I'm running a Windows 2003 domain and using Server 2003 as DNS, File, and print servers. All XP clients are functioning properly - this network has been running properly for a number of years. Sometimes my Windows 7 clients are unable to browse server shares using \\servername\sharename, \\serveripaddress\sharename, and \\servername.domain.name\ But I am able to ping all the servers with their IP address AND their DNS names. Now this does not happen to all the Windows 7 machines at the same time, just a few of them at random times - very sporadic. I am unable to see anything relevant in the event logs pertaining to this issue

Hi, thank you for your post. Based on my research, please check the following: 1. Please check the settings on the Windows 7 computer: 1) Ensure the Network discovery, File sharing have been enabled in Network and Sharing Center of the Windows 7 computer. 2) Ensure File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks has been enabled in the NIC Properties. 3) Ensure Windows Firewall has been set to allow File sharing. 2. Please ensure that the NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on the Windows 7 computer: 1) Go to “Control Panel - Network Connections”. 2) Right-Click on the connection and click Properties. 3) Find Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Version 4 in the list. 4) Click Properties, and then click Advanced. 5) On the Advanced TCP/IP settings windows, go to “WINS” tab. 6) Under NetBIOS setting, click Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, and then click OK. 3. Please disable the security software (firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware,etc.) in Windows 7 and check the issue. 4. Please perform a Clean Boot to check the issue. Clean boot ================= 1) Click the Start Button type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Search box, and then press Enter. Note: If prompted, please click Continue on the User Account Control (UAC) window. 2) Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray). 3) Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK". Then, restart the computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK. NOTE: we can go back to normal boot by running msconfig again and checking on Normal Startup in the General tab. In the Clean Boot Environment, the third party services and applications are disabled, please check if the issue reoccurs at this time. If the problem does not occur, it indicates that the problem is related to one application or service we have disabled. You may use the MSCONFIG tool again to re-enable the disabled item one by one to find out the culprit. If the issue persists, please also let us know the following: To make the issue clear, please gather the following information for our further research: Capture some screenshots for ping server01 and its IP Address, and the failure of accessing \\server01. Capture a screenshot ================= 1) Press the Print Screen key (PrtScn) on your keyboard. 2) Click the "Start" menu, type "mspaint" in the Search Bar and Press Enter. 3) In the Paint program, click the "Edit" menu, click "Paste", click the "File" menu, and click "Save". 4) The "Save As" dialogue box will appear. Type a file name in the "File name:" box, for example: "screenshot". 5) Make sure "JPEG (*.JPG;*.JPEG;*.JPE;*.JFIF)" is selected in the "Save as type" box, click “Desktop” on the left pane and then click "Save". Please use Windows Live SkyDrive (http://www.skydrive.live.com/) to upload the file and share its URL with me. Hope this helps. Thank you for your efforts. Regards, Leo HuangPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Hi, I'm having exactly the same issue, its a pain in the but. How did you fix it exactly please? Kind regards,

I am also dealing with the same issue. Mixture of W7 and XP clients. After about 6 months, the first W7 box stopped being able to browse non W7 servers/workstations and is unable to access (find) network shares. Server and other clients (XP & W7) can find and access a shared folder I set up on the client in question. Server name and IP ping - I have name resolution. I can access shares on other Windows 7 clients. I have unistalled/reinstalled network adapter, switched between cable and wireless (tested each individually and together) with same result. About a month ago I did a system restore to point when the system worked and it was able to browse the entire network again for about 2 weeks before the same behaviour occurred again. I have done all the steps outlined above with the exception of the clean boot which I will try later today. Was the issue above ever resolved?