Add Network Places Wizard problem

[Moira]

Can anyone suggest a reason why the above has stopped working altogether on my PC, although it works fine over the rest of the network?

I can't add any more network places here - it starts the wizard with the "downloading information about internet service providers" and instead of advancing to the place where you'd put in the share name, it just carries on doing that ad infinitum.

There's no problem accessing the existing shares, no problem with the internet connection - I do have SP2 installed but have disabled the firewall, which in any case shouldn't affect this?

I'm totally stumped - I tried adding a network place via the cmd prompt but it didn't work very well. That is, it reported success with a share that already existed but gave "host not found" for the one I was trying to create.

[reaps]

Have you tried just adding the share via windows explorer? If not, try ->tools->map network drive....

[Moira]

That works, but it still doesn't add the share as a network place in the list, meaning that if I want to save a file in a network place, it's not an option. There's no problem connecting to these places, it's just getting them listed as a network place. The existing shares are to my mind a little sluggish to display, but they work and appear eventually :confused:

[dangerous_dom]

Might not be, but I would check the Microsoft site for posible isuses regarding SP2. They have a list of **** up... i mean known SP2 problems that have appeared after the corporate SP2 release. I'm told it's quite long :rolleyes:

[Moira]

It is *very* long .... however, two people with SP2 installed have managed to get past the stage in the wizard that this machine is stuck on.

Having said that, I'm running a beta version so I'm entirely prepared to believe it could have something to do with it, especially having seen SP1 fcuk up network places by giving you "access denied" when you try to open it from an application, then opening the share anyway.

TBH, I'm a bit stuck to know where I'd check something like that. There are so many forums/newsgroups etc focussing on SP2 problems it's a bit of a minefield :confused:

[georDIE]

When I installed the proper version of SP2, it screwed up my wireless network settings, so I've come to the conclusion that it sucks at all things networky :(

[jsnemesis]

Didnt screw up mine, infact its improved! I like the new setup of wireless networking.

What did it screw up on yours?

JS

[Moira]

That's the problem - the blasted service pack isn't even consistent in what it does! If it always screwed up the same things, at least you'd know what to look out for, but you get lulled into a false sense of security when other people have trouble free installs.

I put the same beta copy on two machines running more or less identical setups. One just didn't like it from the start and I had all kinds of problems, so I uninstalled it very quickly.

The other computer has had no problems at all (apart from maybe this minor glitch) and in fact, I would say it's improved it to the extent I'm not tempted to uninstall and get the public release version, as it's working really well.

[Kynoch]

You should know Microsoft and Beta dont go together at all. :D

[reaps]

If you have the beta version then you should really install the RTM build as this problem you are having may have been fixed in the final build. Failing that, I would check to see if anyone else has reported this problem, google is a good start.

It may be a third party program that is causing the above as after checking my pc at home i have yet to encounter the problem myself. However, I'm using the final build of SP2.

[Moira]

I suppose you're right really. I haven't found anyone else with SP2 having the same problem, but this is typical of the service pack if my experience is anything to go by, ie random unexpected glitches.

Having previously uninstalled two versions of SP2 and had a heap of problems afterwards, it's weighing up whether to put up with things as they are or uninstall and possibly find I still have the same problem.

[reaps]

With SP2 uninstalled, do you still have the same problem?

Using any beta software, especially one that affects the whole operating system, is always ill advised. I installed SP2 beta in Feb and i found it had various problems which prompted an uninstall. Now that i have the RTM installed, i haven't encountered any, but then again i'm not looking for them.

If you find you still have the same problem(s) with the SP uninstalled then a format may be in order as it does wonders ;)

[Moira]

A reformat would be my last resort, as it's something I absolutely hate doing! I have my PC so customised etc that it takes ages to get it back the way I want it.

I think as far as this is concerned, I'm going to have to try uninstalling SP2 but I might wait until the final version is actually happening through updates or I get the promised CD in next month's copy of PC Answers.

Whilst it's an irritating problem, it's not hugely important as I have all the network places mapped to give me full access to wherever I want, even if it's by a roundabout route. It's debatable whether in itself, it's worth uninstalling SP2 ....

[reaps]

Formats are fun! Takes an hour and you end up with fast pc, that is until you start adding programs ;) As for SP2, you can aquire that through various sources, just check it's the right file size etc.

[Moira]

Formats are not fun :( I always feel like I've lost an arm until I've got my PC back the way I want it and installing stuff is a right pain. Nevertheless, it's something I inevitably end up doing reasonably frequently.