Windows 7: Vista can't browse workgroup

I'm able to ping both ways and able to see another workgroup Vista machine from the XP side but not my laptop Vista.

No antivirus other than MS Security Essientials, no third party firewall, removed all malware TSR's.

Have files & Printer sharing turned on and double checked the workgroup BUT when I tried to change the computers name I get a "error occured validating..." message.

What services are needed for Microsoft Networking??

I moved this to the Vista forum sice I found my login/password.

When this started I uninstalled all virus/malware products.
I wish it were as easy as setting up the network, this machine has been working for years until the bug hit.
110% sure there are not bugs left and everything works except for netbios networking.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Here is my ipconfig /all NETBIOS over tcpip shows disabled even though is is enabled in Network Connections - IPV4 Properties. This has to be because TCP/IP netbios helper isn't starting I have chased down depandencies and am lost to where to go next.

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : joe-gateway
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : westell.com
System Quarantine State . . . . . : Not Restricted

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 5100
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-5D-3F-9B-8E
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::c492:1782:defd:60c4%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.30(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 30, 2012 3:59:11 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, January 31, 2012 3:59:10 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 184557917
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-B7-A3-F2-00-E0-B8-FE-39-D0
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8057 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-B8-FE-39-D0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::cc91:10e3:8cd3:9c3c%12(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.21(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 30, 2012 3:58:53 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, January 31, 2012 3:58:53 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 201384120
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-B7-A3-F2-00-E0-B8-FE-39-D0
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

I found a patch. Instead of trying to map a printer or shared folder by using its host name (\\localxp-pc\shared-printer) I used its ip address instead \\192.168.2.100\shared-printer and it worked.

Still cannot get tcp/ip netbios helper service to start.