Upgrade to 10 or fix network?

MG312 · 21 Oct 2019

Hi

My business has 7 pc's all networked through a broadband router, sub linked via 2 network switches - sounds complicated but it used to work fine, apart from a couple of small network issues.

All of them used to run Windows 7, mostly Professional, one Home Premium.

2 of the 7 pc's were replaced around a year ago with new machines both running Windows 10 Professional. In my naivety I assumed MS would have got to grips with network problems but it appears not. I haven't been able to get the two Windows 10 pc's to allow access to each others files or printers, despite a fair amount of Googling.

Not quite sure when it happened but approx 5 or 6 weeks ago we noticed that the new pc's were starting to be picky with the Win 7 pc's, so we can't transfer files fully or print. As the image below shows, some pc's can access others but don't allow reciprocal access, colour coded to help the anomalies stand out.

This has been frustrating the hell out of me for some time now, and I really don't have the time to sit at each pc (again) and try to resolve the issues.

So, do I get a specialist in at no doubt some considerable cost, or in light of MS withdrawing support for 7, upgrade everything to Windows 10 and hope for the best? Or buy a new Ethernet switch and reconnect?

Your thoughts would be apprciated.

Upgrade to 10 or fix network?-network-issues.png

torchwood · 21 Oct 2019

Hi MG312,

As your running a Business network, UNfortunately your safest option Security wise is to upgrade to 10

The free upgrade is still unofficially available, i actually prepped this comp last week for W10 using my old spinner - Ask your boss for the money saved as a bonus

Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free | Tutorials
Allthough MS has offered to extend W7 for Bussiness's at a cost, per machine.

back to your problem, have a read of these

Deprecated and Removed Features in Windows 10 Version 1803 - Windows 10 Forums

Enable or Disable SMB1 File Sharing Protocol in Windows | Tutorials

Roy

samuria · 21 Oct 2019

Have you been using homegroup as that has now gone so you need to use workgroups. 10 is more secure so you often need to enter a username password of the 10 pc when connecting

MG312 · 21 Oct 2019

samuria said:

Have you been using homegroup as that has now gone so you need to use workgroups. 10 is more secure so you often need to enter a username password of the 10 pc when connecting

Thanks.

No I've not used homegroups, and when trying to get the Win 7 pc's to access each other I am asked for Network username and password, which is something I have not figured out.

RolandJS · 21 Oct 2019

"...Win 7 pc's to access each other I am asked for Network username and password, which is something I have not figured out..."
For a long time, S03 accessed S02 just fine, however, S02 could never access S03 -- getting the same popup you got, asking for username and password, of course, nothing worked. After doing a Repair Install on S02, suddenly, at least for now, both can access each other -- go figure. I'll be watching this thread to learn the solution set. :)

samuria · 21 Oct 2019

By default windows passes the current user and password so its possible if you have an account with same details on the pc your connecting to it wont ask for details. That is the simplest solution to have accounts on all pcs with same name password then there is no problems

MG312 · 22 Oct 2019

Thanks Samuria

Most of the pc's are set up with no users - they boot straight into windows and I do not recall setting any usernames or passwords on any of them. Only the pc's named MG, JG and OCT have usernames.

torchwood · 22 Oct 2019

Hi

Sounds like when they were Sysprepped they used this option

Log On Automatically at Startup

Roy

Bree · 22 Oct 2019

MG312 said:

Most of the pc's are set up with no users - they boot straight into windows...

You can't boot into Windows without a user account, there must be one even if you don't see it at start up. Sounds like they have been set up to automatically log in as per Torchwood's link.

On one of these PCs after it has booted into Windows, open User Accounts in Control Panel. It will show the name of the user account there. It will also say 'Password protected' if it has a password, but won't if there's a blank password.

If this account is an administrator you can then click 'Manage another account' to show all available accounts. This will work both in W7 and W10.

Snick · 22 Oct 2019

RolandJS said:

"...Win 7 pc's to access each other I am asked for Network username and password, which is something I have not figured out..."
For a long time, S03 accessed S02 just fine, however, S02 could never access S03 -- getting the same popup you got, asking for username and password, of course, nothing worked. After doing a Repair Install on S02, suddenly, at least for now, both can access each other -- go figure. I'll be watching this thread to learn the solution set. :)

Like I said, things are broken that you don't realize until something doesn't work, forcing something is band-aide at best.
Repair Install/InPlaceUpgrade cures many ill machines.
Bill