Re: Xp home netoworking woes

From: Steve Winograd [MVP] (winograd_at_pobox.com)
Date: 02/08/05 

Date: Tue, 08 Feb 2005 11:24:59 -0700

In article <A9788203-BCA8-4502-9484-4536B1AF67AB@microsoft.com>,
"Steve" <Steve@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>> >> Carey,
>> >>
>> >> BTW, what does your little fixnet.reg program do, exactly? I'm sure it's
>> >> helpful, current and that you're an expert, but some of us would like to
>> >> know
>> >> a little bit about what we're doing before we fiddle with the
>> >> registry.....???? Thanks! :)
>> >>
>> >> Steve
>>
>> >Just open it in notepad to see what it does...
>>
>> I applaud your curiosity and caution, Steve. Since Carey's unwilling
>> or unable to explain what the file does, I'll do it.
>>
>> The file makes registry settings that can solve specific network
>> problems that I describe below. However, I don't believe in
>> one-size-fits-all solutions, and I don't think that every Windows
>> network user should make these (or any) changes to network or registry
>> settings indiscriminately, even when there are network problems. That
>> could cause more problems by changing correct settings.
>>
>> 1. It deletes these registry keys:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\
>> NetBT\Parameters\NodeType
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\
>> NetBT\DhcpNodeType
>>
>> That can help when a Windows XP computer receives invalid settings
>> from a DHCP server for the NetBIOS node type. The invalid settings
>> can prevent the computer from browsing the network or being seen on
>> the network.
>>
>> 2. It creates a registry key that allows anonymous users to enumerate
>> account information and shared resources:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\
>> Lsa\restrictanonymous
>>
>> That can help when other computers can't see shared resources
>> belonging to an XP computer. However, it controls other security
>> features that you might not want to change, as described here:
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsawp.mspx
>>
>> The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer checks this key and gives a
>> warning if it has the value that Carey's file assigns.
>>
>> 3. It deletes this registry key:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\
>> lanmanserver\parameters\IRPStackSize
>>
>> That can help when a computer's shared resources are inaccessible over
>> the network, as evidenced by these error messages on another computer
>> that attempts access:
>>
>> Not enough server storage is available to process this command.
>>
>> Not enough memory to complete transaction. Close some applications
>> and retry.
>>
>> However, Microsoft's recommended solution for that problem is to
>> increase the value of IRPStackSize, not to delete it, as shown here:
>>
>> Antivirus Software May Cause Event ID 2011
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;177078
>
>Oh, one other thing -- I _believe_ that when the IRPStackSize key was
>deleted, it initiated a failure with Norton Antivirus 2005 (part of Norton
>Systemworks 2005) that disables Antivirus and points you to a Symantec
>support/knowledgebase article suggesting you disable your Audigy 2 software
>to solve, or reinstall Antivirus to solve (had to do the latter).
>
>So yes, there were unpleasant side effects to using this "fix" without any
>documentation. :)
>
>Steve

Steve,

I'm not surprised that deleting IRPStackSize affected Norton
Antivirus, given the information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base
article that I cited. I'm glad that you found a solution. Using
System Restore to undo the registry damage done by Carey's file would
also have solved the problem. 

-- 
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see.  I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

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