Workgroup is not accessible.. - solution found? need further answers

[soundguy]

Software: Windows XP Professional SP2 (build 2600) + Nlite (build 1.4.1)

I've been experiencing an issue with "Microsoft Windows Network".

When i try to open my workgroup called "MSHOME", i get message "Workgroup 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 permissions.". During last 3 months i've tried many "solutions" found through Google and described at many sites, forums, etc, but none of them was working for me. I've also made a few experiments with the nLite settings. Yeasterday, i've probably discovered a proper solution. I've created two nLited install CDs, the first one with the setting "Remove Windows Firewall/Internet connection Sharing" OFF and the second one with this option set to ON. That was the only difference between those two install CDs.

..

After clean install of operating system with the setting "Remove Windows Firewall/Internet connection Sharing":

OFF: I have no issues when browsing "Microsoft Windows Network", i can access "MSHOME" workgroup and even other computers in my home network and their shared folders and printers. Simply it works perfectly.

ON: I get always i when try to browse workgroup "MSHOME" that annoying message about rights. File "secpol.msc" (Security policies settings) is missing (someone at forums told me, that proper settings of those policies could help, but its not validated solution yet). I can still access single computers in my home network using their IP addresses, i.e. 192.168.1.10\D\Music. But i don't have a needed rights to open my own wokgroup.

I think, that in older versions like 1.3.x and before, i could have removed "Windows Firewall/Internet connection Sharing" and the network browsing worked also perfectly. So can you tell me, if this is a bug of 1.4.x versions, or a their new feature? Because i'd like to remove "Windows Firewall/Internet connection Sharing" and simply i can't because i need working "Microsoft Windows Network" browsing.

Sorry for my english, but i hope, you'll understand important parts. Thanks in advance for your help.

Edited February 3, 2008 by soundguy

[nuhi]

Check if Computer Browser service is working, it is needed for Workgroup browsing and I think that it needs Firewall service.

[soundguy]

News.. after hours of searching satisfying solution.

The breaking difference, and i'm really sure about that, is between versions 1.3.5(network browsing works fine even with removed FIREWALL/ICS) versus 1.4 and later(all those versions mess up something that affects network browsing when i remove FIREWALL/ICS, so i can't even access my own workgroup, because of insufficient rights warning screen in windows).

1.4.1 with remove FIREWALL/ICS

I have downloaded missing file "secpol.msc"(win\system32\secpol.msc) to view my LOCAL SECURITY POLICIES. But after running this file, settings window was whole empty. Except there were some folders for security settings, but all those settings (keys with their values) were missing, so the folders were empty. And I think, this the main cause of a problem.

Can u give me some concluding statement about this? Is this a bug or a new 1.4.x feature, that with removal of FIREWALL/ICS is also removed or some way kicked LOCAL SECURITY POLICIES(missing secpol.msc, missing security policies settings, and maybe something else..). So the final effect is non-working own workgroup browsing? Is the only solution now not to remove FIREWALL/ICS or will be there some other solution with upcoming versions of nLite? Thank you in advance for your reply.

EDIT: NUHI: Reply to your question is: yes, service "Computer browser" is present and running under my system. All other services are in their default settings, without changes from nLite.

Edited February 18, 2008 by soundguy

[nuhi]

From where did you come to the conclusion that Firewall removes secpol?

It is "Local Security Settings", you must have selected it.

Take your 1.3.5 preset and use it in the 1.4.1, do not select new components.

Computer Browser needs Firewall/ICS, that wasn't changed. Maybe it only needs it after the update pack/some hotfix, at least that was the talk back in the days.