Article ID: 878468 - Last Review: November 13, 2004 - Revision: 4.3

You receive an "An error occurred while sending a message to <ComputerName>" error message when you run the net send command to send a message to a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer or to a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005-based Tablet PC

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SYMPTOMS

When you open a command prompt on a Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based computer or on a Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005-based Tablet PC, and then you run the net send command to send a message to your computer or your Tablet PC, you may receive the following error message:
An error occurred while sending a message to ComputerName
When you run the nbtstat -n command to display the NetBIOS local name table of your computer, the following entry may be present in the table: 
Name               Type     Status
----------------------------------------
ComputerName  <03> UNIQUE   Unregistered

Note Windows XP SP2 features and components are included in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.
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CAUSE

This issue occurs if the NetBIOS name of the computer or the Tablet PC is not registered and you complete the following steps:
  1. You make the network adapter on the computer unavailable.
  2. You make the network adapter on the computer available again.
  3. You run the net send ComputerName Message command line.
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WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, stop and then restart the Messenger service. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type control admintools in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. Double-click Services.
  3. Stop the Messenger service. To do this, right-click Messenger in the list of services, and then click Stop.
  4. After you stop the Messenger service, restart it. To do this, right-click Messenger in the list of services, and then click Start.
  5. On the File menu, click Exit.
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MORE INFORMATION

To display Help for the net send command, type net help send at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.
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REFERENCES

For more information about the net send command, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490710.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490710.aspx)
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (SP2)
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (SP2)
  • Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition Service Pack 2 (SP2)
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Keywords: 
kbtshoot kbprb KB878468
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