spectrum48k

For some reason, printer sharing on my home LAN has stopped working.

Scenario
Computer #1 = WinXP SP2 with the printer installed and shared
Computer #2 = Win2k Pro

I can browse the network from the WinXP machine and see the Win2k machine and its shared resources

I can browse the network from the Win2k machine but can't see any shared resources on the WinXP machine.

Things I've Tried
On the WinXP SP2 machine, I went into administrative tools > Local Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assigment and checked what was in the box for "Access this computer from the network" - there was nothing in it.

So I added "Everyone" and rebooted

Still no joy, so thought I'd check the same "Access this computer from the network" again. NOTHING IN THERE, despite me adding "Everyone" 5 mins ago!

I'm pretty sure this is the source of the problem so my question is what can cause the values I'm putting in here to be lost after rebooting the machine. Something is clearing the entries I'm putting in.

Foot_Tapper

Am not totally sure of the symptoms, but it could be as simple as you have the XP firewall enabled on your network connection in the XP SP2 machine.

(Just in case) into network conns\ right click Local Area Conn\select advanced\ untick internet conn firewall

David_Wallis

try adding anonymous

spectrum48k

Firewall is not enabled, but thanks for suggestion.

Gillp95

What are you using for a network protocol ? TCP/IP ? If IP, static IP or DHCP. If static, check they are on the same subnet mask. They should be already, because the xp machine can see the w2k machine, but always best to double check.
As above, check the xp firewall isn't enabled. Also check the xp server service is running.
If your logging on locally to each pc, are the usernames and password the same on each pc ?

Other than that, check each pc's event viewer for some kind of idea as to whats going on. Any errors , etc etc

spectrum48k

David, can you elaborate - I've looked in the security tab of the local security policies and can find "Allow anonymous" but its ghosted out. I can't enable or disable anything.

I have an administrator account - allegedly

its a real puzzler and I just don't see enough of these kind of problems to see a quick solution.

spectrum48k

Hi, I use DHCP - issued from the Netgear broadband router. Everything has been working for mnoths, until last week when my girlfriend tried to print from her laptop (Win2k) to my machine (WinXP SP2)

I think this is the big give-away...the fact I can go into LOCAL SECURITY SETTINGS > LOCAL POLICIES > USER RIGHTS MANAGEMENT, then change a value, reboot and find that value has been erased. Whats doing this ?

Foot_Tapper

try a command prompt for gpresult /scope user
give you a bit of info, maybe help

spectrum48k

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\*****>gpresult /scope user

Microsoft (R) Windows (R) XP Operating System Group Policy Result tool v2.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1981-2001

Created On 05/04/2006 at 14:25:57


RSOP results for ****\****** on ***** : Logging Mode
--------------------------------------------------------

OS Type: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OS Configuration: Standalone Workstation
OS Version: 5.1.2600
Domain Name: *****
Domain Type: N/A<Local Computer>
Site Name: N/A
Roaming Profile:
Local Profile: C:\Documents and Settings\****
Connected over a slow link?: Yes


USER SETTINGS
--------------

Last time Group Policy was applied: 05/04/2006 at 14:06:48
Group Policy was applied from: N/A
Group Policy slow link threshold: 500 kbps

Applied Group Policy Objects
-----------------------------
N/A

The following GPOs were not applied because they were filtered out
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Group Policy
Filtering: Not Applied (Empty)

The user is a part of the following security groups:
----------------------------------------------------
None
Everyone
Debugger Users
BUILTIN\Administrators
BUILTIN\Users
NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE
NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users
LOCAL

Foot_Tapper

Looks like the Local Group Policy isnt being applied for some reason !!!!

Foot_Tapper

try this secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy /enforce

followed by the gpresult /scope user again

Foot_Tapper

ahh i think gpupdate replaces secedit command

try gpupdate /force instead

Not sure, but re-applying SP2 might work
(trouble is don't know if it wil **** anything up)

spectrum48k

ok, here's the results...



C:\DOCUME~1\****>gpupdate /force
Refreshing Policy...

User Policy Refresh has completed.
Computer Policy Refresh has completed.


C:\DOCUME~1\****>gpresult /scope user

Microsoft (R) Windows (R) XP Operating System Group Policy Result tool v2.0
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1981-2001

Created On 05/04/2006 at 15:54:32


RSOP results for ****\**** on **** : Logging Mode
--------------------------------------------------------

OS Type: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OS Configuration: Standalone Workstation
OS Version: 5.1.2600
Domain Name: ****
Domain Type: N/A<Local Computer>
Site Name: N/A
Roaming Profile:
Local Profile: C:\Documents and Settings\****
Connected over a slow link?: Yes


USER SETTINGS
--------------

Last time Group Policy was applied: 05/04/2006 at 15:42:15
Group Policy was applied from: N/A
Group Policy slow link threshold: 500 kbps

Applied Group Policy Objects
-----------------------------
N/A

The following GPOs were not applied because they were filtered out
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Group Policy
Filtering: Not Applied (Empty)

The user is a part of the following security groups:
----------------------------------------------------
None
Everyone
Debugger Users
BUILTIN\Administrators
BUILTIN\Users
NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE
NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users
LOCAL

Foot_Tapper

You could try importing a policy from the Local Securit Settings snap-in

after opening, right click "security settings", select import policy, go to \windows\security\templates...select the compatws.inf or securews.inf

• Compatible (Compatws.inf)

Default permissions for workstations and servers are primarily granted to three local groups: Administrators, Power Users, and Users. Administrators have the most privileges while Users have the least. Because of this, you can significantly improve the security, reliability, and total cost of system ownership by:

• Making sure that end users are members of the Users group.

• Deploying applications that can be run successfully by members of the Users group.


People with User privileges can successfully run applications that take part in the Windows Logo program for Software. However, Users may not be able to run applications that do not meet the requirements of the program. If other applications must be supported, there are two options:

• Allow members of the Users group to be members of the Power Users group.

• Relax the default permissions that are granted to the Users group.


Since Power Users have inherent capabilities, such as creating users, groups, printers, and shares, some administrators would rather relax the default User permissions than allow end users to be members of the Power Users group. This is precisely what the Compatible template is for. The Compatible template changes the default file and registry permissions that are granted to Users in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of most applications that do not belong to the Windows Logo program for Software. Additionally, since it is assumed that the administrator that is applying the Compatible template does not want end users to be Power Users, the Compatible template also removes all members of the Power Users group. For more information

David_Wallis

IIRC you need to edit it somewhere else in the policy.. let me check.

David_Wallis

try some of the following:

network access: allow Everyone Permissions apply to anonymous users
Deny Access to this computer from the network - Enable guest account and remove from here if you dont want to use a password.

Access this computer from the network - Try adding anonymous here.

David

spectrum48k

David, tried all that and no change.
How come if I set something in the local security settings, that same setting I added, disappears after a reboot ?

Goingt o try and import a policy as Foot Tapper suggests.

Foot_Tapper

The problem should be the Local Machine, but have you tried logging in as admin, (not using an account that supposedly has admin rights).

If it is ok then, suspect security settings OR a knackered profile.
Try creating a new user, give admin rights and see if that has the same issues.

spectrum48k

There's no "administrator" account - I think it got renamed with my name.

Tried creating a new account and setting it to admin, but that didn't work either.

Looks like I may have to uninstall SP2 like you say Foot Tapper.

darlodge

Can't help on this but just for reference,
It does not matter what the main administrator account is called.

The PC and registry link to the main administrator account (what ever it is called) by it's unique SID (System Identifer).

Darren

spectrum48k

cheers Darren

I suppose it doesn't hurt to try these things. After all I'm pretty desperate to fix this and don't really want to uninstall SP2

darlodge

You could try removing the share and re-adding it again.

I've had a similar problem. I have a shared printer on my desktop and then my work laptop connects over my wireless router to my machine to get to my printer. I could not get them to connect. I ended up renaming the administrator on my desktop to match my work one and used the same password, it then worked.

Just a thought, although it does not explain why you local security policy keeps clearing entries.

Darren

Foot_Tapper

I know mate , I was trying to suss out if there was a possibility of a corrupted ntuser.dat , but didnt know at the time he was using the main administrator account.

On another note, check the permissions on the printer share.
( you could add w2k machine\username_joe_bloggs to the permissions)
Try re-adding a printer from your w2k machine, use the printer address as
\\ip address of xp pc\printer sharename

spectrum48k

Got the printer working remotely using this method - thanks. Pretty disconcerting about the local security policies not saving. Never mind. Not a problem for now.