File Access Problem--Win 98 to Win XP Home SP2

Some time ago, I posted about my problem in accessing a new network
share on an XP computer from my 98 SE computer. The computers are
networked through an Actiontec DSL router. I installed the network
some time ago, and it was working fine up until a couple of months
ago.
I am still unable to map a share on the XP computer to the 98
computer. When I try, I get the message:
"\\$XPcomputer is not accessible. No permission to access resource."
The funny thing is, I originally mapped a share on the XP box, and it
had continued to connect at each bootup, so somehow the 98 box did
have some permission. However, I disconnected it trying to see if I
could reconnect, and now I can't.
Following suggestions made here, I reran the network wizard on the XP
box, and created a net setup disk which I then ran on the 98 box. I
can see both boxes in Network Neighborhood, but doubleclicking the XP
computer results in the error message above. I use ZoneAlarm 4.x for
a firewall (disabling the SP2 firewall), and turning it off on either
box makes no difference. I can still reach my printer on the XP box
from the 98 box. The workgroup name is the same on both boxes, and I
use the identical logon and password on both boxes. The net guest
account on the XP box is enabled. NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on
both computers.
On the 98 box, typing "net view" in a DOS window lists both computers.
Typing "net use" listed the mapped drive (before I disconnected it)
and \\$xpcomputer\IPC$, which I assume is the printer sharing. All
shared folders on the 98 box are accessible from the XP computer.
Almost all of the resources I have been able to locate seem to deal
with an actual connection problem, which is not the case here. I seem
to connect fine, but just can't get at the data on the XP computer.
I'd appreciate any other suggestions....I've flat run out of ideas.
Peter
Peter L Reader, posting from Portland, Oregon where the weather is
lousy.
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(E-Mail Removed)

Try tip #1 at www.careyholzman.com/netfixes.htm

Carey

"Peter L Reader" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Some time ago, I posted about my problem in accessing a new network
> share on an XP computer from my 98 SE computer. The computers are
> networked through an Actiontec DSL router. I installed the network
> some time ago, and it was working fine up until a couple of months
> ago.
> I am still unable to map a share on the XP computer to the 98
> computer. When I try, I get the message:
> "\\$XPcomputer is not accessible. No permission to access resource."
> The funny thing is, I originally mapped a share on the XP box, and it
> had continued to connect at each bootup, so somehow the 98 box did
> have some permission. However, I disconnected it trying to see if I
> could reconnect, and now I can't.
> Following suggestions made here, I reran the network wizard on the XP
> box, and created a net setup disk which I then ran on the 98 box. I
> can see both boxes in Network Neighborhood, but doubleclicking the XP
> computer results in the error message above. I use ZoneAlarm 4.x for
> a firewall (disabling the SP2 firewall), and turning it off on either
> box makes no difference. I can still reach my printer on the XP box
> from the 98 box. The workgroup name is the same on both boxes, and I
> use the identical logon and password on both boxes. The net guest
> account on the XP box is enabled. NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on
> both computers.
> On the 98 box, typing "net view" in a DOS window lists both computers.
> Typing "net use" listed the mapped drive (before I disconnected it)
> and \\$xpcomputer\IPC$, which I assume is the printer sharing. All
> shared folders on the 98 box are accessible from the XP computer.
> Almost all of the resources I have been able to locate seem to deal
> with an actual connection problem, which is not the case here. I seem
> to connect fine, but just can't get at the data on the XP computer.
> I'd appreciate any other suggestions....I've flat run out of ideas.
> Peter
> Peter L Reader, posting from Portland, Oregon where the weather is
> lousy.
> -----
> (E-Mail Removed)

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Peter L
Reader <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Some time ago, I posted about my problem in accessing a new network
>share on an XP computer from my 98 SE computer. The computers are
>networked through an Actiontec DSL router. I installed the network
>some time ago, and it was working fine up until a couple of months
>ago.
>I am still unable to map a share on the XP computer to the 98
>computer. When I try, I get the message:
>"\\$XPcomputer is not accessible. No permission to access resource."
>The funny thing is, I originally mapped a share on the XP box, and it
>had continued to connect at each bootup, so somehow the 98 box did
>have some permission. However, I disconnected it trying to see if I
>could reconnect, and now I can't.
>Following suggestions made here, I reran the network wizard on the XP
>box, and created a net setup disk which I then ran on the 98 box. I
>can see both boxes in Network Neighborhood, but doubleclicking the XP
>computer results in the error message above. I use ZoneAlarm 4.x for
>a firewall (disabling the SP2 firewall), and turning it off on either
>box makes no difference. I can still reach my printer on the XP box
>from the 98 box. The workgroup name is the same on both boxes, and I
>use the identical logon and password on both boxes. The net guest
>account on the XP box is enabled. NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on
>both computers.
>On the 98 box, typing "net view" in a DOS window lists both computers.
>Typing "net use" listed the mapped drive (before I disconnected it)
>and \\$xpcomputer\IPC$, which I assume is the printer sharing. All
>shared folders on the 98 box are accessible from the XP computer.
>Almost all of the resources I have been able to locate seem to deal
>with an actual connection problem, which is not the case here. I seem
>to connect fine, but just can't get at the data on the XP computer.
>I'd appreciate any other suggestions....I've flat run out of ideas.

Peter, did you try un-sharing and re-sharing the inaccessible folder
on Windows XP, as I suggested in my reply to your previous message?

Since (according to that message) your computer runs XP Home Edition,
you're on the right track by looking at the Guest account. Home
Edition always validates access requests via the Guest account,
regardless of the user's actual credentials.

Make sure that the Guest account is enabled for network access by
entering this command on XP:

net user guest /active:yes

Make sure that there's no network password for the Guest account:

1. Click Start | Run.
2. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK:
3. Click Guest.
4. Click Reset Password.
5. Click OK without entering a new password.

Have you ever started XP Home Edition in Safe mode and set file access
permissions? If so, that opens up another set of possible problems
and solutions.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 01:17:09 -0600, "Steve Winograd [MVP]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

Thanks for responding, Steve....
>Peter, did you try un-sharing and re-sharing the inaccessible folder
>on Windows XP, as I suggested in my reply to your previous message?
I did...I can't even get to the folders from the 98 box. I get the
error message when I click on the XP computer name in Network
Neighborhood. I can't seem to figure out a way to share the whole
computer...

>
>Since (according to that message) your computer runs XP Home Edition,
>you're on the right track by looking at the Guest account. Home
>Edition always validates access requests via the Guest account,
>regardless of the user's actual credentials.
>
>Make sure that the Guest account is enabled for network access by
>entering this command on XP:
>
> net user guest /active:yes
The net guest account is active...

>
>Make sure that there's no network password for the Guest account:
>
>1. Click Start | Run.
>2. Type "control userpasswords2" in the box and click OK:
>3. Click Guest.
>4. Click Reset Password.
>5. Click OK without entering a new password.
OK -- I did this....here's the result
>
C:\Documents and Settings\Peter>net user guest
User name Guest
Full Name
Comment Built-in account for guest access to
the computer/domain
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 10/18/2004 8:13 AM
Password expires Never
Password changeable 10/18/2004 8:13 AM
Password required No
User may change password No

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 10/18/2004 8:21 AM

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Guests
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


>Have you ever started XP Home Edition in Safe mode and set file access
>permissions? If so, that opens up another set of possible problems
>and solutions.
No, fortunately I've never had to start XP Home in safe mode (so
far....)

Still getting the same error -- "$XPComputer is not available. No
permission to access resource."


I can, however, run a dir command (dir \\$xpcomputer\c\download) on
the 98 box and get a directory list of a shared folder on the XP box.
I can also ping the IP address of the XP box from the 98 box. But I
can't run a net use (net use k: \\$xpcomputer\f\ppbnet) to map a
drive--I get a DOS error 50 "You attempted an operation that cannot be
performed from your computer..."
And I can freely access the 98 box from the XP box. So I don't think
that the network connection is the problem..

Bummer.
Peter
Peter L Reader, posting from Portland, Oregon where the weather is
lousy.
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(E-Mail Removed)