Random loss of SMB connectivity

[Kashim]

Ever since I upgraded to Windows 7 last year, I've been having this random network problem I can't seem to figure out. Over the months I've tried many different solutions and none of it has worked. Here's my problem:

There are several computers on my LAN and they're all running Windows 7. None of them have any kind of connection issues on the network. They can all see each other, access files, printers, etc. There's also an (original) XBOX connected to the LAN, which is running XBMC. XBMC is a network media player I've been using for years. Ever since I upgraded to Windows 7, XBMC will randomly lose SMB connectivity to my workstation. Sometimes XBMC has no trouble accessing files for days or even weeks before it breaks. Usually rebooting the workstation will fix the problem. Other times I can't access files right after a reboot. That's what so frustrating about it, because it seems so random.

Much like mapping a network drive on a Windows machine, XBMC can access a network share using either the host name (EDEN in this case) or the IP address (192.168.0.5). It's always the host name method that breaks first. Sometimes when I can't access my workstation using its host name, I can still access it using its IP address. Other times I can't access it using either method. The error message I get says: Could not connect to the network server.

While all this is happening to XBMC, other computers on the LAN can access each other without any problems. After trying many different things and getting nowhere, I simply chalked it up to a problem with XBMC, since everything else was working fine. Well, a few weeks ago I bought a WD Live TV Plus, which is another network media player/streamer. After a couple of days, the WD Live TV Plus started having the exact same problem as my XBMC. Whenever the WD Live TV Plus can't access my workstation, neither can the XBMC and vice versa. Now I know it's not XBMC's fault at all and it's really starting to annoy me.

I only ever have these issues on Windows 7. Back when I was on Windows XP, I was using XBMC for years and this never happened once. I've spent a lot of time trying different solutions suggested on various forums, but none of it has worked. I've pretty much given up and accepted the fact that I have to reboot my workstation once or twice whenever SMB decides to break. Still, maybe someone here has some suggestion I haven't considered yet.

Thanks for reading and sorry about the long post. :)

[Japlabot]

Sounds like you are using Dynamic IP Addresses, so when this changes, it is likely confusing XBMC.

So set Static IP Address for the Computer which is the SMB Server.

I also suggest setting the XBMC to connect via. IP Address rather than by Name, sometimes the name resolution might fail for some reason, so it is better to use IP Address, or at least use the HOSTS file on the XBMC if it has one, to make sure the XBMC always knows where the SMB Server is.

[c.grz]

So XBMC is installed on a workstation?

[Kashim]

  On 12/12/2010 at 02:59, Quick Reply said:

Sounds like you are using Dynamic IP Addresses, so when this changes, it is likely confusing XBMC.

So set Static IP Address for the Computer which is the SMB Server.

I also suggest setting the XBMC to connect via. IP Address rather than by Name, sometimes the name resolution might fail for some reason, so it is better to use IP Address, or at least use the HOSTS file on the XBMC if it has one, to make sure the XBMC always knows where the SMB Server is.

All devices on my LAN are using static IPs. I should have mentioned that in my post.

  On 12/12/2010 at 03:06, TheReasonIFailed said:

So XBMC is installed on a workstation?

No, XBMC is running on my XBOX. All PCs running on my LAN are using Windows 7 and none of them have these issues with each other. These problems only happen to the two non-PC devices (XBOX running XBMC and the WD Live TV Plus box) on my LAN. Once those two devices become unable to access my workstation, the only way to fix it is by a reboot and even that doesn't always work on the first try.

[+BudMan MVC]

Could be a browsing issue? How exactly are you accessing the shares?

smb://ipaddress or smb://hostname

I would suggest access via IP address vs hostname, but when it happens again.. Who is the master browser on your network?

You can do that via nbtstat -A ipaddress

example

P:\>nbtstat -A 192.168.1.99

gig:

Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.100] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table

Name Type Status

---------------------------------------------

PCH <00> UNIQUE Registered

PCH <03> UNIQUE Registered

PCH <20> UNIQUE Registered

..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

LOCAL <1D> UNIQUE Registered

LOCAL <1E> GROUP Registered

LOCAL <00> GROUP Registered

So my popcorn hour is the masterbrowser

You can use this tool to scan for it on your network.. Which I would be curious to see when everything is working good, and then again when not.

http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

And its got a good write up on browsing in general

---

LANscanner v1.3 - ScottiesTech.Info

Scanning LAN...

2K3DC 192.168.1.203 00-0C-29-01-96-80 LOCAL

P4-28G 192.168.1.4 00-0D-56-F0-F0-09 LOCAL

PCH 192.168.1.99 00-00-00-00-00-00 LOCAL MASTER

UBUNTU 192.168.1.6 00-00-00-00-00-00 LOCAL

Press any key to exit...

---

[arrrgh]

Check your system eventlog and see if you find Event ID: 2017 "The server was unable to allocate from the system nonpaged pool because the server reached the configured limit for nonpaged pool allocations." error when the mount fails.

If you are seeing the same issue I had with XBMC, you can fix it by following these directions: http://alan.lamielle.net/2009/09/03/windows-7-nonpaged-pool-srv-error-2017

[Kashim]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try them this weekend when I have more free time (and when the problem crops up again).

One thing I know for sure, there are no messages/errors in the EventLog when this happens. I tried modifying the value of HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\Size a few months back and that didn't help anything.