Windows 7: Can access folders elsewhere w/W7; cant access W7 from elsewhere

Hi all.

Three computers on my network. Windows 7 .100, Vista .101, and XP .102.

When I am on my Windows 7 computer, I can access any shared folder on either the Vista and/or XP computers. I can not, however, access Windows 7 shared folders from either the Vista nor XP computers. I can see the folders, but cant access them. I keep getting a box that pops up asking me for a username and password. My Windows 7 does not have a username and pword, but of course, it has a computer name.

What should I do? Thanks!

goto Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings

see if folder sharing is enabled?


also turn off password protection:

Thanks for the reply.

Turn on file printer sharing is set to on

Turn on pword protected sharing is set to on

However, Turn on Netowrk Discovery is off, and I cant turn it on. Is that the problem?

network discovery shall not be a problem since you can see Windows 7 machine from other machines and vice versa.
turn off password protected sharing and see if that helps.

to turn on network discovery you must be loged in as administrator,
also settings for your adapter should have network discovery enabled.
Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections >> right click on adapter >> properties and make sure last two checkBoxes are checked.

You mean the Link Layer Topology boxes? Yes, those are checked.

Turned off pword protected sharing. Now, instead of that box asking for my username and pword, I get an 'Access Denied' error.

Here's the wierd thing:

In the Network and Sharing Center > Choose homegroup and sharing options page, 'printers' is checked, and everything else is unchecked. Well, I can access the printers folder from my Vista and XP computers. However, I can not check the other boxes (Pics, Docs, etc.). I can check them, but I cant save those changes.

Well it looks you found a problem

turn pasword protected sharing back on.
Pics, Docs, etc. must be checked.
are you loged in as admin?

"Pics, Docs, etc. must be checked."

Yeah - I figured as much.

Turning pword protected sharing back on does not allow me to check and save those boxes.

Am I logged in as admin? Umm, yeah, I dont see why I wouldnt be. I am the one who installed the OS, and am the only user.

--edit-- ok, forund this:

Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety, clicking User Accounts, and then clicking Manage another account. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Your account type is displayed below your user name.
If your account type is Administrator, then you are currently logged on as an administrator.

Ok, the acct type IS admin...

I'm out of ideas.
how about leaving a homegroup in windows 7 and setting a homegroup back and then check all those boxes while in setup process.

EDIT:
just guessing,
is this option turned on?

Yes, that option in your pic is checked.

Cant leave the homegroup:

see this thread to solve this:
Cannot leave Homegroup