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Simon
Asked: 2010-04-14 01:53:31 +0800 CST

What can prevent a Server 2008 machine accessing its OWN UNC shares?

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I need to set up a UNC share for my hosted dedicated server to access a share on itself. Unfortunately TFS requires a UNC share.

I am on a Windows Server 2008 Standard SP2 64bit dedicated server behind a PIX 501 firewall hosted with GoDaddy.

I just cannot get the server to access itself and get this error:

Windows cannot access \\SERVER\SHARE Check the spelling of the name.. etc.

I've found numerous questions about this but no answer to my problem.

  • Server 2008 Standard x64 SP2
  • Workgroup - not domain
  • Windows Firewall is off
  • Computer browser service is on
  • I am trying to access \\MYMACHINE\TFS-BUILDS by typing in - or double clicking. Neither works.
  • Machine has single network card
  • Filesharing wizard says share was ok
  • Share was showing under 'Computer management'
  • Permissions are set to 'everyone' full control
  • No obvious errors in eventlog
  • Reboot didn't fix it
  • Unfortunately I cannot try to access other shares in or out of this machine because it is a hosted dedicated server and the only machine behind a hardware firewall.

The only thing left i can think of is that the hardware firewall needs to be configured. I don't think it is this because we have a 2003 Server machine behind a different hardware firewall and that one works fine.

What on earth is left?!

windows-server-2008 file-sharing unc

4 Answers

  1. OK I got it!

    Apparently 'File and printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks' is not installed for the network adapter by default. I'm not sure if this is a Windows 2008 default or the network card's default.

    Here's what fixed it:

    • Right click on 'Local Area Connection'
    • Verify that 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks' is NOT there
    • Assuming you don't see it - Click 'Install'
    • Double click on 'Service'
    • Select 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks'
    • Click OK to install it
    • Reboot machine

    You should be able to see it now. Jees! (Answer from http://kadaitcha.cx/file_sharing.html)

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  2. When trying to access administrative shares such as \\servername\c$ you may need to set a registry key - yes really!

    This is what Microsoft calls 'UAC remote restrictions'

    > Key:
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
> Value: LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy 
> Data: 1 (to disable, 0 enables filtering)
> Type: REG_DWORD (32-bit)

    See http://helgeklein.com/blog/2011/08/access-denied-trying-to-connect-to-administrative-shares-on-windows-7/

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  3. It is an old thread, but just in case it can help someone:

    Even the "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" service and "Client for Microsoft Networks" client were already installed, I had to uninstall and install them again, restarting each time. That solved it for me!

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  4. For me, I was unable to do a self-network share:
    dir \\HOSTNAME\c$

    Nor in Explorer:
    \\HOSTNAME\c$

    The final solution was to turn on IPV6.

    1. Open Network and Sharing Center -> Local Area Connection
    2. Right-Click and select Properties
    3. Select Internet Protocol Version 6

    Also make sure you have File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks installed and enabled.

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