Solved: Other can't see me - Please help!

This has been maddening. I made a server with a fresh install of XP SP2.

Here's what I have:
A 2Wire integrated DSL Modem/Router
With 3 of my computers plugged into it.
On the 4th port I'm connected to my D-Link 50 Port Switch.
In that switch, I have several Xboxes, the server, and another computer IDENTICAL to the server with the same clean install of XP SP2 on it.

So, every computer/xbox on the network can happily see each other and share files and browse the internet EXCEPT the one freakin' computer I want to share files from!

I disable windows firewall, have no antivirus, have File and Printer sharing turned on, and folders shared. The server can browse other computers and the internet. But other computers can't see me. We're all on the same workgroup appropriately named "workgroup"

I'll cut to the chase and answer the usual questions... All the typical services "Computer Browser Automatic", "Network Awareness" and all that are started.

Nbstat -n doesn't appear to work for me but my ipconfig /all shows this
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>nbstat -n
'nbstat' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>nbstat -n
'nbstat' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : server
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : gateway.2wire.net

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : gateway.2wire.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-2A-8B-9F-CA
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.87
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 30, 2007 4:15:47 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:15:47
PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>

Any help would be AWESOME!

 

Sorry!

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>nbtstat -n

Local Area Connection 2:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.87] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
SERVER <00> UNIQUE Registered
WORKGROUP <00> GROUP Registered
SERVER <20> UNIQUE Registered
WORKGROUP <1E> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>

 

Sorry for the multiple replies, I just don't want to waste your time.

I CAN ping the server that can't be browsed in windows by both IP and name.

Netbios over TCP/IP is enabled.

Simple file and printer sharing is turned on. Anywhere I can turn on something with sharing, I do. I've also set a few folders as fully shared.

JohnWill's FixAnon.reg script did NOT work

TerryNet's NetFix.reg script did NOT work.

Hope that helps.

 

If you double-click Network Places on the problem computer, can you see it in it's own Network Places? If so, can you browse to it's shares? I know, we're browsing to local shares, just humor me.

Are you SURE you checked all of the services?

Check your Services are Started on all PCs:

• Computer Browser
• DHCP Client
• DNS Client
• Network Location Awareness
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
• Server
• TCP/IP Netbios helper
• Workstation

Note: You can check the services in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services.

All of these services should be started, and their startup type should be automatic.

 

JohnWill,
I really appreciate the quick response. When on the problem computer, I can see/browse the other computers, but I don't even see myself in the Network Places.

I double-checked the services you suggested, all are started and set to Automatic. Network Location Awareness, is started but set to Manual. FYI the identical pc (which works fine) is set the same way. NLA service is started but set to manual.

What do ya think?

 

That's fine. You're saying that the other computer has all the same services in the same states, correct?

Have you disabled ALL firewalls on the system in question as a test?

 

All of the services are the same for both computers. Everything is started and all but that one service are set to automatic.

Windows Firewall is turned off (went to Cpanel/Firewall and clicked the off button), although every wizard I've toyed with seems to turn it back on.

I've gone through Add/Remove programs and double checked. I have no other firewall/antivirus/security programs in there. I'm just baffled on this.

Thanks

 

Boot in safe mode with networking and see if file sharing works in the configuration.

 

When I reboot to safe mode with networking I can browse the other computers, but still can't see myself. Other computers still can't see the server. I can still ping the server by name/ip. So, basically there's no difference when in safe mode. I really appreciate you staying with me on this.

 

Let's see this for one of the working computers, as well as this one in safe mode.

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

Type the following two commands:

nbtstat -n

ipconfig /all

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.

 

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Downstairs>nbtstat -n

Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.225] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
BLACKPC <00> UNIQUE Registered
BLACKPC <20> UNIQUE Registered
WORKGROUP <00> GROUP Registered
WORKGROUP <1E> GROUP Registered
WORKGROUP <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\Downstairs>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : BLACKPC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : gateway.2wire.net

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : gateway.2wire.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethe
rnet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-2A-E0-C6-66
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.225
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 02, 2007 7:36:03 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, November 03, 2007 7:36:03
AM

C:\Documents and Settings\Downstairs>

This computer is an identical, same cpu, mobo, etc as the non-working one. By the way, I did try putting in a 3com 905 network card in the non-working one and it didn't help.

 

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>nbtstat -n

Local Area Connection 2:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.87] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
SERVER <00> UNIQUE Registered
WORKGROUP <00> GROUP Registered
SERVER <20> UNIQUE Registered
WORKGROUP <1E> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : server
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : gateway.2wire.net

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : gateway.2wire.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-2A-8B-9F-CA
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.87
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, October 31, 2007 9:52:13
AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, November 01, 2007 9:52:13
AM

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin>

 

I suggest trying SFC to see if we can find some damaged files, we're running out of gas here.

Here's a detailed procedure for using SFC: http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

I suggest reading over the whole procedure, since there are pitfalls in using SFC in some environments.

 

I am guessing it's some kind of hardware problem on the motherboard. As I said, I had 2 identical systems so I went ahead and set both bios' to factory defaults and ghosted the working system to the non-working. I changed the computer name and still no sharing. So, I got rid of the motherboard and switched to a different one.

I'll bet people don't thank you enough for the incredible services you provide. I've been building systems for over 20 years and you taught me a lot. Thank you so much!

Dan

 

Thanks for the feedback. I think you're right about the MB problem. That was pretty odd.

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