Netbios problems?

[phishphreek]

Here is a weird one for ya! I don't think its a DNS problem... I'm thinking more along the lines of a Netbios problem.

Windows 2000 Domain in Mixed mode.
Windows 2000 DNS server

Problem: Can't connect to an NT 4.0 File Server Share from Windows 2000 or Windows XP Pro workstations.
Note: NT 4.0... I know what you're going to say... but its not up to me! Its not my network, just trying to help resolve the problem.

Say the domain is "domain.com"

The NT 4.0 File server host name is "fileserver"

When trying to map a drive (2000 or XP pro clients) to a share, it can't find the share.

C:\>net use l: \\fileserver\share
System error 53 has occurred.

The network path was not found.

But, using the full host name (with dns suffix) it works.

C:\>net use l: \\fileserver.domain.com\share
The command completed successfully.

Pinging the host name is fine...

C:\>ping fileserver

Pinging fileserver.domain.com [192.168.1.10] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=126
Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=126
Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=126

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.10:
Packets: Sent = 3, Received = 3, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

Same thing with pinging the full host name.

C:\>ping fileserver.domain.com

Pinging fileserver.domain.com [192.168.1.10] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time=78ms TTL=126
Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=126
Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=126
Reply from 192.168.1.10: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=126

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.10:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 78ms, Average = 19ms

Can anyone think of what could cause this?

nslookup can find both fileserver or fileserver.domain.com

[Spyder32]

First off, (and this may be a blonde moment right now, but) how come when you pinged "fileserver" it sent 3 packets and when you pinged "fileserver.domain.com" it sent 4? I think I'm having a blonde moment, but I'm just asking to clarify things.

Second, could netBIOS possibly be turned on (filesharing/printsharing that is) on your fileserver domain and not your actual file server? But then again, that wouldn't make sense..

Bleh, I'm going to lookup some info on netBIOS file server problems (see what I can dig up on google). Keep us posted on anything new, and I'll report back any findings.

[Cemetric]

Do you have WINS enabled ...meaning a WINS server.

If you have mixed environment that is not a luxury ...

Windows Internet Name Service—enables NetBIOS name resolution. Presence of the WINS server(s) is crucial for locating the network resources identified using NetBIOS names. WINS servers are required unless all domains have been upgraded to Active Directory and all computers on the network are running Windows 2000.

Source

I know you know how it works ...it's just for reference ...And it's explained better then I would explain it

Offcourse if you do have WINS ... there might be a problem with it then ??

[EDIT] Does it help if you put the server name in the LMHOST file ?? [/EDIT]


C.

[HTRegz]

Hey Hey,

Question for ya phish... you said

The NT 4.0 File server host name is "fileserver"

That's the hostname or the NetBIOS name.. or both? to ensure that it's the netbios name run net user on the NT machine and see if you get \\fileserver at the top...

the reason that the ping would work is because it's using IP.. so it's going to use DNS... since there's no . after fileserver it's automatically going to append .domain.com (the origin)... (if you look in your options on your machine you're pinging from... in advanced you'll see the option to append this domain)... it's automatically filling it in for you. The reason it works with the full address is that it resolves without problem...

when you just type fileserver with net use... it's going to use netbios.... Is NetBios blocked on the network... is NetBios blocked on that machine... Do you perhaps want a WINS server (since you've got NT4) setup... that will translate the netbios name into an IP Address

I'm wondering (and I dunno... NT4 was before my time)... do you have NetBIOS on NT4 and NBT on 2K/XP... and that's causing problems??? I would't think so.. but it's a thought..

I'll keep pondering it.

Peace,
HT

[Edit]
Damn it... beat to it on the WINS point.... I should stop doing any real work and commit myself to AO
[/Edit]

[Spyder32]

the reason that the ping would work is because it's using IP.. so it's going to use DNS... since there's no . after fileserver it's automatically going to append .domain.com (the origin)... (if you look in your options on your machine you're pinging from... in advanced you'll see the option to append this domain)... it's automatically filling it in for you. The reason it works with the full address is that it resolves without problem...

Thanks for clearing that part up for me, HTRegz.

I should stop doing any real work and commit myself to AO

Agreed.

[Cemetric]

Damn it... beat to it on the WINS point.... I should stop doing any real work and commit myself to AO

Sorry ... But work stopped for me several hours ago ...so I had that advantage

C.

[phishphreek]

Yes, WINS is enabled.

fileserver is the host name of the workstation... and the netbios name.

Though, I'm the workstations never had a wins server specified in the network properties. I'll try it though... This problem just started today... possibly last night. (I rebooted both the fileserver and the DNS machine last night. the backup battery had to be replaced... so I powered it all off and replaced battery and powered back on)

Oh, it only sent 3 pings because I ended it early with ctrl-c... I just cut that out of the quote.

I'll read up more tonight on how to troubleshoot WINS problems....

The fileserver does have WINS pointed to the DNS server (which also has WINS running) and that status is "responding" on the lookup server.

[Spyder32]

Oh, it only sent 3 pings because I ended it early with ctrl-c... I just cut that out of the quote.

Gotcha'.. thanks for helping me on that phish, I thought I was just going mad or something.

[Cemetric]

Mmmm ... maybe the WINS record is "tombstoned" ...

Do you use netbios over DHCP ?? Maybe play with that ?

Anyway keep us posted ...

C.

[EDIT] I forgot to add ... Don't forget about NBTSTAT ...It's great for helping to ******** NETBIOS problems [/EDIT]

[phishphreek]

Well, as soon as I specify a WINS server it works fine.

However... I've never had to do that before...

I thought that netbios resolution went like this:

local cache (lmhosts), broadcast, WINS, DNS, hosts file

In that case, since these machines don't have a pre-defined lmhosts then it was falling to broadcast or DNS.

netbios broadcasts are handled by the computer browser service?