Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Fix: "Networking is not installed or properly configured"

I was running into a problem earlier today on a secondary Windows XP SP2 machine of mine at work where although the machine could browse the Internet successfully and could ping other machines on the local network, it could not connect to any file shares (shared folders) on other machines on the local domain. Other machines on the network could still browse file shares with no problem.

On the machine experiencing the problem, in the Computer Name tab of the System Properties dialog (brought up from Control Panel | System), the "Network ID" and "Change" buttons were disabled (grayed out). A message at the bottom of the dialog indicated that the reason for this was that "networking is not installed or properly configured".

I was able to fix the problem by removing and re-installing the machine's Client for Microsoft Networks, as follows:

  • From the Control Panel, open Network Connections.
  • Right-click on my active Local Area Network connection and choose Properties.
  • In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog, select Client for Microsoft Networks, then click Uninstall. Close the dialog and reboot when prompted.
  • After rebooting, bring up the Local Area Connection Properties again.
  • Re-install the Client for Microsoft Networks by clicking the Install button, selecting Client from the Select Network Component Type dialog, then selecting Client for Microsoft Networks from the Select Network Client dialog. Click OK all the way back out, then reboot the machine once more when prompted.

I don't know enough about the internals of Windows networking to understand *why* this solution worked to fix this problem in my case -- only that it did work! I share the steps I took here in hopes that they might be helpful to others as well (as a possible alternative to more extreme solutions such as re-installing Windows!).

(Please do consider carefully before following these steps; Client for Microsoft Networks is a critical Windows networking component, and removing it -- even with the intention of subsequently re-installing it -- could possibly have other adverse affects on a system. For example, if the re-install of the Client for Microsoft Networks were to fail for whatever reason, the machine could be left in a state where the machine's network connectivity is even further adversely affected.)

76 comments:

  1. Thanks, I was running into same type of problem and your blogs gave me the solution that I required.

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  2. Thank you sooooo much! I spent all day trying to figure out why I had the same problems you described to a T!. I was going to have someonew head for breakfast if this took me much longer to fix. You just saved someones life today!

    Valerie

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  3. Thank you!!! This is exactly what my issue has been. Thanks for the post, you have saved me a ton of time.

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  4. Excellent - thanks this worked for me

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  5. Worked perfectly. Thanks!

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  6. Than you so much or this.

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  7. This better work, I am going to try it and I am crossing my fingers and my toes!

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  8. Thank you very Much you have save alot of time for me and I really appreciate it.

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  9. Thanks, I had just loaded the Win XP Pro disk and was about to reload whne I decided to search once more for an answer, and I acme across your post. This was exactly the problem I had, and your solution worked perfectly. Thanks very much!

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  10. Thanks for the help, we had wierd problems with a computer where all our group policies were being denied. We wanted to try and remove then readd the pc to the domain, when we came across this error. Turns out the client wasn't installed on the computer at all :S Anyway this worked, so thanks again for the help :)

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  11. thanks a lot, it worked also forme and saved whole lot of time for me.

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  12. Thanks so much, you saved me loads of time.

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  13. Thanks a lot, u saved a lot of time

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  14. Worked like a charm!!! Thanks.

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  15. Thank you, it worked perfectly! :)

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  16. I found that restarting the "Server" service and making sure it is set to automatic fixes this as well. This solution probably resets this service and that is how it fixes it.

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  17. @Paul Kroon: Thanks for the comment. In the event if I ever run into the problem described in this post again (and I haven't yet!), I'll give that a try. Your solution certainly seems easier, and potentially safer, than removing and re-adding the Client for Microsoft Networks!

    Also, if anyone tries Paul's solution, and it works, let me know, and I'll update the main post to make sure that no one misses it.

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  18. Hi, I had the same problem as you mentioned and tried Paul Kroon's suggestion first, can say it worked a treat. So cheers to both of you for helping me sort a problem. Andy B

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  19. I hate it when 5417 spontaneously uninstalls itself. Thanks yo.

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  20. IT pro for many years and never saw this issue before in Windows. It was driving me crazy! Your solution worked perfectly...take a bow.

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  21. Thanks!! Yours worked for me, restarting Server service did not...

    Why is Windows so ridiculous?

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  22. Wow. Awesome. Reinstalling CLient for Microsoft Networks did the trick.

    Much Appreciation

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  23. Was having this problem at work with a computer, couldn't access any network shares. Reinstalled the Client for Microsoft Networks & all is working fine now. Thanks.

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  24. My Computer Connected to a domain i got the same problem i tried every thing up mentioned but no cure :( i dont know why itis not working...

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  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  26. Hi Jon, it's worked! it was a critical problem for me. Thanx a lot :)

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  27. Wow...thanks Jon....this was the answer...stumped us for a while!
    Jessica

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  28. Hi jon , it's a good solution , thank you

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  29. Excelente Jonathan, me has saldo la vida. Salu2 desde Argentina

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  30. Great solution.. worked a treat first time to fix the issue exactly as experienced by others on here. Thanx

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  31. I tried the mentioned solution but didn't work. The following soln worked for me....Go to Start-Run-services.msc-Look for Server service-Right click and then go to properties-Click Recovery Tab.-under First, Second & Subsequent Failure select Restart the Service. Stop the service and then start. Do the same for Workstation and Net Log on service.

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  32. I LOVE YOU

    YOU ARE GREAT

    THANKS
    S DOSSA

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  33. I can't uninstall the client; it says it's still needed for: (and doesn't say what for)....

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  34. thanks this helped narrow down the problem and ultimately solve it. Appreciate the post!

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  35. gracias, me sirvió mucho, saludos desde Chile.
    thank for all.

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  36. Worked like a dream!thanks

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  37. hey jon, you're the man!!! worked like a charmm tnx!!!!


    Moises

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  38. Another satisfied customer! THanks very much; I thought I was going to have to run Windows repair or even worse a re-install!

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  39. Thanks a lot... I was facing the same problem on windows server 2003 VM.

    Great.

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  40. Thank you for this post. I had the problem of a W2K8 server joining W2K3 domain. I uninstalled this Network client, rebooted, and reinstalled, everything works fine now.

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  41. U R A LEGEND....
    Thank you so much for this post...
    fixed the exactly same problem...
    all works fine now...

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  42. Thanks for this post, worked awesome!

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  43. WOW. THANK YOU! I cleaned out my registry on my work computer and after reboot, I couldn't connect to any internal servers. This saved me!!!!!!

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  44. Thank you man...

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  45. Great great great, thank you very much it saves my time..

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  46. thanks you so much for this post...
    now i can fixed the this problem
    now ok ready........

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  47. Thanks alot!

    We were just about to re-installed Windows XP and I made a last go at finding a solution online.

    Glad I came across your solution!

    Cheers!

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  48. Nice fix pimp.

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  49. Great Works like a Charm

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  50. This blog is really useful

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  51. you rock man, muchas gracias.. Pura Vida

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  52. Nice one dude, thanks a lot

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  53. Thanks! This really helped me today with a weird authentication error!

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  54. Thanks for the lead. My issue was similar but it lead me to the answer. The workstation is on a domain, however I first thought it was a licening issue because the client was over there CAL's by 4. After installing more CAL's on the server the issue was still was there.

    The problem was that Client for Microsoft Networks was not installed, but previously was!!

    Now two questions are raised that I cant answer. One, users have local admin rights so do I have a user with itchy fingers or Does Microsoft SBS 2003 uninstall it from a domain workstation when CAL's are over the limit?

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  55. Thanks for this post! My issue was similar, but it turned out that Client for Microsoft Networks was uninstalled somehow when a user installed their Verizon air card software. I didn't even notice it was missing until I read this post. I guess the saying is true: Sometimes it's hard to see the forest through all the trees.

    Thanks again!

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  56. work really great this was the problem!! Thanks

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  57. Worked perfectly! Thanks!!

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  58. Restarting both services: Server & Computer Browser may also fix it. (Usually when you'll try to restart the "Server" service it will automatically prompt you that it's going to also restart "Computer Browser").

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  59. Thank you VERY MUCH!! This suggestion fixed my problem and the network was immediately active again.

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  60. Thanks a million Jonathan. You saved my extra work! Brilliant!

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  61. nice work and i really happy to catch this solutions. many thanks Jonanthan.

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  62. after restart issue is the same... help me...

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  63. nice...!!!!!!!!!!!! worked perfectly ...........tq..........

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  64. @ JONATHAN
    Thank you for your solution. I suffered 4/5 days with this issue and now your solution still working for me. Thank you very much.. I may ask back you if anything comes wrong.

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  65. Thanks, it's really help me on Windows 2003 R2 sp2!!!!!!!!!!

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  66. Great stuff, thanks man you saved me!

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  67. Thank you for your help!

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  68. Thank you, great!

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  69. Fixed an old Server 2003 issue! Thanks a bunch. I was getting all kinds of errors and RDP wouldnt work. This Fixed it, not sure why but it did!

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  70. Dude, You're a lifesaver. Thanks for the uninstall Client tip.

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  71. Greetings from the future. Your fix has worked for another. Thank you!

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