Browsing again for the 572nd time 1

[sharyn]

Some new developments in my never-ending quest to get browsing working correctly again since the win2k upgrade.

Yesterday, in another effort to at least isolate the problem, I turned the computer browser service off on ALL my DC's and member servers EXCEPT the original machine I upgraded, that was my PDC, and IS my domain master browser.

BINGO! After turning off browsing on every DC and member server, my browse list in Network Neighborhood on all boxes stayed full the entire afternoon, a first since the upgrade.

This morning, I came in, and as an experiment, re-enabled browsing on one of my win2k member servers. (Registry entries, IsDomainMaster=False, MaintainBrowseList = yes)
Within 10 mins, 10 machines dropped off my network neighborhood.

WHY??????? Why does having 2 servers as browsers hose Network Neighborhood? Is there any possibility it's the network card in my PDC? I have already reinstalled TCP/IP on that machine but for some reason, other boxes set to be browsers are unable to retrieve the browse list from it. WHY????????????????????

This is freaking DRIVING ME CRAZY!

Although turning off browsing on all the other servers is a temporary fix, this is not a good idea and I don't want to leave it like this, I want to FIX IT PERMANENTLY!

Tia,
Sharyn

 

[GiaBetiu]

Few hints.
In Windows2K the browser service can function like in NT using NetBIOS over TCP/IP or can be based just on Global Catalog.
So, if you have a network with all sort of Win clients, then have a look on "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP" setting from your win2k servers. Gia Betiu
m.betiu@chello.nl
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5

 

[dentarthurdent]

Gia is right. Enable netbios over TCP/IP is located in the WINS setup tab of the advanced button in network properties.

This is the setting you should use to enable browsing if the domain is not a native active directory domain.

Also make sure you have a WINS server setup to enable access to the machines listed in the network neighbourhood.
I have found that WINS is a must if there are any non-Windows 2000 machines in the domain. Sometimes if there is no WINs server the machines appear in the neighbourhood but can't be found when you click on them.

One trick I've heard of (but never tried) is using a Linux samba box to act as browse master for the domain to stabilise network browsing.

Good Luck.

Will.

 

[sharyn]

Thanks Guys,

I keep forgetting that not everyone is following my threads on this. This has been an issue I have been working on since the win2k upgrade in April. I just never bother to repost to the old threads.

I have enabled netbios over tcp/ip, WINS works fine as I can resolve all machines on my network both locally and remotely by \\machinename.

What is happening, and has been happening, was that I was only getting full browse lists some of the time, partial browse lists some of the time, with no rhyme or reason as to which machines would show up.

I still don't understand what is going on here but at least I have gotten further this week then I have in months.

Browsing is only working correctly if ONE server, the domain master browser (formerly my nt4.0 PDC), has browsing enabled, and the computer browser service is turned OFF on all other win2k dc's and servers.

If u all want to do a quick search for all my other posts, u can see that I have been at this for months now and have tried everything I can think of to fix this.

Thanks, though
Sharyn

 

[GlenJohnson]

Which server is set up as your main server? You running AD? Check the operations master in domain trusts. Glen A. Johnson
Microsoft Certified Professional
glen@nellsgiftbox.com


"Patience is more powerful than force."
Plutarch (46-125 A.D.);

 

[sharyn]

My original nt4.0 PDC, the one that was upgraded first, holds all the FSMO roles.

AD is running, but I have win95 and win98 machines that rely on netbios browsing still.

This is a continuation of the ongoing browse problem I have been having, the browse lists in network neighborhood flip flopping from a full list to a partial list and back every 12 mins or so, or whatever the time period is for the browser broadcast.

Now, the browse list is full, but I only have one machine, the original PDC, set to maintain a browse list. This is working, but is not a good setup.

I want to know WHY enabling browsing on any other server, member or DC hoses my browse list. This just doesnt make sense!

Sharyn

 

[ladyj]

Sharyn, I have the same issue...I am wondering if my wins database is corrupt. Like you I keep disabling browse on the 2k machines. Its a pain but fortunetly I used mapped drives in the logon script.

 

[sharyn]

I am pretty sure that WINS is ok. I am able to browse by \\machine name with no problems at all.

I have gone so far as to install wins on a different box and point all my machines to that and that still hasnt helped.

I have been researching this for MONTHS now, I never had any problems when I was a strictly nt4.0 shop. This weird browsing issue is a direct result of the win2k upgrade to my PDC.

Now, this morning, I have enabled browsing on a win2k member server that is not a DC and am awaiting the results. I am so uneasy with having browsing enabled on only ONE machine. So far, I seem to have a full browse list, and have for about 90 mins now.

I am now wondering whether it's an issue with browsing enabled on multiple win2k DC's.

LadyJ, keep me posted if you discover anything! Like I said, I have been struggling with this since April.

Sharyn

 

[GlenJohnson]

Do you have any w2k pro machines still browsing? I was making all my w2k machines join the domain, and they wouldn't. I found that they were set to browse, and they though other w2k pro machines were the master browser. I had to turn off browsing and then went into the registry and turn off browsing in there. (Not sure of the registry settings it's been so long.) Glen A. Johnson
Microsoft Certified Professional
glen@nellsgiftbox.com


"Patience is more powerful than force."
Plutarch (46-125 A.D.);

 

[sharyn]

Browsing is not disabled on the win2k pro machines but the master browser is showing up as the correct machine, as is the backup browser that I just enabled browsing on. (using browstat status)

I have over 300 machine in 5 different remote sites. Disabling browsing, at the moment, on all of them, is not an option.

Ive never had an issue with win2k pro machines being unable to join my domain. They are the most stable machines I have!

But thanks.

Sharyn

 

[sharyn]

FYI folks,

My browsing problem, for the moment, is fixed. Turns out, for some reason, one of my dc's, was hosing the browse list.

Wish I knew why!

When I disabled the computer browser service on this particular box, I had no more flip flopping browse lists from incomplete to complete.

I have since re-enabled browsing on 2 more boxes, one a DC and one just a member server and don't seem to be having anymore problems. (knock on wood)

How weird!

Thanks for everyones help!

Sharyn