A Computer For Virginia, USA

Are you into jokes? If you live in the East Coast region of the USA, you've probably heard this one.

Q: How many Virginians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: At least 3. One to do the work, the others to remember how great the old one was.

But the Great State of Virginia is moving into the future, and so should computer owners. We have to let go of the past, and get rid of computers running Windows 95, 98 - and yes, ME and 2000. At least, we need to stop requiring Microsoft to "support" them. Microsoft simply can't retain backward compatibility to every historical edition of Windows, forever; sometime, computer owners have to roll forward, into the present.

If you can't network your computer running Windows 98 with a computer running Windows Vista, because the computer running Windows 98 "locks up", is that a Vista problem? The Windows 98 operating system (and the aged hardware running it) has limits. Those limits may not be seen until you try to exceed them, but they are limits in the Windows 98 operating system (or the hardware).

If Internet Explorer Version 6 won't display certain web sites, is that a fault of Microsoft, of the web site producer, of the web site host, or maybe should you accept just a bit of the blame too - since you keep using it? Internet Explorer V6 is very old software - it's buggy, it lacks features, and it's frequently patched to foil the bad guys. Microsoft can't patch it forever, though.

Every computer system contains internally located parts, or externally attached devices. Internally located parts, classically located on "expansion cards", are designed to be swapped in and out, in cases where one has failed or you simply want a better unit. Mass storage (aka "disk drive" controllers) processors, multimedia (aka "sound" / "video") processors, network ("Ethernet" / "WiFi") processors, are internally located parts. Fax machines, modems, and printers are externally attached ("peripheral") devices.

Internal and peripheral devices require drivers, a set of programs that connect a specific device (processor) to a specific operating system. If your computer is going to support your video card, you have to have the drivers for that video card, written to support that operating system.

Generally, the drivers are written by the manufacturer of the component in question. Possibly (but not always) they will be certified by Microsoft, for the operating system.

Every component, internal or external, like every person, is mortal. One day, the video processor, on your computer running Windows 98, will die. When that happens, what chance is there that you can go buy a replacement? You can maybe find a newer model by the same vendor, but what chance is there that the vendor will have written drivers, for that model, that support Windows 98?

Go to your favourite computer store this week, and look.

Then think about what you're doing, and move forward.

Microsoft Windows And Authentication Protocols

How many of you use an ATM (here we're discussing an Automated Teller Machine, not an Asychronous Transfer Mode network) in public, casually? If someone is waiting in line behind you, to use the machine next, do you let him (her) stand immediately behind you, and possibly shoulder surf your PIN, as you enter it?

Not if you're smart.

Long ago, in the beginning of computer use, you'd use a simple password to protect your secrets. Entering the password would use a protocol called Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol.

• Who are you?
• What's your password?
• Thank you, you may Enter the secret chamber now.

But CHAP was insecure, similar to using your ATM PIN in public, casually. So more secure protocols were developed. Kereberos was an initial attempt at surpassing CHAP. For an allegorical (easy to read) discussion about Kereberos, see Designing an Authentication System.

From the early days of Windows, LAN Manager, the key network component on your Windows computer, eventually developed into a portion of Windows Networking. With LAN Manager, Microsoft developed LAN Manager challenge / response, aka LM Authentication. LM Authentication became part of Windows 95 and 98 ("Windows 9x").

With Windows NT, which was the first Business Class Operating System, Microsoft developed NTLM ("New Technology LAN Manager") Authentication, and added Kereberos. And with NT V4.0 SP4, they developed VTLM V2 Authentication. Computers running Windows 2000, and Windows XP, will negotiate individually with every other computer, and use either LM, NTLM, or NTLM V2 Authentication, the best protocol that's mutually usable, in all conversations with that computer.

Vista, by default, only uses NTLM V2 Authentication. If you have Windows 9x computers, this won't work out of the box, since Windows 9x is limited, in default, to LM authentication. If you're networking Windows 2000 and XP with Vista, they will all use NTLM V2, with no problem. If you add a computer running Windows 9x, or an NAS device with an unknown operating system, into the discussion, you have 2 choices.

• Downgrade Vista. Let it use LM Authentication, when necessary. Microsoft doesn't recommend this. To do this, edit the registry, and set value LmCompatibilityLevel, in [ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Lsa ] to "1". If you're having a problem with your NAS device, this may be your only solution, since not all NAS devices can be easily upgraded.
• Upgrade your Windows 95 / 98 computer, to (KB239869): use NTLM V2. Microsoft recommends this solution.

Choice of which workaround to use must center around your personal plans, and details of your network. If you have more computers running Windows 9x than Vista, downgrading Vista (to that of Windows XP and 2000) would be the obvious choice. If your long term picture involves getting more computers running Vista, and retiring the Windows 9x computers (which would make a lot of sense for several reasons), then upgrading Windows 9x makes more sense. Of course, with Windows 9x as it is, I'd not be too anxious to disturb its configuration any more than necessary. Maybe learning repetitively how to tweak Windows Vista isn't a bad idea.

For more details, see Microsoft: File and Printer Sharing in Windows Vista: Cannot Authenticate to a Shared Folder....

>> Top

Windows XP And Vista On The LAN Together

File and Printer Sharing in Windows Vista is not extremely different from File and Printer Sharing in Windows XP. There are new features, and wizard procedures, that work on top of Windows XP features and procedures. If you have a working network, with one or more computers that use Windows Networking, you probably know enough to get started.

There will be challenges though. One predictable challenge is the availability (or lack of availability) of drivers for devices that are operating system sensitive, like network adapters. This has inspired various attitudes, even rants, among the user community.

Computers running Windows Vista use the same layered network as previous versions of Windows, so start by reviewing the principles of layered network design and installation, and of layered network problem solving. And review various issues that affected Windows Networking on computers running Windows XP.

>> Top

System Updates Issues
With Windows Vista, as with Windows XP, Microsoft will issue periodic (and monthly) updates. Most updates are for security issues, and others for operability and / or stability. All updates are necessary, if recommended for your edition of Vista, and some may have a direct effect on your problem.

As an interim measure, possibly before an actual Service Pack, Microsoft has started issuing compatibility, performance, and reliability fixes, covering a variety of issues with Vista.

>> Top

Connectivity Issues
By default, computers running Vista will set the Broadcast flag, in the DHCP Discover packets, On. If your DHCP server (NAT router, or non-Microsoft dedicated server) doesn't support DHCP Broadcast, you'll have various problems - your computer may never get an IP address, or your IP connectivity may come and go unpredictably. To make your Vista computer compatible with Windows XP, (KB928233): turn the DHCP Broadcast flag Off. Besides the DHCP Broadcast difference, be aware of an interesting (KB931550): timing difference between the Windows Vista and XP DHCP clients.

One of the most interesting features in Vista (my opinion anyway) is the ability to dynamically determine Receive Window size for each individual Internet connection. Users of high speed broadband connections will be especially interested in this. Unfortunately, it appears that RWin AutoTuning may be a bit problematic. This setting has been observed to affect both LAN and WAN connectivity, and can cause instability, or lack of connectivity.

On laptop computers, and other computers with multiple network adapters, you'll see an inaccurate / inconsistent network status indicator, when the computer is first started.

Like every newer version of Windows, Windows Vista will use more resources on the host computer, and on any peripherally connected computers and routers. If your peripheral network equipment like routers are becoming aged, you'll be advised to upgrade or replace whatever you can.

The IPX/SPX Protocol is not provided in Windows Vista, though Novell does now provide a Netware client for Vista. NetBEUI, on the other hand, is now a part of history.

>> Top

Visibility Issues
One of the new features of Windows Vista is the Network Map, which runs at the Link Layer of the OSI Network Model, and offers functions similar to The Dude. The Network Map uses a discovery protocol called Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD), which is not a normal part of Windows XP.

To be able to see a Windows XP server from a Vista client, using the Vista Network Map, you need to install (KB922120): the LLTD Responder on any Windows XP computers. The LLTD Responder isn't available for Windows 2000, so you won't be able to see a Windows 2000 server from a Vista client, using the Vista Network Map.

Even if you can't see a Windows XP or 2000 computer in the Network Map, though, you'll still be able to see it in Network Neighborhood / My Network Places, aka the Network window (Start - Network) in Windows Vista. And even if you can see a computer in the Network Map, you may still have to work on name resolution, or on sharing permissions, if you are going to actually access its resources.

The simplest visibility will be enjoyed with all computers in the same workgroup. By default, Windows Vista uses "Workgroup", while Windows XP uses "MSHome". If you leave workgroup names at default, the other computers will be visible in the Network (My Network Places aka Network Neighbourhood) wizard, but they won't be seen immediately, when you open the wizard. You may have to look under Entire Network - Microsoft Windows Network, for the different workgroups used by each set of computers. And with having multiple browse domains (workgroups), your browser infrastructure will be slightly more complex.

>> Top

Using A Windows Vista Client
Under Windows Vista, the personal storage (personal profile and other files and folders) container has been changed, from "C:\Documents and Settings", to "C:\Users". The folder "C:\Documents And Settings" will continue to exist, for backward compatibility, only as a junction point. On a mixed LAN, I would very carefully test sharing of either "C:\Documents and Settings" (with a Windows Vista client), or "C:\Users" (with a Windows XP client), before committing myself.

>> Top

Setting Up A Windows Vista Server
If you're adding a computer running Windows Vista to your network, you have to set it up as a server, so you can access it from your other computers. You do this using the Network and Sharing Center wizard, accessed by Start - right-click on Network, and select Properties. This is equivalent to running the Network Setup Wizard, in Windows XP.

• Set the Network Location Type to "Private". This requires that your computers are secure, behind a perimeter firewall or a NAT router, and opens the standard Vista personal firewall to allow Server Message Blocks (SMBs) to pass between the computers. If your computer is directly connected to your Internet service, either get a NAT router, or leave the Network Location Type set to Public (which will prevent you from networking this computer).
• Having set the NLT to "Private", you must now designate which services you wish for your server to provide or use. You should verify each setting before continuing, and change it if necessary.
  • File sharing.
  • Public folder sharing.
  • Printer sharing.
  • Password Protected Sharing (PPS) affects the above 3 services. Disabling PPS is the equivalent of enabling Simple File Sharing, in Windows XP.
• Setup shared folders and printers. If you enabled PPS, you should setup access for individual users. If you disabled PPS, you setup access for "Guest" or "Everyone". Since Vista security is "deny by default (permit by demand)", "Everyone" doesn't automatically have access to newly created shares. Check the Security tab, for each share created, if you disable PPS.
• Whether you setup the server with PPS Enabled (aka Advanced File Sharing, in Windows XP), or PPS Disabled, make sure that the account used for sharing is activated for network use.
  • If you Enable PPS, you can use either the Guest account, or a non-Guest account of your choice, but the chosen account has to be activated for network use.
  • If you Disable PPS, then the Guest account must be activated for network use. By default, Guest is disabled. If your server provides network access through the Guest account, be aware of its limitations.
  • Whether you use Guest, or a non-Guest account for access, the account used has to be added, explicitly, under Security, and under Sharing.
• On a server running Windows Vista, the Administrative (Hidden) volume share of "C$ ("D$", etc) isn't defined, by default.

For an overview of the above, see Microsoft: File and Printer Sharing in Windows Vista

>> Top

Setting Up A Windows XP Server
If you have just one computer besides your computer running Vista, you may have to setup your first computer as a server too. On a computer running Windows XP, run the Network Setup Wizard. For a server connected behind a NAT router, select

This computer connects to the Internet through another computer on my network or through a residential gateway.

Running the NSW, and making that selection, is similar to setting the Vista NLT to "Private".

>> Top

Common Issues
Other than the network setup wizards used, Vista will be pretty similar to XP. You'll have the same challenges with Windows Networking.

• Make sure that NetBT is Enabled consistently.
• Make sure that all personal firewalls are properly setup.
• Make sure that name resolution is consistently setup.
• If you intend to use the Network window (pka "Network Neighbourhood" / "My Network Places"), instead of or in addition to, the Vista Network Map, to find the other computers, setup a reliable browser infrastructure.
• Remember to always check for well known error messages, when diagnosing problems.

>> Top

Editions Of Windows Vista and XP
There are 5 editions of Windows XP, which are basically 2 variants - Home and Pro.

• XP Home is the equivalent of Vista Basic Home, with PPS permanently disabled.
• XP Pro can use Advanced File Sharing (similar to PPS Enabled), or Simple File Sharing (similar to PPS Disabled).
• The other 3 editions - Media Center, Tablet, and Pro x64 - are all variants of XP Pro, in terms of file sharing functionality.
• With XP Pro, and with all editions of Vista, you can have Guest or non-Guest authentication. Note the limitations of Guest authentication carefully, some limitations aren't as obvious as they should be.
• Whether you use the Guest account, or a non-Guest account, for authentication, make sure that the account used is properly prepared for network access.

There are also 5 well known editions of Windows Vista, plus several obscure ones which we probably won't encounter. The different editions of Windows Vista are completely different from Windows XP, in feature set differentation.

>> Top

Windows Vista and Older / Other Operating Systems
If you also have one or more computers running Windows 9x (95, 98, ME), you'll need to be aware of a significant difference between Windows XP and Vista, in Microsoft Windows And Authentication Protocols. But focus your mind on the future - Windows 95 / 98 / ME have a limited life span.

This will be a problem, too, if you have a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Many NAS devices, with unknown authentication abilities, will be a similar challenge. Some NAS devices will also try to act as a master browser on your network, and will cause master browser conflicts, and unreliable displays in Network (aka My Network Places).

>> Top

Windows Vista and Printers
If you are setting up your mixed LAN specifically to share a printer, note the additional challenges involved in sharing printers. Get file sharing working, first, then concentrate on getting working printer drivers that support Windows Vista. On a mixed network, the printer will have to support both Windows Vista, and Windows XP. And drivers for the client will probably differ from drivers for the server.

If you're having problems with printing from a computer running Vista, and the printer is shared by another computer, read Network Printing From A Windows Vista Computer.

>> Top

Windows Vista and Security
Depending upon what personal firewall you are using on your Windows Vista computer, you may have to set the firewall manually. It appears that Windows OneCare does not setup seamlessly, as Windows Firewall does, when you set the Network Location Type. And a recent change (September 2007) in Internet Explorer appears to affect Windows Networking access between computers.

>> Top

More References
For the above issues, and more, see

• File Sharing: PChuck's Network: File Sharing Under Windows XP / Vista
• General Issues: PChuck's Network: Windows Vista Issues
• Windows Networking: PChuck's Network: Irregularities In Workgroup Visibility

>> Top

Older Operating Systems - Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT

Even though 99% of the patrons of PChuck's Network are looking for help with networking between computers running Windows 2000 or Windows XP, there will always be those with older operating systems. Even though you'd be much better off (on a computer that will support it) upgrading to Windows XP, I will always advise you to only upgrade from a working system.

Do not expect to get rid of problems by upgrading. Fix your problems first. That being an issue, how do you network Windows XP with older operating systems? What are the issues between Windows XP and older operating systems?

• The browser. The browser provides the contents of Network Neighborhood. For all computers to see the same computers displayed in Network Neighborhood, there can be only one authoritative computer - the master browser. Selection of a master browser works best when all computers play by the same rules. If you have 2 computers on your LAN - one running Windows 98, and the other running Windows XP - a computer running Windows XP should always be elected as the master browser.
  
  • The Windows XP operating system is more reliable. It manages resources better, and will provide more diagnostics.
  • A computer running Windows XP is probably newer than one running Windows 98. The hardware will probably be more reliable, and have more power.
  • Since it's newer, you'll probably use a computer running Windows XP more. The browser infrastructure is much more stable, when using a computer that's online constantly.
  
  Since Windows XP is the preferred authority, on any network with mixed population, the browser election process should always favour a Windows XP computer for master browser. The Windows XP browser process uses this reasoning. Unfortunately, the Windows 98 browse master does not do this, reliably.


• File sharing. Once you get past the issue of seeing what's available on the LAN, you'll want to access what's available.
  • Computers running Windows 98 can share files using share level access (one password used by all), or user level access (similar to local accounts in Windows XP). Other older operating systems have other possibilities. This subject is covered in detail in the referential Microsoft white paper File and Printer Sharing with Microsoft� Windows.
  • If you're using a client computer running Windows 98, trying to access a server running Windows XP, and you're asked for the IPC$ password, the server needs the Guest account activated for network use.
  • A computer running Windows 9x will use either Guest authentication, or it will use non-Guest authentication, at your discretion. But understand the differences.
  • Windows 95 / 98 clients will have a problem with (KB160843): share names with more than 12 characters.
    
  • Computers running Windows 95 / 98, and computers running Windows 2000 / XP, will happily use LM Authentication when starting a sharing session. Unfortunately, LM Authentication is not as secure as its successors, NTLM and NTLM V2. If you involve Windows Vista, you'll have a problem, since Windows Vista, by default, only uses NTLM V2.


• More information:
  • Microsoft: Windows 98 on MS Networks
  • PChuck: A Computer For Virginia USA

>> Top

Windows 9x (95/98/ME) and the Browser

When you have computers running Windows 9x (95, 98, or ME) on the same network with computers running Windows NT (NT, 2000, XP, Server 2003), you should expect browser problems (such as computers not visible, or "access denied", when trying to use Network Neighborhood). The rules for detecting the absence of the master browser ("Browse Master" in Windows 9x) vary between the 2 platforms. This leads to the problems when a working LAN of Windows 9x computers has a Windows XP computer added.

If you don't want to have browser conflicts, you'll need to disable the browser on each of either the Windows 9x, or the Windows NT, computers. Choose intelligently in which group you wish to disable the browser. If you have just 1 or 2 Windows NT computers, and a larger number of Windows 9x computers, you might elect to disable the browser on the Windows NT computers. Conversely, if you have a lot of Windows NT computers, and a couple Windows 9x computers, disabling the Browse Master on the Windows 9x computers would make more sense.

To stop the Windows 9x Browse Master:

• From Control Panel - Network, double click on "File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks".
  
• In "File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks Properties", change the Value for Browse Master to Disabled.
  
• Hit OK, and restart the system.
  

Alternatively, you can edit the Windows Registry. Change value [HKLM\ System\ CurrentControlSet\ Services\ Browser\ Parameters\ IsDomainMaster] to False. Then restart the system.

To stop the Browser on a Windows NT/2000/XP system, simply set the Computer Browser service to Stopped and Disabled.

Any time you change the browser setup on your LAN, you may have to wait for up 51 minutes, before all computers are synchronised. If this latency period is unacceptable, you may restart each computer. For maximum reliability, power all computers off; when all computers are off, power each one back on again, starting with the one which you want to serve as the master browser.

Having done this, you may need to deal with Network Neighborhood problems in general, so continue by reading Irregularities In Workgroup Visibility.

If you wish to diagnose this issue, and confirm that it's a problem first, you can run Browstat from any of the Windows NT (NT, 2000, XP, 2003) computers. Browstat won't run on Windows 9x (95, 98, ME) computers, but if you run browstat twice on each computer running NT, you can compensate for that. Run:

browstat status
browstat listwfw workgroup

where workgroup is the name of the workgroup of which this computer is a member, taken from the "browstat status" log.

For more information about Windows 9x browser issues, read the Microsoft white paper Browsing and Windows 95 Networking, or this Microsoft article (KB246489): Frequent Browser Elections When Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 Configured in Workgroup.

For more information about the browser in general, read The NT Browser (or Why can't I always see all of the computers on the LAN?).

And for more issues relevant to the various operating systems, see Older Operating Systems - Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT

>> Top

The Browstat Utility from Microsoft

If you use Network Neighbourhood / My Network Places to identify the computers on your local network, and / or to connect to shared resources, you depend upon the browser (please don't confuse this with Internet Explorer or any of its peers).

Microsoft gives us the Browstat program, which will show us what browsers you have in your domain / workgroup, at any time. This can help you detect a browser problem, on a LAN with Windows NT/2K/XP.

• Introduction
  
• A Good Example
  
• Multiple Workgroups
  
• A Browser Conflict and Gratuitous Protocol
  
• Unable to determine build of browser master: 5
  
• Unable to determine build of browser master: 53
  
• Unable to determine server information for browser master: 64
  
• Unable to retrieve server list from (servername): 121
  
• Unable to retrieve server list from (servername): 1130
  
• Not Active On Domain
  

>> Top

Introduction

With Windows 95/98/ME, you won't be able to run browstat. But, you can get some diagnostic information, by running browstat on a Windows NT/2K/XP computer.

Browstat is not provided as a standard component in Windows - you have to download it first. It is available on the web from various independent sources.

• Download Browstat.exe from Dynawell.
  
• Download Browstat.exe from Stanford.
  

Browstat is very small (40K), and needs no complicated install procedure.

• Download browstat, as above.
  
• Copy the downloaded file to any folder in the Path.
  
• Run Browstat from a command window (or a command window in Windows Vista):
  

  
  browstat status
  

  
  Only type the command into a command window - do not do Start - Run - "browstat status...".
  
• If you have any Windows 9x (95, 98, ME) systems on the LAN:
  
  
  
  • Look at the output from the previous step. Note the name of your domain / workgroup.
    
  • Run an additional command from a command window (or a command window in Windows Vista):
    

    
    browstat listwfw workgroup
    

    
    Substituting the name of your domain / workgroup for workgroup.
    
  • For instance, for my domain PChuck, I would run
    

    
    browstat listwfw pchuck
    

    
    
  
  
• If you need to produce output to a file, for maybe posting it on the Internet, read about Redirected Output (and Concatenated, Redirected Output, if appropriate).
  

For more information, read the Microsoft article (KB188305): Troubleshooting the Microsoft Computer Browser Service. There you will find a link to the Microsoft Support Tools package, which includes Browstat. If you just downloaded and installed browstat.exe from an independent source (above), don't bother to download or install any Microsoft package.

It may be available as part of the XP Support Tools pack, either on the XP install CD, or from Microsoft, if you have XP SP2 and a validated license. You can install the Support Tools pack, using the Microsoft .msi install, which will put browstat and other programs in a location determined by the install procedure. (Note): The inclusion of browstat as part of the Support Tools pack is not certain. You'll do well to try and get browstat from one of the independent sources above.

If you install the Support Tools pack, you will run browstat (and other tools) from the Support Tools command shell (similar to, but NOT the same as, a Command Window).

• Hit Start.
  
• Hit All Programs.
  
• Hit Windows XP Support Tools.
  
• Hit Command Shell.
  

Did you just run browstat, and get output (similar to any one of the examples below?). Ok, fine, continue and examine the output as instructed below. If you ran it, and got no response, or no output, or if a window opened and closed so quickly you couldn't read anything, please read my article on Using The Command Window. If you ran it, and got "invalid command", "'browstat' is not recognized as an internal or external command...", or similar, please read my article on Using The Path.

Here are a few examples of the output you might see. Don't get confused by the fact that browstat refers to your workgroup as a domain. To browstat, a domain and a workgroup are the same thing.

>> Top

• Introduction
  
• A Good Example
  
• Multiple Workgroups
  
• A Browser Conflict and Gratuitous Protocol
  
• Unable to determine build of browser master: 53
  
• Unable to determine build of browser master: 5
  
• Unable to determine server information for browser master: 64
  
• Unable to retrieve server list from (servername): 121
  
• Not Active On Domain
  

A Good Example
Here's an example of output from "browstat status", run from 2 computers on my LAN.

(From PChuck1)
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master browser name is: PChuck2
       Master browser is running build 2195
   2 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck2
       \\PChuck1
       \\PChuck2
   There are 2 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...

(From PChuck2)
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master browser name is: PChuck2
       Master browser is running build 2195
   2 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck2
       \\PChuck1
       \\PChuck2
   There are 2 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...

This shows me:

• My domain (workgroup) is WORKGROUP.
  
• My master browser is PChuck2.
  
• Both PChuck1 and PChuck2 are running the browser.
  
• There are 2 servers (ie PChuck1 and PChuck2) in my domain (workgroup).
  

This is a clean, balanced run. No browser problems indicated here.

>> Top

Multiple Workgroups

(From PChuck1)
Status for domain MSHOME on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is NOT active on domain.
   Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

(From PChuck2)
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master browser name is: PChuck2
       Master browser is running build 2195
   1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck2
       \\PChuck2
   There are 1 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...

There are 2 problems indicated in this example.

• PChuck1 is in the MSHome workgroup, while PChuck2 is in the Workgroup workgroup.
  
• PChuck1 is not running the browser service. Since there's no browser running for MSHome, that domain (workgroup) can't be enumerated.
  

You simply need to correct the workgroup membership for PChuck1.

>> Top

A Browser Conflict and Gratuitous Protocol

(From PChuck1)
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.  Using \\PChuck1
       Master browser is running build 2600
   1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck1
       \\PChuck1
   There are 1 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master browser name is: PChuck1
       Master browser is running build 2195
   1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck1
       \\PChuck1
   There are 1 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
(From PChuck2)
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master browser name is: PChuck2
       Master browser is running build 2195
   2 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck2
       \\PChuck1
       \\PChuck2
   There are 2 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...

There are 2 problems indicated in the above example.

• Both PChuck1 and PChuck2 have elected themselves as master browsers.
  
• PChuck1 has the IPX/SPX protocol in its stack.
  

If all computers don't list the same master browser, you have a problem. You have three choices now.

• Ask for help.
  
• Troubleshoot the problem.
  
• Read more about the problem.
  

If browstat identifies the presence of either IPX/SPX or NetBEUI, and if you don't have one very special physical network setup, you need to cleanup your protocols.

>> Top

Error 53

(From PChuck2)
Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   Browsing is active on domain.
   Master browser name is: PChuck1
       Could not connect to registry, error = 53        Unable to determine build of browser master: 53
   \\\\PChuck1           .  Version:05.01  Flags: 51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
   1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck1
       \\PChuck1
   There are 1 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...

Browstat is trying to access the registry on the master browser. An error = 53 says that it can't resolve the name of the master browser. On small LANs, this problem is frequently caused by inconsistently set NetBT.

If the master browser is another computer, it can only do that thru the Remote Registry service. If the other computer is running XP Home (which doesn't have the RRS), or XP Pro with the RRS stopped, this error is normal. On any computer running XP Pro, make sure that the Remote Registry service is running - Started and Automatic.

If the master browser is running on a computer with XP Pro with the RRS running, or if it's running another operating system altogether, continue diagnosing. Since we see "Browsing is active on domain", plus a master browser is identified, we probably don't have physical connectivity issues, so concentrating on the logical issues would seem more productive.

There are other network components and services, which, if absent, will cause an error = 53.

>> Top

Error = 5
Here's a normal problem, which typically results from the browser server using Guest authentication.

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: PChuck1
could not open key in registry, error=5  unable to determine build of browser master:5
\\\\PChuck1.  Version:05.01  Flags:  51203 NT POTENTIAL MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck1 \\PChuck1
   There are 2 servers in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
   There are 1 domains in domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...

With PChuck1 using Guest authentication, and with all other problems resolved, an "error = 5" is a normal condition. Since the only symptom here is the "error = 5" from the attempted registry access, more complex problems are less likely.

>> Top

Error 1130
Here's the IRPStackSize error.

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
    Browsing is active on domain.
    Master browser name is: PChuck1
        Master browser is running build 6000
    1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck1
        \\PChuck1
    Unable to retrieve server list from PChuck1: 1130

>>Top

Unable Because Of Various Problems
Sometimes, you get very cryptic errors.

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: PChuck1
Could not connect to registry, error = 53 Unable to determine build of browser master: 53
Unable to determine server information for browser master: 64
1 backup servers retrieved from master PChuck1
\\PChuck1
Unable to retrieve server list from PChuck1: 121

In Troubleshooting browser Event ID 8021 and 8032 on master browsers, we are told to use "net helpmsg" to translate these mysterious error codes. Upon doing so for various values, we find some familiar translations.

C:\Documents and Settings\pchuck>net helpmsg 5
Access is denied.

C:\Documents and Settings\pchuck>net helpmsg 53
The network path was not found.

C:\Documents and Settings\pchuck>net helpmsg 64
The specified network name is no longer available.

C:\Documents and Settings\pchuck>net helpmsg 121
The semaphore timeout period has expired.

C:\Documents and Settings\pchuck>net helpmsg 1130
Not enough server storage is available to process this command.

>> Top

Not Active On Domain
And finally, sometimes you will get a very brief browstat log.

Status for domain WORKGROUP on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_...
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

The Browser depends upon Server Message Blocks (SMBs). SMBs can be blocked by inconsistent NetBT settings, and by personal firewalls, as well as the obvious physical networking problems.

If SMBs are blocked, you'll get this error from browstat, as well as seeing the symptoms that brought you to this web site. Make sure that NetBT is enabled on all computers.

Next, make sure that at least one computer on your LAN does NOT show this error in browstat, as you need at least one computer running as a browser. Having done that, you may wish to focus on all possible causes of the "error = 5" and "error = 53", eliminating the physical issues first. Using Troubleshooting Network Neighborhood Problems as a guide would be useful in this case. You may also benefit from reading The NT Browser....

>> Top