Why does a Windows Me machine hate 2003 so much?

Our Windows Me machine loses its connection to our Server 2K3. It's not once
a day - it's every few minutes. Quite a pain...it cannot use our networked
printer, or browse our network very easily.

We have: WINS, DHCP, DNS, no AD. Local users and server users are matched
with usernames/passwords. Dunno what else to do.

"Tim Bott" wrote in message
news:0254304C-594E-418B-9024-(E-Mail Removed)...
: Our Windows Me machine loses its connection to our Server 2K3. It's not
once
: a day - it's every few minutes. Quite a pain...it cannot use our
networked
: printer, or browse our network very easily.
:
: We have: WINS, DHCP, DNS, no AD. Local users and server users are matched
: with usernames/passwords. Dunno what else to do.

Tim...

Considering WinME is arguably the worst version of Windows ever sold, you
might want to consider upgrading. WinME is sold as a home user OS. It is
not designed to run in a domain. If you're losing connectivity, perhaps it
is not your OS, but rather something physical [NIC, patch cable,
interconnectivity device, port on same] or a flaky driver, etc. Also, not
knowing anything regarding your setup other than the OS being used is not a
lot of information. Why anyone would run Windows 2K3 without AD is beyond
me especially with client OS that are not domain supported. [Win95, 98, ME,
XP Home]. However, I see people doing it everyday mainly because they
refuse to include TIME when calculating ROI.

--
Roland Hall
/* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. */
Online Support for IT Professionals -
http://support.microsoft.com/service...p?fr=0&sd=tech
How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;308201
FAQ W2K/2K3 DNS:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;291382

I have not used AD because it quite simply was too complicated, and it was
failing to work correctly. I am seriously considering going back and looking
at it again, but as of yet, it has been an enormous can of worms, and
overkill for our setup.

We ONLY have:
1 2K3 server
9 new XP Pro machines
1 XP Home machine
1 XP Home laptop
1 Me computer
2 98SE computers

AD seemed like overkill for this small of a setup.

"Roland Hall" wrote:

> "Tim Bott" wrote in message
> news:0254304C-594E-418B-9024-(E-Mail Removed)...
> : Our Windows Me machine loses its connection to our Server 2K3. It's not
> once
> : a day - it's every few minutes. Quite a pain...it cannot use our
> networked
> : printer, or browse our network very easily.
> :
> : We have: WINS, DHCP, DNS, no AD. Local users and server users are matched
> : with usernames/passwords. Dunno what else to do.
>
> Tim...
>
> Considering WinME is arguably the worst version of Windows ever sold, you
> might want to consider upgrading. WinME is sold as a home user OS. It is
> not designed to run in a domain. If you're losing connectivity, perhaps it
> is not your OS, but rather something physical [NIC, patch cable,
> interconnectivity device, port on same] or a flaky driver, etc. Also, not
> knowing anything regarding your setup other than the OS being used is not a
> lot of information. Why anyone would run Windows 2K3 without AD is beyond
> me especially with client OS that are not domain supported. [Win95, 98, ME,
> XP Home]. However, I see people doing it everyday mainly because they
> refuse to include TIME when calculating ROI.
>
> --
> Roland Hall
> /* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
> without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
> or fitness for a particular purpose. */
> Online Support for IT Professionals -
> http://support.microsoft.com/service...p?fr=0&sd=tech
> How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;308201
> FAQ W2K/2K3 DNS:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;291382
>
>
>

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 10:59:03 -0800, "Tim Bott"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Our Windows Me machine loses its connection to our Server 2K3. It's not once
>a day - it's every few minutes. Quite a pain...it cannot use our networked
>printer, or browse our network very easily.
>
>We have: WINS, DHCP, DNS, no AD. Local users and server users are matched
>with usernames/passwords. Dunno what else to do.

Windows ME isn't designed to be a network client and doesn't run in
domains, XP Pro is what you want to be running.

That said, intermittent connectivity isn't one of it's problems, that
may be hardware or driver related. Browsing the network will be an
issue, as will domain user accounts, until you get a client OS that's
designed as a network client.

Jeff

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 12:27:01 -0800, "Tim Bott"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have not used AD because it quite simply was too complicated, and it was
>failing to work correctly. I am seriously considering going back and looking
>at it again, but as of yet, it has been an enormous can of worms, and
>overkill for our setup.

AD for your setup should be a matter of running DCPROMO on the server
and making it the first DC in a forest. Let it install DNS and you're
done. Group Policies would be the major advantage for you, but if you
don't need it that's your decision.

>We ONLY have:
>1 2K3 server
>9 new XP Pro machines
>1 XP Home machine
>1 XP Home laptop
>1 Me computer
>2 98SE computers

The Home systems are also problematic but can work, the ME is a poor
network client. The 98SE systems should also be upgraded, you're on a
six-year-old system there. If you go AD you'll want only XP Pro or
newer clients (2000 Pro are okay but you don't have any...)

Jeff


>> "Tim Bott" wrote in message
>> news:0254304C-594E-418B-9024-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> : Our Windows Me machine loses its connection to our Server 2K3. It's not
>> once
>> : a day - it's every few minutes. Quite a pain...it cannot use our
>> networked
>> : printer, or browse our network very easily.
>> :
>> : We have: WINS, DHCP, DNS, no AD. Local users and server users are matched
>> : with usernames/passwords. Dunno what else to do.
>>
>> Tim...
>>
>> Considering WinME is arguably the worst version of Windows ever sold, you
>> might want to consider upgrading. WinME is sold as a home user OS. It is
>> not designed to run in a domain. If you're losing connectivity, perhaps it
>> is not your OS, but rather something physical [NIC, patch cable,
>> interconnectivity device, port on same] or a flaky driver, etc. Also, not
>> knowing anything regarding your setup other than the OS being used is not a
>> lot of information. Why anyone would run Windows 2K3 without AD is beyond
>> me especially with client OS that are not domain supported. [Win95, 98, ME,
>> XP Home]. However, I see people doing it everyday mainly because they
>> refuse to include TIME when calculating ROI.
>>
>> --
>> Roland Hall
>> /* This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
>> without any warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability
>> or fitness for a particular purpose. */
>> Online Support for IT Professionals -
>> http://support.microsoft.com/service...p?fr=0&sd=tech
>> How-to: Windows 2000 DNS:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;308201
>> FAQ W2K/2K3 DNS:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;291382
>>
>>
>>

Make sure that the W2003 server and the Windows ME computer are both wins
clients. Often with Windows 2003 problems can be caused by the fact that
Windows 2003 by default requires smb signing. You might try to disable it in
the Local Security Policy via secpol.msc under security settings/local
policies security options - Microsoft network server:digitally sign
communications(always). Set it to DISABLED. If the problem still persists, I
would try using a new nic on the Windows ME computer. --- Steve


"Tim Bott" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:0254304C-594E-418B-9024-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Our Windows Me machine loses its connection to our Server 2K3. It's not
> once
> a day - it's every few minutes. Quite a pain...it cannot use our
> networked
> printer, or browse our network very easily.
>
> We have: WINS, DHCP, DNS, no AD. Local users and server users are matched
> with usernames/passwords. Dunno what else to do.