Problems with XP-XP file shares

[ibuda]

Greetings,

I've been searching all over for a solution to this but with no avail so I hope someone can help me out. I have two windows XP pro machines on a domain. I set up a file share on one (we'll call it "testshare&quot and then tried to connect to it from the other computer. Initially I tried as a local user expecting the sequence:

- XP trys current account and password which fails
- XP asks for username and password

However, the connection just seemed to die without asking for a username and password. On the computer with the share the event log registered 2 failed attempts with the local account. I tried this several times, mapping a drive, browsing through the network, and UNC but all had the same result. Mapping to the drive with the option of using a different username and password hangs on the first attempt and then works on the second attempt.

So I decided to try logging into a domain account to see if that would work. Mapping a drive this way works but using UNC only works on the second attempt. When attempting to use UNC from the box with the share to itself the same thing happens but on the first attempt the event log registers a ksecdd event to handle logon requests.

Does anyone know:
a. Why this would occur?
b. How can it be fixed?
c. Is there any way to force xp to time-out when the usernmae/password it tries is not successful?

btw, by UNC I mean from the start -> run or command line. Also trying a share on a 2000 workstation works, it is just the xp to xp shares that don't.

Thanks.

 

[bcastner]

For security reasons XP reports very little information back to the client for the reasons for a failed access.

However, I think your problem lies in that there is a difference in a Domain setting between a mapping that is made through the GUI, and that made through a CMD session. In the GUI the username and password credentials are stored, but under a command session they are not.

By default, the Stored User Names and Passwords feature creates a "key" for any connection that you make in the graphical user interface (GUI) that requires alternate credentials. When you make a connection at a command prompt by using the net use command and by passing alternate credentials, a key is not created.

For the net use command to save the credentials in Credential Manager, use the /savecred switch. When you use the /savecred switch, any credentials that you are prompted for when you use the net use command are saved as a key.

If you are prompted for the user name and/or password when you use the net use command (but not because you used an asterisk [*] in the net use command for password prompting) and also used the /savecred switch, the credentials are saved. For example, when you type one of the following commands at a command prompt, a key is stored in the Stored Username and Passwords feature for the resource when the connection is made:

When you type the net use * \\computer_name\share_name /savecred command, the user is prompted for a user name, and then the user is prompted for a password.

-or-

When you type the net use * \\computer_name\share_name /u:domain_name\user_name /savecred command, the user is prompted for a password.


However, when you type one of the following commands, a key is not created:
net use * \\computer_name\share_name * /user:domain_name\user_name /savecred

-or-

net use * \\computer_name\share_name * /savecred /user:domain_name\user_name


If you type net help use at a command prompt, more information is displayed about the net use command.

For additional information about Credential Manager, please see the following Knowledge Base articles:

Q283677: Description of Credential Management feature in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q283/6/77.ASP

Q281249: Credential Manager Credentials Are Stored For Lifetime Of Logon Session

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q281/2/49.ASP

Q281660: Behavior of Stored User Names and Passwords

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q281/6/60.ASP

 

[ibuda]

Thanks for the tip, I have someone looking into it to see if it will solve the problem, however, it still does not explain why when you map a network drive through the GUI using a different username the share hangs/freezes explorer. The window pops up but no files/folders appear and explorer crashes. After using task manager to restart explorer the drive is there and is accessible so it would not appear to be a problem with the credentials at that point. Any ideas why it would behave this way (on several machines)?

 

[ibuda]

Just an update. We tried what bcastner suggested, however, the same problem came up. If the currently logged in user has permissions on the share the connection works. If the option is specified to request a username/password the connection hangs and crashes explorer after entering the username/password. Any ideas?

 

[bcastner]

It may not be crashing, just has yet to time out. If the DNS entries are set improperly on the XP clients it can take as long as six minutes for you to receive a response. Please see this thread: thread779-540080

 

[ibuda]

Just thought I'd post an update as we have found the solution to our problem (for now at least). We disabled the WebClient service which has been known to hang IE6 file shares. Now all access to shares are instantaneous without hanging . However, that said, there appears to be little documentation available on what WebClient does to benefit a system so perhaps disabling it will cause problems with some function in the future.

 

[smah]

Basically, that service will allow you to manipulate files located on the web as if they were local files (if you have permission of course). This web location would show up under My Network Places as any other remote share. In order for this to work, WebDav (on IIS) or mod_dav (on Apache) would have to be enabled on the web server. Most admins won't do this anyway due to the security risks. For more info see

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...003/proddocs/standard/pub_dav_aboutwebdav.asp

or search the web for "WebDav" or "mod_dav".