Microsoft Windows Network LOST!

[Ramsey_ElWardani 0]

I have a new Laptop with XP on it with Service Pack 2 and all Updates successfully installed. The problem I have is that I can no longer see “Microsoft Windows Network” and the Workgroups under it. I am looking in My Network Places / Entire Network, where Microsoft Terminal Services and Web Client Network are both found but Microsoft Windows Network, which should be there is not found. Microsoft Windows Network was available before and I have not been able to recover it after exhaustive attempts, including completely uninstalling all Network connections and even the NIC. I have been through the setup wizard and manually configured everything several times. This is not something I am new to and I have had another tech look at for several hours. We are both baffled! Any help would be appreciated.

[theefool 0]

You stated that you nolonger can gain access to the network. What was changed before you lost access?

[Ramsey_ElWardani 0]

Originally posted by theefool:

Quote:

You stated that you nolonger can gain access to the network. What was changed before you lost access?

 

I don't know, nothing was changed by me. "My Network Places" has nothing in it and does not locate any Networks/Workgroups that are on the physical network. I just had a third tech with extensive network knowledge look at it and he is a a loss. We did confirm conection to the workgroup by running <net view> from a DOS Prompt which listed all computers on the network.

[theefool 0]

Is this computer on the same domain or workgroup? Can you ping the remote computers? If you can do a net view....can you do a net use? As in:

 

net use x: \\computername\shared folder

 

What about the Run box...

 

can you type in \\computeranme and press enter?

Is this network of yours accessed to the internet or an intranet? Can you get to either?

[Ramsey_ElWardani 0]

Originally posted by theefool:

Quote:

Is this computer on the same domain or workgroup?

Yes, the same Workgroup. Or I can create a new workgroup, it doesn't matter. I can't see the Microsoft Windows Network under My network places.

 

Quote:

Can you ping the remote computers? If you can do a net view....can you do a net use? As in:

 

net use x: \\computername\shared folder

 

What about the Run box...

 

can you type in \\computeranme and press enter?

Is this network of yours accessed to the internet or an intranet? Can you get to either?

I have tried most of that and everything works. I can ping other computers, net view shows the other computers on the network. The problem again is that XP does not show the Networks that are physically on the LAN or any of the computers including this one.

 

As an example:

 

Right click on the Start Button.

Click on Explore.

Scrol down to My Network Places and click on the + to expand tree.

Click on the + next to Entire Network to expand again.

At this point "Microsoft Windows Network" should be listed, but it is not, along with "Microsoft Terminal Services" and "Web Client Network". How do I get "Microsoft Windows Network" back?

[Wilhelmus 1]

One thing to check (or doublecheck):

 

1) Go to the Start menu->Control Panel->Network and Internet Connections->Network Connections.

 

2) Right click on the troubled connection and select Properties from the pop-up menu.

 

3) Under 'This connection uses the following items' you should see 'Client for Microsoft Networks'.

 

3.1) If not... click 'Install...'

3.2) Select 'Client for Microsoft Networks', then click OK.

 

4)Make sure that 'Client for Microsoft Networks' is checked.

 

[jaylittle 0]

Try disabling the Firewall that comes with XP SP2. It may be blocking the RPC calls that Windows uses to "browse" the workgroup/domain.

[Ramsey_ElWardani 0]

Originally posted by Wilhelmus:

Quote:

4)Make sure that 'Client for Microsoft Networks' is checked.

It's there and checked. I have uninstalled and reinstalled it along with everything else countless times. I have a fair amount of experience and this one has me and several others shaking our heads.

[Ramsey_ElWardani 0]

Originally posted by jaylittle:

Quote:

Try disabling the Firewall that comes with XP SP2. It may be blocking the RPC calls that Windows uses to "browse" the workgroup/domain.

Disabled all Firewalls with no change in results.

[jaylittle 0]

Take a look at the last post in this thread:

 

http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t14911.html

[Ramsey_ElWardani 0]

Originally posted by jaylittle:

Quote:

Take a look at the last post in this thread:

 

http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t14911.html

 

Interesting, I'm not alone on this one. It doesn't look like he found a solution either.

[woogie 0]

> Interesting, I'm not alone on this one. It doesn't look like he found a solution either.

 

Just so you know, I went through this same flavor of hell today (it's hot, I'm un-airconditioned, and I'm in a MOOD), and I FINALLY resolved the issue by restoring the machine to an earlier restore point. Needless to say, if you don't have a good restore point from before you lost the ability to expand My Network Places, then as far as I can tell, you're sunk.

 

Sure would be nice if somebody over at MS would research this a little for us peons, and maybe provide a little insight to prevent the sort of thing I had to go through today. Grrrrrrrr!

[peterh 1]

Next time it happens, you can check the following:

 

1. Load Services.msc, and make sure following services are running:

a) Remote Procedure Call (RPC). Use by client for MS networks.

Server

c) Workstation. Both used for MS networks and File/print sharing

d) TCP/IP Netbios helper.

e) Computer Browser. Allow to see other computers on network.

f) Network connections

g) DHCP Client

 

You can also reset TCP/IP by this command:

netsh winsock reset.

 

[Naresh 0]

I had the same problem - was able to see all except "Microsoft Windows Network". Removed "Client for Microsoft Networks and readded - after reboot all fine now. Hope this helps !!

Naresh