Network Drive Connection Problems

Hello All,

I am having some network drive connection problems.

I have a server running Windows 2003 STandard Server

7 - Workstations running win XP Pro
1 - Workstation running Win 2000 Pro

Workstations are running F-Secure Internet Security 2009
-with firewall setting modified for network use.

The workstations access two main shares on the server (U: and V:). The network will run fine for a little while. Then suddenly there will be no access to the shared network resources on the server. Even when the server is trying to connect to itself.

The workstations will show "network drive disconnected". TaskManager shows that instance of "MyComputer" as "Not Responding".

Initally I was getting an EventID of 3019 on the server. It suggested a network speed negotiation problem, also that there might be a MasterBrowser problem.

I disabled the MasterBrowser service on the workstations and the EventID 3019 error went away.


Any suggestions as to a solution?

Thanks!!!

Is this on a domain? Or is the server just sharing sans domain?

Have you tried disabling the F-Secure firewall altogether?

Can you 'ping' or 'net use' the shares at all?

We have a simple workgroup. Not a domain.

I have seen posts referencing a very similar problem with Symantec products. Previously most of the workstations had been running a Symantec antivirus product. Symantec had been uninstalled and replaced with FSecure. So, I went around to each of them and ran the Symantec “uninstall tool” to remove the leftover Symantec residue.

I upgraded all the workstations from FSecure 2008 to 2009. Some are running AntiVirus and some are running InternetSecurity.

I checked the network equipment in the closet. The main network switch was a bit warmer than I would like and its cooling fan sounds a bit rough. I moved it and put an external fan blowing on it.

And finally, I upgraded the NIC driver to the most current on from dell. The one in use had been about a year older.


As of this afternoon the network time outs / stalls seem to have stopped. I am hoping the nightmare is over!




PS - Last night before making all the changes, I had set up each workstation (8) to copy a large set of data from the server (20+Gb), all at once. I never got an error while that was going.

Also I brought up the practice management software while the copy was going on. I never got even one error.

I am not sure what, if anything the copying excersize proves.