network pb after install of SP2

Hello,
My local network doesn't work anymore ever since I installed SP2. I'm on a local network with another XP computer and a Me one. They both see each others and also see my XP computer, but mine can't access the local network. I get a message saying "unable to browser the network. The network is not present or not started. "
I'ld appreciate any useful help...
Sylvia

 

Click start, run, key in services.msc, click OK. When your list of services opens, make sure that Workstation and Server are both set to automatic and are both running.

Then try the fix shown Here.

 

Thanks for your help, Newt, but unfortunately, the patch didn't work. And yes, both the workstation and the server are on automatic. I don't know how to check if they are running though.
Thanks again!
Sylvia

 

I am the one who posted the bug fix which was obviously not your problem, and probably not too many people's problems soon when you all get the main hotfix for that bug by auto-update.

I would first go to control panel - windows firewall, which you will only have if you have sp2 installed.

Disable the firewall there and see if your network works then. Also disable any other firewall you have on. To be safe you can disconnect the internet while you do this. Your network isnt relying on the internet to work.

Also try putting static ips in all machines on the network and see if it helps.

Also check that the offending PC, and all the other computers on the network have the same workgroup name.

For more detail on how to do any of this ask by replying here. There are many others things to try too but the above may do.

 

Hello Dez,
Thanks for your answer. I did all you suggested, no change
Somebody made me stop and restart the workstation
net stop lanmanworkstation
net start lanmanworkstation
to try to identify the problem, and here is what I got:
net start lanmanworkstation
"The workstation service is starting
The workstation service could not be started.
A service specific error occurred : 2250
More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3547 "
After typing NET HELPMSG 3547:
"A service specific error occurred.
Action
Refer to the help or documentation for that service to determine the problem. "

I've tried to find some information relative to this problem, but couldn't find anything useful.

Microsoft suggests:
"To avoid this error, do one of the following:
• Stop the Computer Browser service, using the Services tool in Control Panel.
-or-
• Use the Registry Editor to change the MaintainServerList as described below:
1. Run Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. In the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following subkey:
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList
3. Change MaintainServerList to either Auto or Yes.
4. Quit Registry Editor. "

I did it too, but no change either...

So I'm stuck!!!
Thanks again for your help!
Sylvia

 

net start lanmanworkstation

That was a way of manually stopping and then restarting the workstation service. Interesting failure and if that service won't run, you certainly would expect to see the exact set of symptoms you have.

The easiest fix, since that piece belongs to 'Client for Microsoft Networks' is to remove 'Client ....', reboot, and add it back. If it does not work there are other things to try but none quite that easy.

- Right-click your My Network Places desktop icon and left-click Properties (or if you don't have the icon, open control panel and the Network Connections piece).

- Right-click on Local Area Connection then left-click properties.

- Untick the 'Client for Microsoft Networks' (see attached picture), click OK, reboot.

- Back to the same screen and tick 'Client for Microsoft Networks' again to reload it.

 

Wow you have a hard one it seems. At this time, if Newts stuff doesnt work, try these few things:

Create an account on the PCs you are trying to access from the one with the problem, that has the same username and password (pw blank if its blank)
as what you log into the problematic one with.

Turn off any firewalls on the PCs that you are trying to access. For some reason they already may have firewall rules in place to accept each other but not the one with the problem.

Try replacing the network card if it is possible

Try removing SP2 from Add/Remove programs in Control Panel. This will make sure your problem is in fact SP2 related or just a coincidence it appeared at same time you put SP2 on. You could put SP2 back on later.

Check you are using the right cables and thier connections are ok.

Ill send you more stuff to try if this doesnt help. Dont give up. Unfortuneately with a lot of things in PCs, there are dozens of things that can cause any 1 problem and we will hit it one day!

Good Luck

 

Possible Solution

I had a similar problem. Check that you have the file WKSSVC.DLL in your WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 directory. This file is the Workstation service, and is needed to browse the network, but in my case it got deleted when I tried to install SP2 - see "Hotfix wont install ".