Workgroup Is Not Accessible. You May Not Have Permission ....

I'm troubleshooting the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You may not
have permission to use this network resource". This (wireless) network
consists of a Windows XP Media Centre 2005 PC with shared folder and shared
printer, a Windows XP Home PC with no shares and a Windows Vista Home Premium
laptop with no shares. All machines have latest SPs and updates.

This network has been working fine for a long time but I was asked to help a
few days ago because the shared resources (folder and printer) on the Media
Center machine couldn't be accessed from the XP Home PC. When I looked at the
XP Home PC it had two copies of the printer driver for the shared printer
installed. One was Auto and one wasn't but the Auto printer driver had been
shared (actually on the XP Home computer itself) which I assumes creates a
kind of circular reference and could be the cause of the problem. I've now
corrected this.

Both the Media Center PC and the XP Home PC get the "Workgroup is not
accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource." if you
try to view the Workgroup (I've not been able to examine the Vista laptop
yet). If you do a "net view" on these machines it fails with the message
"System error 6118 has occurred. The list of servers for this workgroup is
not currently available." " Both machines can't ping each other by name.

I've been to http://www.winhlp.com/wxnet.htm where I have followed all the
steps under the "Workgroup Is Not Accessible" section except step 20 "remove
all networking components, reboot, then set them up again."

I am thinking of removing TCP/IP and Windows Filesharing, rebooting and
installing them again but wanted to tak advice from you all first. Has anyone
met this problem before?

On Wed, 7 Nov 2007 06:55:01 -0800, Dell Boy <Dell Boy@newsgroup.nospam> wrote:

>I'm troubleshooting the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You may not
>have permission to use this network resource". This (wireless) network
>consists of a Windows XP Media Centre 2005 PC with shared folder and shared
>printer, a Windows XP Home PC with no shares and a Windows Vista Home Premium
>laptop with no shares. All machines have latest SPs and updates.
>
>This network has been working fine for a long time but I was asked to help a
>few days ago because the shared resources (folder and printer) on the Media
>Center machine couldn't be accessed from the XP Home PC. When I looked at the
>XP Home PC it had two copies of the printer driver for the shared printer
>installed. One was Auto and one wasn't but the Auto printer driver had been
>shared (actually on the XP Home computer itself) which I assumes creates a
>kind of circular reference and could be the cause of the problem. I've now
>corrected this.
>
>Both the Media Center PC and the XP Home PC get the "Workgroup is not
>accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource." if you
>try to view the Workgroup (I've not been able to examine the Vista laptop
>yet). If you do a "net view" on these machines it fails with the message
>"System error 6118 has occurred. The list of servers for this workgroup is
>not currently available." " Both machines can't ping each other by name.
>
>I've been to http://www.winhlp.com/wxnet.htm where I have followed all the
>steps under the "Workgroup Is Not Accessible" section except step 20 "remove
>all networking components, reboot, then set them up again."
>
>I am thinking of removing TCP/IP and Windows Filesharing, rebooting and
>installing them again but wanted to tak advice from you all first. Has anyone
>met this problem before?

You have either a personal firewall, or NetBT setting, problem. Both the
browser ("The list of servers for this workgroup ...") and name resolution (ping
by name) depend upon SMBs, which are being blocked or not transported.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/0...ing-using.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

Thanks Chuck, it isn't a firewall problem but the SMB's are being blocked or
not transported. Question is why?

I have done a host of troubleshooting including checking NetBIOS over TCP/IP
settings, switching off firewalls, resetting IP stack, resetting winSock
,etc, etc.

The only thing I'm left with (that I'm aware of) is removing TCP/IP and/or
Windows File Sharing and then re-installing. Do you have any comment on my
doing this, i.e. does it stand a chance orf working? is there any particular
order I should do it in?

Thank,
Malcolm


"Chuck [MVP]" wrote:

> On Wed, 7 Nov 2007 06:55:01 -0800, Dell Boy <Dell Boy@newsgroup.nospam> wrote:
>
> >I'm troubleshooting the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You may not
> >have permission to use this network resource". This (wireless) network
> >consists of a Windows XP Media Centre 2005 PC with shared folder and shared
> >printer, a Windows XP Home PC with no shares and a Windows Vista Home Premium
> >laptop with no shares. All machines have latest SPs and updates.
> >
> >This network has been working fine for a long time but I was asked to help a
> >few days ago because the shared resources (folder and printer) on the Media
> >Center machine couldn't be accessed from the XP Home PC. When I looked at the
> >XP Home PC it had two copies of the printer driver for the shared printer
> >installed. One was Auto and one wasn't but the Auto printer driver had been
> >shared (actually on the XP Home computer itself) which I assumes creates a
> >kind of circular reference and could be the cause of the problem. I've now
> >corrected this.
> >
> >Both the Media Center PC and the XP Home PC get the "Workgroup is not
> >accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource." if you
> >try to view the Workgroup (I've not been able to examine the Vista laptop
> >yet). If you do a "net view" on these machines it fails with the message
> >"System error 6118 has occurred. The list of servers for this workgroup is
> >not currently available." " Both machines can't ping each other by name.
> >
> >I've been to http://www.winhlp.com/wxnet.htm where I have followed all the
> >steps under the "Workgroup Is Not Accessible" section except step 20 "remove
> >all networking components, reboot, then set them up again."
> >
> >I am thinking of removing TCP/IP and Windows Filesharing, rebooting and
> >installing them again but wanted to tak advice from you all first. Has anyone
> >met this problem before?
>
> You have either a personal firewall, or NetBT setting, problem. Both the
> browser ("The list of servers for this workgroup ...") and name resolution (ping
> by name) depend upon SMBs, which are being blocked or not transported.
> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/0...ing-using.html
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
> Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
> My email is AT DOT
> actual address pchuck mvps org.
>

On Wed, 7 Nov 2007 09:05:02 -0800, Dell Boy <Dell Boy@newsgroup.nospam> wrote:

>"Chuck [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 7 Nov 2007 06:55:01 -0800, Dell Boy <Dell Boy@newsgroup.nospam> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm troubleshooting the message "Workgroup is not accessible. You may not
>> >have permission to use this network resource". This (wireless) network
>> >consists of a Windows XP Media Centre 2005 PC with shared folder and shared
>> >printer, a Windows XP Home PC with no shares and a Windows Vista Home Premium
>> >laptop with no shares. All machines have latest SPs and updates.
>> >
>> >This network has been working fine for a long time but I was asked to help a
>> >few days ago because the shared resources (folder and printer) on the Media
>> >Center machine couldn't be accessed from the XP Home PC. When I looked at the
>> >XP Home PC it had two copies of the printer driver for the shared printer
>> >installed. One was Auto and one wasn't but the Auto printer driver had been
>> >shared (actually on the XP Home computer itself) which I assumes creates a
>> >kind of circular reference and could be the cause of the problem. I've now
>> >corrected this.
>> >
>> >Both the Media Center PC and the XP Home PC get the "Workgroup is not
>> >accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource." if you
>> >try to view the Workgroup (I've not been able to examine the Vista laptop
>> >yet). If you do a "net view" on these machines it fails with the message
>> >"System error 6118 has occurred. The list of servers for this workgroup is
>> >not currently available." " Both machines can't ping each other by name.
>> >
>> >I've been to http://www.winhlp.com/wxnet.htm where I have followed all the
>> >steps under the "Workgroup Is Not Accessible" section except step 20 "remove
>> >all networking components, reboot, then set them up again."
>> >
>> >I am thinking of removing TCP/IP and Windows Filesharing, rebooting and
>> >installing them again but wanted to tak advice from you all first. Has anyone
>> >met this problem before?
>>
>> You have either a personal firewall, or NetBT setting, problem. Both the
>> browser ("The list of servers for this workgroup ...") and name resolution (ping
>> by name) depend upon SMBs, which are being blocked or not transported.
>> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
>> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/0...ing-using.html

>Thanks Chuck, it isn't a firewall problem but the SMB's are being blocked or
>not transported. Question is why?
>
>I have done a host of troubleshooting including checking NetBIOS over TCP/IP
>settings, switching off firewalls, resetting IP stack, resetting winSock
>,etc, etc.
>
>The only thing I'm left with (that I'm aware of) is removing TCP/IP and/or
>Windows File Sharing and then re-installing. Do you have any comment on my
>doing this, i.e. does it stand a chance orf working? is there any particular
>order I should do it in?
>
>Thank,
>Malcolm

Malcolm,

You have 3 computers, and changes to any 1 of the 3 could be a causative factor.
Possibly all 3. Do some relational analysis before reloading software.

Start with CPSServ, run on all 3 computers. This requires download of PSService
(part of PSTools, free from Microsoft, very small and no effort in
installation).
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/04/cpsserv-comprehensive-psservice-source.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/0...ce-source.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

Hello,

Thank you for using newsgroup!

From your post, I'd like to provide you with the following information for
your reference:
915107: Error message when you try to access a network share on a Windows
XP-based computer: "Workgroup is not accessible"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;915107

Please understand that Windows Media Center Edition is out of our support
boundary. Regarding questions related to Windows Media Center Edition
please, we invite you to post to the public newsgroup for peer experience
and recommendations.

You may leverage the peer assistance in the public newsgroups at:
microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter

I appreciate your cooperation and understanding!

Thanks & Regards,

Ken Zhao

Microsoft Online Support
Microsoft Global Technical Support Center

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security <http://www.microsoft.com/security>
================================================== ==
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
================================================== ==
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Thanks everyone, this situation seems to have righted itself, unless my
resetting the IP stack and winsock took a few reboots to work.

Many thanks again.

""Ken Zhao [MSFT]"" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Thank you for using newsgroup!
>
> From your post, I'd like to provide you with the following information for
> your reference:
> 915107: Error message when you try to access a network share on a Windows
> XP-based computer: "Workgroup is not accessible"
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;915107
>
> Please understand that Windows Media Center Edition is out of our support
> boundary. Regarding questions related to Windows Media Center Edition
> please, we invite you to post to the public newsgroup for peer experience
> and recommendations.
>
> You may leverage the peer assistance in the public newsgroups at:
> microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter
>
> I appreciate your cooperation and understanding!
>
> Thanks & Regards,
>
> Ken Zhao
>
> Microsoft Online Support
> Microsoft Global Technical Support Center
>
> Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security <http://www.microsoft.com/security>
> ================================================== ==
> When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
> that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
> ================================================== ==
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
>
>
>
>
>

Thanks for your reply and let us know it is working.

Thanks & Regards,

Ken Zhao

Microsoft Online Support
Microsoft Global Technical Support Center

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security <http://www.microsoft.com/security>
================================================== ==
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
================================================== ==
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.