WinXP networking - can browse folders but not root directory?!

Man of Honour
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12 Jan 2003
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My network problems are still ongoing between my main PC and Media Centre. It only happens one way when trying to access the HTPC from the main PC. I've uninstalled the firewall, AV etc.

I can browse to the individual shared folders on the media centre by going to: "\\htpc\downloads" or whatever it might be, that's fine./ However, I cannot go to "\\htpc" or "\\192.168.1.102" (the internal network IP)

I can browse the HTPC fine using VNC and can ping it etc. Does anyone know why WinXP might be blocking access to the root directory only on the shared network?!

very odd......
 
What's the setup of your network/network configuration. Is it on a domain/workgroup?

What user are you logging onto both machines as, local admin? Have added the administrator user for both machines, onto the other machines as administrative users?
 
Do you have one of those settings that disables administrative shares or hides the computer in the local network neighbourhood enabled? That might explain it, otherwise I would suggest adding another administrative user, giving it full permissions and accessing it via that.
 
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What's the setup of your network/network configuration. Is it on a domain/workgroup?

What user are you logging onto both machines as, local admin? Have added the administrator user for both machines, onto the other machines as administrative users?


its a workgroup, obv the same on both machines. not sure how to check regarding the admin account side, but both machines only have one account on them anyway.

just out of interest have you tried doing \\htpc\c$ or what ever drive you want to browse?

it wont let me do that, but i can easily go to "\\htpc\downloads", just not direct to the "\\htpc" directory?!

Do you have one of those settings that disables administrative shares or hides the computer in the local network neighbourhood enabled? That might explain it, otherwise I would suggest adding another administrative user, giving it full permissions and accessing it via that.

can you elaborate how please?


thanks for all the help guys :)
 
"net config srv" at the command prompt and see if it says hidden or not. If it is then "net config srv /hidden:no "
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanManServer\Parameters
AutoShareWks to 1
Reboot.
 
both machines say "hidden: no"......and i cant find that reg key, there isn't an entry for "autosharewks" ?!?
 
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