Connection problem on a workgroup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe Bucar
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J

Joe Bucar

Hello,
I have a client that has a workgroup for a network that is using a server
with Windows 2000 Professional. This network has 8 PC's attached to it and
7 are Windows XP Pro and 1 is Windows 98. The devices are connected
together on a Netgear DS524 Hub and to the Internet via a D-Link router. The
problem is I have is one PC with XP Pro that was on the network at one time
but can not access it now. This PC can still access the Internet so I can
eliminate the NIC card and the CAT-5 cable. On the server when I do a "Net
View" I can see the PC. When I go through Explore I can see the PC but when
I click on it I get the following message:"\\XPGene1 is not Accessible". At
the PC side of the problem when I go through Explore I can see the Workgroup
but when I click on the workgroup icon I get the following message:
"Workgroup1 is not accessible. You might not have the permission to use this
network resource". I believe I have tried just about every possible
combination to get this device to work. Here are the things that I have
tried. The PC had XPSP2 applied to it and I removed it. I have re-booted
the server thinking that the browser election some how was corrupted. I
have reset the switch. I have uninstalled the network card and then
re-installed the network card and ran the network wizard on the XP PC. I
have added a new user on the server with administrative privileges and used
him on the PC. I have renamed the PC. The users have said that this
problem with this PC has been happening for a couple of months and sometimes
it would be on the network and sometimes it would not be on the network,
Currently the PC has not been on the network for a couple of weeks. Also
during this time the PC was infected with a virus that was cleaned off.
Anybody have any ideas on how to solve this problem short of re-loading the
OS?
Thank You,

Joe
 
Since it was infected with a virus, a reinstall may be your best solution
and shortest path to success. Having said that here are a couple things you
can try.

Look in Event Viewer to see if any pertinent errors are shown. Run the
netdiag support tool on it to see if any failed tests, warnings, or errors
are reported that may help pinpoint the problem. The support tools are on
the install disk in the support/tools folder.

Make sure the built in ICF firewall is disabled at least until problem is
resolved.

Try to ping the server by name and IP address and do the same from the
server to the workstation. If it works by IP address but not by name then
you have a name resolution problem.

Use Ipconfig /all to verify that it's tcp/ip configuration is correct with
respect to IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, dns server, and wins if
used. Compare to a working computer.

Try using \\servername or \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx using server's IP address in the
run box to see if that works. If it does, it is a browse list related
problem.

Consider resetting tcp/ip using netsh and repairing winsock as shown in the
link below.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299357
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811259

Try booting into safe mode with networking to see if that works. If it does
you have a problem with startup service/application/driver which you can
troubleshoot with msconfig.

Run nbtstat -n to verify that at least three names are registered for
netbios name resolution. Verify that workstation, server, dns client, dhcp
client, and tcp/ip netbios helper services are running.

Run a virus scan again and also scan for parasites with AdAware SE being
sure to use the latest definitions for both. I find the free Sysclean tool
for malware detection and removal from Trend Micro valuable and it does not
have to be installed. It just needs to be run from the same folder as the
pattern file. -- Steve

http://www.trendmicro.com/download/dcs.asp -- Sysclean
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp -- pattern file
 
Thank You for your reply. I did not think of the idea of coming up in safe
mode with networking. When I
come up in that mode I am attached to the network. I also found more virus
on the PC. At this point I will use
msconfig to figure out the problem. Once again Thank You
 
Glad you are making progress. Msconfig is helpful but FYI SysInternals has
some similar but more powerful tools. Autoruns for example will list startup
programs from many more possible places and allow you to selectively disable
them. I also consider TCPView for mapping port use to processes and Process
Explorer to view running processes in detail must have utilities. --- Steve

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml -- SysInternals
Autoruns
 
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