Cannot browse to one netbios name

[Steve M]

I'm having a very strange Windows browsing issue on one server. It a
windows 2000 server SP4 fully patched that is a member server of a domain.
The server is multi-homed. I have a similar box that it is nework load
balanced with and that server runs fine.

I cannot browse using the \\UNC reference from this one server to just one
other server. I get the error:

"The specified name is no longer available." right away. No delay at all.

The other server is a similar build as well. I can browse to the other
server via \\IPaddress and \\DNSName but not \\UNC. The real strange thing
is that I can browse to all other servers via \\UNC. I can also ping the
other server by NetBIOS name. I just cannot browse to it. All other
machines can browse to the destination server via \\UNC. I checked TCP/IP
settings, checked the lmhosts file, check hosts file, cleared NetBIOS cache
and DNS cache (nbtstat -R and ipconfig /flushdns). I even added a static
NetBIOS entry into the lmhosts file and that loaded into the NetBIOS cache
and I still cannot browse to the server via UNC. I even disabled virus
protection and that didn't help. I have no firewall software running on
either boxes. It is strange that I can get to all other servers in the same
and other subnets except for this one. I saw no errors in the event log.

Any ideas?

 

[Steve Duff [MVP]]

You didn't mention WINS. Are you using it?

Also, is not a simple or supported matter to have a \\netbios name that
is different from that server's \\dns name. Your post suggests that is the case
here, so I'm wondering if you can provide some specifics.

Steve Duff, MCSE, MVP
Ergodic Systems, Inc.

 

[Steve M]

Yes. I am using WINS and the Wins entry is complete.

The netbios name is simply the server name (which isn't working via
browsing) and the DNS name is the servername.domain.com of course (which
does work browsing).

 

[Phillip Windell]

Ping the netbios name (even if it fails) and see if it returns the correct
IP#.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp

 

[Steve M]

Pinging the netbios name does work. Browsing doesn't. I even force fed a
lmhosts file and that didn't work so it does seems to be a name resolution
issue.

Ping the netbios name (even if it fails) and see if it returns the correct
IP#.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
-----------------------------------------------------

Yes. I am using WINS and the Wins entry is complete.

The netbios name is simply the server name (which isn't working via
browsing) and the DNS name is the servername.domain.com of course (which
does work browsing).


the just
one strange
thing ping
the NetBIOS
cache

running

on the

 

[Phillip Windell]

What does "didn't work" mean? We need specifics or this will drag on
forever.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
-----------------------------------------------------

Pinging the netbios name does work. Browsing doesn't. I even force fed a
lmhosts file and that didn't work so it does seems to be a name resolution
issue.

Ping the netbios name (even if it fails) and see if it returns the correct
IP#.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
-----------------------------------------------------

Yes. I am using WINS and the Wins entry is complete.

The netbios name is simply the server name (which isn't working via
browsing) and the DNS name is the servername.domain.com of course (which
does work browsing).


You didn't mention WINS. Are you using it?

Also, is not a simple or supported matter to have a \\netbios name that
is different from that server's \\dns name. Your post suggests that

is
the

case
here, so I'm wondering if you can provide some specifics.

Steve Duff, MCSE, MVP
Ergodic Systems, Inc.

I'm having a very strange Windows browsing issue on one server.

It

a running in
the

 

[Steve M]

'didn't work' means I still was not able to browse via \\netbiosname.

Again, I can ping by netbios name but cannot browse to it. So it's resolves
the name to the correct IP address. Creating an lmhosts for it does NOT fix
this problem. I still cannot browse to the netbios name even though there
is a static entry for it in the netbios cache.

What does "didn't work" mean? We need specifics or this will drag on
forever.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
-----------------------------------------------------

Pinging the netbios name does work. Browsing doesn't. I even force fed a
lmhosts file and that didn't work so it does seems to be a name resolution
issue.

Ping the netbios name (even if it fails) and see if it returns the correct
IP#.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/ISA2004_AccessRules.html

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/techinfo/Guidance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
-----------------------------------------------------


Yes. I am using WINS and the Wins entry is complete.

The netbios name is simply the server name (which isn't working via
browsing) and the DNS name is the servername.domain.com of course (which
does work browsing).


You didn't mention WINS. Are you using it?

Also, is not a simple or supported matter to have a \\netbios name that
is different from that server's \\dns name. Your post suggests

that

is It to
just

delay

at