RedMeister

Hi, I'm trying to network two Windows 2000 machines (a PII 266, LX m/b and an Athlon 1Gig, A7V) - but with no success. I've put on a fresh install of Win2k (no SP) with the NICs installed (3COM PCI 3C905C-TX). Using just TCP/IP with the newer pc as 192.168.1.1 and the older at 192.168.1.2, I can see the newer pc from the older (but can't browse it). The newer machine cannot see the PII at all. They are on the same workgroup. I'm logged in as admin on both with shares for everbody on both machines. Client for MS networks and file and printer sharing is installed. I have run the 3com diagnostics (with latest 3com driver - I also tried the native win2k driver) and the cards check out ok (I'm using a crossover cable). I disabled ACPI when I reinstalled win2k on the Athlon (hit F5 during install as suggested elsewhere on this board) and both NICs have IRQs to themselves. The link light comes on on both. I've also tried installing IPX and NetBEUI - but this doesn't seem to help. Weirdly a direct parallel connection connects fine and allows me to share files! The following appear in the event log on the newer machine: Event Type: Warning Event Source: BROWSER Event Category: None Event ID: 8021 Date: 19/08/2000 Time: 22:10:33 User: N/A Computer: PC2 Description: The browser was unable to retrieve a list of servers from the browser master \\PC1 on the network \Device\Nbf_{C090DEBA-A80E-48A7-9742-8246314C643D}. The data is the error code. Data: 0000: 35 00 00 00 5... and then: Event Type: Error Event Source: BROWSER Event Category: None Event ID: 8032 Date: 19/08/2000 Time: 22:12:39 User: N/A Computer: PC2 Description: The browser service has failed to retrieve the backup list too many times on transport \Device\Nbf_{C090DEBA-A80E-48A7-9742-8246314C643D}. The backup browser is stopping. Data: 0000: 35 00 00 00 5... I can't understand what's wrong! Can anybody help? Many thanks..

Hi, I haven't been able to locate that hub I was hoping to borrow - I think somebody else "acquired" it. So I may have to buy a hub (10Mbit cheapo probably). I'll chop up a cat 5 patch cable tomorrow and try a homebrew crossover first. Maybe that'll work...

Hi, I've set the NICs to 10Mbps and half-duplex - no help I'm afraid. I also switched over the XOver cable (2m, cat5) but one PC still only saw itself and the other itself and the other PC (but could not browse the other PC). I'll try to borrow a hub and cables in the next few days - I guess a parallel cable will have to do in the meantime... Thanks, Redmond.

Another point - should I install SP1 on both machines? This would mean a lengthy download (twice) as I'm stuck with a 56k modem. I did have SP1 on the Athlon machine but this got nuked when I did the clean install of win2k.

Thanks for the reply --- Results of ipconfig... For PC2 (the Athlon): Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : -- Can ping 127.0.0.1 and 192.168.1.1 but not 192.168.1.2 For PC1 (The PII machine) IP Address 192.168.1.2 Subnet 255.255.255.0 -- Can ping 127.0.0.1 and 192.168.1.2 but not 192.168.1.1 I'll try to get a loan of a hub and two ordinary cables during the week (the machines giving trouble are home PCs). Maybe I'll try the NICs in different slots - strange that their own diagnostics don't show any problems (and that the two NICs can communicate successfully - does this rule out a bad crossover cable?) Thanks, Redmond. [This message has been edited by RedMeister (edited 20 August 2000).]

Thanks for your reply - unfortunately no joy. I still have IP/IPX/NetBEUI on but to no avail. I reinstalled file/printer sharing and client for ms networks as you suggested. The newer PC (called PC2 on workgroup WORK) can see it self and also lists PC1 (but gives "\\pc1 not accessible" when I click on it). The machine PC1 cannot even see itself. There is nothing strange in the event log of PC2 - but PC1 has "The master browser has received a server announcement from the computer PC2 that believes that it is the master browser for the domain on transport MwlnkNb. The master browser is stopping or an election is being forced. Event ID 8003 Source MRxSmb". Then event ID 8021 - unable to retrieve list of servers from browser master \\PC2 Do I have to set up DNS or lmhosts or something? I'm confused - I'd have thought that one protocol or another might work! Thanks, Redmond. [This message has been edited by RedMeister (edited 20 August 2000).]