Odd networking problem

I have an odd problem and I'm really hoping that someone can explain what is going on. So, please help me!

We have an NT 4 network with 140 computers. I have one Windows 2000 laptop that I can not browse. If I try to see it through network neighbourhood,using my computer, it is listed but if I try to access it I get the error "\\UsersPC is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource..". Here's what I don't understand. If I, from the user's pc, browse my computer first then I can browse the user's pc. Still, only my computer can browse the user's pc...no other computer can unless the user's computer browses it first.

Anyway, what I don't understand is why I can access the user's computer through the network only if the user's computer initiates communication first.

There is a firewall on the user's computer, but I disabled it, rebooted, and the problem hadn't changed. Of course, that makes me think it is not the firewall. I can ping the user's computer at all times and the user's computer can ping me.

I don't know what other information you might need to help me understand my problem.

Any ideas would really help me out.

NETBIOS is sometimes needed to browse laptop and NT 4 Network?

Is this enabled - I know you dont want to put it on but try it and see if you get two way communication

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I did think of that. I did install it but it didn't make any difference. If you have any other ideas...let me know 'cause I'm all out.

i dont know if this is even close to your situation, forgive me i am tired and was just trying to keep awake by reading, did you install any utilities that came with the lan card, like third party network files, i find these to be problematic, i have come across this on more networks then i care to remember, someone buys a card installs it ,drops in the cd and lets it install whatever it wants, like the card with the compaq name, even the microsoft card, when i install a card and drop in the cd, i close the screen for the installer, go to the device manager, and search the cd for the driver, if one of these third party, even microsoft's card ,installs third party networking it seems to crap out something. look in add remove and see if any networking programs are installed there, if they are this could be your trouble.

I don't see any NIC software installed, but I am noticing quite a bit of software in general. Obviously, I didn't configure this laptop so wasn't sure exactly what was running on it. Thanks for the tip, I'm going to research what all this junk is so I can get rid of whatever is not needed.