Windows 7: Reciprocal security problem W7 64 bit (network password)

Have been successfully networking W7x64(ult) desktop and W7x32(pro) laptop. Today I performed a clean install of W7x64(ult) on the laptop, so now both machines have the same. Of course, now, it doesn't work!!

Simple home LAN, single workgroup (no domain). Password-protected sharing is ON (both machines), network discovery enabled. I don't want to use homegroup for other reasons.

Each machine is visible to the other. Public sharing is enabled. Weirdly:

- When I attempt to access the laptop from the desktop, I was asked to input the username and password. ANNOYINGLY I did this too fast and can't remember whether or not I typed the machine name as a "domain", but anyway - it worked! I used the username and password I normally log into the laptop with. I am able to access not only the public shares but all the directories I would have access to when logged in locally on the laptop.

BUT

- When I try the exact same, from the laptop to the desktop, it rejects my attempted login every time. I have tried using just my desktop username and password, to which the laptop appears to add its computer name as a prefix "domain" i.e. '[LAPTOPNAME]\[DESKTOPLOGINNAME]' - this does not work. I have also tried adding the desktop name as a prefix manually i.e. '[DESKTOPNAME]\[DESKTOPLOGINNAME]' but no permutation or combination will allow access.

I must be missing something very obvious. My laptop install of W7x64(ult) is complete clean and brand-new (3hrs ago). My desktop install of the same is about a year old but I don't mess about with network settings so it should be as it came out-of-the-box.



Any ideas? I see there are enough postings on this to realise it's probably been asked many times before but as I couldn't find a solution I wait with baited breath.

Thanks in advance.

Alastair

I found the problem and solved it. Strangely the answer came from a loosely-related post which led me to the "Computer Management" app.

On my desktop, some time back for clarity at home, I changed my login from just 'alastair' to 'Alastair_WS'. What I didn't realise is that this does NOT change the actual user ID, it only changes the displayed name.

So the solution, not very tricky, was to login using the correct "domain" and the real user ID, not the one which presents itself when Windows starts up.