the network path was not found

Hello there

I have small network with two desktops running win XP pro SP3. Both are wired connected to a dlink switch. both are in the same workgroup i can ping the SYSA from SYSB with IP address and vice versa. I cant ping the SYSA with system name. when i try to run the path \\<SYSA>, it gives "The network path was not found" error. same from both the PCs. tried all possible solutions from the internet. none worked. in one system, symantec End point protection antivirus is installed and in other system, Avast home edition is installed. Firewall is on both the systems. i am trying to solve this problem from the last two days. till now its not solved. Please help me anybody. Thanks in advance.

1.  Objective.  You never said what you're trying to do.  Are you trying to enable "File and Printer Sharing" within your local area network?

2.  Reference(s):
    Troubleshooting File and Printer Sharing in Microsoft Windows XP
    File and Printer Sharing with Microsoft Windows

    Troubleshooting Computer Browsing on SOHO Networks with Microsoft Windows
    Computer Browsing for SOHO Networks with Microsoft Windows

3.  Possible causes of "The network path was not found":
     a.  Host firewalls are being used
     b.  The computers are not server computers
     c.  Computers are not on the same TCP/IP subnet

4.  Host Firewall.  For the Windows XP firewall, the "File and Printer Sharing exception" must be enabled (from Exceptions tab of Windows Firewall Control Panel applet).

For third party firewall, the equivalent must be enabled for the following types of unsolicited incoming traffic:
     o  User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port 137
     o  UDP port 138
     o  Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) 139

It might be best to disable the firewalls while you're trouble shooting this problem.  If it works with no firewall, then the firewall was blocking your traffic.

5.  Not server computers.  Verify the "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" component is installed and enabled (the checkbox is checked) within the network connection "Properties" window on both computers.

6.  Not on same TCP/IP subnet.  If using TCP/IP, check the configuration to ensure both computers have IP address on the same network (subnet mask must be the same).

7.  Services.  Within both computers, verify the following "services" are running:
     a.  Computer Browser
     b.  Server
     c.  Workstation

To access services, select Start -> right-click My_Computer -> select Manage -> select Services.

A network with 2 machines would normally not have anyway to reslove the name. This means when you ping by name the machines don't know where to get the info about the name....like the IP.

You can make sure that NetBios is enabled and if after about 15 mins it still doesn't work you can look into a host file.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hostsfaq.htm