XP networking troubles - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

DEI37 · 01-28-2006, 05:11 PM

I got ambitious and "upgraded" my W2K Pro laptop to XP Pro tonight. Big mistake. WinXP and networking just don't go together. I have had an issue all along where my desktop, it can't be accessed by the Win2K machines on the network, or other XP machines, either. When I did the "upgrade" tonight, my 802.11G wireless card was no longer recognized, after working just fine under Win2K. I used the 802.11B mini-PCI backup, and it's on the network and internet now. Problem is, now, it won't let other machines access it, either. I'm gonna post up the error message I get so you can see what I'm dealing with.

The error message (didn't get a pic of this one) that it gave me when trying to install the Linksys WPC54G PCMCIA card was something about the driver name being in use either as a process or a process name. Both statements were false. It was not in use at all. In fact, it gave me that error message even after completely uninstalling the card. One entry in the registry was not able to be deleted. Can't figure that one out. It was the device ID entry. New Linksys drivers didn't help. MS drivers didn't help.

That's the error message I get when I try to access a WinXP machine from either a Win2K or another WinXP machine. I've had a lot of problems with WinXP and networking in the past. Win2K is definitely a better OS for it, but the gaming performance from WinXP is desired. In that error message, there are no account restrictions that I've set up at all. I'm not sure what to look for in the account settings page, but it looks fine on this end.

Any help on this? BOTH issues? Thanks.

DEI37 · 01-28-2006, 07:56 PM

Got the network card installed. Fiddling in the registry, and just deleting EVERYTHING Linksys related did the trick there. Still have the access problem, though.

shortynickel · 01-28-2006, 08:46 PM

I have had problems when upgrading to winxp before, since then i just format the drive and install winxp fresh. it will ask you for the win2k disc to make sure you have another version of windows.

I dont recall how to fix the problem you are having without formatting, let me see if I can find out tho.

DEI37 · 01-29-2006, 08:02 AM

I hope that's not the case. I will mention, though, that this problem showed up on a fresh install of XP. When I re-did my desktop, I hoped that the clean install would fix that problem, too. It didn't.

Mbnfc · 01-29-2006, 10:45 AM

here maybe this will help. your problem is one of the symptoms.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887303/en-us
and if that doesnt help heres some more stuff
http://support.microsoft.com/search/...0&y=0&srch=sup

DEI37 · 01-29-2006, 01:31 PM

Gave it a shot...went through the stuff in the first link...lots of stuff in there I don't know what they're referring to, but stepped through the stuff applicable to XP, at least. Everything seemed to check out alright. Went through the stuff in the second link, was gonna shoot myself if it was that easy. It wasn't. Issue still exists. Thanks for taking the time to offer up some help, Mbnfc, I do appreciate it.

I should have mentioned that the XP machines are XP Pro.

DEI37 · 01-29-2006, 01:48 PM

OK, did a little searching through MS' site for this stuff, and apparently, this (ERROR_ACCOUNT_RESTRICTION
1327) is the error code that I am dealing with. Upon a lot MORE searching for resolutions on MS' site, I have not come up with a thing. Am I stupid, do I not know how to search for stuff? I would think that a resolution would be easy to come by with a trouble code.

docbungle · 01-29-2006, 03:20 PM

I've had no problems networking with xp pro. As long as you go through the "set up a network" wizard, and then "set up a wireless network" wizard on the primary machine before you attempt to do any actual networking. Then installing the wireless card on the main machine. And then connecting the laptop to the network. And if you're the admin, then you shouldn't be restricted from any accounts, but to be sure, make sure none of the computers have log on restrictions under the user accounts in the control panel screen.

cyrnel · 01-29-2006, 03:32 PM

DE, Most network problems I run into these days are the result of security tools. Software firewalls, then hardware firewalls, then other goofyware on the individual systems. Make sure to address firewall blocks on both sides of the connection. I'm not saying you haven't taken care of that but I didn't see mention of SP2's firewall or other possible access preventing issues.

It took years for personal file sharing to become ubiquitous, then the mishmash of security tools made everyone scratch their heads again. Not that it isn't necessary but it's a sad backwards slide.

My quick take is that you had driver and security issues, and the security issue hasn't improved. Sorry, I'm really bouncing between work right now but I'll try to check back later.

DEI37 · 01-29-2006, 06:25 PM

Thanks for the input thus far. I don't have the Windows firewall up and running at all. The only "firewall" is the wireless router. The desktop machine is wired, and the laptop is wireless. Both are logged in as admins. I haven't run the "Wireless Network Wizard, do you think that will really help on both machines? I'll give it a shot.

EDIT: I think in this case, it's got something to do with the security policy. I have NO idea how to mess with that, besides what the previous links showed. Neither machine has a password to log on with, and no logon time restrictions.

shortynickel · 01-29-2006, 07:52 PM

here is an answer i was able to get, hope this helps.

The first thing you did wrong was "upgrading"... i know from first hand experience this does not work. Especially between win2k and XP, Second, Media and Home are NOT network friendly at all, especially if you are using different clients such as win2k. Windows XP (pro or home) does not like the Administrator password to be blank. I would do this, start up the computer in safe mode (not with networking). Go to users in control panel, make sure that Admin has a password, also go into the security/ filrewall and make sure you have the "file and printer sharing" turned on for any network adapter. Also you may want to try a good registry cleaner.

as for the wireless network wizard, i would try that cause my D-Link DL-524 would not work when using the cd that came along with it, it kept on blanking out the ip address for the cable modem, and their Level 2 tech support said i was screwed. it works fine after i ran the wireless network wizard.

DEI37 · 01-29-2006, 08:28 PM

Guys, I can't believe it. The stupid password thing did it. I'm blown away by that. Number one for you guys thinking of it, and number two for that even being a possibility!!! Thanks a ton.

cyrnel · 01-29-2006, 08:50 PM

Heh. Good job.

Blank passwords have always been a weak spot in Windows testing. Not that things fail catastrophically, but things can stop working weirdly or at least in undocumented ways.

Pragma · 01-30-2006, 11:30 AM

It's actually not that undocumented - there's a security setting in Windows XP group policy to deny remote access from accounts with blank passwords, just as a way to try to secure computers more. That's one that if I'm rushing through a machine install - especially if it's an install for other people - and I don't put an Administrator password in, I always get frustrated when file sharing fails to work right the first time

cyrnel · 01-30-2006, 12:30 PM

I was whining about blank passwords being a little "undefined" gotcha since before 2k given the right circumstances. Honestly, it isn't just Windows.

heyal256 · 01-30-2006, 07:12 PM

Well I'm a bit late, but this is what you are/were looking for
from http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...ring/whole.htm

Quote:

Permitting Network Access Without a Password

Permitting Network Access Without a Password

To allow users to log onto their computers without a password and then access the XP Professional machine without a password, you must make a security policy change:

1. Go to Control Panel | Performance and Maintenance | Administrative Tools | Local Security Policy.
2. Expand Local Policies | Security Options.
3. Double-click Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only, which is enabled by default. Disable this option and click OK.

This will permit network access without a password. The user's computer can boot directly to the Windows desktop, and be validated against the corresponding XP Professional user account, without a password.

Note that the term “blank passwords” isn't technically accurate. There's a difference between having a password which consists of one or more blank characters, and having no password at all. This setting actually permits access by users who have no password at all.

Power User Tip: If you want to explore user accounts in the raw:

1. Click Start | Control Panel | Performance and Maintenance | Administrative Tools | Computer Management.
2. Open the Local Users and Groups folder, and open the Users folder.

Here are your user accounts! You can fine-tune their settings from here or create new users using the Action | New User menu option!

So if you want to go back to blank paswords you have your "fix"

DEI37 · 01-31-2006, 07:02 PM

Dude, you are awesome. Thanks for that fix. I could deal with passwords if I had to, and I DO appreciate the other info given. This is perfect, though. Thanks.

01-28-2006, 05:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	XP networking troubles I got ambitious and "upgraded" my W2K Pro laptop to XP Pro tonight. Big mistake. WinXP and networking just don't go together. I have had an issue all along where my desktop, it can't be accessed by the Win2K machines on the network, or other XP machines, either. When I did the "upgrade" tonight, my 802.11G wireless card was no longer recognized, after working just fine under Win2K. I used the 802.11B mini-PCI backup, and it's on the network and internet now. Problem is, now, it won't let other machines access it, either. I'm gonna post up the error message I get so you can see what I'm dealing with. The error message (didn't get a pic of this one) that it gave me when trying to install the Linksys WPC54G PCMCIA card was something about the driver name being in use either as a process or a process name. Both statements were false. It was not in use at all. In fact, it gave me that error message even after completely uninstalling the card. One entry in the registry was not able to be deleted. Can't figure that one out. It was the device ID entry. New Linksys drivers didn't help. MS drivers didn't help. That's the error message I get when I try to access a WinXP machine from either a Win2K or another WinXP machine. I've had a lot of problems with WinXP and networking in the past. Win2K is definitely a better OS for it, but the gaming performance from WinXP is desired. In that error message, there are no account restrictions that I've set up at all. I'm not sure what to look for in the account settings page, but it looks fine on this end. Any help on this? BOTH issues? Thanks. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

01-28-2006, 07:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Got the network card installed. Fiddling in the registry, and just deleting EVERYTHING Linksys related did the trick there. Still have the access problem, though. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

01-28-2006, 08:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
shortynickel Addict Location: Central PA	I have had problems when upgrading to winxp before, since then i just format the drive and install winxp fresh. it will ask you for the win2k disc to make sure you have another version of windows. I dont recall how to fix the problem you are having without formatting, let me see if I can find out tho. __________________ What type of... "Parents have forgotten how to be parents" Aaron Lewis "Get your ass back here, your a white boy walking thru the ghetto" - at the end of a bachalor party said to the bachalor while walking home.

01-29-2006, 08:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	I hope that's not the case. I will mention, though, that this problem showed up on a fresh install of XP. When I re-did my desktop, I hoped that the clean install would fix that problem, too. It didn't. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

01-29-2006, 01:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Gave it a shot...went through the stuff in the first link...lots of stuff in there I don't know what they're referring to, but stepped through the stuff applicable to XP, at least. Everything seemed to check out alright. Went through the stuff in the second link, was gonna shoot myself if it was that easy. It wasn't. Issue still exists. Thanks for taking the time to offer up some help, Mbnfc, I do appreciate it. I should have mentioned that the XP machines are XP Pro. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

01-29-2006, 10:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
Mbnfc Upright	here maybe this will help. your problem is one of the symptoms. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887303/en-us and if that doesnt help heres some more stuff http://support.microsoft.com/search/...0&y=0&srch=sup

01-29-2006, 01:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	OK, did a little searching through MS' site for this stuff, and apparently, this (ERROR_ACCOUNT_RESTRICTION 1327) is the error code that I am dealing with. Upon a lot MORE searching for resolutions on MS' site, I have not come up with a thing. Am I stupid, do I not know how to search for stuff? I would think that a resolution would be easy to come by with a trouble code. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

01-29-2006, 03:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
docbungle It's all downhill from here Location: Denver	I've had no problems networking with xp pro. As long as you go through the "set up a network" wizard, and then "set up a wireless network" wizard on the primary machine before you attempt to do any actual networking. Then installing the wireless card on the main machine. And then connecting the laptop to the network. And if you're the admin, then you shouldn't be restricted from any accounts, but to be sure, make sure none of the computers have log on restrictions under the user accounts in the control panel screen. __________________ Bad Luck City

01-29-2006, 03:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	DE, Most network problems I run into these days are the result of security tools. Software firewalls, then hardware firewalls, then other goofyware on the individual systems. Make sure to address firewall blocks on both sides of the connection. I'm not saying you haven't taken care of that but I didn't see mention of SP2's firewall or other possible access preventing issues. It took years for personal file sharing to become ubiquitous, then the mishmash of security tools made everyone scratch their heads again. Not that it isn't necessary but it's a sad backwards slide. My quick take is that you had driver and security issues, and the security issue hasn't improved. Sorry, I'm really bouncing between work right now but I'll try to check back later. __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

01-29-2006, 06:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Thanks for the input thus far. I don't have the Windows firewall up and running at all. The only "firewall" is the wireless router. The desktop machine is wired, and the laptop is wireless. Both are logged in as admins. I haven't run the "Wireless Network Wizard, do you think that will really help on both machines? I'll give it a shot. EDIT: I think in this case, it's got something to do with the security policy. I have NO idea how to mess with that, besides what the previous links showed. Neither machine has a password to log on with, and no logon time restrictions. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised. Last edited by DEI37; 01-29-2006 at 06:41 PM..

01-29-2006, 07:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
shortynickel Addict Location: Central PA	here is an answer i was able to get, hope this helps. The first thing you did wrong was "upgrading"... i know from first hand experience this does not work. Especially between win2k and XP, Second, Media and Home are NOT network friendly at all, especially if you are using different clients such as win2k. Windows XP (pro or home) does not like the Administrator password to be blank. I would do this, start up the computer in safe mode (not with networking). Go to users in control panel, make sure that Admin has a password, also go into the security/ filrewall and make sure you have the "file and printer sharing" turned on for any network adapter. Also you may want to try a good registry cleaner. as for the wireless network wizard, i would try that cause my D-Link DL-524 would not work when using the cd that came along with it, it kept on blanking out the ip address for the cable modem, and their Level 2 tech support said i was screwed. it works fine after i ran the wireless network wizard. __________________ What type of... "Parents have forgotten how to be parents" Aaron Lewis "Get your ass back here, your a white boy walking thru the ghetto" - at the end of a bachalor party said to the bachalor while walking home.

01-29-2006, 08:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Guys, I can't believe it. The stupid password thing did it. I'm blown away by that. Number one for you guys thinking of it, and number two for that even being a possibility!!! Thanks a ton. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

01-29-2006, 08:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	Heh. Good job. Blank passwords have always been a weak spot in Windows testing. Not that things fail catastrophically, but things can stop working weirdly or at least in undocumented ways. __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

01-30-2006, 11:30 AM	#14 (permalink)
Pragma I am Winter Born Location: Alexandria, VA	It's actually not that undocumented - there's a security setting in Windows XP group policy to deny remote access from accounts with blank passwords, just as a way to try to secure computers more. That's one that if I'm rushing through a machine install - especially if it's an install for other people - and I don't put an Administrator password in, I always get frustrated when file sharing fails to work right the first time __________________ Eat antimatter, Posleen-boy!

01-30-2006, 12:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	I was whining about blank passwords being a little "undefined" gotcha since before 2k given the right circumstances. Honestly, it isn't just Windows. __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

01-31-2006, 07:02 PM	#17 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Dude, you are awesome. Thanks for that fix. I could deal with passwords if I had to, and I DO appreciate the other info given. This is perfect, though. Thanks. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.