The Specified Server Cannot Perform the Requested Operation

Purpose

You receive the error, "Bad Network Response - The specified server cannot perform the requested operation." This is typically associated with a Windows error 58, ERROR_BAD_NET_RESP. You might also see something along the lines of, "File Path: \\computer.domain.com\ipc$" indicating the source path of the failure.

Resolution

An ERROR_BAD_NET_RESP, or bad network response, can have many causes some of which are listed below. Typically, a reboot of the failed target machine(s) resolves the issue. If the issue persists after a reboot of the miscreant target, please see the following possible causes and remedies (from most to least common).

DNS

A misconfigured DNS can cause this issue where PDQ is attempting to access the share of a target machine that does not resolve properly. Check DNS to make sure the hostname and IP resolve correctly and that NetBIOS is in agreement with that resolution. The See Also section below contains resources and guidance on how to identify and correct DNS issues.

Third Party Software

In certain cases, security software might be the cause of the error. Temporarily disable any antivirus or antimalware software and attempt again.

Other software might also contribute to this error, especially software that utilizes CIFS/SMB at a lower version than that required within the environment.

Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level

In certain cases, NTLM can be set in such a way as to prevent authentication. For more information, please see this article: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738867

SMB Version Differences

In rare cases, SMB version conflicts can be the cause of this error. Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1 both use SMB version 2. Window Server 2008R2 and Windows 7 use SMB version 2.1. Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8.x and higher use SMB 3.0.

You can check the version of SMB being run on the target by issuing the following command from an elevated PowerShell prompt:

Get-SmbConnection

Note: The dialect version might be lower than the default SMB version depending on the OS with which the target machine is communicating. For example, you might be using a Windows 10 machine, but connecting to a 2008R2 files server share. In this case, the dialect on the Windows 10 machine will show 2.1 as the SMB version. If you are operating with SMB encrypted shares, please see this article, Ensuring Windows Clients can Access SMB Encrypted Shares.

Resource SID Compression

You are utilizing Resource SID Compression in an environment containing Windows XP and 2003 machines. For more information and to resolve the issue, please see the following article: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2774190

Hardware

Older hardware, typically edge devices and network devices that use an SMB protocol lower than that utilized within the environment, will cause issues. This can usually be remedied with a firmware upgrade or a replacement of the device.