FP98: FrontPage Does Not Recognize Local Machine Name After Upgrade to Win98 (199130)

CAUSE

During an upgrade to Windows 98, the version of Personal Web Server is upgraded to Personal Web Server 4.0. After you run the Internet Explorer 4 Connection Wizard, Personal Web Server 4.0 may no longer show the machine name as the Web name.

For example, a computer with the machine name of test should be accessed with a Web browser using the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) http://test. However, if the user is logged-in and runs the Connection Wizard, the main panel in PWS will now display http://USER.

This problem occurs because Connection Wizard creates an entry in the registry with the data name HOSTNAME and the value being the current USERNAME. This information is passed to Personal Web Server 4.0.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use the 127.0.0.1 IP Address

Use the loop back IP Address (127.0.0.1) as the name of the computer you are trying to access. This reserved IP address corresponds to your local computer.

Method 2: Use Localhost

Use localhost as the name of the computer you are trying to access. This reserved host name also corresponds to your local computer.

Method 3: Rename the Computer

Right-click the Network icon on you Windows Desktop, and click Properties.
Click the Identification tab.
Change the computer name.
Click OK.
Restart the computer if you are prompted to do so.

Method 4: Erase the Registry Key

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Click Start, Run.
Type regedit.exe, and click OK.
In Registry Editor, the entry is located at:
HKey_Local_Machine/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/VxD/MSTCP
Select the key. The data name is HOSTNAME and the value is the current USERNAME.
On the Edit menu, click Delete.
On the View menu, click Refresh.