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Question

Share on windows xp not continuously accessible

Jan 7, 2013 4:25PM PST

I have two systems, both windows XP SP 3. On one system is a share with read/write rights for everyone. On the other system I try to connect to that share with windows explorer using an UNC path, and this always failes the first time (after reboot). The message is that the system is not accessible, possibly because of incorrect rights. The message ends with "cannot find the network path".

After I have pinged the system once, or try it with explorer for the second (or third) time, the system and share are accessible. Then after some time of no activity, the system is suddenly not accessible anymore with explorer.

One of the systems has ip 172.168.100.10, the other has 172.168.110.20. Other systems like 172.168.120.30 are continuously accessible.

Accessing the system from windows 7 sometimes takes a little more time then expected, but it seems that this works fine everytime.

I've tried everything to get the share working. I.e. a script that starts pinging as soon as the computer boots and creating a netwerk drive. Nothing works because the system will become unavailable after some time.

My application that needs information every now and then from this system fails. Retrieving the information from other systems works fine.

Now I'm stuck. Is there anything I can do to get this working? Do I miss something? I've got full control over the systems and the application. Users, shares etc is setup correctly.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Is this issue specific to a certain PC?
Jan 8, 2013 1:53AM PST

If so, we replace that PC. It's far cheaper than letting staff tinker with it for days.
Bob

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PS. And you're right. Not continuously available.
Jan 8, 2013 2:19AM PST

I've given you what we do at the office and why. But given how few connections XP supports it could be the old connection limit has bit you. For me that would explain it all but a new networker might not understand why. I've found it takes a few weeks for them to get enough discussion to get why it happens. At the office we rarely can wait for the new folk to catch up so we solve it then let them think it over.
Bob

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It's only one connection on one particular system
Jan 8, 2013 9:00PM PST

It is one system that's having trouble. But even one single connection seems to fail. There are more people connecting to the system. Maybe that's a problem!

It's a good thought just replacing the system i.s.o. having many people looking for solutions.

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Sorry I forget to share the other solution we use.
Jan 8, 2013 11:58PM PST

Since XP has connection limits and at 5 and 10 it runs out fast since a client to the connection could (gasp?) take 2 connection instead of 1 then it can run out too quickly. Remember the cost factors of employee hours and more then it's not hard to see why we swap a machine out fast.

But what about that connection limit. This is where "Windows Server" shines (bad choice of word but let's go on.) It's not too hard on your everyday Windows IT grunt so they can get it working in no time. At the office however we have a group of programmers so we can use any of those Linux server distros for file servers.
Bob