mError Message "Cannot find the WINS server" occurs when accessing the WINS database (287727)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server MultiLanguage Version
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition

This article was previously published under Q287727

SYMPTOMS

After you install the Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) component, when you attempt to access the WINS database on the local WINS server, 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

This issue occurs because the WINS manager is dependant on the Remote Registry Service. If this service is not running, the WINS component is not initialized. However, the WINS service starts and looks as if it is running, but the WINS snap-in generates the error described in the preceding section.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

268749 WINS does not function without File and Printer Sharing enabled

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, start the Computer Management console, click Services, and then set the Remote Registry Service to Automatic.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

Modification Type:	Minor	Last Reviewed:	7/6/2006
Keywords:	kberrmsg kbnetwork kbprb KB287727