WINS Does Not Function Without File and Printer Sharing Enabled (268749)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
This article was previously published under Q268749

SYMPTOMS

After you install the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) component, you may not be able to gain access to the WINS database on the local WINS server. When you try to gain access to the WINS database, you may receive the following error message:
Cannot find the WINS server.
The WINS server you specified cannot be located. The WINS server might be down, there might be network problems, or the WINS service might not be installed.
The error was: The network path was not found.

CAUSE

When WINS Manager starts, it tries to contact the File Server service on the WINS server. Specifically, WINS Manager checks for NetBIOS suffix 20 on the WINS server. If File and Printer Sharing is disabled, it disables the File Server service and NetBIOS suffix.

RESOLUTION

You must have File and Printer Sharing enabled to use WINS.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/4/2003
Keywords:kbprb kbWINS KB268749
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.