed, so why the hell should it be now?

CHeers,

MM

[Mr Meltdown]

Just to correct the above a bit, I can view my own shares thru "my network places" but NOT if I click on "view workgroup computers" and then choose my own PC, the shares show up, but I can't access them (except the cdrom share!)

A simple suggestion: Can someone make a new share on their PC (a drive or folder) and then see if they can access it on the same PC thru "my network places" / "view workgroup computers" without problems.

If you can, then note all your settings and post them on here please.

CHeers,

MM

[Trickle]

Whats this "view workgroup computers"? Is it one of the options somewhere on one of the XP tellytubby menus?

I always tend to find that these random viewing problems often dissapear if you turn of DHCP (keep client on dialup box) on all your machines and just set i.p's manually.

[Mr Meltdown]

I've tried IPs manually and no change. I've got a 3rd PC and it behaves perfectly, it can see it's own shares and the other PCs can get at those shares as well. The settings are the same as on the other PCs!

I give up, I'm going to ghost that XP install on to the 2nd PC instead and do it that bloody way. It still means my main rig isn't right but at least I can access some shares one way or another at least. Grrr.

MM

[5lab]

enable guest accounts

[G4Z]

have you deleted the connection and uninstalled network card? do that and restart, should all reinstall automatically. that way well fix it. failing that format the thing and reinstall the lot.

[m0dm0]

did you try the method i spoke of earlier?

m0.

[Enverex]

Don't forget, as well as having to set the sharing permissions, you also need to set the security permissions as-well. Normally you enable everything on sharing, but it doesn't carry over to the secuity tab and you need to set that the the same as what you want as well.

NS

[Mr Meltdown]

OK, just to fine tune this a bit more....

With my main PC already on, if I switch on the other PC I can see and access the shares and move files around between the two for about 40 seconds and then the shares and access are "lost". I cannot access them again until I reboot the PC.

So some how my main PC is locking it out after about 40 seconds or so. The 2nd and 3rd PCs can acccess each others shares fine with nor problems, so the problem lays with my main PC somewhere.

All are XP Pro, SP1.

Cheers,

MM

[Howard]

You don't have both the XP firewall and another such as Norton or ZoneAlarm running do you?
I made that mistake a couple of weeks ago and it caused me not to be able to access my network.