1

I've got a real PITA problem that I'm sure has a really simple solution. I have a Windows Server 2003 machine that needs to be able to see the network name of a Vista box - but refuses to. It can see the Vista box (and even access its shared folder) if I enter the Vista box's IP address.

Problem is: SQL Server refuses to do Replication with anything other than the "actual server name". That means that the 2003 machine needs to be able to connect through the Vista machines network name... not just its IP address.

I'm guessing it's a simple incompatibility between OS's, but I'm sure there's got to be a simple way of fixing it.

Note: Yes, the Vista machine can connect to 2003 machine, no problem. And other machines in the office can connect to both the Vista machine and 2003 (they have more recent OS's).

Thanks for any help!

Improve this question
2
  • Official MS Solution: Upgrade to newer Windows Server ;-)
    – Kyle Brandt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:18
  • Lol. That sounds more like it. winces in pain
    – Django Reinhardt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:27

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
2

Looks like a DNS issue.

Probably the vista machine's name can't be resolved via DNS, so NetBIOS is used... which, as everyone knows, may or may not work, depending on a lot of factors.

Can you ping the Vista machine using its network name?

Improve this answer
7
  • Aha! No, I cannot ping the Vista machine from the 2003 machine! (But I CAN do it from the other machines that can connect to the Vista machine.) How do I fix this? Do I need to install anything? Thanks so much!
    – Django Reinhardt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:40
  • +1 Yeah, this is more likely the cause.
    – squillman
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:46
  • If I manually edited the HOSTS file, would that fix it? :)
    – Django Reinhardt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:47
  • Editing the HOSTS file did fix it... but I'm wondering if there's a better solution to do with fixing the DNS issue? Thanks!
    – Django Reinhardt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:53
  • Did you check the network settings against a machine the server "sees" ?
    – dimitri.p
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:58
1

Try turning the firewall off on the Vista machine, reboot it and see if it shows up. Second thing, check the Network type, set it to Private if it is set to public. Reboot and check if the Server "sees" it.

Improve this answer
2
  • Thanks, all Firewalls are disabled (we're trying everything), and as I said, other machines can connect to the Vista machine no problem. Is it not likely to be an OS compatibility? :-/
    – Django Reinhardt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:08
  • if the server "sees" other Vista machine, check DNS settings of the one that is not showing up against one of the others. I'm going to guess :) that The server is all up to date as well as the Vista machine with Windows updates
    – dimitri.p
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:28
1

If other machines can connect to it than it's proabably more of a SQL issue. Did you run the User Provisioning Tool for Vista on the workstation after install SQL? If not, give that a shot. It's located at %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlprov.exe by default.

Also, make sure the SQL Browser service is running on the Vista machine.

Also, what version/edition of SQL is on the Vista machine?

Improve this answer
1
  • It's not just a SQL thing because we have a shared folder setup on the Vista machine (x32 Ultimate, BTW), and it can't be accessed by the OS entering the network name (unlike with other machines). It's a real head scratcher :( Will give the SQLProv a shot, though. Thanks.
    – Django Reinhardt
    Mar 1, 2010 at 20:26

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .