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Problem with network access but Ping works

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by haggard

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Problem:
The contents of some machines' disk drives sometimes cease to be visible. Attempts to browse these machines' contents result in this error: "The specified network name is no longer available." This failure is universal in that it is not just one machine that can't see the 'hidden' machine, it is all machines I've tried.

An example command that generates this error:
dir \\vmrh-xp64\c$

The same sort of problem exists when trying to browse using file explorer.
"\\vmrh-xp64\c$ is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.
The specified network name is no longer available."

Environment:
The environment is a standard corporate development environment. In particular, I have a Win2k3 development machine that is running VMWare which hosts multiple guest virtual machines. All VM's are set up so that their virtual networks are bridged to the real physical network and all of the VM's are part of the company domain. These VM's can access the internet and they can browse to their host so I'm pretty sure that the networks themselves are functional.

However, when the host tries to return the favor, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The actions that have fixed this include
Repair/renew the VM's network connection
Leave and then rejoin the domain.
Ensure the VM's firewall is off.

Over the past couple of days, these actions are no longer sufficient to regain network visibility.

I do not think that it is a DNS related issue because a ping command works just fine and an attempt to browse using the failing VM's IP does fails in the same manner as using the machine's name.
Example: "ping vmrh-xp64" - works.
Example: "dir \\10.10.13.12\c$" - failes.

While all of the non-browsable errors have occurred only on VM's, not all of the VM's are failing. Only the x64 VM's are giving me trouble and not even all of them. The Win2k and 32 bit XP VM's, once they work, never fail again.

Other programmers using VM's based on the same one that I have based my own 64 bit XP VM are not having this problem so I suspect that the issue is localized to my own environment rather than being an XP64 issue.

So, any ideas?

7 replies

by ---tk---

C$ is the admin default share... Which will browse through the entire file system including C:\WINDOWS.... Usually you would want to keep people out of that directory (just a little bit of advice)... if you really really want to get in that default share you would have to know the Admin passwd the syntax would be PC_NAME\Administrator and password... unless you have added groups/users to the default share...

If you have a local account on the PC\server... you could login with PC_NAME\USER_NAME and password...

I would highly recommend creating a share add the users and groups to the share that way you can do \\PC_NAME\ShareName and that will work... log in with user's name and password... you would have to log in locally and create the share and add the data...

Also in the Virtual OS, I have scene VMware act screwy with network connections... I might check to see if the virtual nic card is still there and functional in the "device manager"...

by haggard

"C$ is the ..." Yes. I know. This is a development machine, not something that is exposed to the wild. And I'm logged in using the same domaine name and password on both machines.

"...check to see if the virtual nic card is still there..." As I said, the invisible VM has no trouble browsing the host's disks and ping works from both sides so it would seem likely that the VM's nic is functioning.

I appreciate the thoughts. Anything else occur to you?
---
Rick

by ---tk---

Im out of ideas... If I come across anything soon I'll post up... Wish I could help more... Good Luck!

by dumphrey

to get shares off an XP64 machine, yeah? The networking between XP64 and XP/2k3 32 has always been screwy. Have you updated to the latest SP? (Sp2)

[edit]
Is the host OS at sp2? Apparently there have been issues with 2k3's implementation of toe and VMware.
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/78606

by haggard

Good question. It turns out that the VM(s) are Windows Xp x64 with Service Pack 1. I downloaded SP2 but it crashes when I try to run it. Multiple downloads later, still no luck installing SP2.

by haggard

It turns out that this is a self induced failure as a result of operating in a development environment. One of the other developers here added some code that breaks network access of this nature. Thanks everyone, but this puppy has been put to bed.
--
Rick

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