File/Printer sharing between W98SE & WXP-Pro

I'm stumped! When I first set up my local network
between my 2 PCs (a W98SE & a WXP-Pro machine), I was
able to access the shared folder I set up on the 98SE PC
from the XP-Pro PC. I was also able to see and use the
Printer attached to the 98SE as a remote network printer
from the XP-Pro machine. Unfortunately, I could not
access the shared folder on the XP-Pro from the 98SE
machine. (I could see both PCs (and the printer) on the
respective network neighborhoods of each PC.)

While trying to get the 98SE PC to be able to access the
XP-Pro shared folders, I lost the ability for the XP-Pro
machine to access either the 98SE shared folders or
the 'network' printer which is attached to the 98SE PC.
It seems as if I just traded access problems from one PC
to the other.

Whenever I try to access the 98SE PC from the XP-Pro
machine, I get the following message: "\\[w98pc] is not
accessible. You might not have permission to use this
network resource. Contact the adminstrator of this
server to find out if you have access permissions."
and "The specified server cannot perform the requested
operation." When attempted to be accessed from
my "Printers and Faxes" screen, the 'networked' printer
returns the following status message: "Printer not found
on server, unable to connect."

Relevant details:

I'm connecting the two PCs via a Netgear RP614v2 router
which appears to be okay. I can successfully ping both
PCs. I've disabled the the Windows XP Firewall, but have
Zonealarm firewalls on each PC. (I've established
a 'Trusted Zone' to include both PCs and I do not believe
that is the source of the problem. I even disabled the
Zonealarm firewall to see if that would help and it
didn't.) I have enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP on both
machines.

I reset the network several times using the XP-Pro
Network Setup Wizard. The first time, I disabled "Simple
file sharing". That's when I got access from the XP-Pro
PC to the 98SE PC. I have since enabled "Simple file
sharing" and now can only get access from the 98SE PC to
the XP-Pro PC. (Frankly, I don't believe enabling or
disabling this feature is all that relevant, but I
include it just in case.)

When I try to add file sharing on a folder in the 98SE
PC, I can enter data in the "Shared Name" and "Comment"
fields. Unfortunately, the "Name"/"Access Rights" field
is blank. When I hit "Okay", I get a prompt that says I
need to give permission to someone (makes sense). When I
try to do that, I get the following message: "You cannot
view the list of users at this time. Please try again
later." In this case, "later" is just code for 'not in
your lifetime'.

I have kept up-to-date on all critical Windows updates
and have looked for days for troubleshooting tips
addressing this issue. The closest I have come
is "Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 268896" which
seems to say that I need to upgrade from W98SE to W2K to
be able to access the users list. Since I once had
access from the XP-Pro PC to the 98SE PC shared
folders/resources, I have a hard time believing that I
need to load W2K to solve my problem.

1. Does anyone know how I can give my XP-Pro machine
permission to access my 98Se PC?
2. Can anyone shed some light on how I can give
permission to the users on my XP-Pro PC to access the
shared folders and printer on my 98SE PC?

I've spent at least 24 hours on this and I'm at a loss as
to what else I can do.

In article <1f7d01c3730f$18debca0$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Jerry C."
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>I'm stumped! When I first set up my local network
>between my 2 PCs (a W98SE & a WXP-Pro machine), I was
>able to access the shared folder I set up on the 98SE PC
>from the XP-Pro PC. I was also able to see and use the
>Printer attached to the 98SE as a remote network printer
>from the XP-Pro machine. Unfortunately, I could not
>access the shared folder on the XP-Pro from the 98SE
>machine. (I could see both PCs (and the printer) on the
>respective network neighborhoods of each PC.)
>
>While trying to get the 98SE PC to be able to access the
>XP-Pro shared folders, I lost the ability for the XP-Pro
>machine to access either the 98SE shared folders or
>the 'network' printer which is attached to the 98SE PC.
>It seems as if I just traded access problems from one PC
>to the other.
>
>Whenever I try to access the 98SE PC from the XP-Pro
>machine, I get the following message: "\\[w98pc] is not
>accessible. You might not have permission to use this
>network resource. Contact the adminstrator of this
>server to find out if you have access permissions."
>and "The specified server cannot perform the requested
>operation." When attempted to be accessed from
>my "Printers and Faxes" screen, the 'networked' printer
>returns the following status message: "Printer not found
>on server, unable to connect."
>
>Relevant details:
>
>I'm connecting the two PCs via a Netgear RP614v2 router
>which appears to be okay. I can successfully ping both
>PCs. I've disabled the the Windows XP Firewall, but have
>Zonealarm firewalls on each PC. (I've established
>a 'Trusted Zone' to include both PCs and I do not believe
>that is the source of the problem. I even disabled the
>Zonealarm firewall to see if that would help and it
>didn't.) I have enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP on both
>machines.
>
>I reset the network several times using the XP-Pro
>Network Setup Wizard. The first time, I disabled "Simple
>file sharing". That's when I got access from the XP-Pro
>PC to the 98SE PC. I have since enabled "Simple file
>sharing" and now can only get access from the 98SE PC to
>the XP-Pro PC. (Frankly, I don't believe enabling or
>disabling this feature is all that relevant, but I
>include it just in case.)
>
>When I try to add file sharing on a folder in the 98SE
>PC, I can enter data in the "Shared Name" and "Comment"
>fields. Unfortunately, the "Name"/"Access Rights" field
>is blank. When I hit "Okay", I get a prompt that says I
>need to give permission to someone (makes sense). When I
>try to do that, I get the following message: "You cannot
>view the list of users at this time. Please try again
>later." In this case, "later" is just code for 'not in
>your lifetime'.
>
>I have kept up-to-date on all critical Windows updates
>and have looked for days for troubleshooting tips
>addressing this issue. The closest I have come
>is "Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 268896" which
>seems to say that I need to upgrade from W98SE to W2K to
>be able to access the users list. Since I once had
>access from the XP-Pro PC to the 98SE PC shared
>folders/resources, I have a hard time believing that I
>need to load W2K to solve my problem.
>
>1. Does anyone know how I can give my XP-Pro machine
>permission to access my 98Se PC?
>2. Can anyone shed some light on how I can give
>permission to the users on my XP-Pro PC to access the
>shared folders and printer on my 98SE PC?
>
>I've spent at least 24 hours on this and I'm at a loss as
>to what else I can do.

One problem is that you've enabled user-level access control on the
98SE PC. That requires a server computer (running Windows NT Server,
Windows 2000 Server, or Windows Server 2003) to maintain the list of
users. Neither 98SE nor XP can be a server computer. Neither can
Windows 2000 Professional. Go to Control Panel | Network | Access
Control and change to share-level access control.
--
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

Steve,

Many, many thanks! I changed the 98SE PC to shared-level
access control, as you suggested, and that solved my
problem. Now I can share the folders and my printer on
both the 98SE and XP-Pro PCs. I was getting 'twisted
around the axle' with all those references to servers,
lists, etc. and your explanation was like a bright light
in the darkness. I can understand why you are called
a "Microsoft Most Valuable Professional"!

Thanks, again, for your insight and excellent advice.

Jerry C.

>-----Original Message-----
>In article <1f7d01c3730f$18debca0
$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Jerry C."
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>I'm stumped! When I first set up my local network
>>between my 2 PCs (a W98SE & a WXP-Pro machine), I was
>>able to access the shared folder I set up on the 98SE
PC
>>from the XP-Pro PC. I was also able to see and use the
>>Printer attached to the 98SE as a remote network
printer
>>from the XP-Pro machine. Unfortunately, I could not
>>access the shared folder on the XP-Pro from the 98SE
>>machine. (I could see both PCs (and the printer) on
the
>>respective network neighborhoods of each PC.)
>>
>>While trying to get the 98SE PC to be able to access
the
>>XP-Pro shared folders, I lost the ability for the XP-
Pro
>>machine to access either the 98SE shared folders or
>>the 'network' printer which is attached to the 98SE
PC.
>>It seems as if I just traded access problems from one
PC
>>to the other.
>>
>>Whenever I try to access the 98SE PC from the XP-Pro
>>machine, I get the following message: "\\[w98pc] is not
>>accessible. You might not have permission to use this
>>network resource. Contact the adminstrator of this
>>server to find out if you have access permissions."
>>and "The specified server cannot perform the requested
>>operation." When attempted to be accessed from
>>my "Printers and Faxes" screen, the 'networked' printer
>>returns the following status message: "Printer not
found
>>on server, unable to connect."
>>
>>Relevant details:
>>
>>I'm connecting the two PCs via a Netgear RP614v2 router
>>which appears to be okay. I can successfully ping both
>>PCs. I've disabled the the Windows XP Firewall, but
have
>>Zonealarm firewalls on each PC. (I've established
>>a 'Trusted Zone' to include both PCs and I do not
believe
>>that is the source of the problem. I even disabled the
>>Zonealarm firewall to see if that would help and it
>>didn't.) I have enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP on both
>>machines.
>>
>>I reset the network several times using the XP-Pro
>>Network Setup Wizard. The first time, I
disabled "Simple
>>file sharing". That's when I got access from the XP-
Pro
>>PC to the 98SE PC. I have since enabled "Simple file
>>sharing" and now can only get access from the 98SE PC
to
>>the XP-Pro PC. (Frankly, I don't believe enabling or
>>disabling this feature is all that relevant, but I
>>include it just in case.)
>>
>>When I try to add file sharing on a folder in the 98SE
>>PC, I can enter data in the "Shared Name" and "Comment"
>>fields. Unfortunately, the "Name"/"Access Rights"
field
>>is blank. When I hit "Okay", I get a prompt that says
I
>>need to give permission to someone (makes sense). When
I
>>try to do that, I get the following message: "You
cannot
>>view the list of users at this time. Please try again
>>later." In this case, "later" is just code for 'not in
>>your lifetime'.
>>
>>I have kept up-to-date on all critical Windows updates
>>and have looked for days for troubleshooting tips
>>addressing this issue. The closest I have come
>>is "Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 268896" which
>>seems to say that I need to upgrade from W98SE to W2K
to
>>be able to access the users list. Since I once had
>>access from the XP-Pro PC to the 98SE PC shared
>>folders/resources, I have a hard time believing that I
>>need to load W2K to solve my problem.
>>
>>1. Does anyone know how I can give my XP-Pro machine
>>permission to access my 98Se PC?
>>2. Can anyone shed some light on how I can give
>>permission to the users on my XP-Pro PC to access the
>>shared folders and printer on my 98SE PC?
>>
>>I've spent at least 24 hours on this and I'm at a loss
as
>>to what else I can do.
>
>One problem is that you've enabled user-level access
control on the
>98SE PC. That requires a server computer (running
Windows NT Server,
>Windows 2000 Server, or Windows Server 2003) to maintain
the list of
>users. Neither 98SE nor XP can be a server computer.
Neither can
>Windows 2000 Professional. Go to Control Panel |
Network | Access
>Control and change to share-level access control.
>--
>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
>.
>

In article <1ee601c373a8$bc6e6fc0$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Jerry C."
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Steve,
>
>Many, many thanks! I changed the 98SE PC to shared-level
>access control, as you suggested, and that solved my
>problem. Now I can share the folders and my printer on
>both the 98SE and XP-Pro PCs. I was getting 'twisted
>around the axle' with all those references to servers,
>lists, etc. and your explanation was like a bright light
>in the darkness. I can understand why you are called
>a "Microsoft Most Valuable Professional"!
>
>Thanks, again, for your insight and excellent advice.
>
>Jerry C.

You're welcome, Jerry! I'm glad that my suggestion helped you solve
the problem, and I appreciate your comments. Your detailed problem
description made it easy to zero in on the solution without having to
ask questions or to suggest possible fixes that you've already tried.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

>-----Original Message-----
>>>Many, many thanks! I changed the 98SE PC to shared-
level
>>access control, as you suggested, and that solved my
>>problem. Now I can share the folders and my printer on
>>both the 98SE and XP-Pro PCs.

I'm getting the exact same error message when trying to
connect to the W98 machine on my network: "\\(98 machine)
is not accessible. You might not have permission to use
this network resource. Contact the administrator of this
server to find out if you have access permissions. -- The
network path is not found"

The only difference is that based on the earlier post, I
checked and my W98 machine already has "Shared access
control" checked! A brief overview of my similar
situation:

Cable modem into a Linksys Wireless-B broadband router.
Generally all 3 machines are hooked up via wire, but one
of the 2 XP machines is a laptop with wireless card. The
two XP machines are running XP 5.1 (Build 2600
xpsp2.030422-1633: Service Pack 1) and (Build
2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service Pack 1). The 3rd machine
is just running Windows 98. The W98 machine was set up
using the XP Networking Wizard. All 3 machines were set
up as part of a home network connected to the internet
through a router. I too have installed TCP/IP and Net-
Bios.

When looking at the workgroup from either of the XP
machines, all 3 machines can be seen. The two XP
machines can access each others shared files and
printers. But when you double click on the W98 machine
from either XP machine, you get the message listed
above. When the W98 machine looks at the work group, it
doesn't see either of the XP machines.

What did I miss???

On your XP copmputers for the TCP/IP protocol, have you got the
NetBIOS option set to always be enabled? For and NT of better
installation, NetBIOS has to be turned on.

On your Windows 98 computer, is the TCP/IP protocol for your LAN
adapter set as the default protocol?

If you are using Nwlink IPX/SPX, make sure the frame time is the same
between all three computers and not set to automatic.


"John Luetjen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>Many, many thanks! I changed the 98SE PC to shared-
>level
>>>access control, as you suggested, and that solved my
>>>problem. Now I can share the folders and my printer on
>>>both the 98SE and XP-Pro PCs.
>
>I'm getting the exact same error message when trying to
>connect to the W98 machine on my network: "\\(98 machine)
>is not accessible. You might not have permission to use
>this network resource. Contact the administrator of this
>server to find out if you have access permissions. -- The
>network path is not found"
>
>The only difference is that based on the earlier post, I
>checked and my W98 machine already has "Shared access
>control" checked! A brief overview of my similar
>situation:
>
>Cable modem into a Linksys Wireless-B broadband router.
>Generally all 3 machines are hooked up via wire, but one
>of the 2 XP machines is a laptop with wireless card. The
>two XP machines are running XP 5.1 (Build 2600
>xpsp2.030422-1633: Service Pack 1) and (Build
>2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service Pack 1). The 3rd machine
>is just running Windows 98. The W98 machine was set up
>using the XP Networking Wizard. All 3 machines were set
>up as part of a home network connected to the internet
>through a router. I too have installed TCP/IP and Net-
>Bios.
>
>When looking at the workgroup from either of the XP
>machines, all 3 machines can be seen. The two XP
>machines can access each others shared files and
>printers. But when you double click on the W98 machine
>from either XP machine, you get the message listed
>above. When the W98 machine looks at the work group, it
>doesn't see either of the XP machines.
>
>What did I miss???

In article <255b01c37404$1db9e880$(E-Mail Removed)>, "John Luetjen"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>I'm getting the exact same error message when trying to
>connect to the W98 machine on my network: "\\(98 machine)
>is not accessible. You might not have permission to use
>this network resource. Contact the administrator of this
>server to find out if you have access permissions. -- The
>network path is not found"
>
>The only difference is that based on the earlier post, I
>checked and my W98 machine already has "Shared access
>control" checked! A brief overview of my similar
>situation:
>
>Cable modem into a Linksys Wireless-B broadband router.
>Generally all 3 machines are hooked up via wire, but one
>of the 2 XP machines is a laptop with wireless card. The
>two XP machines are running XP 5.1 (Build 2600
>xpsp2.030422-1633: Service Pack 1) and (Build
>2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service Pack 1). The 3rd machine
>is just running Windows 98. The W98 machine was set up
>using the XP Networking Wizard. All 3 machines were set
>up as part of a home network connected to the internet
>through a router. I too have installed TCP/IP and Net-
>Bios.
>
>When looking at the workgroup from either of the XP
>machines, all 3 machines can be seen. The two XP
>machines can access each others shared files and
>printers. But when you double click on the W98 machine
>from either XP machine, you get the message listed
>above. When the W98 machine looks at the work group, it
>doesn't see either of the XP machines.
>
>What did I miss???

1. Permanently disable XP's built-in Internet Connection Firewall on
local area network connections -- it's for use only on a direct modem
connection to the Internet. Disable and un-install all other
firewalls while troubleshooting. Details here:

Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...c_firewall.htm

2. Use only one protocol for File and Printer Sharing. If the network
needs more than one protocol, unbind File and Printer Sharing from all
but one of them. Details here:

Windows XP Network Protocols
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/..._protocols.htm

3. Make sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers.
Details here:

Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...hoot/netbt.htm
--
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

Thanks Steve and Bloke. It was the Norton Firewall that
I had installed on the '98 machine (oops -- did I mention
that I had a firewall???

Thanks for your help!
- John