Knowledge Base

Cannot Access Shared or Password-Protected Resource

Article ID: 129082

Article Last Modified on 11/15/2006

Microsoft Windows 95

This article was previously published under Q129082

SYMPTOMS

When you try to access a shared or password-protected resource on a computer running an international version of Windows 95 (such as German) from a computer running the U.S. version of Windows 95, you may receive one of the following error messages, even though you have entered the correct share name or password:

\\<computername>\<sharedresourcename>
The network name cannot be found.

The password is incorrect. Try again.

CAUSE

The password or the share name on the computer running the international version of Windows 95 may contain one or more of the following extended ASCII characters (the decimal value of these characters is listed):

   131, 133, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 147, 149, 150, 141, 152,
   161, 162, or 163

These characters can cause problems for computers running the U.S. version of Windows 95.

WORKAROUND

Change the password or share name on the computer running the international version of Windows 95 so that it does not contain any of the extended ASCII characters listed above.

MORE INFORMATION

Shared Folders

Using one or more of the extended ASCII characters listed above in the share name of a shared folder on a computer running an international version of Windows 95 causes the folder to be inaccessible by a computer running the U.S. version of Windows 95.

When it is connecting to a shared folder, Windows 95 converts the characters in the share name to upper case. The characters listed above do not have uppercase equivalents on a computer running the U.S. version of Windows 95, so the share name does not match after Windows 95 converts the name.

Password Validation

Using one or more of the extended ASCII characters listed above in a password string for a shared resource on a computer running an international version of Windows 95 causes that resource to be inaccessible by a computer running the U.S. version of Windows 95.

Shared resource passwords are not case sensitive in Windows 95. When a password is entered, Windows 95 converts the password to upper case and then encrypts the password and compares it to the original password. The extended ASCII characters listed above do not have uppercase equivalents on a computer running the U.S. version of Windows 95, so the password does not match after it is converted to upper case.

NOTE: If the two computers are running the same national version of Windows 95, the passwords do match.

For further information, see:

266807 NetHood: Unable to Access Network Share With Euro Character

Keywords: KB129082