NT4 - Win98 Connections Easy Question

[rephlex]

Hi all,

I am running 1x NT4 box as a stand alone server (not a domain controller) participating in a workgroup with Win98 boxes.

I can see all machines across the network and from the NT box I can access shared drives on win98 boxes, however I do not seem to be able to connect to shared drives on the NT box from Win98 boxes, I dont want to create a domain as the NT box is not always going to be up (security is not an issue) - any ideas for a quick and easy solution?

Cheers in advance

 

[Highland]

This is something I spent ages getting to the bottom of...!!

Its a registry change....

HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\services\lanmanserverparameters

Edit the key MAXMPXCT.....

U need to set this value so it's NOT set to 00 (zero,zero) in the last 2 characters....

Apparently Win98 only checks the last 2 characters of this value, if they are zero it assumes there are no available connections on the NT machine.....

Hope this works......!!!!!

 

[rephlex]

OK - so what do I change it to or does it not matter as long as it is not 00?

 

[Jpoandl]

Hey, I've never heard of this registry problem. It may be true; however, I've never heard of anything like that.

Window NT and Windows 9x machines should be able to talk to one another without any registry changes.

What type of error are you getting when you try to map a drive to a share from the 9x machine to the NT server?

I would make sure that all computers are in the same WORKGROUP. Next, I would make sure I could ping all computers from all other computers. I would then make sure I have NT accounts on the server for the client community. (Or, you could enable the Guest account on the NT server.)

I think most likely you have a security type issue. I would create a user account called BillyBob on the NT server. Make Password = secret Then log into you 98 machine as BillyBob with the password of Secret. Then try to map a drive to the server. (Make sure you create a share with the proper access.)

Hope this helps a little... Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

 

[Highland]

Its true..!!!!

We have set the MAXMPXCT value to 4096 (hex); I should have said so long as the value is non-zero ending in hex the Win98 clients will connect OK.....

Yeah, I couldn't believe that the connection issue came down to a registry value either.......!!!!.....try it out...?????

 

[rephlex]

Cheers Highland - I will check that out when I get home 2nite.

(Joseph) Yep - all are in same workgroup, no problem with pings etc. I can see the NT box in network neighbourhood but when I try to access the share I get a error message (can't remember exactly what but I will check 2nite if Highlands fix doesn't work)

Cheers all

 

[Jpoandl]

I think this is what highland is talking about:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q232/8/90.ASP

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

 

[Highland]

The info re. the registry change was from....

http://thethin.net/maxmpxct.cfm.....

Well worth a read......