Win98 in Win2000 Network

Running four machines in a TCP/IP network. All are running
the same subnet, all are in the same workgroup, all
machines can ping all others.

The issue is that I can't see any of the Win2k shares in
the Network Neighborhood of the Win98 machine. Actualy
sharing the drives was an issue till I loaded the lmHosts
fiels with the win2k data, now mapping works very well.
For me that's enough, but I've got at least one client
this week where the same situation will occur, so a fix
would be good. So, how can I engraciate the Win98 machine
so that the network neighborhood is populated as expected?

In article <054a01c3a7e3$817ea000$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Tom"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Running four machines in a TCP/IP network. All are running
>the same subnet, all are in the same workgroup, all
>machines can ping all others.
>
>The issue is that I can't see any of the Win2k shares in
>the Network Neighborhood of the Win98 machine. Actualy
>sharing the drives was an issue till I loaded the lmHosts
>fiels with the win2k data, now mapping works very well.
>For me that's enough, but I've got at least one client
>this week where the same situation will occur, so a fix
>would be good. So, how can I engraciate the Win98 machine
>so that the network neighborhood is populated as expected?

Make sure that the Win2k share names aren't longer than 12 characters.
If they are, Win98 won't be able to see them.

Do the Win2k computer names appear in Network Neighborhood on Win98?
If so, what happens when you double click the computer names? That's
where the shared disks and folders should appear.

There's no need for an Lmhosts file on a single subnet network. Make
sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers:

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

>-----Original Message-----
>In article <054a01c3a7e3$817ea000$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Tom"
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>Running four machines in a TCP/IP network. All are
running
>>the same subnet, all are in the same workgroup, all
>>machines can ping all others.
>>
>>The issue is that I can't see any of the Win2k shares in
>>the Network Neighborhood of the Win98 machine. Actualy
>>sharing the drives was an issue till I loaded the
lmHosts
>>fiels with the win2k data, now mapping works very well.
>>For me that's enough, but I've got at least one client
>>this week where the same situation will occur, so a fix
>>would be good. So, how can I engraciate the Win98
machine
>>so that the network neighborhood is populated as
expected?
>
>Make sure that the Win2k share names aren't longer than
12 characters.
>If they are, Win98 won't be able to see them.
>
>Do the Win2k computer names appear in Network
Neighborhood on Win98?
>If so, what happens when you double click the computer
names? That's
>where the shared disks and folders should appear.
>
>There's no need for an Lmhosts file on a single subnet
network. Make
>sure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers:
>
>Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP (NetBT)
>http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...troubleshoot/n
etbt.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 for the response, Steve.

Win2k share names are shorter then 12Chars (4 chars!)

Computer names do NOT appear in Network Neighborhood at
all. On the Win98 machine there are no computer names.
Trying to interogate the 'Entire Network' results
in 'Unable to browse the network error', though, as I say
the machine is perfecty visable from all win2k machines
and mapping a Win2k machine on the win98 box works fine.

One of the Win2k machines has a dual-network interface,
hence the lmhosts entry.

NetBIOS over TCP/IP is running on all PC's.

I've done some more experimentation with my machines and
have come to the conclusion that it's a 'Master Browser'
issue.
Switched off all machines, and then switched on one of the
Win98 machines. Works fine; machine (itself) is visible
in Network Neighbourhood.

Switched on second Win98 machine. Works fine; machine
(itself) is visible, along with the second machine in the
Network Neighbourhoods on both machines. Drives mappable.

Switched on one of the Win2k boxes. Neighbourhood on both
Win98 machines is now unpopulated. Error 'Unable to
browse network' appears on both Win98 boxes. Only Win2k
box can be seen on the Neighbourhood in the win2k box.
Obviously the new win2k box has assumed master browser
status. After a few minutes (I went to make coffee), all
Neighbourhood's on all machines are populated again.

Switched on second Win2K machine (I've taken out one of
the network cards so this one is no longer multi-honed;
it's sitting on the same subnet as all the others) and
once again the Neighbourhood on all machines disappears.
One again it would seem that the new machine on-line has
assumed responsibility for Master Browser. After 15
minutes or so, the Neighbourhood on both the win2k boxes
is populated again and drives are mappable, but on both
win98 boxes, the Neighbourhood's remain unpopulated and
errors occur when trying to interrogate the Neighbourhood.

So it would seem that...
1) Win98 boxes alone works
2) One wk2 box on a network where it's in a minority,
everything works after a short delay while the win2k box
assumes Mater Browser status.
3) On a network where win2k boxes are the same number or
greater in number, then their win98 counterparts, then the
Master Browser fails to work effectively on the win98
boxes.

Unfortunately, it's the win2k boxes, naturally enough,
that are left on all the time, so it's going to be natural
that they are going to become the Master Browsers on the
network. So I need a fix that will allow a Master Browser
on the win2k machine to successfully communicate with the
win98 boxes, which it appears not to be doing at the
moment.

In article <076a01c3a82c$d1d9b8c0$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Tom"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>I've done some more experimentation with my machines and
>have come to the conclusion that it's a 'Master Browser'
>issue.
>Switched off all machines, and then switched on one of the
>Win98 machines. Works fine; machine (itself) is visible
>in Network Neighbourhood.
>
>Switched on second Win98 machine. Works fine; machine
>(itself) is visible, along with the second machine in the
>Network Neighbourhoods on both machines. Drives mappable.
>
>Switched on one of the Win2k boxes. Neighbourhood on both
>Win98 machines is now unpopulated. Error 'Unable to
>browse network' appears on both Win98 boxes. Only Win2k
>box can be seen on the Neighbourhood in the win2k box.
>Obviously the new win2k box has assumed master browser
>status. After a few minutes (I went to make coffee), all
>Neighbourhood's on all machines are populated again.
>
>Switched on second Win2K machine (I've taken out one of
>the network cards so this one is no longer multi-honed;
>it's sitting on the same subnet as all the others) and
>once again the Neighbourhood on all machines disappears.
>One again it would seem that the new machine on-line has
>assumed responsibility for Master Browser. After 15
>minutes or so, the Neighbourhood on both the win2k boxes
>is populated again and drives are mappable, but on both
>win98 boxes, the Neighbourhood's remain unpopulated and
>errors occur when trying to interrogate the Neighbourhood.
>
>So it would seem that...
>1) Win98 boxes alone works
>2) One wk2 box on a network where it's in a minority,
>everything works after a short delay while the win2k box
>assumes Mater Browser status.
>3) On a network where win2k boxes are the same number or
>greater in number, then their win98 counterparts, then the
>Master Browser fails to work effectively on the win98
>boxes.
>
>Unfortunately, it's the win2k boxes, naturally enough,
>that are left on all the time, so it's going to be natural
>that they are going to become the Master Browsers on the
>network. So I need a fix that will allow a Master Browser
>on the win2k machine to successfully communicate with the
>win98 boxes, which it appears not to be doing at the
>moment.

Those are some interesting results, Tom. Master browser elections can
disrupt network browsing, and you're certainly seeing that. The
solution might be to make sure that the same Win2k computer is always
the master browser when it's running. To do that, disable the
Computer Browser service on the other Win2k computer:

1. Right click My Computer, and click Manage.
2. Double click Services and Applications.
3. Double click Services.
4. Double click Computer Browser. If the Service status is Started,
click Stop.
5. Set the Startup type to Disabled.

While network browsing is disabled, you should be able to access
another computer by typing its name in the Start | Run box preceded by
two backslashes:

\\computer
--
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

>Those are some interesting results, Tom. Master browser
elections can
>disrupt network browsing, and you're certainly seeing
that. The
>solution might be to make sure that the same Win2k
computer is always
>the master browser when it's running. To do that,
disable the
>Computer Browser service on the other Win2k computer:
>
>1. Right click My Computer, and click Manage.
>2. Double click Services and Applications.
>3. Double click Services.
>4. Double click Computer Browser. If the Service status
is Started,
>click Stop.
>5. Set the Startup type to Disabled.
>
>While network browsing is disabled, you should be able to
access
>another computer by typing its name in the Start | Run
box preceded by
>two backslashes:
>
> \\computer
>--
>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
>.
>

Hi Steve,
I've disabled the Master Browser capabilities on the two
win98 boxes and I've gone so far as to set the primary
win2k box up as the default Master Browser by altering the
appropriate registry keys. This has improved matters in
that the two win2k boxes don't fight for MB status any
more; my laptop always defers to the win2k server now.

Mapping drives on the win98 boxes by using the
\\computername\sharename works fine, but then again it
always did. However, my origional problem; the Network
Neighbourhood's on the two win98 boxes remaining
unpopulated and produceing an error message when
interrogated, still exists.

Is there any way around this or am I just going to have to
live with the fact that the two OS's just don't chat to
each other as well as they might? (