DNS issue for sub directory

[Obee1]

Hi guys & gals

 

Come across a bit of a weird issue today whereby I have one device that will not connect into the users home drive.

These are mapped by GPO, never had any issues; now we just get the old “M:\ refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer, or on a network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted, or that you are connected to the Internet or your network, and then try again. If it still cannot be located, the information might have been moved to a different location.”. I have seen this before but it is usually that I have missed a character in the UNC path.

 

On further inspection it will let me map directories above the one for which I get that message.

I have tried different users and the problem persists on that device for each user.

I have reapplied (forced) the GPOs and even tried removing it from the network and adding it back on fresh.

 

I have a workaround in that if I use the IP address of the server rather than the Server name it works fine.

This would therefore point to a DNS issue. I have checked IP and DNS settings all look fine. I have changed them and then reverted the change just for good measure.

I have flushed the DNS and checked the DNS on the server, which seems fine.

 

This issue isn't replicated to other devices, so clearly seems to be some kind of issue with DNS on that device I would think.

Also disabled firewall on both device and server to test whether either was blocking.

 

As I say I have a workaround, but I don't like workarounds I like working.

My coffee-starved, post Christmas Do little brain can't think of much else to try.

 

Anyone experienced this weird behavior before?

[mrwoberts]

Ping the server IP

Ping the server Hostname

Ping the server FQDName - what do you get back? No response, an IPv4 response, or an IPv6 response?

 

Check this devices HOSTS file - any custom entries?

Check this devices Event Log - anything relevant?

Switch issue?? - try rerouting via another switch

Server DNS misconfig for this device - anything in the server event log relating to this device?

[DMcCoy]

Offline files enabled?

[mrwoberts]

Is this device receiving a proper domain suffix

 

ipconfig /all

 

Primary Dns Suffix

DNS Suffix Search List

Connection-specific DNS Suffix

 

Do these look normal - point to your domain

[Obee1]

Offline files enabled?

 

Thank you all for your replies. Everything looked as it should, however I was intrigued by DMcCoy's answer. We use and always have used Offline files. This has always been without problem, but disabling them resolved the issue in this case.

 

We have had multiple users share laptops with offline files enabled in the past without issue, but seemed to be the issue this time around.

 

I came across a similar issue today whereby a user with offline files enabled needed access to another user's area. I couldn't map the other users file area unless disabling offline files.

DMcCoy, have you come across this issue before? Anyone else??

 

Thanks again

[DMcCoy]

Thank you all for your replies. Everything looked as it should, however I was intrigued by DMcCoy's answer. We use and always have used Offline files. This has always been without problem, but disabling them resolved the issue in this case.

 

We have had multiple users share laptops with offline files enabled in the past without issue, but seemed to be the issue this time around.

 

I came across a similar issue today whereby a user with offline files enabled needed access to another user's area. I couldn't map the other users file area unless disabling offline files.

DMcCoy, have you come across this issue before? Anyone else??

 

Thanks again

 

It's rare, but shows up by denying access to only folders/subfolders on individual machines. Testing with ip instead of unc is a good way to spot it. This is caused by an issue with the offline files database on the machine with the problem, it can be fixed by resetting the csc cache on that machine with a registry entry and rebooting. This will *delete* all existing offline files however, so a little care is needed if the denied error is affecting the current sync.

 

Not the relevant kb, but one that has the key to reset the database https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/942974

[Obee1]

Well thanks @DMcCoy. Been in the business about 12 years and never come across this.

 

Weird that it's happened twice in a fortnight though. Worried that its something server end as fairly recently changed to Server 2012.

[mrwoberts]

Now I think back, I may have had problems related to Offline files with a few laptops over this past month. Hmmm.

One thing I've done as a result of the offline files discussion was to disable 'Offline Caching' for shares where it is never needed. Particularly the Staff share where some folks couldn't access it from home through the VPN, but if we went through the remapping to another drive letter it worked.