Not able to access sub-folder of shared drive from secondary site office

Question

My windows server 2003 is running as VM and this server is the file print server, hosting the printers as well as the shared drive using DFS, hosted in HQ (primary site office). The connection between both site is through local ISP BAN services.

Just a couple days ago, all users from secondary site reports that they are unable to access the shared drive.

-No changes were made prior to this incident. -Primary site office is still able to access this shared drive. -User from secondary site office is able to see the entire shared drive, but unable to access any sub folders beneath them even with correct permission set. Meaning, they can see \MyFilePrintServerHostName\DFSRootSameNameAsMyFilePrintServerHostName(all the folders made available), but they cannot access the sub folders of \MyFilePrintServerHostName\DFSRootSameNameAsMyFilePrintServerHostName.

After much googling and tech support from my corporate IT help desk, the issue remain unsolved.

Here's what is done and the findings:

1) I disconnect the drive on 'My Computer' and did a net use /delete, verified with net use that it is disconnect on the user's computer.

2) Map the drive manually and yes I am able to see the drive, but back to square one, unable to access the rightful sub folders, with permission. Error was "The Location Cannot Be Reached"

3) Ping test was successfully using both the IP Address of the server and the host name.

4) NetBios is enabled on my file print server as well.

5) Tried instead of mapping \MyFilePrintServerHostName\DFSRootSameNameAsMyFilePrintServerHostName\,

I map with \MyFilePrintServerHostName\Subfolder (or since my DFSRoot is same name as my file print server hostname, it may be \DFSRootDFSRootSameNameAsMyFilePrintServerHostName\Subfolder),

IT WORKS!

User can access the rightful sub folder, but only this particular sub folder. This is a viable temporarily option, but not a long term solution as each user are given permission to at least 2 sub folders and some have more.

I am starting to think it may be the BAN connection instead of the server fault.

I am going to try what happen if I remove the computer from the domain and rejoin the domain at the secondary site office.

I will continue to trial and error and hopefully get some help here.

Million Thanks In Advance Guys & Gals!

Answer 1

Not sure if this is the right answer but between the post and now, the only thing that was done was that I power cycle my primary DC.

Next thing I knew was that the user has to restart the computer and viola! It works. So I am suspecting my primary DC either hang or something else happened to it, this I can't know the reason for sure as I do not have access to the DC.. Only my corporate IT has access to it.

I will check back with my corporate IT and see what was the error before I was instructed to power cycle my primary DC and why my secondary DC did not take over Primary DC.

Cheers guys and gals! Have a great weekend!