can't access new install xp pro sp2 - Technology Forum - Home Theater, Computer, Televisions, Personal Electronics and more!

vega55 · 08-10-2006, 08:31 AM

Hi guys.

Thought it was safe to upgrade to SP2 and everything does work nice.... except accessing from other machines on the network. Everyone can see the new xp box but no one can access anything.

"Might not have permission" and "Network path not found" are the 2 main messages I get. Very, VERY fustrating 2 weeks trying to figure this out.

heatwave · 08-10-2006, 08:32 AM

Please let us know your hardware and Operating System setup. Is this a domain or a workgroup we are talking about here? If a workgroup, are the workgroup names spelled exactly the same? Have you shared the drive(s) in question from its properties menu? Have you rebooted since the new install? Are all computers in the same subnet? If not, how is your router/switch set up?

You can Ping the new machine from all others? Can you ping all the others from the new XP machine?

Also, do you have the Windows firewall on the new XP install turned on?

Two weeks is way too long. Let's get you up and running...

blackhawk · 08-10-2006, 08:32 AM

My bet would be that the new SP2 Windows firewall is blocking everything. I think it is pretty worthless so I disable the service and install a proper software firewall. I have had it just stratup on its own, and forget the settings allowing my network PCs to communicate. Very irritating when it happens, especially on a server that is being used. Thus I now disable it on all PCs I keep in my network, and use a firewall that won't spontaneously change settings on me.

vega55 · 08-10-2006, 08:32 AM

Hi FastLearner

It's happening on 3 machine and the only thing that's common is that it is XP Pro on a P3 Dell, P3 IBM, P4 Advantech. I'm hubbing through a 16 port netgear 10/100.

Can't ping any of them, it's like they are "Blocked", so I think Erik is right that it is Windows firewall not playing nice.

I think what I really need is the registry location for firewall so I can just delete that branch, seems extreme but hitting that delete button would feel great.

But before I do that I'm going to try reinstalling using Netfw.inf method.

heatwave · 08-10-2006, 08:32 AM

I had also mentioned firewall as a possible culprit in my first post, since all the symptoms are there. Now with the info you just gave, it is almost certainly a firewall blockage of some sort. Why are you wanting to change your registry to stop the firewall? Is there any reason you can't just use Start -> Control Panel -> Windows Security Center and deactivate the firewall this way?

heatwave · 08-10-2006, 08:33 AM

please let us know what we can do to help you. Have you tried to turn off the firewall by using the built-in utilities? What happened? What do you mean by this statement:

blackhawk · 08-10-2006, 08:33 AM

You can also disable the firewall by just going into Start...Run... type services.msc and hit enter. Scroll down to Windows firewall, and hit disable. Hacking the registry seems a bit extreme for something that is so easy to do right through built in utilies.

heatwave · 08-10-2006, 08:33 AM

Simple File Sharing miht have something to do with it, but that would be down the line if ping isn't even working. You need to be able to ping the PC before you can access any files on it, regardless of what permissions you have.

As for the firewall issue, just do what I said and disable it in services.msc. This has always worked just fine for me, and I have never had it pop back on after that. Alternatively you could also just configure it properly to allow file and printer sharing on the local network. The Windows Firewall isn't actually that bad, if you configure it for use on your network how you want it. If you don't want to use it, there are much better alternatives available which is why I don't use it, then the best bet is to disable it. Windows likes to turn the firewall back on automatically, even if you opt to just turn it off, to help protect your computer.

If you have already disbaled all of the Windows Firewalls and are still having problems then post back with the new issues and we can try and help you get up and running. Hacking the registry won't do anything more helpful than just disabling the firewall in services.

blackhawk · 08-10-2006, 08:33 AM

If its only WinXP Pro boxes then I bet its to do with simple file sharing. My suggestion is to first unshare any shared folders. Then go to Folder Options and change whatever setting is there for Simple File Sharing. Enable it if disabled and disable it of enabled. Go back and setup you shared folders from scratch.

If still not accessed on the network then repeat the above procedure but so that the Simple File sharing setting is reversed.

I know this has usually sorted out WinXP Pro for me a few times in the past and when many networking gurus (which I am not) were poo poohing it or coming up with many other complicated fixes. The inability to ping the box from the network is my only worry that it could be something different.

vega55 · 08-10-2006, 08:34 AM

Hi FastLearner

As much as I like Windows and I understand what Gates is trying to do for the average computer user, but for crying out loud, don't cram it down my Harddrive, I realise that there are built in utilies, but for some reason they're not working properly, I've started looking at my bios setting and hardware so, like I said, It would feel great to just delete the whole thing.