SMS: Network Drive No Longer Exists

• Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2

SYMPTOMS

The SMSLS script may fail with client computers, receiving the following error:

   Network drive no longer exists: error reading drive ?
   Abort/Retry/Fail

CAUSE

This network error is most likely to occur on token ring environments. In a network sniff on a token ring network, you may notice Receiver Congestion Errors. Receiver Congestion Errors indicate that the reporting ring station (RS) could not receive a frame addressed to it.

This error is not an error with Systems Management Server, but can manifest when the Systems Management Server logon script runs.

Some possible causes are:

• A lack of buffer space within the network interface card (NIC) on the destination RS.
• The server NIC is incorrectly configured or using an outdated driver.
• Other client redirector issues.

WORKAROUND

The following are suggestions for troubleshooting this problem:

• Ensure that both servers and clients have the latest NIC drivers.
• Limit the maximum frame size on the token ring to 4 KB (4,096 bytes).
• For client computers running Windows for Workgroups, ensure that you have the updated redirector files from the Clients\WFW directory of the Windows NT compact disc. Also, set the Lmscript.pif file on Windows for Workgroups clients to background exclusive mode. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE-ID: Q126159
        TITLE     : LMSCRIPT.PIF and the SMSLS Logon Script
  
  

• For client computers running Windows 95, set the Dosprmpt.pif MISC Idle Sensitivity to "Low".
• If possible, run a hardware level network sniff that is able to detect runt packets, or other badly behaved packets.