Mapping a drive only works sometimes?

[Haldane]

I have a about 5 PC's in another office that login to our win2000 terminal server by using RDP client and a router.

Once logged in they run the command

net use g: \\192.186.0.1\data /user:fred

This maps to the Data folder on their own server allowing them to save files directly from our network to theirs.

Why would this command only work sometimes.

 

[jkallen]

What error do you get?

 

[Haldane]

Oops

The user gets

System Error 53 Network path was not found.

Cheers

Brendon

 

[gurner]

Error code 53 Network path not found

SYMPTOMS
========

When you attempt to gain access to shared resources on a Windows 2000-based
computer over the network (for example, using the net view or net use command),
you may receive one of the following error messages:

System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found.

System error 51 has occurred. The remote computer is not available.

When you try to view the Properties of a Windows 2000 Clinet on a NT4.0 Domain
Controller, in Server Manger, you receive the following error:

The remote computer is not available. net use * \\server\share System error
53 has occurred. The network path was not found. Start, run \\Server\share

Network Neighborhood doesn't show anything.

Ensure that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is enabled and
everything works.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur if File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is
uninstalled or the check box for this service is cleared in the properties of
the associated network connection(s).

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this behavior, make sure File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft
Networks is installed and enabled:

1. Log on to the computer with Administrator privileges.

2. Double-click My Computer.

3. Double-click Control Panel.

4. Double-click "Network and Dial-Up Connections".

5. Double-click the network connection you want to modify, and then click
Properties.

6. On the General tab in the "Components checked are used by this connection"
area, you should see File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. If it
is not listed, you can install it by clicking the Install button and then
double-clicking Service.

7. Verify that the check box next to File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft
Networks is selected. This allows shared resources to be available on the
network.

MORE INFORMATION
================

File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is equivalent to the Microsoft
Windows NT 4.0 Server service. If you do not want to share resources on any
given connection, disable this option in the properties of the connection (as
described in the previous steps). Windows 2000 Active Directory requires that
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is enabled on domain controllers
for fundamental tasks such as propagation of the SYSVOL share through the File
Replication service.

For additional information, view the article numbers below in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q254527 Browse List Problems When File and Print Sharing Not Installed

Q102908 How to Troubleshoot TCP/IP Connectivity with Windows NT

 

[jkallen]

Well, I'm not sure that you've really gotten your answer yet. You say it works sometimes, so it sounds like File & Print Sharing should be installed per the above Q-article. As far as entering the /user:machinename\username, I don't think it will help here since you're getting error 53 (path not found) - it's not having trouble authenticating, its having trouble finding the server.

Error 53 basically means it can't find the server on the other side. I take it that they run the command from their TS session and not from their local client. If so, I would concentrate on name resolution - even though you're typing in the IP address (and you would think that since you just fed it the exact address it wouldn't need the name), NT still needs to know the Netbios name of the box. It has 3 methods of figuring it out and when they all fail, it returns 53. You can assit in the process by feeding the info to the sevrer by adding an entry to the LMHOSTS file on the TS (\winnt\system32\drivers\etc) that looks like this:

192.168.0.1 Servername #PRE

If this server you're mapping to is a Domain controller, add #DOM:yourdomainname to the end of the line. Spacing is not important, just make sure you add some spaces between columns.

LMHOSTS files are poor at scalability and if you ever change ip addresses, this thing will come back to bite you. WINS is a much better solution, but if the operation is small, its no big deal.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Dmasch]

Haldane,
I have the same problem. I can't ever get the thing to map. The difference is there are Linux firewalls setup on each location. I can ping all day long but when I go to use the net use statement or just browse. I get nothing. Just wondering if you ever got your problem solved and how you did it.

 

[CCIEWANNABE]

Could be as simple as a machine not on at those times or other Physical layer issues. Sounds like a Physical layer issue that your need to clarify thru process of elimantation. What are the symptoms? When does it resolve it self. From your statement "own server" . Focus at that point. Who controls the networks? ..."allowing them to save files directly from our network to theirs" Quote Route once; switch many

 

[BarelyMCP]

Well this is related. I have just installed a Cisco Pix 501 firewall/VPN server on our small local Lan. Using the cisco client I can connect to the TCP/IP network remotely from home but cannot see any shares. After I connect I can ping the IP addresses on the LAN but using Net use commands consistently get error 53. I tried adding the entry to my LMHOSTS file,
192.168.1.105 workstation #pre
but using net use g: \\workstation\doc,
or using net use g: \\192.168.1.105\doc

I get error 53
any ideas?????

 

[CCIEWANNABE]

If the net view command fails with a "System error 53 has occurred" message, the computer running Windows 2000 is not running the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks service. Route once; switch many

 

[Cees]

I got the error message 53 when using the netsvc command. After starting the Remote Registry Service on de Windows 2000 server the message was gone and everything was working fine.