Computer not file sharing

I have two computers, both XP, a PS3 and a Roku soundbridge on my network.
One of the computers seems to like to stop sharing over the network for some reason. I've posted with this same issue, on this same computer in the past, but what worked then is not working this time.
The computer in question rarely gets used.
I can ping each computer back and fourth sucessfully, and this computer does show on "workplace computers". It also appears on LELA as being connected.
However, it does not appear to be sharing media to the PS3 and the roku. I have done all the obvious checks and making sure sharing is enabled, both computers are in the same work group and so on. There have been no changes that I am aware of, and the only firewall running is windows built-in.
any suggestions.

Is "file and printer sharing" checked under exceptions on the windows firewall?

PS3 and Roku require the Universal Plug and Play service is started and running.

Click Start->Run, enter services.msc. Find the Universal Plug and Play. Set StartupType=Manual to start on demand. StartupType=Automatic start immediately on boot. You must reboot in any case for change in StartupType to take affect.

Check it's status=Running

/* EDIT */
And to start troubleshooting File Sharing itself on XP, see this link to start out.

The sucess of PING only says that TCP is correct on all the devices,
ie: other things still need to be resolved.

Solve the issues one at a time;

• get file/print sharing correct
• THEN address the PS3 & Roku issues

Solving (a) will resolve workgroup names, file share settings and the firewall issues.
The firewall(s) on all systems need to allow ports 138-139,445 in both directions.
This should then allow a share to be accessed (assuming the password is correct).

For the PS3, see this for the necessary ports

For the Roku, you need to explicitly Share the device on the system to which it is attached.
Open My Computer, find the device, right click->Sharing

Unshare the share reboot and reshare!

In services set Computer Browser, Server and WorkStation to all be started Automaticly.

Also turn off all power management and Hibernation.

Mike

Hi again, bpallgeier :wave:

I thought your user name sounded familiar... and, in fact, it should! You're in fact the user where the issue of uPnp and SSDP came up in the first place! (i now see from going back and looking at your old posts)

Am i correct from your quote that everything starts out OK? But after some amount of time it's just the one computer that stops "wanting to file share"?

As if that is true, (it starts ok but eventually seems to stop) I think mflynn is right on track to the answer: Is a good chance the problem is related to power management settings on the problem computer.

Try the following:
Control Panel->Power Options
=> Under Power Schemes, set Standby to NEVER
=> Under Hibernation, DISABLE it

Then
Click Start->Run, enter devmgtm.msc to open Device Manager
=> For your network adapter, rt click Properties, Under Power Management tab, DO NOT ALLOW THE COMPUTER TO TURN OFF THE DEVICE TO SAVE POWER

Reboot and let us know if problem persists. (i.e. Starts OK but eventually stops sharing)
And if problem persists (or my guess at symptoms are wrong to begin with) please provide a bit more detail in just what sequence actions/types of error messages (if any messages) you are seeing

btw... a handy freeware Network Monitor tool you may, in general, find useful is Look@LAN. If only to report on devices it finds currently connected (i.e. "pingable") on your network (aside from it being able to do more)
=> A device must respond to pings for the monitor to report it on your LAN (tho it will still report open ports if you scan the IP address)

I've had this issue in the past with my beloved linux hacked xbox's, and one individual computer on my network. As mlflynn says above, my temporary solution to this is to unshare and reshare a directory, this somehow resets it and gets it working again, though usualy the problem creeps up again later

And to Clarify my statement on Hibernation,

Do not turn off hibernation on a Laptop.

It is ok on a single personal Desktop computer. But not on a work a day computer (business or file sharing).

Hibernation is generally OK the problem is that as is well known, some problems caused by misconfiguration, Malware or permissions etc cause Hibernation not to wake up as it is supposed to.

If this computer is mainly only there to share its resource then if there is a power management hibernation issue it may not wake up.

Sometimes it takes Keyboard or mouse activity to wake one with these issues up. And in some cases several clicks or key hits to do it!

Mike

you might just find that power management is the root cause of it all. (in the past i've traced some network issues back to power management. eitehr the computer went to standby or hibernate or windows powered down the LAN card to save power. Whcih even tho may work when woken back up i've seen take several minutes with some cases)

/* EDIT */
But i have also seen cases where reboot is needed. (was a LAN card issue.. i'm guessing in its firmware)

Yes! In the meantime the attempted connection to the share times out!

Just thought of something else!

Go to the NIC in Local area connection under Connect using click Configure to the right of the Network Adapter, then Advanced and lookat the Wakeup settings here.

Then click power Managment Tab on the end. Here uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

Mike

Yea, i like that advice!

Yeah I missed it! u kno lots a things bout puters!

Mike

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies.
I tried disabling power management as described above, and had no luck.
What happens is, this computer (we will refer to it as #2), will stop showing its music and picture libraries to the Roku and PS3 after some time. Since I do not access the libraries from this computer as often as I do from computer #1, I am not sure when it decides not to share anymore. #2 is my wifes computer, therefore they are her music and pic files.
The last time this happened, I was able to type "regsvr32 upnphost.dll" into the RUN box, and it worked, up until maybe a month ago.
Both computers are desktops, not laptops, so I made sure power management was disabled on both.
All services that should be running, are, and file and print sharing is checked in the firewall exceptions.
It is not imparative that I resolve this, just more a matter of whats causing it?
Computer #1 has never had this happen, Knock On Wood!

Look in Windows Event Log.
=> In particular, System and Application Logs
=> Look for Errors and Warnings that have occured between the time the system was booted and the time "file sharing stops"

Also, review any events (including Information events) from event source Service Control Manger (SCM) which would be reporting service start/stop/control information.

btw.....another handy freeware tool to optionally check out Windows Event Log Explorer. Provides a nice interface around the Window XP inteface along with additional functionality that can be helpful when trying to use the Event Logs for troubeshooting

/* EDIT */
Could clarify when you say

Are you saying
1. File file sharing from computer #2 hasn't worked at all over the last month? (and i assume that then means even after a reboot)
2. Over the last month, you boot computer #2 it works for awhile, you can no longer file share and the only way to get file sharing to work again is by rebooting (i.e. regsvr32 upnphost.dll no longer helps)

/* EDIT */
Could clarify when you say

Are you saying
1. File file sharing from computer #2 hasn't worked at all over the last month? (and i assume that then means even after a reboot)
2. Over the last month, you boot computer #2 it works for awhile, you can no longer file share and the only way to get file sharing to work again is by rebooting (i.e. regsvr32 upnphost.dll no longer helps)[/QUOTE]

Sorry, Its not working at all, and I am not sure when it stopped, description #1 above sums it perfectly.
Since I don't always use my PS3 or Roku to stream music now that it's winter, I really don't know how long it has not been working again. That's what is so frustrating about it. I do not make many changes on computer#2, so I can never say, "oh, I just installed so and such, and it stopped working".
On the other hand, I install and run tons of "crap", mess with settings, etc on computer #1 and it always works, go figure!

did you try this? be sure to [x] the box to reconnect

Sure did, no luck there either. Tried it twice just to make sure and even rebooted.

btw... a handy freeware Network Monitor tool you may, in general, find useful is Look@LAN. If only to report on devices it finds currently connected (i.e. "pingable") on your network (aside from it being able to do more)


When I go to the download page for this, it's in a different language.
And when it finishes downloading, my anti virus "detects a potential threat", so I did not install it. Is there a different link,safer?

1. Ooops. It's from an Italian company.

• i must have picked the Italian language link. i'd fix it right now but RCN, my service provider, is giving me grief at the moment (i suspect they've been working on the servers the last few days.
• Have been using this tool for years so certain any AV report is false positive but always only download what you yourself want to
• I will also look for SAFE download site (like CNET) as i know some download sites (that certify no virus) also provide for downloads (and in English!)

2. Aside from Windows Event Log there's a very hand tool we could use to spot system change that's part of XP SP3 (I forget if you're running XP SP2 or SP3?)

/* EDIT */
1. You can also download Look@Lan from MajorGeeks or CNET downloads
(i was going to provide a couple of screen shots for anyone reading but now my imageshack connections are hanging!)

hum; interesting
just installed an ran Look@Lan on my XP/Pro-SP2 system with all lan system running.

1) it did find all systems, including the primary router to the ISP as well as a secondary to another subnet.

2) it also reported bogus 'Active Services':

1. port 3128 -- squid-http
2. port 8080 -- http-proxy

these are bogus (ie false positives) as verified agains Cports by www.nirsoft.net which
has proven accurate over many months of use.

Use the tool but understand that probing systems is a real 'black art'