Running VMware, created a container with Server 2003 R2 from pre-configured iso, a vista build from a pre-configured iso, and have Server 2008 build from pre-configured iso. The network attached storage is ReadyNas 1100 set to domain mode. When I do a net use or a net view, I get an error 59, unexpected network error or error 53 network path was not found I can ping the IP address and I can ping the hostname which means DNS is working. I also have a Windows Storage server on a different subnet that I can map just fine, when I do a net view, I see it just fine from all these machines. They are all on the same subnet as the domain controller and on the same subnet as the NAS. I have other vista machines that I built from scratch that do work, and older server 2003 builds that do work. I loaded the .iso and made no updates and it didn't work. Then I loaded the .iso and installed all updates, and it still didn't work. I uninstalled my virus scan and live update, and that didn't change anything. I have tried using the drivers for the NIC from the machines that do work and putting them on the machines that don't work and it didn't change anything. I spent all day with VMware troubleshooting, and they did everything they could think of, but I have other versions of the software that do work on the same VM, It has to be something with this build or the drivers or patches or some setting in the registry that make it not work..

Can you ping using NetBIOS and FQDN? Did you check the firewall status? Disable the service and try again. Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA, Network+ Houston, TX http://blogs.sivarajan.com/ http://publications.sivarajan.com/ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I can ping using FQDN and NetBIOS. The Firewall service is disabled by default.

Login to the console and see if any application error messages pop up. Check the event log for these as well. The issue you describe typically presents when an application abends and causes some system instability...given the errors above. It may also present itself from a loss of network connection. The solution in both cases is to reboot the server and see if the problem persists.