Strange behaviour....

LoLth

Should probably be in net's Comms but it is more of a windees issue. Mods, feel free to move away.


Documents not opening across network:
Setup:
Server: Windows NT4 SP6a , IP: 192.168.1.2
Client: Windows 2000 sp4 , IP: 192.168.1.10

Ping is fine.
All network mapped drives can be seen in Windows Explorer along with all contents.

However, when you try to open any file it says "network path not found".

You can browse to the file itself, see all the propertiers of the file but when you try to open it, no joy.

Only happening on one PC on the network (a similar problem on another site is affecting all PCs).

Start>>RUN>> \\192.168.1.2\Docs

Shows the contents of the DOCS directory (which is mapped to the H: drive on local - tried recreating share and mapping) but still doesnt open the excel files themselves.

any ideas? Need more information?

Batbat

perhaps you dont have only read access enabled and not read execute

maxheadroom

If you open excel first, and try to open the file from the H: drive (File => Open), does it work or give an error message?

LoLth

no access rights were changed (and I dont see how all excel files can be changed at the same time).

Nope. Wont open from within Excel or by selecting from the recent documents list.

Capt'n Midnight

Have you tried other Clients/usernames to rule in/out them ?

I take it on the server you have checked the file permissions and the share permissions.

NET FILES will list who has files locked open
NET FILES | FIND /I ".XLS" if you have too many open

try copying the file to the local machine to rule out the files themselves.

If on the server's command prompt can
START RUN \\192.168.1.10\C$ and then drag n' drop

hostyle

I get that message periodically on a home network with two machines on different domains when trying to browse via "Network Neighbourhood". Seems to be a domain controller issue for me (seeing as there isnt one). Files however open fine. Not much help I know, but maybe it'll ring a bell or something.

LoLth

well, Net files shows the correct amount of open files.

there ahs been a further developement though:

Copy a file to the local PC and all is lovely.

Copy a file that has previously reported "network path not found or invalid" and it copies across and THEN reports path invalid when you try to open it

Or, some of the files just refuse to copy with the same error message.

Checked the domains (in case of mispelling. No joy. Spelt right and all should be happy.)

me off to bang head against wall until inspiration or brain damage.

ColmOT [MSFT]

Is there a firewall involved on on of the machiens....Error 53 is frequently seen when firewalls are configured incorrectly....

LoLth

neither machines are XP so no system based firewall on the connection.

Firewall for the server (in both cases) is an external firewall (Zywall 652 HW) and has no unusual rules that would impact internal traffic.

Capt'n Midnight

Originally posted by LoLth
Copy a file that has previously reported "network path not found or invalid" and it copies across and THEN reports path invalid when you try to open it

If it was only one file then perhaps the file is corrupt (open with lotus/openoffice and save as a different version). If it only happens on one machine then make sure the XLStart folder is empty.

Which version of excel ? - you can use command line switches to bypass some settings.

Is the antivirus software very slow - in case it is still scanning or locking the file if large.

LoLth

Tried disabling the AV software (mcafee virusscan enterprise V7.1) just in case it was causing a time out or something.

it is one file - at a time. Version is Excel 2003.

Weird thing is,

site 1: word 2003, sbs 2003, win 98 and win2k clients:
if a file is opened and edited then saved back to the network drive it works fine.. when the file is re-opened is SOMETIMES results in the network path error but not all the time.

Some files that have not been opened in months report the error straight off. Once a file reports the error, it has to be restored from backup tape (using file redirection and then being copied over to the data drive or it continues to report the error).


Site 2: WinNT server, Win2k clients, office 2003 also:
All excel files on the data drive reported this at the same time. Remapping drive had no effect. AV on site is Norton 2004. Files restored from backup still report the same problem. However, this is only happening on 2 pcs in the place.

Files copied to a working PC and then shared are fine at first but randomly report the same error (opened, edited and saved 5 times, error on the 6th , another file had error on 2nd attempt).

Now, on both sites, every now and then a pc will throw up that error message when saving a file in the first place (both sites).

Originally thought it was a network card problem, replaced NiCs from Intel to 3com. The only common factor I can see now is Office 2003 but cant find any information anywhere about any similar problems.

Dun

Have a look at this Office 2003 Update. Fixed some issues with Office 2003 for me.

LoLth

yeah, the powerpoint problem fixed in the update seemed to be what I was looking for alright but I've applied this update already and its still happening. getting very tempting to roll back to office 2002 or just switch to OpenOffice... MS b*stards.

Capt'n Midnight

With most versions of Word
Tools - Options - Save
TICK Disable features not supported by Word 97
UNTICK Fast save - choose Backup instead.

Fast save can also corrupt documents as it sorta adds keystrokes to the end of the doc rather than a normal save which saves the document as laid out on screen.

And don't get me started on Excel - 20 years ago every document handling program for PC's had an option to make backup copies..