computer locks up starting program over network

[rr7564]

I have a couple computers in an office that randomly locks-up when clicking on a link to a program on the server. Workstations are Windows 2000 SP4 and file server is Windows XP Pro SP2. They do not lockup every time but when they do I manually restart pc it will usually lockup several more times tring to open program and then will eventually start working again and might run fine for several days. I checked in the event viewer and there is never anything refering to the actual lockup. One event I notice keeps coming up is Event ID: 11151
Source: DNSAPI
"The cause of the DNS registration failure was because of DNS server failure. This may be due to a zone transfer that has locked the DNS server for the applicable zone that your computer needs to register itself with."

These two workstations used to be on a domain network and I removed them from the domain and set them up on the current workgroup. It is like it still thinks it is on the domain, locking for DNS server.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ShackDaddy]

I would do two things:

1) On the two 2000 systems, go into the DNS settings and uncheck any boxes on the DNS tab that refer to registering or updating DNS addresses. Also, remove any remnant DNS suffixes that you find there.

2) Add the XP system's name and IP address to the host and lmhost files on both 2000 systems. Those files are in system32\drivers\etc folder, and each file has instructions in it for how to create an entry. You may have to delete the extensions on one or both of those files (.sam) to put them into action.

What's happening is that the XP system is your little network's "Master Browser" and when you restart it, your clients don't know how to find any local resources for a while until the browsing environment gets rebuilt. Using entries in those files will avoid that whole issue.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[GlenJohnson]

ShackDaddy is correct. Make sure the Master Browser is turned off on the W2K machines.

Glen A. Johnson
If you like fun and sun, check out Tek-Tips Florida Forum

 

[rr7564]

Where exactly would I turn off the master browser?

 

[ShackDaddy]

Read this article and all will be clear:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/cnet/cnfi_brs_vcer.mspx?mfr=true

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[rr7564]

An update on the issue. I was able to get rid on DNS error message in Event Viewer by going to network identification tab in system properties and found the computer name still had .xxx.local after the computer name. I clicked on properties and then on the 'more' button and removed the entry for primary dns suffix for this computer. Computer still locks up accessing program over network. I added the Netbios name of server in hosts and lmhosts file and still no luck. I decided to uninstall everything Norton related, antivirus, internet securities, and system works. It works perfectly now. I thought about this a long time ago but did not think this could be the issue because most of the time it did not lock up accessing network file only sometimes. I should have went with my gut. Thanks for the responses.