Have just re-installed Vista Ultimate on two machines, One 32bit on laptop one 64bit on desktop.
Setup mapping network on first day and could connect with no problems between desktop and laptop.
Both machines can still connect with third desktop (sisters comp with Ultimate 32bit).
Problem only with laptop and this one desktop.

Now today for some reason they will not connect with each other.
Every time i try to map a drive between laptop and desk top I get an error saying 'cannot connect'. Although it lists clives-desktop so finds it. Then when run diagnostics repair I get this message, 'clives-desktop is not a valid dns name'
why is this it was valid yesterday?

network discovery, file sharing and password off are all set correctly on both comps. Have also tried with firewall disabled on both comps with no success.

What is changing the dns status?

Just a few questions.

Are you using a router?

Are the machines all set as static or dynamic IP ?

What is the router set to, Does it think its the DNS server?
What is the IP range set in it?
What are the IP addresses of the machines? ( do they all fall within that range )
Can you ping the various machines?
Are all the machines in the same work group? ( exactly the same spelling )

Hi Alun thanks for you reply, here are the answers as best I can do.

1. Yes Netgear DG834GT router
2. router set to automatically get DNS from ISP dynamic unticked in router.
3.DNS is set to automatically get DNS address from ISP
4. 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.254
5. Assume they are as was working before and I have not change them. But not know how to check.
6. Not tried as not know how or where to find laptop's/desktop's IP addresses to ping.
7. All set to default 'workgroup' must be spelt correct as windows does the spelling on default.

If any of the above were incorrect would that not mean I would not connect to any of my comps that are connected to same router. As all comps can connect to my sisters with no problems I think my router must be Ok. Only the second desktop and laptop have connection problems and they had no problems the day before. I am wondering what changed things as I only shut down comp the night before and then this problem occurred when turned on the next day

to get machine IP use run command and type cmd then when the command prompt appears type ipconfig that will give you the addresses.
Not ignoring your what has changed just trying to understand current state.

A change of condition.

Previously had Vista Ultimate installed from bought disc. Have now decided to see if going back to Home premium from original comp disc will resolve problem.

Will let you know if problem resolves and stays resolved. for at least a week. Ultimate only lasted 3 days before problem occurred.

Thanks for your help if get any ideas let me know as would like Ultimate to work properly, although at mo Premium sems to be faster. (probably an illusion).

I like your aviator. Describes what I feel like at moment.

Hi Alun

Another update to problem.
Have just installed vista home premium.
But this has not resolved problem still says cannot connect to 'clives-desktop'.

Maybe problem lies in either the desktop settings or router settings.
But if it router settings I do not understand why it still can connect to the other desktop on router I think it may be the Vista Ultimate software on desktop that has blocked connection somehow. but it still sees the laptop in tree view on both comps. so knows it is there on discover networks.

Don't know if this any help for you but keeping fingers crossed.

Another update

have tried to ping each ip address involved. get error 'request timed out' in both directions.

If I ping clives-desktop from the laptop it says can't find...
If I ping jackies-desktop it finds it no probs
If I ping itself by name (clive-laptop) it also says request timed out.
If I ping itself using address (192.168.0.3) finds it ok

Hope these updates are of use

Scratch's head

Hi AlunD

Careful you don't get splinters.

Thanks again for trying it is a complete mystery why it was working then suddenly stopped with nothing extra added except Microsoft updates.

Ah well that must be it I guess try rolling them back.

Thanks again AlunD for your all efforts.

Any idea where I can get aviators like yours to use as my chat labels?

One of our members here did mine - theChipmunk ( Blue and I had the same one before that ) you just need a giff editor Paintshop pro or I think the Gimp will do it ). A search in Google images may well produce something for you.

Do this Google search "how to make an animated gif" even a video to show you how.