Can not see pcs on network

[timjcrist]

I don’t know if this is the right place to ask this question but im going to ask anyways, sorry if I am on the wrong forum.

I have a home network with 3 computers. I have having problems sharing a network printer. I have tracked the issue down to what I think is the problem. The computer up stairs is using wifi to be on the network. My pc (wired connection) can see that pc and access the files, but the pc up stairs can not see the pc down stairs. I have a third pc( wired connection) which can see the pc up stairs and the pc up stairs can see the third pc they can both access each others files. So the problem I’m having is that 2 computers can see each other but not my pc, and my pc can see everyone. The other 2 pcs just can’t see my pc, and that’s why I think I can’t share my printer. Any suggestions on how to resolve this?

All pcs are using win xp pro, and all pcs can access the internet

 

[bcastner]

From each computer:

Start, Run, CMD
net view

(Write down any error numbers and any error messages)

exit

After doing all three, post the results back here.

 

[timjcrist]

Thanks for the quick response

I tried that command on all pcs and says it was successfully completed.

Note:
When I browse mshome( the workgroup for all 3 pcs) I can see all the pcs from any location, but if I go to another pc and go to mshome then click on my computer I get this error

Logon Failure User has not been granted the requested logon type

 

[bcastner]

The users do not have permission to connect to the remote computer. To resolve this problem: on the remote computer, select Administrative Tools>Local Security Settings>Local Policies>User Rights Assignment, right-click on Access this computer from the network>Properties>Add Users or Groups, add everyone or any users you want to be able to access the computer from the network.

A suggestion by Forum member Bob Lin

http://www.chicagotech.net/systemerrors.htm

 

[timjcrist]

Still no luck

I tried to add the everyone group and I got an error saying could not save datebase, so I tried to add the computers though the ms home workgroup and I got the same message, I then closedthe window. I checked back and the everyone group and those computers are now added even though it said they could not be saved. I tried to access the network from another pc and I get access denied even though I just added them .

 

[timjcrist]

PS

I tried adding them again and I got the same could not save policy crap, but it said they were there. I restarted and they were not there.

 

[bcastner]

You need to change this policy locally; and you need to be logged in as the local Administrator.

Start, Run, secpol.msc
This should get you to the local policy editor.

It is not clear under what credentials are being used to authenticate; i.e. whether Simple File Sharing is enabled or not.

Use Simple File Sharing -- Enabled

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm

Use Simple File Sharing -- Disabled

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm

Troubleshooter:

http://www.michna.com/kb/wxnet.htm

 

[linney]

What type of firewalling do you have on your computer which is not allowing access? Even some Antivirus software has hidden firewall components.

If you run your computer in "Safe Mode with Networking" can the other computers access it?

 

[timjcrist]

OK here is an update. I have no firewalls running, I turned off windows default firewall and when this problem started I had no anti virus running. When I was giving the link to the windows network troubleshooter It mentioned that malware might be resetting or changing some of my settings. I ran spybot SAD and AVG free antivirus. Both found problems and I corrected them. I am still having this problem thought. When I went back to double check my firewall settings it wont allow me to change these, saying that they are being controlled by a group policy. The only group policy I changed was allow access to my network and I allowed the everyone group (which didn’t solve my problem). I then changed the setting back, seeing how it had no effect on my problem. I still get an error message when I try to add computers from my work group to the allow access my network, something to the effect of “can not save policy database”.

At this point I strongly suspect more malware is on my pc somewhere. Any thoughts?

ps I will check safe mode with networking support and report back

 

[bcastner]

To clear your firewall issue, which is due to a virus:

For Windows XP Pro:

* Click Start, Run and type Gpedit.msc
* Navigate to the following branch:

Computer Configuration
=> Administrative Templates
==> System
===> Network
===> Network Connections
====> Windows Firewall
=====> Standard Profile

* Set the following options to Not Configured (defaults)

Windows Firewall: Protect all network connections
Windows Firewall: Do not allow exceptions
Windows Firewall: Define program exceptions
Windows Firewall: Allow local program exceptions
Windows Firewall: Allow remote administration exception
Windows Firewall: Allow file and printer sharing exception
Windows Firewall: Allow ICMP exceptions
Windows Firewall: Allow Remote Desktop exception
Windows Firewall: Allow UPnP framework exception
Windows Firewall: Prohibit notifications
Windows Firewall: Allow logging
Windows Firewall: Prohibit unicast response to multicast or broadcast requests
Windows Firewall: Define port exceptions
Windows Firewall: Allow local port exceptions

* Exit the Group Policy editor.

For Windows XP Home:

1. Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe
2. Navigate to the following locations:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ WindowsFirewall

-and-

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ WindowsFirewall

3. Backup and then delete the WindowsFirewall keys.
4. Close Regedit.exe and restart Windows.

 

[westredd]

Are you able to ping by computer name? Its resolving the correct ip address of the problem computer?

 

[timjcrist]

Bcastner,

When I checked the standard profile all were set to default, I double checked them all and still my windows firewall is being controlled by a group policy

I want to thank everyone for the continued support while you help me resolve this issue

 

[bcastner]

XP may use either the standard or Domain firewall profile.

The Cable Guy - May 2004
Network Determination Behavior for Network-Related Group Policy Settings

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0504.mspx

. If the connection-specific DNS suffix of a currently connected connection on the computer that is not PPP or SLIP-based (such as an Ethernet or 802.11 wireless network adapter) matches the value of the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GroupPolicy\History\NetworkName registry entry, Windows Firewall uses the domain profile.

. If the connection-specific DNS suffix of a currently connected connection on the computer that is not PPP or SLIP-based does not match the value of the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GroupPolicy\History\NetworkName registry entry, Windows Firewall uses the standard profile.

You can determine the connection-specific DNS suffixes of the currently connected connections on the computer from the display of the ipconfig command issued from a command prompt.

 

[linney]

Have you got any errors showing up in the Event Viewer?

What was the result of the Safe Mode with Networking test?

Check the Event Viewer before you test in Safe Mode, Safe Mode generates false errors in the Event Viewer just from the fact that Services and Drivers are not loaded.

 

[timjcrist]

Bcastner,

The standard firewall settings and the domain firewall settings are all set to default none of which were changed. When I try to look at windows firewall settings it says I cannot because ICS is not running do I want to start it? I click yes and it says It is being overridden by group policy.

Event viewer showed this error quite abit under the system heading. Other then this, I don’t know what type or error or warning I am looking for.



Details
Product: Windows Operating System
Event ID: 11
Source: Disk
Version: 5.2
Symbolic Name: IO_ERR_CONTROLLER_ERROR
Message: The driver detected a controller error on %1.

Explanation
This problem is typically caused by a failing cable that connects the drive to the computer.

User Action
Replace the cable.





I ran checkdisk to see if there were and disk error and none were reported

Westredd,

I am able to ping my pc from the pcs that cannot access my pc. Remember when I browse ms home, from another pc I can see mine, but I get this error when I try to access it

Logon Failure User has not been granted the requested logon type

When I try to change the group policy to let the everyone group have access to it I get an access denied when trying access my pc from another pc on the network. When I try to add workgroup computers to the group policy I get an error saying the policy could not be saved on the database.

Linney,

When I entered safe mode with network support, I could access any pc on the network from my pc like before, and like before pcs could see me in the workgroup, not in normal network neighborhood and I still received the same error message.

 

[bcastner]

System error 5 - Access is denied

This is a permission issue. If the net view command fails with a "System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied." message:

1) make sure you are logged on using an account that has permission to view the shares on the remote computer.

2) Need to cache credential: logon with the same username and password on both computers or use net use \\computername /user:username command.

3) Make sure the Netlogon service is running.

 

[timjcrist]

I don’t get a system error 5 just “access denied” don’t mean to nit pick, but this might make a difference. Also I don’t get this error any more. At 1st I got the
Logon Failure User has not been granted the requested logon type then I changed some group policy settings to try to correct this, then I got the access denied, ( the changes didn’t help, so I changed them back to default) The net view command never fails or reports errors, it can see everyone on the network no matter what pc I run the command from.

I can not log on the same username on both pcs because both users don’t exist on both pcs. My setup is 3 home pcs and a router, basic enough setup but I still get these frustrating problems.

 

[bcastner]

You need to synchronize (exactly match) the username and passwords on all of the computers.

The unsernames and passwords of Computer A should be existing or made new users of Computers B & C
The unsernames and passwords of Computer B should be existing or made new users of Computers A & C
The unsernames and passwords of Computer C should be existing or made new users of Computers A & B

 

[linney]

When I entered safe mode with network support, I could access any pc on the network from my pc like before, and like before pcs could see me in the workgroup, not in normal network neighborhood and I still received the same error message."

The above statement should receive an award for ambiguity, I would have been proud of such an output myself if I had created it. It reminds me of my Income Tax form.

If it means that everything worked OK from Safe Mode but not from Normal Mode then third party Security software may be the likely cause of your problem. If it means that you had the same problems in Safe Mode that you have in Normal Mode then at least you have eliminated the Security software as a cause. In either instance you have thoroughly confused me, but that isn't so hard to do.
Don't you love Networking!

Event ID: 11

http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=11&eventno=616&source=Disk&phase=1

Any Errors in the Event Viewer are marked with a big red X, Warnings are less of a concern and marked in yellow. If you want to investigate them (and you should) go to

http://www.eventid.net/search.asp

remember running in Safe Mode generates a series of false errors.

 

[timjcrist]

Sorry to confuse you on the safe mode boot with network support, let my try to clarify. There is no change when I try to boot to safe mode. I still get the same error messages. I think the problem is a virus. The problem is when I scan my system with AVG it tills me that have some Trojans I fix them, but the next time I scan I have the same problems. I recently had one of my users confess that she thinks she downloaded “something” from AOL instant messenger on Saturday, the problem started on Sunday…. So I think it might be a virus. However I did run an AIM virus removal tool and I still get Trojans detected when I run virus check. Should I repost in the spy ware/virus forum?