Browsing via "Entire Network" shows no network folders or machines

[LRB45]

After recovering from a Hard drive failure on a SBS2003 SP2 server I am no longer able to see any clients or the server from within my network places->Entire network. This is our only (primary DC) on the network

So far I have verified the following on the server:

1)TCP/IP properties
>DNS set to Server Address 10.10.10.5. No secondaries. Register connection address in DNS Selected
>WINS set to 10.10.10.5. Enable LMHosts lookup and Enable Netbios over TCP/IP are selected

2) Windows Firewall is Disabled on server and clients

3) DHCP and DNS services running

I can ping by name and IP to/ from all clients and from the server and am able to map to network shares yet nothing shows up when going thru My network Places->microsoft windows network->domain

I am able to browse across network by UNC path.

I verified that Netbios over TCP/IP is enabled on the server while the clients are set as 'Default'. I also tried enabling Netbios on the client but no change.

The computer browser service is started on all machines.

The only DNS Service event logs are that the service has started and:
"The DNS server could not signal the service "NAT". The error was 1168. There may be interoperability problems between the DNS service and this service.

 

[PeterHurst]

Firstly - I'm assuming you have rebuilt the DC.

It's good practice to have the settings you mention - but the WINS won't matter if you haven't set the server to run as a wins server, neither will that matter if the clients aren't set to look at wins (DHCP settings)

The DC Must have the domain set correctly and then the clients register in the DC's DNS which should become the "Browser Master" for the domain (which looks the same as a workgroup)

It sounds like the DNS error is the issue but I'm really not familiar with NAT service... You could try a temp fix by enabling WINS server and making sure clients can see wins by adding it into the DHCP scope.

 

[technome]

also....
"The computer browser service is started on all machines."
Browser service should be disabled on all machines but the server, which should be the master browser.


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[LRB45]

PeterHurst: I did not rebuild the controllers once the server came back up as we were able to log onto the domain and access files I assumed it was still working.

technome: After your post I checked the services on my pc and the browser was in fact stopped. I'm guessing it stopped on it's own as I had manually started it.

I'm far from an expert but when I look into active directory> Server Name> domain controllers> the domain name is listed adn shows as running. Is this an accurate indication that the controller is still configured?
Can you point me to a doc that I can use to review the DC settings prehaps? I've searched but haven't had much luck.

 

[PeterHurst]

Hi LRB45

I meant that the Domain should be set the same on all devices - I was wondering if you had rebuilt and changed the domain name - obviously not - sorry.

Look in Control panel/administrative tools and look at the DNS server console. Make sure devices are registering with DNS - if they aren't and the DNS error you had is stopping DNS from working that's the likely issue.

A workaround may be to turn on WINS but you'll need to fix DNS ideally other wise nothing will work properly. As an aside if you have an internet connection and clients are using it fine it may be your DNS settings are askew.

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/Litmus/dns_wins.htm

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11190-0.html?forumID=40&threadID=164889

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/173161

 

[netsec50]

Not sure if this will help, but it will tell you which computer is the browse master

from a cmd prompt
browstat status



Chris Jessup
IT Director

http://www.network-security.uk.net

 

[LRB45]

Well apparently the dns is not running. After figuring out that I needed to download the XP support tools to use the browstat command netsec50 suggested I am getting this reply:

C:\Program Files\Support Tools>browstat status

Status for domain <domainname> on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{62152BA4-CB24-464
5-A217-15945614D8F1}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: BA-07224D
Could not connect to registry, error = 5 Unable to determine build of bro
wser master: 5
Unable to determine server information for browser master: 5
1 backup servers retrieved from master BA-07224D
\\BA-07224D
There are 0 servers in domain <name> on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{6
2152BA4-CB24-4645-A217-15945614D8F1}
There are 0 domains in domain <name> on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{6
2152BA4-CB24-4645-A217-15945614D8F1}

I'm guessing this would indicate I have to rebuild the domain? or is there a method to simply reconnect the previous as it appears to still exist?