Windows network problem

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ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#180943 27-Sep-2015 12:55

My home network has 3 computers, 2 XP and 1 Win7and has developed a problem I can't easily fix.

Everything can be fine for a few days then suddenly XP1 machine reports

An error occurred while reconnecting O: to \\win7-pc\Desktop
Microsoft Windows Network :
The local device name is already in use.
This connection has not been restored.

Going the other way (Win7 to XP1) is OK. And XP2 machine can see/been seen by the other two...

So I have to copy files from XP1 to XP2, then XP2 to Win 7

Sometimes rebooting the win7 machine fixing things, but otherwise I need to reboot XP1 which I'd rather avoid.

Is there any way to find out why the device name is in use, and not restored , and hopefully make XP1communicate with win7 again (without rebooting)?

Thanks for any help.

freitasm

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Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1395211 27-Sep-2015 12:58

Have you made sure the Computer Name for each of the Windows XP machines is unique?

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1395217 27-Sep-2015 13:12

Yes, My Network Places-Entire Network-mshome on any of the 3 machine shows all the individual names.

ArcticSilver

729 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1395258 27-Sep-2015 15:27

ADKM: Yes, My Network Places-Entire Network-mshome on any of the 3 machine shows all the individual names.

What about using the IP address instead of the hostname?

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1395264 27-Sep-2015 15:54

Running iconfig on the win7 machine shows an IPv4 Address

Putting this into XP1 machine browser eventually times out. The XP2 machine does that too, but will connect via Explorer.

ArcticSilver

729 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1395265 27-Sep-2015 15:56

ADKM: Running iconfig on the win7 machine shows an IPv4 Address

Putting this into XP1 machine browser eventually times out. The XP2 machine does that too, but will connect via Explorer.

What is the IPv4 Address?

Do you have wireless on your Windows 7 machine and if so, is it connected?

Do you have a firewall active on your Windows 7 machine?

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1395288 27-Sep-2015 17:55

The ipv4 address is 192.168 and a couple more numbers and is familiar or close to other things here.

The router is wireless capable but win7 does not use it. It probably has the built in firewall, not a 3rd party one.

If I reboot xp1 machine it will all come right. But then at some future time (for no apparent reason) this happens again.
I haven't rebooted this time, just in case there's any clues here on what to do, and I'd need the no-connect condition up.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1396183 28-Sep-2015 22:25

Just for anyone in the same boat... a fix that works here is

On the server (my win7 machine) use ipconfig to get it's Ip address xx.xx.xx.xx

On the client (xp1) write a batch file (or execute from command line)

Explorer /root,\\xx.xx.xx.xx

That brings up an Explorer window of that machine, but also fixes it so Explorer can access win7 again.

NB: I may have reversed "server" and 'client" in the above.