Problem with 2pc crossover cable Windows XP Pro network

OK, i have a weird problem. I have set up a network described in the title. It worked perfectly until recently. Now one of my computers c<ant be accesed in my network places. They are both in the same workgroup and i can bing both of them by name and by IP. I have TCP/IP filtering disabled on both of them and NET Bios set to enabled. They both use zone alarm firewall which is properly set up and it doesnt help if i turn it off. i tried using a different cable, and connecting another computer to the "problematic" one but it didnt help. From the problematic computer i can easily acces the shared folders of the other PC. Everything should, to mi knowledge work fine but it just doesnt.
Here is what happens:
I go to my network places-->view workgroup computers
i double click on the problematic computer and it says "Stari is not accesible! You might not have permission to use this network resource...
... Acces is Denied"
i tried accesisng the computer throug the run command by name and by ip and it says the same. If i try to acces a shared folder from the problematic computer by the run command i get the message: "the file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. create an association in the folder options control panel"
I have simple network sharing enabled on both pc-s
So far i have tried to reinstall the network cards, reseting the tcp-ip protocol, reinstalling file and printer sharrend, and client for microsoft networks, creating a new user account on the problem pc, and running system file checker to restore posibly corrupted files, changing the workgroup and computer names. Im running out of ideas and any info would be really helpfull. Thanks!!

 

Is the Windows firewall disabled on both machines?

Do both machines run XP Pro?

 

the windows firewall is disabled from day one and yes, both machines run xppro. i would like to ad that im 99% sure that the problem is in the machine which i cannt acces since i tried connecting another machine to it and i had the same problem. also, adaware and spybot s&d both find no spyware on any of them.

 

Successful Sharing involves some general consideration in Network settings, http://www.ezlan.net/sharing.html

As well as specific adjustment of each computer according to what is allowed to be shared.

Basic XP - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/filesharing.mspx

Advanced XP - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040

Vista - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx

.

 

i tried all those links from some similar topics but it didnt help. as i said sharing worked perfectly until recently. i assume that theres o problem with some protocol - i guess it got broken. could anyone list me the protocols/services that are in any way used in file sharing so i could try to reinstall/reset them.

 

The last time I saw this problem it took a long time to believe that one of the NICs had failed. It was even being reported as 'this device is working properly' in Device Manager. Hardware can fail too.

Studio T

 

i dont think it has failed since everything is working fine except for accesing the computer in the workgroup
i can copy to and from the computer fine, i can play lan games on it, i can ping it by name and by ip. i just cant directly acces its shared folders.

 

If you really think a file is corrupt try the system file checker
start>run>type in
sfc /scannow
But I think it is more likely you have misplaced a setting.
If you have a shared device such as a printer connected to one pc but visible on the other this would proove sharing is still working.
I'm not sure what you mean by saying you can copy to and from the computer but can't access the folders. How do you copy then?
Do you mean that after use the folder you were accessing apppeared in my network places but has now disappeared? This can happen MNP forgets sometimes but you can refresh it by full expanding the network.
What are the DCHP settings on both computers?
What are the logon settings on both computers?
Finally are the same user accounts set up and in date on both computers?

Studio T

 

Worked perfectly until recently... what happened when the network stopped functioning properly? software change? an update? hardware change?

 

As I said i saw this problem last year. Two computers/XP/crossover cable. The Pcs identified each other, responded to pings but would not transfer files despite attempts with network repair wizard, setting netbios on/off, allowing Windows to choose ip configurations, forcing ip configuations, etc etc. Device manager claimed both NICS working properly.

Eventually in desperation the NIC in the older pc was changed.
Instant success Magic!

Do you have/ borrow a spare NIC you can try?

I still don't see how you can copy files, but not see the folders?

Studio T

 

i can copy them from the problematic computer TO the other one by copy pasteing it in a shared folder on the other computer. i guess ill have to try another NIC.

 

If you can get to the shared folders only your problem is a permissions issue, not hardware.

Are the same users set up on both computers?

Studio T

 

"If you can get to the shared folders only your problem is a permissions issue, not hardware."
thats what i was trying to say. i guess im not good at explaining. the network worked perfectly until recently but now i cant acces the shared folders of the problematic computer in "my network places", and i also cant acces the problematic computer in "view workgroup computers". I can see the computer but if i double click i get the standard "acces denied" message.
i am 99% sure that its a permission issue, but i cant think of anything that could create this problem.

Are the same users set up on both computers?

Yes they are. i tried changing to different acounts, and recreating the same accounts. i tried putting both computers into a new workgroup. a tried anything i can think of but nothing helped. is there a security aplication that could cause this. i use:
adaware personal edition
spybot - s&d - tried enabling/disableing some options like permament blocking of bad adresses and stuff.
ccleaner
zone alarm - tried disabling it didnt help
the windows firewall is off

here is a list of my services set to auto and disabled - the rest is manual offcourse:
AUTO: computer browser, cryptographic services, dhcp client,dns client, event log, logical disk manager, network connections, network location awerenes, plug & play, protected storage, RPC, security accounts manager, server, shell hardware detection, system event notification, task scheduler, tcp/ip net bios helper, themes, true vector internet monitor - zone alarm service, windows audio, windows managemen instrumentation, windows time, workstation
DISABLED:.net runtime optimz, alerter, asp.net, auto update, clipbook, distributed link tracking client, error reporting service, fast user switching, help & support, IMAPI cd burning, indexing, infrared monitor, IPSEC, messenger, netmeeting, net DDE, net DDE DSdm , performance logs and alerts, portable media serial number, print spooler, qos rsvp, remote desktop help session, remote registry, routing and remote acces, secondary logon, smart card & helper, ssdp discovery, system restore, telnet, terminal services, UPS, upload manager, volume shadow copy, webclient, WMI performance adapter

 

ok, i have a small update. it seems that if i type \\193.198.1.1\shared folder name into the run window i get something. i got a login box through which i managed to login by typing administrator as the user name. everyhting else i tried didnt work(guest, my username, the problematic computer username) In the settings under administrative tools i have set everthinh up to use the guest acces. i tried the classical acces (which isnt default on any of the computers and it didnt work) the first time i typed "net user guest" in the command promt it displayed as inactive but then i activated it using "net user guest /active:yes and it is active now. however all of this didnt help.
now im one step closer. i can acces a shared folder on the problematic computer using \\computer_ip\shared folder name in the run command. it only asked me for login once and it works now. i still cant acces it by using \\computer_name\shared_folder_name AND i cant acces the root (\\ip or \\name). i also, ofcourse cant acces the computer through the normal way(my network places-->view workgroup computers-->computer name)

any ideas???

 

unbeliveable. a few minutes after writing the last post i got in an old forum topic on some random site and i found the answer!!!
i went to regedit-->hkey_local_machine-->system-->current control set --> control-->lsa and changed the value of restrictionanonymous from ´1 to 0 and what do you know - everything works now . Now i just have to find out which of the incredibly usefull security apps did the smart thing of changing this to one in the first place. anyway, thank you everyone who tried to help me. i aprecciate your attempts. gotta go do some file sharing now

 

Glad you got it sorted and thanks for letting us know how.

Studio T