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I have a Windows 7 machine that logs into a domain. The machine can net view and see the different shares, but when I try to use, net use * \\name\share, I get an error stating that the service is not started. Yet when I issue a net start, it states the service is already started. My other win7 machines work fine; they can see and use any of the shares.

Is there a security setting that needs to be disabled or enabled? I really need to get this working, and I have no other ideas as the other machines have no problem accessing the shares on different systems.

The error I am getting is , "The Workstation Service Has Not Been Started", but like I said other machines can connect fine, and when I issue a, "net start workstation", it states the service is already started. In addition the error number I am receiving is 2138.

UPDATE: On the machine that is having issues.

From the troubled machine if I issue a

Net View \\name

I can see all the shares on the machine I want to connect to. When I try to

net use * \\name\sharename

I get the error The Workstation service has not started.

I have set both settings

sc config lanmanworkstation start = auto

and

sc config lanmanserver start = auto

on the Windows7 computer that is having issues. I have rebooted the computer and still no dice. I can net view any computer on the network and see all shares, but I cannot access any of the shares in which I can see.

In the registry under the HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services

Both LanmanServer and LanmanWorkstation start is set to 2.

Screen capture of net use and view:

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The Services:

enter image description here

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This is really weird. What am I missing? It has to be a security setting...

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  • 1
    Just updated. There are no errors in the event log.
    – nitefrog
    Feb 13, 2012 at 1:30
  • good, because there are specific things that might be.
    – Psycogeek
    Feb 13, 2012 at 1:35
  • Sounds like the error message is misleading and maybe there is some corruption in the network stack. Did you try running the network 'troubleshoot problems' wizard. Also can you compare your registry settings for HKLM,SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider on this machine with a working machine.
    – sgmoore
    Nov 30, 2012 at 12:25

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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I had the same issue (Win8). Registry was looking like this:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider] @="" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider\HwOrder] "ProviderOrder"=",npnotes64" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider\Order] @="" "ProviderOrder"=",npnotes64"

Compared it to another system and found my entries are different. So I changed my registry to:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider\HwOrder] "ProviderOrder"="RDPNP,LanmanWorkstation,webclient" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider\Order] "ProviderOrder"="RDPNP,LanmanWorkstation,webclient"

That solved it. UNC paths worked again immediately.

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  • I had tried restarting workstation service multiple times without help. This solution helped me too. Thanks.
    – anishsane
    Feb 12, 2014 at 8:44
  • I would upvote this answer a million times if I could. I was getting ready to reinstall Windows when I read this. Turns out a crappy virtual filesystem driver broke this registry key when it was installing.
    – smitelli
    Apr 23, 2017 at 4:27
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First things first. The best way to troubleshoot is to take one problem at the time.

A) Services started mode

Check if the services LanmanServer and LanmanWorkstation are started in automatic mode... If they are in manual the delay to start them may be the source of the error msg you're talking about.

B) Services Dependencies

I agree with the Psycogeek comment: the dependancies must be checked. If the service on which LanmanServer and LanmanWorkstation failed to start or are not started automatically this may add a delay in these services startup and so on...

C) Services setup comparison

Compare the services setup of a working workstation with the services setup of the problematic one...

D) Packet sniffing between the workstation and the LAN

Also check the packets transfers between this workstation and the Local Area Network to see what's really happen (or not...)

Suggested tools:

a) For services:

services.msc or mmc.exe and add services.msc (to keep your display setup) or NirSoft's ServiWin (also for drivers...)

b) For Packets sniffing:

Wireshark or Microsoft Network Monitor

If the problem comes from the services setup you have the solution.

If not, you eliminate this possibility and we can look for somethings else...

Hope this help. Let us know.

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  • Don't agree with me to quickly :-) I was looking into the Crasy stuff that can happen, that make the errors meaningless. Weird stuff like Checking for %systemroot% to be working proper? Checking DCOM services (like what does that have to do with it?) and Checking Drivers themselves. Some disabled drivers can give a "service not started" that IS started. I figured everyone else would have any normal things covered :-)
    – Psycogeek
    Feb 13, 2012 at 2:12
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    That's right! I confess that I'm too quick too often!:D With one of the suggested tools (serviwin) it's possible to check drivers (start mode and so on)...
    – climenole
    Feb 13, 2012 at 2:47
  • I tried all this and I looked at the service against a machine that works and all the same. The problem machine can net view and see everything from any computer, but cannot net use. It states the Workstation service has not been started on an net use command, even though the ACTUAL service shows started! And there are 0 errors in the event log.
    – nitefrog
    Feb 13, 2012 at 5:59
  • @nitefrog Cross compare the Drivers in device manager, with all of them showing. that means do the hidden devices tweak, and view show hidden devices on. with all that showing finnaly, look in the network devices area first. even though there could be other things. I have no idea what the problem is, it is just one more place to look.
    – Psycogeek
    Feb 13, 2012 at 6:50
  • Open in Administrator mode cmd.exe Paste in the following line: SET DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1 Then type in devmgmt.msc to start up Device Manager: in Device Manager, go to the View menu and choose Show Hidden Devices, to show all the device drivers including things that aren’t currently installed. Right-click on the driver and then choose Uninstall to remove the drivers for that old hardware.
    – climenole
    Feb 13, 2012 at 17:29
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The Workstation (LanmanWorkstation) service must be started on the client machine (the one you are trying to connect from). On the server, LanmanServer is needed.

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    All the services are started. That is the issue. It makes no sense. I can NET VIEW from the machine, but I cant NET USE from the machine.
    – nitefrog
    Feb 13, 2012 at 1:43
  • even when I type sc config lanmanworkstation start = demand and get the success response, still no dice. Remember the SERVER can be accessed by other win7 machines.
    – nitefrog
    Feb 13, 2012 at 1:47
  • @nitefrog: Right, and I wasn't asking about the server either. I was asking about that single machine that cannot access it.
    – u1686_grawity
    Feb 13, 2012 at 5:01
  • Yes the machine that is trying to access the machine that the other can has the two services started.
    – nitefrog
    Feb 13, 2012 at 5:09
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I had exactly the same issue and after following the tips provided here I went to check on MS support and found the link https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/314543 this one applied only for XP.However, it game a hint to resolved the problem and basically what I did was to follow answer #2 advice and it fixed the issue.

I compare another colleague laptop export this entry from the register HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvide and import it to my laptop and it work no need to restart you system

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  • What did you export exactly? This answer assumes that the author has a colleague or another computer. It would be helpful to have all relevant information in the answer itself, Microsoft has a nasty nabit, of moving knowlege base articles without notice or redirection.
    – Ramhound
    Jul 7, 2015 at 17:23

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