Why is Windows networking so unreliable and cludgy?

Vista laptop connected to XP desktop by crossover cable. XP machine
connected to internet and to external HD. I can access the XP's printers,
share files, etc (most of the time) but there are problems with the external
HD. It keeps disappearing from the network (from the laptop's perspective).
Mind you, the network itself only ever works if I turn the XP desktop on
first. Sometimes when I turn the laptop on the rst of the network is
connected fine but the LACIE external HD has disappeared and I have to go
through the process on the XP machine of sharing it again. At other times I
turn the laptop on and it is there just fine. I don't change anything. Why
does Windows do these mysterious annoying things? Is it that there has been
some new update downloaded that has reset something? How do I stop it doing
this? Why should I have to reshare the external HD whenever I boot up again?
(or more precisely randomly sometimes when I boot up) Isn't there some way I
can say to Windows, "hey listen, I really really mean it - I want this thing
to be permanently shared, don't ever unshare it again until I tell you!!"?

On Mon, 7 May 2007 17:01:01 +1000, "Greg" wrote:

Why is Windows networking so unreliable and cludgy?

Vista laptop connected to XP desktop by crossover cable. XP machine
connected to internet and to external HD. I can access the XP's printers,
share files, etc (most of the time) but there are problems with the external
HD. It keeps disappearing from the network (from the laptop's perspective).
Mind you, the network itself only ever works if I turn the XP desktop on
first. Sometimes when I turn the laptop on the rst of the network is
connected fine but the LACIE external HD has disappeared and I have to go
through the process on the XP machine of sharing it again. At other times I
turn the laptop on and it is there just fine. I don't change anything. Why
does Windows do these mysterious annoying things? Is it that there has been
some new update downloaded that has reset something? How do I stop it doing
this? Why should I have to reshare the external HD whenever I boot up again?
(or more precisely randomly sometimes when I boot up) Isn't there some way I
can say to Windows, "hey listen, I really really mean it - I want this thing
to be permanently shared, don't ever unshare it again until I tell you!!"?

Greg,

I'm betting that you have a master browser conflict. The master browser is a
peer elected authority that lists things shared on your LAN. If two computers
don't elect the master browser using the same rules, you can end up with 2
master browsers, which is like a company with 2 CEOs.
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/04/nt-browser-or-why-cant-i-always-see.html
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...lways-see.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.