[cmmahone]

Background:
I have a small network at home. I just upgraded WinME to Win 2000 on one box while the other two computers both are WinMe. All three computers are running DHCP and we also have a DSL connection through a five port hub.

After install of Win2000, I mapped some network drives to the two other computers. Later, I rebooted but those two computers were off. This gave me a dialog box asking "What do I want to do?" Mistakenly I checked "don't connect to these computers again" or something to that affect.

Problem:
Whenever I try to access either computer (which I can see in Explorer by name of the computer,) Explorer locks-up.

What I have tried so far:
- I can ping either computer fine.
- The two WinMe computers can talk back and forth fine.
- Checked configurations on LAN card, seem to be according to the text I have read as MS.
- Tried to create a new scope with a spread of ip's but I don't think you can to do that on automatic DHCP, please correct me if I am wrong.
- Tried editing the LMHosts file not the sample by adding the computer name and a known ip.
- Tried to renew all leases, I thought they had to be renewed. Use the ipconfig /renew at the command prompt.
- Looked at the Event Viewer and the only significant DHCP error I could find was this: The IP address lease 192.168.1.100 for the Network Card with network address 0002E31C09B2 has been denied by the DHCP server 192.168.1.1 (The DHCP Server sent a DHCPNACK message).
- Pinging the default Gateway is successful.
- Reinstalling Win 2000.

I think I have a names resolution problem but I am not sure.

My System:
Win 2000 Professional
AMD 1.4Ghz 266Mhz
512Mb RAM
Geforce 3 Vid card
Soundblaster Live

Please let me know if there is any information I still need to provide. Any help in this will be greatly appreciated.

[kgeissler]

Are all of you computers in the same workgroup?

[cmmahone]

Yes, they are all under the same workgroup.

I am using our last name as a workgroup and each individuals name as the computer name.

[kgeissler]

This may be a shot in the dark, but it has worked for me when I have networking problems.

Uninstall TCP/IP from the Win2k machine. Reboot. Reinstall TCP/IP, then reboot again.

[cmmahone]

I will give that a shot later today.

A side question does automatic DHCP or names resolving have anything to do with the problem or are they pretty much side issues?

[JohnnyLaRue]

When you say Explorer hangs, how long do you wait for it to come back? I have a network at home, and when I try and browse the other PCs from my win2k box, it takes forever for it to come back. Try using Start/Run and type in \\computername\sharename and see if that's any quicker.

[cmmahone]

When Win 2000 hangs in Explorer, I give it about three-four minutes. Then check the Task Manager, it normally says not responding. Then I end the task. Which itself doesn't clear right away either.

[cmmahone]

Thanks for the help Kgeissler!!! Unistall TCP/IP and reinstall worked. Thanks again for the help!!!

[kgeissler]

Glad it worked :), sometimes it doesn't.

[thatsteveguy]

hey JohnnyLaRue
I know what hanging you are talking about and there is a reg hack you can do to get rid of that wait.
run regedit and go here
hkey local machine/software/microsoft/current version/explorer/remote computer/namespace
and delete the key
{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5bF}
and you will notice a difference right away. no need to re-boot.
chow.

[JohnnyLaRue]

Hey thatsteveguy! You're the man. I've seen that fix before, but never remembered to try it when I was at my win2k box, until now. Works great. Many thanks.

BTW, for others reading this, there should be a /windows/ between the /microsoft/ and /current version/.