Win 2000 Workstation can't access shares on Win 2000 Server

[sasjas]

I have several Windows 2000 Workstations that cannot access shares or printers on the Windows 2000 Servers (member/stand alone) in an NT 4.0 domain environment.

NT 4.0 Server shares are accessed without any problem while the Windows 2000 Server shares can only be accessed from these machines with the administrator account for the domain. 3 out of 10 Win2K workstations connect just fine. I have checked and rechecked permissions - all ten machines were set up exactly the same with Ghost (from the same image).

 

[dankelt]

Do you get an error message? Access Denied? Can you see the shares when you browse to the server?

 

[GiaBetiu]

Are those win2k computers configured to use NetBIOS over TCP/IP?
What is the answer of &quot;net view \\<w2kserver>&quot;?
Gia Betiu
giabetiu@chello.nl
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, soon MCSE2k

 

[sasjas]

Netbios over TCP/IP is enabled and when I check with netview command, I get access denied, however it works fine for the NT 4.0 servers.

When I browse the network and select any W2K server, I don't get any shares below the server. Nothing appears after clicking on the plus sign.

 

[hexateck]

I'm having a similar problem. I have a Windows NT PDC and BDC, and two Windows 2000 member servers. The 2000 member servers do not show up on Server Mgr as servers in the domain and like the original post users have trouble connecting to the shares on these servers. Any ideas on why these 2k machines are not showing up on Svr Mgr as servers (they show up as workstations) and why users have problems connecting would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MSHORT]

I was having the same problem here and added (Updated) a hosts file to the directory C:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc

 

[jasonboyes]

two questions. On the 2k, do domain users have rights on NTFS file system in 2000??
Is the server a member of the domain?
Go into Server Manager and make sure the machine shows up in the list of domain users.

Jason Rich Cook -- &quot;Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.&quot;

 

[GiaBetiu]

Ok, I simulated such a situation to, trying to do all sort of settings. With DNS, without DNS, with lmhost or without.
- NT machine couldn't make a connection to the W2k member server without to have:
1. DNS record for it (DNS being an NT4 machine)
2. or WINS (or lmhosts) where to have the Netbios - IP association
In case of using DNS, then was forced to solve NetBIOS request via DNS (setting in network / tcp/ip properties).
Windows 2k computers.

How that in server manager the W2k member server is grayed and seen as workstation? Then, the answer is that browser service is not working properly. You will have also surprises then when you will go to NetworkNeighborhood and will try to browse it.

Conclusion is that is not a security issue. Windows NT 4 accounts will be able to access resources from W2k Srv member servers (and this just adding the w2k srv as memebr server in the NT4 domain). Also, permissions in NTFS 5 will work.
W2k should have all of them NetBIOS over TCP/P enabled.
The problems will appear when the name resolution for IP and NetBIOS are not working properly. So, if you are not sure about who is master browser there, and because is a W-NT4 network I strongly advise you to use WINS. As about DNS, it is very important for W2k, so better to have it too.
Don't forget to install latest SP for NT4 (I was using SP6a).
Gia Betiu
giabetiu@chello.nl
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, soon MCSE2k

 

[sasjas]

Thanks to all for your answers and assistance. What I found that finally appears to have resolved this problem is that I needed to increase the CALS (per seat).

What finally led me to this solution was that in a test evironment, I started logging in as different users. With some accounts I could log into the Win2K workstation and connect perfectly, and with other accounts I could not.

Like you guys, I eliminated security as being a problem. After I found that it would work with some user accounts, I didn't think that DNS & WINS was a problem. This led me to the licenses.

I checked license manager on the PDC where I found that I was over the limit. I increased the limit and did some general housekeeping and haven't had the problem since.

It was strange that there were no errors in my event log informing me of a license issue. hmmmmm

This was the first time that I used this forum and I really appreciate all the tips and advice. Thanks again.