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Server not visible when browsing

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This problem may have a simple answer, but I am not able to find the solution.

Environment:
We have a Win2k domain, 2 DC’s with AD. It is in mixed mode with 3 NT4 BDC’s. There are approximately 350 workstations (Win2k Pro and NT4 Workstation), and 50 servers. The entire environment is a multiple domain location, but this problem domain only has one trust relationship. The two DC’s have DNS and WINS installed.

Situation:
There is one win2k member server (not a DC) which has many shares and most of our workers access these shares for document storage. This server is not a print server. Norton AV Ent. Server is installed. No other applications are installed.

Problem:
This particular server is NOT visible when browsing the network neighborhood. I know that browsing is not needed, but many of the users only know of this way to access the server. We have stopped and restarted the browsing service, net logon service, and bounced the box. Nothing works to make this server visible in the neighborhood. IT and users can do a search for the server and find it. When opened, all shares are visible. However users are complaining that they cannot find the server to access their files. Education of users is not an optionat this point.

This server also has WINS installed however it is not able to find itself as a wins server.

Any ideas and any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Topic

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

To add a couple of comments…..
This server’s network WINS and DNS settings are correct, pointing to the PDC Emulator.

Another notice, in the WINS database on the DC’s, the WINS entries for this problem server are static entries. If they are removed, the server then will not be found in the WINS table.

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

Can you browse other computers on the domain(s) from this server? It sounds as though WINS is not installed or configured properly. Do you need to have it running on this server? I would try uninstalling WINS and then setting this server to use one of the other WINS servers in the domain. This should resolve the problem of having to put in static entries for this server. Once you do this, remove the static WINS entries and see if the server shows up on the WINS database. It should automatically register itself. If it doesn’t then there is probably a problem with the TCP/IP protocol itself or the NIC card. At that point, I’d try uninstalling all of the networking components (TCP/IP and NIC) and reinstall them, making sure you use themost recent NIC drivers. If that doesn’t help, replace the NIC card. Hope this helps!

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

We found the answer. Someone made a registry change that was not authorized. Check out KB 321710. It is a setting to hide 2000 computers from the browse list. Thanks for your help.

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

All other servers and workstations are visible on the network. Since first posting this question, we have removed the static entries in the WINS table, removed the WINS service on this particular server, and pointed only to one of the current WINS and DC servers. Then we bounced the system. The WINS entries were correctly registered, however, the server is still not visible on the network.

We did further research in Microsoft KB articles. We found one which used a registry entry to ‘hide’a system on the network. That particular registry entry is not on this server. Still we do not have an answer.

Any additional ideas or help? Thanks

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

The browsing service depends on a master browser being present on each subnet. Some installations of W2K disable systems from taking on the master browser role. Check the registry key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser|parameters\MaintainServerList. It should be set to Yes if there are no other systems capable of the role on the subnet.
You can also use the Browmon resource kit utility to determine what server on your subnet is currently maintaining the list(if any it). It also maybe a problem with that server being updated.
The browser service is pretty much independent from WINS so I don’t think that the registration issue has anything to do with the server not appearing in NN.

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

We found the answer. Someone made a registry change that was not authorized. Check out KB 321710. It is a setting to hide 2000 computers from the browse list. Thanks for your help.

Server not visible when browsing

In reply to Server not visible when browsing

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