Age-old networking problem

[fdv]

The topic descriptions says it all.

One of the reasons I never wanted to move to XP was because -- randomly -- an XP workstation will fail to connect to other Windows computers. 2000, XP, 2003, whatever. Hardware irrelevant. Driver irrelevant. Network adapter irrelevant.

I played with XP SP2 a while back. I noticed that the same problem persisted. In Windows 2000, you go to Network Neighborhood, click on other machines, get a password dialog, enter credentials, and you're in. SP2 still hadn't solved XP's intermittent "you might not have permission to use this network resource" error message. So I stuck with Win2k.

Now I need to upgrade a machine to XP to run some Adobe software. It's SP3. It's a different machine. Different processor, NIC, drivers, the whole deal since that old machine I'd tried out with SP0.

I have no doubt most here will know exactly what I'm talking about.

Bottom line, despite supplying correct credentials, XP simply Will. Not. Connect. to some computers sometimes, will connect to all of them sometimes, will connect to none of them sometimes.

How do I circumvent this?

[net_user]

are they in the same workgroup?

[gamehead200]

Hmmm... This is the third time someone's brought up this problem (or at least a similar problem) since I joined MSFN in 2002 (the first time was me, second time was this guy). Give this a shot. Post back if it doesn't help.

[fdv]

Thanks GH

Here are three things to do to solve this intermittent problem:

1. Change the restrictanonymous value as in GH's link

2. Launch secpol.msc, go to Security Settings, Security Options, Network Access: Sharing and Security Model for local accounts and change to "classic"

3. Don't access a server from 2 different machines with the same set of credentials (think about it: when you're installing software on a few machines, you might login as admin from all three at different times to access a shared folder with the program you're installing).

fdv

[gamehead200]

Thanks GH

Here are three things to do to solve this intermittent problem:

1. Change the restrictanonymous value as in GH's link

2. Launch secpol.msc, go to Security Settings, Security Options, Network Access: Sharing and Security Model for local accounts and change to "classic"

3. Don't access a server from 2 different machines with the same set of credentials (think about it: when you're installing software on a few machines, you might login as admin from all three at different times to access a shared folder with the program you're installing).

fdv

So I assume the problem was solved?

[fdv]

So I assume the problem was solved?

Sorry -- yes, it was, thanks

[Phenomic]

Good man, you fixed another one! XP is just a buggered up version of 2000 with skins added.

[JustinStacey.x]

Good man, you fixed another one! XP is just a buggered up version of 2000 with skins added.

HAHAHAHA. Sigged. That was classic.

[AnnieMS]

This problem has been solved but I'm not sure what was solved and I'd like some clarification if that's within forum etiquette. [i'm new]. Both "workgroup" and "server" were mentioned. Is this problem/solution for a workgroup or for a domain w/ a computer running a win server OS? If it's workgroup I'll add the problem and link to PChuck to my networking-understand-it-later folder.

Just a comment on Win2K vs WinXP - I tried hard to stick w/ Win2K Prof, even paid extra to get Win2k on my lemon VAIO Sony notebook. I did not find Win2K workgroup networking easy or consistent, however, back in 2002-2003. We had 4-5 computers workgrouped, all w/ Win2K Prof as sole OS, all w/ the same version of Norton IS, all w/ the same protocols and I spent hours and hours troubleshooting. I finally got a stable connection between my laptop and desktop but going from desktop to laptop I'd have to login /w username & PW and going the other way I just had to click on the icon in Network Places [or whatever Win2K called it]. I never figured out what caused the difference before I got snowed under all those security updates of 2003, some of which caused extensive troubleshooting. Then MS's webpage said they were no longer supporting Win2K [but apparently they still are] so when I had to buy a new computer because my desktop got hit by lightning I ended up w/ WinXP Prof, which is no joy.

I see Win2K Prof has a SP4 now. I'm wondering if MS finally made Win2K Prof work.