Release and refresh NetBIOS names by using the nbtstat command

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To release and refresh NetBIOS names by using the nbtstat command

Open Command Prompt.
At the command prompt, type:

nbtstat -RR

The progress of the release and refresh process is displayed as command-line output. This information indicates if all local NetBIOS names currently registered in WINS for this computer have released and renewed their registration with a WINS server.

Notes

To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command prompt.
NetBIOS names are registered with WINS and are normally released when the computer shuts down properly. If the computer did not properly shut down or could not contact a WINS server during shutdown and release its names, you can use this command to force a refresh and update in WINS of the local names for this computer. This is useful for mobile or portable computers that are moved between different locations on a network.
You can also use the nbtstat command to:
- List the NetBIOS names registered to this computer or a remote computer.
- Display the contents of the NetBIOS names cache of this computer or a remote computer.
- Manually load or reload the NetBIOS names cache by using entries in the Lmhosts file with a #PRE option.
- List NetBIOS over TCP/IP sessions statistics.

Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.