Looses Connection with Server 2

[mquinn0908]

I have a laptop that has XP and is connecting to a Win2000 server and while working a message will pop up saying that the computer has lost the connection with the server and has gone offline. As soon as you click on the icon I can syncronize and I can access my files so it never really goes offline. I have an desktop that is also running XP that this happens with and these are the only machines that do this. Why does this keep happening and how can I stop it?

 

[smah]

Not enough info for a meaningful answer. How are you connected to the server - ethernet, vpn, wireless, telepathy? What brand of hardware?

Being that you mention a notebook, I'm guessing wireless. Make sure that your drivers are up to date and look for updated firmware for your access point. These alone have fixed many wireless issues.

 

[mquinn0908]

The laptop and desktop both are connected via ethernet. The desktop has an 3com etherlink xl (3C905C-TX) and the laptop has an Intel Pro/100 card and it is also attached to a docking station. The laptop is an Compaq Evo N800v and the desktop is an Dell Dimension 4400.

 

[ghettolifenj]

do you have more than one protcol running netbui and tcp

 

[mquinn0908]

the only protocol is tcp

 

[123tech]

Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4 Server has an idle autodisconnect function which by default should disconnect after 15 minutes. You can test it out by just being idle for 15 minutes, and see if this happens? What OS are the other workstations running? This setting should only affect 2000 or XP clients. To change the dafault idle time, you need to go to the server, and in the command prompt type: net config server /autodisconnect:VALUE (minutes) (any number from -1 to disable to 65536). ex.
net config server /autodisconnect:30 (so after 30 minutes it will be disconnected). If this isn't a huge problem, I wouldn't disable it cause the server will be using up resources to keep the connection. Hope this works!

 

[mquinn0908]

The only problem with this is you don't have to be idle for it to do this. You can be sitting there working and then all of the sudden the icon appears in the taskbar that says you are now working offline and as soon as you click on the icon it syncronizes your files, the icon disappears and you are back up and working again.

Several of our workstations are using NT workstation 4.0 and then it is a mix of 2000 and XP machines.

 

[satsujinsha]

I am having the same problem. Just built an office network with win2k server, and 5 XP clients. I mapped a U: drive to a shared directory on the server and set up offline files and synchronizing for 'my documents' on each machine to sync with the proper server directory. The XP machines on the Ethernet LAN would disconnect randomly, usually between 30sec and 5min. Since the machines in the office are always connected to the network (unless offline files are enabled, and the machines are forced offline constantly ) via Ethernet, I just disabled offline files and decided I don’t really need the files stored locally. I simply pointed 'my documents' to the users shared folders on the server.
Unfortunately the client also has an XP laptop that he uses to VPN to the server from home and while traveling. After connecting via VPN and clicking on the 'offline files' icon, the laptop connects to the server and the files sync. In this situation, the XP machine will usually stay connected for 5-10 min, and then disconnect, regardless of activity. If I add 5-10 large files (large =~ > 1meg) to the offline files folder and then connect, it will synchronize a few files and then fail the rest when it goes offline. All I have to do is click the offline icon and then it will begin to resync the remaining files. For now I have instructed my client to stay offline until he is done working with files in the sync'ed directory. When he is ready to walk away from the machine he is clicking the offline icon and starting up the sync process. Then he has to come back in 15 min and, (if necessary reconnect to the VPN first than,) if its been disconnected and is offline, click the offline icon again, repeating this process every 15min until all the files have synced. That is a pain for him and it makes me feel a bit incompetent. Does anyone have a better solution?

 

[Naproxen]

Check your power managment settings regarding your NIC. Couldn't hurt.

 

[Davix]

I know this may sound pretty basic but has anyone tested the cabling? Check the cables from the server ->switch/hub -> patch panel -> workstation (you get the idea). To quickly eliminate a cabling issue I would verify the server to switch cable and than take a known good cable and plug the laptop directly into the same switch.

The problem you discribed could be an OS issue but I would start simple.

Good Luck

 

[satsujinsha]

Thx for the suggestions nap&dav, but this can't be a hardware issue. The odds of all of our cables or nic cards being mis-configured/broken is low. In my case, no chance, as the cables and hub were in place before the hardware upgrade, and as i mentioned earlier, they now work perfectly, as long as offline files are not enabled. It is definately related to offline files...

 

[mquinn0908]

I have to agree with satsujinsha. We didn't have this problem until we upgraded to XP and enabled offline files. I have tried a new (known good calble) and the problem wasn't resolved.

 

[rlindberg]

I too have seen this issue at 3 different clients.

One tech reports fixing the problem by placing an environment variable on the XP machine(s). I have my doubts as to whether this is really the fix or not. But please report your results.

I am more inclined to believe that the issue is due to shortage of diskspace on the C: drive or system drive of the Domain Controller.

To set the environment variable on the XP workstation do the following:
1. Right click on My computer select properties
2. Select the Advanced tab, then select Environment Variables
3. Under System Variables hit new and add "MAPROOTOFF" with the value of 1.

Let me know if this solves your problem or if freeing up diskspace on the C: or System drive solves the issue.

 

[rwhall51]

I am experiencing the same problems. Users can see and access needs files for a short time, and then all is lost and the sync. icon is in the lower right corner. I am also leaning to the fact that the file sync. should be turned off. Please post any other findings.

 

[jtrovato]

I'm also having the same problem. I have windows 2000 Server with about 15 XP clients. Some work fine while other have the lost connection issue. My clients are starting to think I have no networking skills. Nice right!! Lovely MS

Here are the facts:

1. All new cabling and it has been tested.
2. All the service packs have been updated
3. No third party software all MS software.
4. All the XP clients are joined to a single domain
5. 1- 100MB SMC 24 port switch
6. No internet connection
7. All user's have roaming profiles
8. My Documents and desktop are redirected to the server

Thank you

John

 

[mquinn0908]

This is a very aggravating problem and your users do begin to think that you don't know what you are doing since you can't resolve their problem. Luckily I only have about 3 users with XP that use offline files or I would hear more about it from them but it would be nice to resolve this issue.

 

[jtrovato]

I know how to resolve this issue, Get rid of XP and re-install 2000 Pro. It's cheaper and it seems to work a lot better than XP. it requires less memory and it's easy to setup.

I might eat the cost of the lisences to get rid of this headache

John

 

[absent]

I have 7 XP notebook clients that experience the same problem. All of a sudden the connection to the network is lost. But if I right click the icon and choose Synchronize the network connection is magically restored.

I heard that XP transfers more network traffic and I have a mixed network with 10 and 100 Mb switches and hubs.

I also had severe problems with XP initially. Without SP-1 it was not possible to connect the computers to our domain.

Affected notebook computers are Compaq Evo N610C with XP.

Conclusion:
XP handles network traffic poorly
XP has some sort of bug (feature)
XP was not ready for release to business networks

Regards, Kjell

 

[HaraldB]

I have solve this problem affected on our Compaq evo 610c with an update of the network-driver, the MS USB-Patch and a new Compaq Supplement driver. I have tested it on three notebooks.

 

[Tezzie]

No ones mentioned DHCP. What would happen if you had static ips rather than server assigned? Does the problem go away? Tez

Backups are great but checking if you can restore is more fun.