WinME 'My Network Places' window freezes when accessing a Win98se machine.

Hi all,

The problem:
When I try to access the Win98se computer from the WinME computer using
the 'My Network Places' icon the window (usually) freezes and the routers
Link/Act(ivity) lights remain flickering indicating that both machines are
actively sending and/or receiving data, that is, it's thrashing. The only
way of closing down the window is by a Ctrl-Alt-Del and killing the process.
This problem seems to occur most often when descending down through multiple
levels of folders within the window(s). Additionally, if the folders have
many items in them the problem is more likely to occur. Accessing the WinME
computer from the Win98se computer is no problem using 'Network
Neighborhood'. This works even when the WinME computer is in the process of
thrashing.


What I've tried:

Damn near everything I could think of including:
- Following Carey Holzman's 'Tips to fixing Windows 95,98,98se,ME,2000 and
XP network problems' paper to the letter. An excellent paper by the way at
http://www.careyholzman.com/netfixes.htm
- Installing a Netgear FA311 10/100 Mbps Lan card and the latest driver in
the WinME computer. Didn't help.
- Reconfiguring the networks on both computers by installing/un-installing
the following protocols in various combinations: TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBEUI.
Currently both machines are running with all three protocols.
- Attempted to give the WinME network card its own IRQ. Currently it is
sharing the IRQ with the following devices: An Intel 82810 graphics
controller, AC'97 driver for Intel 82801AA Controller and a ACPI IRQ holder
for PCI IRQ steering. The BIOS doesn't seem to allow a manual assignment of
an IRQ to the lan card and WinME will not allow this either.
- Removed unneeded equipment from the WinME computer ( a pci modem card)
in an effort to free up an IRQ for the lan card. No luck.
- Installed other graphics cards in an effort to free up an IRQ for the
lan card, again, no luck.
- Lowered the send/recieve parameter from 100Mbps to 10Mbps. No luck.


The network configuration:

A WinME computer connected via to a Linksys BEFSR41 (4 port) Router. A
Win98se computer also connected to the router. The router is connected to a
Motorola Surfboard SB4100 cable modem. The computers/modem are connected via
Cat5 cable. According to the router the lan cards are sending/receiving at
100Mbps full duplex.

The computer configurations:

WinME: E-machines e-tower 633ids
Intel celeron 633Mhz
128M ram
Linksys LNE100TX ver. 5.1 Lan card (using the latest
driver)

Win98se: Cybermax
AMD 486 @ 133 Mhz
96M ram
Linksys LNE100TX ver. 5.1 Lan card (using the latest
driver)


Any ideas, insights, suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Greg

This is a known WinME problem. Instead of drilling down through network
neighborhood, map a drive letter and the problem goes away.

Carey

"Greg S. Key" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all,
>
> The problem:
> When I try to access the Win98se computer from the WinME computer using
> the 'My Network Places' icon the window (usually) freezes and the routers
> Link/Act(ivity) lights remain flickering indicating that both machines are
> actively sending and/or receiving data, that is, it's thrashing. The only
> way of closing down the window is by a Ctrl-Alt-Del and killing the
process.
> This problem seems to occur most often when descending down through
multiple
> levels of folders within the window(s). Additionally, if the folders have
> many items in them the problem is more likely to occur. Accessing the
WinME
> computer from the Win98se computer is no problem using 'Network
> Neighborhood'. This works even when the WinME computer is in the process
of
> thrashing.
>
>
> What I've tried:
>
> Damn near everything I could think of including:
> - Following Carey Holzman's 'Tips to fixing Windows 95,98,98se,ME,2000
and
> XP network problems' paper to the letter. An excellent paper by the way at
> http://www.careyholzman.com/netfixes.htm
> - Installing a Netgear FA311 10/100 Mbps Lan card and the latest driver
in
> the WinME computer. Didn't help.
> - Reconfiguring the networks on both computers by
installing/un-installing
> the following protocols in various combinations: TCP/IP, IPX/SPX,
NetBEUI.
> Currently both machines are running with all three protocols.
> - Attempted to give the WinME network card its own IRQ. Currently it is
> sharing the IRQ with the following devices: An Intel 82810 graphics
> controller, AC'97 driver for Intel 82801AA Controller and a ACPI IRQ
holder
> for PCI IRQ steering. The BIOS doesn't seem to allow a manual assignment
of
> an IRQ to the lan card and WinME will not allow this either.
> - Removed unneeded equipment from the WinME computer ( a pci modem card)
> in an effort to free up an IRQ for the lan card. No luck.
> - Installed other graphics cards in an effort to free up an IRQ for the
> lan card, again, no luck.
> - Lowered the send/recieve parameter from 100Mbps to 10Mbps. No luck.
>
>
> The network configuration:
>
> A WinME computer connected via to a Linksys BEFSR41 (4 port) Router. A
> Win98se computer also connected to the router. The router is connected to
a
> Motorola Surfboard SB4100 cable modem. The computers/modem are connected
via
> Cat5 cable. According to the router the lan cards are sending/receiving at
> 100Mbps full duplex.
>
> The computer configurations:
>
> WinME: E-machines e-tower 633ids
> Intel celeron 633Mhz
> 128M ram
> Linksys LNE100TX ver. 5.1 Lan card (using the latest
> driver)
>
> Win98se: Cybermax
> AMD 486 @ 133 Mhz
> 96M ram
> Linksys LNE100TX ver. 5.1 Lan card (using the latest
> driver)
>
>
> Any ideas, insights, suggestions are welcome.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Greg
>
>