# Solved: Master / Backup Browsers in a Workgroup



## drewgraham (Jul 20, 2005)

I have three XP PCs (Laptop and two Desktops) simply linked together through an ADSL Modem / Wireless Router.

In the event logs of the various computers are:


> Type: Warning
> Date: 17/11/2006
> Time: 14:05:00
> Event: 8021
> ...


_ or 8022 errors_

Followed by:


> Type: Error
> Date: 17/11/2006
> Time: 14:07:00
> Event: 8032
> ...


Also, there are 8003 and 8005 errors:


8003 said:


> Type: Error
> Date: 17/10/2006
> Time: 10:56:34
> Event: 8003
> ...





8004 said:


> Type: Warning
> Date: 04/12/2006
> Time: 15:00:50
> Event: 8004
> ...


nikpc is the Studio PC and Dellpc is the Admin PC, btw.

Everything I look up on eventid or MS KB refers to _domains_ or DCs.

As I'm on a workgroup, can I not set the master and backup(s) rather than having them elected. Every now and again the whole netwokr wigs out and is unbrowseable.

Can someone point me in the direction of a solution to making browsers behave in workgroups please?

I have attached a RAR with notepad exports of the browser issues for the two main computers and the two main computers' sys evt logs.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Edit these registry entries to "force" it to win an election:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
IsDomainMaster and MaintainServerList both should be positive, YES/TRUE, depending on 2K or XP.

An election occurs each time your master browser becomes unavailable. The other way you could prevent elections is to stop the Computer Browser servers on all the other clients and set it to manual. This service does nothing but maintain the browse list and make the pc capable of becoming a master or backup browser.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"Edit these registry entries to "force" it to win an election:"

Sounds like cheating to me! Are you originally from Chicago, John?


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## drewgraham (Jul 20, 2005)

JohnWill said:


> Edit these registry entries to "force" it to win an election:
> 
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
> IsDomainMaster and MaintainServerList both should be positive, YES/TRUE, depending on 2K or XP.
> ...


I understand on a domain or a large workgroup what the advantage of a Master and Backup Browser would be, but on a network of three computers, is there any advantage in running Browsers, or can I disable all (or all but one of?) the Computer Browser services with no ill effects?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You can disable all but one, as long as that computer is up and running, it'll work. I did that for about a year, then the one system was dead, and I had to go fix the network.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Are you having any networking problems or just noticed the entries in the event viewer.

If there are no problems networking I would just leave well enough alone.


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## drewgraham (Jul 20, 2005)

Bob Cerelli said:


> Are you having any networking problems or just noticed the entries in the event viewer.
> 
> If there are no problems networking I would just leave well enough alone.


I've noticed the constant arguing over who's the Master following cases where the network crashes and is unbrowsable; see this thread.

So it _may_ be unrelated, it may be a cause or it may be an effect.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

IMO the master browser election is caused by the master browser PC leaving the network. It is not a cause of any problem.


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## UNIKSERV (Feb 2, 2002)

TerryNet said:


> IMO the master browser election is caused by the master browser PC leaving the network. It is not a cause of any problem.


Agreed.

Joe


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## drewgraham (Jul 20, 2005)

And that would make sense from what I'm learning about Browsers; a MB election is called / forced _because_ the MB is taken offline by some other network error.

Thanks guys.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Are you turning computers on and off before having this problem. Didn't see that mentioned. If that is the case then yes, there would be a period of time, until a new browser master is elected, for browsing not to work. 

But in another thread you have on this same topic, it was also mentioned that possibly the network card or drivers on one computer may be causing the "other network error". Has this been tried yet.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I've seen workgroup networks where browsing just gets a hairball and stops working for a spell, then recovers. Many times, turning off the the capability of multiple master browsers brings it back to sanity.

Just another trick in the bag in case all else fails.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Just make sure you don't turn off whatever computer is configured as the master browser in that case. Otherwise you won't be able to browse at all.


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## UNIKSERV (Feb 2, 2002)

Just configure a DNS server and get rid of that headache altogether. 

Joe


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

What happens when that server is turned off? Keep in mind this is only a three computer XP network.


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