3 Machine network, XP and an access issue.

[Garak]

OK, I have 2 Desktop PC's and a laptop on a workgroup based network going through a network hub that is connected to a router. All these pc's see each other and connect to the internet. All is well so far, until you try and access one of the PC's from either of the other PC and the laptop (which see each other fine), it denies access - just refuses to work, I've looked in the group policies, local security polices tried rebuilding TCP/IP and went so far as to try another network adaptor (and yes, i didn't think it would work since the machine in question is able to connect to the other pc and laptop and transfer information across the network.


I am unable to format this machine and I don't like the thought of a repair install (they tend to get messy for me).

Thanks for your time.
Gary.

edit: The machine can also not access itself via network neighborhood / places.

[corturbra]

Hey Gary

I take it you've checked over firewalls and the like and made sure that the access is permitted?

Another thing to look at, on the IP properties of the network card, check the metric. XP has a lovely way of thinking that the local network is 20 hops away, and this has caused me no end of grief in the past. Change from auto to manual and set to 1. See if that helps. If not, can you let me know results of pinging, how DNS/WINS is setup if at all, whether they are statically assigned IP addresses, etc. Sorry if you've already done the above yourself.

John

[Garak]

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

Pinging 10.0.0.2 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 10.0.0.2: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 10.0.0.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms


Pinging 10.0.0.3 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 10.0.0.3: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.3: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.3: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.3: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 10.0.0.3:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

Pinging 10.0.0.5 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 10.0.0.5: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.5: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.5: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 10.0.0.5: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 10.0.0.5:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms


The ip's are dynamically assigned via the router which is set up as dns /wns server.

Firewalls disabled on the pc's for the now.
Thanks for the help.

[corturbra]

ok can you post a route print and what about pinging by name? tracert as well just to make sure the ping is going the right way, looks like it is given the speed.

Had a similar issue years ago with 98SE on a network and it was the network card that was causing the issue, any errors in logs on any of the machines?

Are the times on all the PC's/router the same? Can the other PC's connect to this one troublesome one or is it a problem both ways?

[Garak]

Corturbra, I wouldn't know where to start with that. No errors on the event logs that I have seen other than hangapps now and then which I'm pretty sure are a result of time outs on the network.

Times for all the PC's tothe router are the same. This PC can connect to the other pc's but they can't connect to this one.

[corturbra]

Ok.... not something as daft as having no shares setup on this workstation? Reason I'm asking all these daft questions is I was on site a few weeks back and was having very similar issues, first of all there was a difference in the time on some of the PC's/server which wasn't allowing sharing unless I waiting 15 minutes.

Secondly on one XP Pro machine I had to share a folder before it would allow me to see the shared printer, once the printer was found I could take off the folder share.... might be worth a shot in taking off the shares and re-applying them.

When you say they can't see is that browsing through the network places? What about if you do start, run \\pcname\<share> does that connect? Could be a 'master browser' type issue?

I'm guessing you've checked usernames/passwords/gateways? What if you map a drive to this PC from one of the others? Does it find it?

When you say don't know where to start, do you mean doing the route print/tracert? If so...

open command/dos prompt (whatever its PC name is these days...) type route print and press return. You'll get a copy of the routing table and where it thinks its gateways, etc are.

to do a trace route, type tracert <Ip address or computer name>, its similar to a ping, but tells you where the ping goes to get there.

Also if you do ping <computer-name> does it resolve to an IP address?

[Garak]

Ok.... not something as daft as having no shares setup on this workstation? Reason I'm asking all these daft questions is I was on site a few weeks back and was having very similar issues, first of all there was a difference in the time on some of the PC's/server which wasn't allowing sharing unless I waiting 15 minutes.

There are shares on every PC.

Secondly on one XP Pro machine I had to share a folder before it would allow me to see the shared printer, once the printer was found I could take off the folder share.... might be worth a shot in taking off the shares and re-applying them.

This isn't the case, the PC can see and access any shared folder on any other PC in the network but they can see it but not access it

When you say they can't see is that browsing through the network places? What about if you do start, run \\pcname\<share> does that connect? Could be a 'master browser' type issue?

Network places is wher I get the problem, as for typeing the full share in I'll have to try this one.

I'm guessing you've checked usernames/passwords/gateways? What if you map a drive to this PC from one of the others? Does it find it?

I mapped a drive and it accessed, it took a little time but it did work.

When you say don't know where to start, do you mean doing the route print/tracert? If so...



open command/dos prompt (whatever its PC name is these days...) type route print and press return. You'll get a copy of the routing table and where it thinks its gateways, etc are.

to do a trace route, type tracert <Ip address or computer name>, its similar to a ping, but tells you where the ping goes to get there.

Also if you do ping <computer-name> does it resolve to an IP address?

Ok, will try that too

[Garak]

Found a work around, called fdisk and reinstall after I told them I would be billing them for every minute I worked on the problem, they lifted the "you cant format this machine" speech. Thanks though,