Location is not available

[SteveW2016]

TOPIC: Network Storage

ERROR: Location is not available

FREQUENCY: Very often

 

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM: Computer randomly loses connection to file server causing backup operations / copy / paste to fail.

ATTEMPTED SOLUTION: I found this article. However, when I attempt the solution, I am greeted with this problem.

 

REASON FOR POSTING HERE: I cannot find a solution to the "preferences missing from group policy editor" issue.

Please anybody help I only want to have a file server is that too much to ask

[NelizMastr]

Could you provide some more details on what your network looks like?

 

Do you have a separate DHCP and DNS server?

 

How are all clients connected to the file server (and to the network in general)? 

 

Are you using UNC paths mapped directly over IP or DNS names?

[SteveW2016]

23 minutes ago, NelizMastr said:

Could you provide some more details on what your network looks like?

 

Do you have a separate DHCP and DNS server?

 

How are all clients connected to the file server (and to the network in general)? 

 

Are you using UNC paths mapped directly over IP or DNS names?

My DHCP is my asus RT-AC66U_B1 router, I think my dns server is just my isp but im not sure.

 

All clients are connected via ethernet or wifi, the server is the router and an external hard drive.

 

I am not sure about the UNC path. All i'm doing is going into network in file explorer, opening FileServer and right-clicking the drive I want and clicking map network drive. This action prompts me to give the drive a letter and the address looks like "Network Drive icon > This PC > PC_1_Backup (\\FILESERVER) (W:)" where network drive icon is literally just the icon.

 

Sorry I'm new to this stuff, I hope this helped.

[NelizMastr]

3 minutes ago, SteveW2016 said:

My DHCP is my asus RT-AC66U_B1 router, I think my dns server is just my isp but im not sure.

 

All clients are connected via ethernet or wifi, the server is the router and an external hard drive.

 

I am not sure about the UNC path. All i'm doing is going into network in file explorer, opening FileServer and right-clicking the drive I want and clicking map network drive. This action prompts me to give the drive a letter and the address looks like "Network Drive icon > This PC > PC_1_Backup (\\FILESERVER) (W:)" where network drive icon is literally just the icon.

Your router is DNS, DHCP and fileserver in one in this case.

 

The thing with USB hard drives is that they like to go to sleep randomly, which will disconnect the share temporarily. Different routers also handle a ton of traffic like in case of a scheduled backup differently. I don't know if there's a way for you to monitor the router during back-ups to see if it might be overloaded somehow?

[SteveW2016]

12 minutes ago, NelizMastr said:

Your router is DNS, DHCP and fileserver in one in this case.

 

The thing with USB hard drives is that they like to go to sleep randomly, which will disconnect the share temporarily. Different routers also handle a ton of traffic like in case of a scheduled backup differently. I don't know if there's a way for you to monitor the router during back-ups to see if it might be overloaded somehow?

I just realized something: when I map the network drive, restart the computer, and attempt to use it, it throws 'location is not available', however, when I access it directly by clicking network>fileserver>drivename, and copy stuff there, it works...

 

even though the computer showed an all good icon for the mapped drive after a reboot.

[NelizMastr]

2 minutes ago, SteveW2016 said:

I just realized something: when I map the network drive, restart the computer, and attempt to use it, it throws 'location is not available', however, when I access it directly by clicking network>fileserver>drivename, and copy stuff there, it works...

 

even though the computer showed an all good icon for the mapped drive after a reboot.

I'd try to map the share over the IP address instead. So go to This PC, remove the drive mappings, and create the mapping again via the computer tab rather than going to network. This way we can rule out DNS being the issue. For the path, use this:   \\x.x.x.x\sharename  substitute with your share and IP address.

[SteveW2016]

59 minutes ago, NelizMastr said:

I'd try to map the share over the IP address instead. So go to This PC, remove the drive mappings, and create the mapping again via the computer tab rather than going to network. This way we can rule out DNS being the issue. For the path, use this:   \\x.x.x.x\sharename  substitute with your share and IP address.

I tried this and this time it lost the map mid copy.

[NelizMastr]

14 hours ago, SteveW2016 said:

I tried this and this time it lost the map mid copy.

Hmm. Other idea, connect the USB disk to another PC and share it. Then map that share as usual and see if that one stays functional. If so, your router is the issue.