Cannot access Local Network, but can access internet on a domain

[Tygerwoody]

I work in a company of over 1000 computers and I'm in the IT. All of our PC's connect to the local network servers and internet fine except for one. It can access the internet, but it cannot seem to access our network servers or any of the PC's in the building.

List of what i have checked/done.

It is getting a valid IP address

I have reinstalled all the drivers

Cleared out all temp files/spyware/viruses. It was a pretty clean machine.

Our network is running on a Windows 2003 server domain.

I think thats it... Being in IT, we have computers that cannot access the internet or local network all the time. Stuff happpens. However, i've never ran accross a machine that cannot access the local network BUT it can still get on the internet. Any ideas?

(please no "reformat" windows comments. Use you brain for god sakes. I hate it how people use the easy way out for everything. I want to know how to fix this in case it comes up again in the future. However, if it is a corrupt windows, then I will reformat because then and ONLY then is that my only choice)

[rewt]

Do you have admin rights to the domain (controller)? If so, are there any specific policies designated to the object that could cause conflict?

[tieros]

Get the IP addresses of a few of your servers and of the internet gateway device.

Since it can get out over the net, you know that the gateway address is resolving and external DNS resolution is working.

Try a tracert <IPAddr> to one of the servers from the hosed PC. If the machines are reachable from an IP standpoint, then it's a name resolution issue. Do you know if you're using DNS or WINS for internal resolution?

If the tracert times out trying to reach the servers, then it's a routing issue, and you should give the output of the tractrt command to whoever manages your routers internally.

You can also edit the lmhosts file on the PC and add one of the server/IP mappings. Make sure "use lmhosts" option is enabled in tcp/ip config. Also make sure to delete the entry from the file when you're through :)

Good luck!

[Tygerwoody]

Do you have admin rights to the domain (controller)? If so, are there any specific policies designated to the object that could cause conflict?
I do have admin rights... and I checked the Permissions... all are fine. I even renamed the computer and rejoined it to the domain... no go.

[Tygerwoody]

Get the IP addresses of a few of your servers and of the internet gateway device.

Since it can get out over the net, you know that the gateway address is resolving and external DNS resolution is working.

Try a tracert <IPAddr> to one of the servers from the hosed PC. If the machines are reachable from an IP standpoint, then it's a name resolution issue. Do you know if you're using DNS or WINS for internal resolution?

If the tracert times out trying to reach the servers, then it's a routing issue, and you should give the output of the tractrt command to whoever manages your routers internally.

You can also edit the lmhosts file on the PC and add one of the server/IP mappings. Make sure "use lmhosts" option is enabled in tcp/ip config. Also make sure to delete the entry from the file when you're through :)

Good luck!
Tried this as well. Still no go... im thinking it might actually be corrupt windows. :(

[rewt]

What exactly is the issue? You cannot access shared resources? You said you looked at permissions.. Permissions for what?

[Tygerwoody]

What exactly is the issue? You cannot access shared resources? You said you looked at permissions.. Permissions for what?
The issue is I cannot access any shared resources. Exactly. For instance if i go to \\server1\sharedblahblah it gives me an error saying it cant find the server, however I can ping the servers all day long.

[evilghost]

DNS resolution != NBT

Try running "nbtstat -A [ipaddr]" and see if you can pull a NetBIOS name value for that server. Verify the local machine has a correct Subnet mask.

You could bypass resolution and try to access teh share using \\[ipaddr]\resource instead of using the hostname.

[rewt]

I see. So you can ping the server just fine. But when you use ping, are you typing the hostname or ip address?

[rewt]

Nice call evilghost!

[Tygerwoody]

I see. So you can ping the server just fine. But when you use ping, are you typing the hostname or ip address?
either.. i got a response back for both.

Evilghost I did try to access the share with ip address and it was still a no go. Weirdest problem I have ever seen.

However, i ended up biting the bullet and just reformating windows. I have to solve around 100+ computer related problems a week and I always REFUSE to reformat windows, but it was turning into be too long for troubleshooting and I had to ship the machine out today. I hate reformating windows. It makes me feel like a failure. :(

[rewt]

Don't feel bad. All it takes is one wrong setting in the registry to mess something up severely.

In fact, one of my security tweaks that disables both NETBIOS over TCP/IP and SMB (therefore closing ports 137, 138, 139, and 445) causes an error like this [on the client] when trying to access a server share.

But as you know, many times it's quicker just to do a reformat then trying to figure out whats actually wrong.

[Tygerwoody]

But as you know, many times it's quicker just to do a reformat then trying to figure out whats actually wrong.
Yes it is... however if its an ongoing problem its alot quicker to figure out what the problem is, then you will know how to fix it in 30 seconds next time it comes up. :)

[rewt]

Thats a good point, and also why most of us IT guys try to resolve the problem first. But in this situation it appears you didn't have enough time.

[vb_nvnews]

If you use WXP, the problem might cause by upgrade pack from microsoft. It will give you the pop-up windows Generic Host Service Error, just send error report and then click more information, inside there is a pack to fix it.

[Drolfrawd]

Try a route print, may have a static route in place that is wrong.

[capman]

I had the same problem show up on a Dell.
I went through about everything you have mentioned then I dug into the services and found it.
First computer browser service was not running. That was caused by workstation and server services not running. Switching these to automatic and starting them fixed it totaly. Both internet and local lan were accessable.
I know you formatted it but for future reference this may help in the future.