[German]Some users are facing an empty network environment and have problems accessing other shares, after upgrading to Windows 10 April Update (V1803). Here are a few hints what to do.
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Microsoft removed the homegroup from Windows 10 V1803 (see Windows 10 V1803: Removed features, planned replacements). But users of Windows 10 are also plagued by further inequities in their network environment when switching to the April Update (V1803).
Error description
I had this topic in mind but again became aware of the problem through a German comment by Michael. Here is the translated description:
I'm dealing with a curious issue I didn't notice until after 1803. Two machines, 1 x [Win 10] home a the box from HP with nothing on it, a "workstation" that also ran until then.
The network [environment is] empty except for printer / FRITZ!Box, all other machines [within the network] are no longer visible.
Using a machines name to access the shares works. Using results in:
Net view := Error
System error 1231The network address cannot be reached. For more information about troubleshooting network problems, see Windows Help.
The network machine isn't reachable. Automatic troubleshooting, of course, doesn't produce any result.
To make a long story short, there is no longer a network browser service, the network environment in explorer seems to be empty. Why, I have no idea; LanmanWkst & Server are intact. .
The SMBv1 problem
On Windows 10 V1803, the SMBv1 protocol is no longer installed by default. Microsoft provides the support article SMBv1 is not installed by default in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and Windows Server, version 1709 and later versions, which describes the topic in more detail.
- In Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Professional, the SMBv1 server is no longer included by default after reinstallation.
- In Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Professional, the SMBv1 client is still included by default after reinstallation. If the SMBv1 client is not used for a total of 15 days (except when the computer is turned off), the client is automatically uninstalled.
- Direct upgrades from Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Professional do not automatically remove SMB1 at first. If the SMBv1 client or server is not used for a total of 15 days (except when the computer is turned off), it is automatically uninstalled.
The automatic removal of SMB1 after 15 days is a one-time process. If an administrator reinstalls SMB1, the log is not uninstalled.
The Microsoft support article linked above contains the following hint: Since the computer search service relies on SMBv1, the service will be uninstalled when the SMBv1 client or server is uninstalled. This means that the Explorer node "Network" can no longer display Windows computers via the legacy method for browsing NetBIOS datagrams.
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(Source: SuperUser-Forum)
In this scenario, Windows 10 will display various errors such as'The specified network name is no longer available.' etc.
A fix for this issue
At superuser.com there is the forum post Did Windows 10 April Update break network discovery and Samba support?, where someone also describes the above error picture. It can no longer access NAS shares. I would look for the cause in the uninstalled SMBv1 protocol.
The first impulse would be to reinstall the SMBv1 protocol to fix the problem. For security reasons, however, this should be avoided. There must be another way to reactivate the network browser function. And in the superuser.com forum post contains the advice to activate the WS-DISCOVERY protocol for search.
- Find the
Function Discovery Provider HostandFunction Discovery Resource Publicationservices and set their startup types toAutomatic (Delayed Start). - The next time you start network browsing, follow the prompts to enable Network discovery.
Microsoft explains the whole thing in this support article. On the Windows-based computers on which SMBv1 is no longer used, follow these steps:
1. Start the "Function Discovery Provider Host" and "Function Discovery Resource Publication" services, and then set them to Automatic (Delayed Start)..
2. When you open Explorer Network, enable network discovery when you are prompted.
All Windows devices in this subnet that have these settings are now displayed in "Network" and can be searched. The WS search protocol is used. Maybe this fixes the issue that the network search can't find anything anymore.
Similar articles
Win10 Wiki
Windows 10 April Update (Version 1803): Upgrade FAQ
Activate Build-in Administrator account in Windows – I
Activate Build-in Administrator account in Windows – II
Microsoft plans a Windows 10 V1803 SMBv1 fix on June 2018
Windows 10 V1803: Update KB4100403 (with SSD fix)
Windows 10: Scanner fails after update
