Master Browser issues

I have a Domain with one W2K3 PDC, another W2K3 file server (which also is my
WINS), and a third W2k3 server. All client machines are XP Pro.

I have been experiencing slow network browsing, and ever once in a while a
network share will give the 'access denied' message, and then if you try 30
seconds later it lets you in. Also, a few times a week an XP machine will
force an election, which brings browsing to a halt. There doesn't seem to be
any established pattern, and it's not always the same XP machine that forces
the election.

I'm going nuts. The event log doesn't show any DNS or WINS errors.

Help!

Thanks, Kurtis

How do you know "XP machine that forces the election"? If the election
happens, it should log event.

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"kurtis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:3F56B145-4E6A-4016-A2EB-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a Domain with one W2K3 PDC, another W2K3 file server (which also is
>my
> WINS), and a third W2k3 server. All client machines are XP Pro.
>
> I have been experiencing slow network browsing, and ever once in a while a
> network share will give the 'access denied' message, and then if you try
> 30
> seconds later it lets you in. Also, a few times a week an XP machine will
> force an election, which brings browsing to a halt. There doesn't seem to
> be
> any established pattern, and it's not always the same XP machine that
> forces
> the election.
>
> I'm going nuts. The event log doesn't show any DNS or WINS errors.
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks, Kurtis

What machine forces an election isn't really important. If any machine
tries to get a browse list from the master browser and fails (for any
reason), it assumes that browsing has failed and forces a browser election.
A client forcing an election is really just a symptom that there is
something wrong with browsing on the network.

If the client tries to get a browse list from the master browser using
the wrong IP address (ie if the browser is multihomed and the client gets
the wrong from a name server) the request will fail. This will cause the
client to force a browser election. Which client actually does this doesn't
help you find the real problem with the browsing.

"Robert L. (MS-MVP)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OGw#(E-Mail Removed)...
> How do you know "XP machine that forces the election"? If the election
> happens, it should log event.
>
> --
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
> http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
> http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "kurtis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:3F56B145-4E6A-4016-A2EB-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I have a Domain with one W2K3 PDC, another W2K3 file server (which also is
>>my
>> WINS), and a third W2k3 server. All client machines are XP Pro.
>>
>> I have been experiencing slow network browsing, and ever once in a while
>> a
>> network share will give the 'access denied' message, and then if you try
>> 30
>> seconds later it lets you in. Also, a few times a week an XP machine
>> will
>> force an election, which brings browsing to a halt. There doesn't seem
>> to be
>> any established pattern, and it's not always the same XP machine that
>> forces
>> the election.
>>
>> I'm going nuts. The event log doesn't show any DNS or WINS errors.
>>
>> Help!
>>
>> Thanks, Kurtis
>

"kurtis" wrote:

> I have a Domain with one W2K3 PDC, another W2K3 file server (which also is my
> WINS), and a third W2k3 server. All client machines are XP Pro.
>
> I have been experiencing slow network browsing, and ever once in a while a
> network share will give the 'access denied' message, and then if you try 30
> seconds later it lets you in. Also, a few times a week an XP machine will
> force an election, which brings browsing to a halt. There doesn't seem to be
> any established pattern, and it's not always the same XP machine that forces
> the election.
>
> I'm going nuts. The event log doesn't show any DNS or WINS errors.
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks, Kurtis

Disable Computer Browser service on all except WINS server.
--
Regards,
Newell White

In news:3F56B145-4E6A-4016-A2EB-(E-Mail Removed),
kurtis <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> I have a Domain with one W2K3 PDC, another W2K3 file server (which
> also is my WINS), and a third W2k3 server. All client machines are
> XP Pro.
>
> I have been experiencing slow network browsing, and ever once in a
> while a network share will give the 'access denied' message, and then
> if you try 30 seconds later it lets you in. Also, a few times a week
> an XP machine will force an election, which brings browsing to a
> halt. There doesn't seem to be any established pattern, and it's not
> always the same XP machine that forces the election.
>
> I'm going nuts. The event log doesn't show any DNS or WINS errors.
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks, Kurtis

Are any machines, especially domain controllers, multihomed (more than one
NIC)?

--
Regards,
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT,
MVP Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, you may want to contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please
check http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations

No, no multi-homed computers. I've heard the 'disable computer browser
service' before, but I'm curious why I'd have to resort to that...I have
three other W2k3 domains in branch office and I've never had these issues.
Granted, those offices only have 1/3 of the users, but....


"Ace Fekay [MVP]" wrote:

> In news:3F56B145-4E6A-4016-A2EB-(E-Mail Removed),
> kurtis <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> > I have a Domain with one W2K3 PDC, another W2K3 file server (which
> > also is my WINS), and a third W2k3 server. All client machines are
> > XP Pro.
> >
> > I have been experiencing slow network browsing, and ever once in a
> > while a network share will give the 'access denied' message, and then
> > if you try 30 seconds later it lets you in. Also, a few times a week
> > an XP machine will force an election, which brings browsing to a
> > halt. There doesn't seem to be any established pattern, and it's not
> > always the same XP machine that forces the election.
> >
> > I'm going nuts. The event log doesn't show any DNS or WINS errors.
> >
> > Help!
> >
> > Thanks, Kurtis
>
> Are any machines, especially domain controllers, multihomed (more than one
> NIC)?
>
> --
> Regards,
> Ace
>
> This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
> confers no rights.
>
> Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT,
> MVP Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
> Microsoft Certified Trainer
>
> For urgent issues, you may want to contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please
> check http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.
>
> Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations
>
>
>

"kurtis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:661D1E25-81CB-4AB7-9EF4-(E-Mail Removed)...
> No, no multi-homed computers. I've heard the 'disable computer browser
> service' before, but I'm curious why I'd have to resort to that...I have
> three other W2k3 domains in branch office and I've never had these issues.
> Granted, those offices only have 1/3 of the users, but....
>
>
As Ace said, the most common problem is a master browser with multiple
IP addresses (two NICs or used as a remote access server). If you really
want to know what the browser service is doing, use the browstat tool from
the support tools. See KB188305.

If you have a lot of machines on the segment, disabling the browser
service on all but one server can cause bottlenecks. Microsoft recommends
that you have backup browsers available (I think the recommendation was one
potential browse master for each 15 workstations on the segment). The
computer browser service is an NT legacy app with a long history going back
to pre TCP/IP days.