ME not logging on to network at startup 2

[OnTheRoad]

I have a homenetwork (1computer on XPPro, 1 on ME, 2 on 98). The ME computer has quit logging on to the network at startup and I can't figure out how to get it to logon.

To get it to logon I have to &quot;logoff&quot; and then it offers me the logon (&quot;default&quot; is my default logon) and THEN I can access my network. It is mightily annoying to have to reboot (frequently, I do have ME after all! <g>) and then logoff and logon to use my network. any ideas?

 

[wolluf]

sounds like it might be something like its taking longer to recognise the fact that its connectedd to a network than it is to start windows. Are you using TCP/IP? (have you any other protocols installed too - if so, might be worth just having TCP/IP). How are IP addresses allocated (manual or DHCP server)? Is the network card ok on ME machine? Cables connected properly?

 

[OnTheRoad]

It seems to just not logon to the network. I can access the other computers without apparently logging on, but if I click on My Network Places and Entire Network it says &quot;Unable to browse the network. Windows is unable to gain access to the network. This may be for a number of reasons....OK&quot; the IP addresses are DHCP and I don't know whether or not I use TCP/IP, I never have understood that.

Obviously the cables are ok and the network card is ok. The only thing I can think of is that I reinstalled ME a couple of weeks ago and shortly thereafter I noticed it wouldn't log on to the network.

All that happens is that I boot up, I can access the other computers, but I can't add a network place, and someother things I can't do that at the moment I can't remember; I logoff (am I sure I want to log off, yes), and the logon screen to logon to &quot;default&quot; pops up (like it used to do when I booted or rebooted), I press enter (no password), and NOW I'm logged onto the network. It makes no sense to me. Why does it work when I logoff and immediately logon and doesn't work when I boot up?

 

[wolluf]

Is Client for Microsoft Networks the primary logon (look in network properties)?

Machine is a member of same workgroup as other machines?

You say you use DHCP - so do you have something acting as DHCP server on your network (ie, supplying IP addresses to other machines). This would be for example a router or a machine using Window's Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) software.

On the 98 & ME machines, if you run (start/run) winipcfg it should give you IP addresses assigned. For XP, open a command prompt and type ipconfig for this information. What IP addresses show for each machine (should all be in same range, private addresses, eg (commonly) 192.168.0.x, where x is different for each machine, with a subnet of 255.255.255.0). If any start 169.xxx.xxx.xxx, windows is assigning its own (not getting it from DHCP server).

 

[OnTheRoad]

>>Is Client for Microsoft Networks the primary logon?<< Yes.

>>Machine is a member of same workgroup as other machines?<< Yes

>>You say you use DHCP - so do you have something acting as DHCP server<< Yes, the router.

Maybe I am not explaining myself well. The ME machine WILL logon to the network (so everything is technically OK, I think), it just won't do it at bootup. It will logon to the network if, AFTER it has been booted up, I use the logoff (Start, Logoff). THEN it offers me the opportunity to logon to Default, no password logon box that comes up. It just won't do it when I start the machine. (and yet it recognizes the other computers on the network--I can, for example, go to my husband's computer [Win98] and open a file that resides on his computer. But it ISN'T logged on to the network.)

I really appreciate your trying to help me. If I sound frustrated, it's because I am!

 

[smah]

Has anyone installed TweakUI on this machine? There's a setting in there about logging on to a network that may be messed up. If TweakUI is not installed, try changing the Primary network logon to 'Windows Logon'.

 

[Alcom]

Tweak UI has a setting in the Logon tab called &quot;Log on automatically at startup&quot; and in &quot;Paranoia called &quot;Clear last user at logon&quot;. These settings may help.

You can get Tweak UI v1.33 @:

http://tweakhomepc.virtualave.net/one/download.html

 

[OnTheRoad]

Thanks for replying, and I do have tweakui on my machine but the Clear last user at logon is NOT checked. And Logon automatically at startup is NOT checked.

I am totally baffled as to why the logon comes up when I logoff, but not at startup.

I'll try changing the logon to Windows logon and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Alcom]

Why don't your try checking these options? Most people with only one user profile are trying to stop WinMe from logging on, so the common tip is to uncheck these as you have them.

Since you WANT to log on, try CHECKING both of these options.

 

[wolluf]

Ontheroad,

You wrote 'It just won't do it when I start the machine. (and yet it recognizes the other computers on the network' - does this mean you have access to the network BEFORE you log off and on again? If so, there's no problem, is there - you ARE logged on to the network?

 

[OnTheRoad]

Ok, I know this is really strange but I'll try to tell you what happens: I start the computer and I open, say, wordperfect and try to access a file on my husband's computer by going to File Open text.wpd. I am told by a little box: &quot;Following error occurred while reconnecting R: to \\randy\r. Not logged in.&quot; So I cannot access the text.wpd file that way. However, if I go to Explorer, I can navigate to \\randy\R\text.wpd through My Network Places, double click on that file and it will open in wordperfect!

This makes no sense to me at all, but that is what happens, and it happens not just with wordperfect, so it is not a program specific problem.

Also, if I go to Explorer and attempt to access a file on another computer by double clicking on the mapped drive, it won't go there, tells me I'm not logged on. If, however, I navigate there using My Network Places and the list of network folders, I AM able to get to that computer.

This is driving me nuts! Obviously, I can work around the problem (logging off and back on) but I'd really like to know what's going on.

 

[OnTheRoad]

I have tried everything suggested here and nothing works. It worked fine until I reinstalled WinME and I'm sure that has something to do with it, but I don't know what. It's really annoying.

 

[CraigV78]

The solution I found to this issue is a bit dumb.... but hey it is a Microsoft product afterall!...

The ME PC is experiencing a latency in detecting the network when the PC first boots up (the machine initialises prior to the network card registering itself on the network), and therefor doesn't display the network logon first time round. Meaning that you have to select logoff to display the network login box.

The resolution to this is to:

1) Manually set the IP address (Conclusive proof the ME is not network friendly!)

2) On the TCP/IP properties dialogue box deselect the equivalent message of &quot;Detect Network&quot; (I can't tell you exactly what the tick box says as the one I did was for a spanish client and my translating skills are not that good) - At any rate its the check box at the bottom of the First tab of the TCP/IP properties dialogue box.

Hope this helps.

 

[OnTheRoad]

Thanks, I'll try it.

 

[lantern]

Ive got exactly the same problem with windows 98 SE. There is no logon dialoguebox at start up only once I am in Windows can I log off and then log on again.Although windows shows me as logged on it will not allow me to access my network until a password logon has been completed.
I suspect this problem is originating from the registry VNETSUP settings but I cant find any documentation yet to confirm what the default settings should be.
Any suggestions?

 

[OnTheRoad]

I uninstalled TweakUI and then followed these directions (that I got from Scot Finnie's Newsletter)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;141858

Now I have my logon screen back.

 

[dbMark]

Symptom: At startup the computer displays the Windows Family logon window rather than the one for the network logon. But when you log off, then you do get the network login window.

One solution that worked for me: Try deleting all .PWL files in C:\WINDOWS. These are Password List files. If anyone entered a USERNAME and no password at the logon prompt at some point, they were asked if this should be a default logon from then on. If they answered yes, they'll never see the logon prompt again. But it can cause the symptom you described.

Thanks to thread748-452141

dbMark