I have a laptop installed with Windows 7 that has problems in accessing network shares. Even if I am able to ping the computers containing the share then I get the infamous "Windows cannot access the … share". At the beginning I hadn't netbios enabled so I was not able to reach the computers. After enabling netbios I ping the computers containing the shares correctly. I have an installation of VMPlayer, Virtual Box and Avira Antivir. No 3rd party firewall or other security software is installed.
Windows – Problem with network shares
dnslookupwindows 7
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Best Answer
The issue is not with DNS the issue is with NetBIOS
DNS(Domain Name Service) resolves FQDN(Fully Qualified Domain Names) to IP addresses like http://www.google.com to http://74.125.229.84/
NetBIOS resolves local computer names(hostnames) to IP addresses like \\DAVES-PC to 192.168.1.190
The way NetBIOS resolves names is in this order
Option 1
You can try to clean out the cache by
Clicking Start -> Type cmd -> Right Click and "Run As Administrator" -> Click Yes
Execute these commands
If you are still having issues make sure your computers are in the same workgroup this is typically named WORKGROUP
For Windows 7
Click Start -> Right Click on Computer -> Click Properties -> Click Advanced System Settings(on the left panel) -> Click Computer Name Tab -> Click Change
Here you can change the name of your workgroup make sure all your computers are in the same one.
Option 2
You can add manual entries into your hosts file these entries will be loaded into your DNS client resolver cache which is the second thing checked.
Click Start -> Type Notepad -> Right Click "Run As Administrator" -> Click Yes -> File Menu -> Open -> Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc -> Open hosts ->
Add you entries at the end of the file in this format
Example:
This would work best with static IP addresses which are easy to configure but depend on the other OS you are using just google it.. it will work with DHCP as most home routers seem to repeatedly give the same IP to the same computer based on the MAC address at least in my experience... have changed OS's and kept the same IP on mine using DHCP lol.
From Comments
Check Share Settings in "Network and Sharing Center"
Reset the TCP/IP Stack. This will revert all your settings back to default so you may need to change some back e.g. Static IP will be reset to DHCP
netsh winsock reset catalog 2
netsh int ip reset reset.log
Check Services Computer Browser and TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper are running
Make sure Windows firewall is not blocking the connection.
Domain Issues
User not in a Domain accessing share in a Domain
net use * /delete
this will wipe all the mounted network shares.User in different Domain requires there to be trust between the two domains read here for more information