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One of my windows XP PCs cannot be accessed from any other PC in the network.The network is configured by using Workgroup. If I access PC by using pcname from Run such as \\pcname\, an error comes like Network path not found. If I try the same with the PC I have a problem with then the location opens. (I mean opening \\PC123\ in PC123 itself) . But from another PC it does not work.
I have already tried troubleshooting it.
1. I have tried disabling firewall, antivirus, etc.
2. I have also checked accessing from different OSs PC. But nothing works.
3. I have checked Workgroup and the Workgroup name is proper.
4. I tried running nbtstat -a PC123 and it worked properly and output was:
Local Area Connection 2:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.132] Scope Id: []
NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table
Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
PC123 <00> UNIQUE Registered
CA <00> GROUP Registered
PC123 <20> UNIQUE Registered
CA <1E> GROUP Registered
MAC Address = E0-69-95-35-FC-30
5. I tried net use * \\PC123\d where d is sharename. I got the following error:
System error 53 has occurred.
The network path was not found.
6. I tried a simple ping command like ping pc123 and the ping command was successful.
7. I have checked the Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP setting and the checkbox is checked.
8. I tried enabling the guest account, but I am getting the same error after enabling it also.
9. I tried running \\<IP address of PC123>\ and it does not work and I get the following error message: The network path was not found.
10.But we can access the PC using windows remote desktop(RDP)
After trying all this, the error was not solved, so please help me on this.
IT researcher
Posted 2013-12-11T07:12:04.593
Reputation: 783
Does \<IP address of PC123>\ work ? – Lawrence – 2013-12-11T07:14:32.310
@Lawrence. No. Please see updated question – IT researcher – 2013-12-11T07:21:05.643
have you checked the cable and link status? perhaps changed the port the cable plugs into on the switch? I had a switch port burn out after power surge a few months ago, and it took me a few minutes to diagnose. most unexpected. – Frank Thomas – 2013-12-11T13:38:31.070
@FrankThomas That is proper. From the PC which has this problem i can connect to all other pc in network. – IT researcher – 2013-12-12T07:48:07.407
Sounds very much like it could have to do with Windows Firewall, probably on the XP machine, but could be on the other as well. Have you tried this with temporarily disabling windows (or other software firewalls as well - if you have them enabled) firewall? – r0berts – 2013-12-12T19:08:32.963
@r0berts I have already mentioned in my question that i have disabled firewall,antivirus etc – IT researcher – 2013-12-13T05:09:28.943
OK and I understand that all the rest of it you have tried with all firewalls and antivirus disabled. Have you got Client for Microsoft Networks installed and running on both machines. It should be listed as part of network adapter's properties. – r0berts – 2013-12-13T07:26:03.577
@r0berts we have setup all pc in same network and same workgroup.Also Client for Microsoft Networks already installed in both pc. – IT researcher – 2013-12-14T07:28:06.827
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Couldn't agree more - this problem in my experience also has been caused by software firewalls. Except when there was a tiny error in misspelling names which I had overlooked. – r0berts – 2013-12-17T11:16:28.097
@r0berts If i set firewall to OFF in control panel does it turn off firewall completely? OR i have to do something else? – IT researcher – 2013-12-18T05:54:12.323
Researcher, if it doesn't turn off with control panel then the system is seriously messed up isn't it ;) If we think along this line, it can also be that a service is not running - not listening on the port. You can use netcat for testing. Two ways - 1. connect to the port on the machine that works, see results and compare them with results you get from the non-working machine. 2. - on the non-working machine use one netcat as a server, connect to it with netcat from the other machine and see if connection works (e.g. type in one machine appears on the other). If it does - firewall isn't on. – r0berts – 2013-12-18T12:40:08.970
http://www.rackspace.com/knowledge_center/article/testing-network-services-with-netcat is a good start – r0berts – 2013-12-18T12:40:23.353