Unable To Map To A W2k Drive

[mephisto]

Help!!

i'm running a network consisting of 4 server (1 small business, 1 win2k advanced, 2 win2003) and about 80 clients (Xp pro, 2000).

IT policy states that NETBIOS over TCP/IP (ON CLIENTS) must be DISABLED

I am trying to map to a shared folder on the w2k SBS from several client machines (and even from 2003 servers) and all i get is an error message stating that the path cannot be found. if i use [ net use] i get error 51,

it doesn't work unless I enable netbios over tcp/ip on the client

clients can still map to shared folders on other servers even though their NETBIOS is disabled(clients NETBIOS that is), it's only this particular server that wouldn't accept mapping unless NETBIOS is enabled on the client

i checked NTFS and share permissions and they are properly set


pinging the server (using IP and dns name) always works

I removed ALL network components (file and printer sharing, tcp/ip, client for MS NT) did it in safe mode, shut down the system, restarted and installed all from scratch and the problem still exist. (did it on the server and on a client )

i tried [net use] using the server's IP address instead of the FQDN and still the sucker wouldn't respond!

the ONLY difference (i'm aware of) between this server and another w2k server (that I can map to) is the former being a small business server (is it relevant?).

I think I tried every trick I know and it still won't work

any suggestions?

thanx

[vantim]

Hi Mephisto,

First a couple of questions, Is this a domain? I was told and, also remember that a SBS server couldn't be in a domain with other servers. Hence why they called it SMALL Business Server. That may be the problem.

Is the SBS server fully patched and updated? I'm surprised you can't share using an IP address since that is just like pinging an ip address. Just to refresh the memory the syntax is [net use //ip address/share name] Could you be more specific on the error you recieve. 51 is just too generic to troubleshoot.


Either way, There is a couple routes to try. 1st thing I would do is try setting up a LMHosts file. I know it's gonna be a pain to write a lmhosts file with all those clients. Because on the w2k and xp pro clients (all of 'em) your gonna have to enable lmhosts lookup in the tcp/ip properties. Try it with one XP pro box and see if you can map a drive then. If so you may think about setting up a wins server. That's the only way I know to get around the netbios naming scheme.

If an lmhosts file or a wins server doesn't solve your problem, I'm afraid you may have to upgrade the SBSserver to a full blown W2k or W2003 Server.

Hope this helps

Tim