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#21
You won't have to, at least not for the networking objectives we're discussing here which is to provide complete access to either machine's partitions from either machine.
Once you connect to the other machine for the very first time and enter the requested username and password (same as if you'd booted that other machine and were entering username and password at the Windows Welcome screen to log into Windows) and check the "remember my credentials", you'll never have to do it ever again.
You certainly must know the passwords for both SHANTI and BODHI, which show up in your screenshots as password-protected administrator users on the two machines. So obviously you're currently entering those two passwords on each machine whenever you boot them. That's all you need to know.I know that originally there were usernames/passwords entered and it worked fine. When the 2nd guy fixed the network, he first said we'd have to use the usernames/passwords daily, but after much begging and uncontrollable , he relented and found a way to make it work. Don't know how...and I'm a bit concerned that I am not certain that what I have written down for passwords are the passwords.
These are the only usernames and passwords you need to know. And you'll only need to enter them exactly once and never again to get past the first-time credentials login request.
I think everything I see on both machines from the set of screenshots you've provided looks good. Each machine is set up to allow full access from the other.Yes, the major issue is laptop (Shanti) connectivity to the network. The desktop (Bodhi), with it's internal drives (C:, E:, F:, S:) and external drives (I:, T:) and networked printer (HP) are all functioning properly. Images below.
The laptop (Shanti) cannot connect with any of the above drives or printer. The desktop (Bodhi), cannot access the laptop, (mapped on the desktop as drive Z:).
I think it's just a corrupted credentials problem , and I think if we delete them and try re-connecting from each machine to the other, that you will once again be prompted for that first-time username and password (i.e. what you use on that target machine at the Windows Welcome screen). And that should be the end of it (fingers crossed!).
Apparently there must be some difference, else MS wouldn't have invented two separate types of network. But honestly I don't know precisely what the difference is.Is there a functional difference? Or just languaging?
However I do want to change your networks to HOME.
You're getting confused because WORKGROUP happens to be the name of your "workgroup", because that's the default workgroup name provided by Microsoft when you install Windows. I can't blame people for being puzzled.Yes, I thought the original network was set up as a WORKGROUP, but in early October, the 2nd networking guy said he thought it should be a HOMEGROUP and made changes. I thought there was supposed to be a lot more flexibility with the WORKGROUP. How can you tell which it is???
If you look at my screenshot, you'll see that my "workgroup" is named MDRLAN... specifically because I wanted something meaningful that was not ambiguosly both the NAME of my "workgroup" network as well as the WORKGROUP TYPE, i.e. "workgroup" as opposed to another type of network called a "homegroup". You can see how the choice of similar but slightly different words can itself cause confusion.
Anyway, although it makes no functional difference to have your "workgroup" named anything you want, it definitely is less confusing to have the NAME of your "workgroup" not be also WORKGROUP, but perhaps something like DallasLAN or something other than WORKGROUP but perhaps semi-informative. But honestly, as long as both machines specify the SAME NAME for their "workgroup" in that value, that's really all that matters... even if both specify WORKGROUP (which is what they currently do).
That's why I said it was "fine". Ambiguous and a bit confusing if you already are puzzled about "workgroup" vs. "homegroup", but "fine" nevertheless since both machines specify the same value of WORKGROUP.
So, here's what I'd like you to do.
(1) On the Network and Sharing Center where for both machines you show "Network 2" and under it you show that "work network" link, click on the blue "work network" link.
This should produce the "Set network location" dialog window, giving you a choice to specify HOME, WORK, or PUBLIC. Select HOME.
You may need to reboot each machine. But before you do, think about whether you'd like to change that WORKGROUP name for your "workgroup" network type, and call it something less confusing and more easily seen to be a NAME of your home LAN network. If you do change this on both machines you'll for sure need to reboot both machines to stabilize things.
(2) Go into Explorer on each machine, one at a time. For each currently shown "mapped network drive" (even if it has a red X), right-click and select "disconnect". When you're done you should only have your own "local" partitions and drive letters on that machine. The previously mapped network drives are all gone now.
(3) On the Control Panel -> User Account Windows Credentials dialog, underneath the other computer name there's another blue link titled "remove from vault". OK the confirmation that yes, you do want to delete these credentials.
Do this on the desktop for the laptop credentials, and do this on the laptop for the desktop credentials.
(4) Go into Explorer on each machine again, again one at a time. Expand the Network item, and you should see BOTH machines.
Now select the other machine, and you'll get a popup dialog in which you must enter the Windows username and password for that target machine. Check the "save my credentials" box.
When you push OK, all of the shared partitions of that target machine should now appear. It is crucial that this occur, and if it does you're now finally home free. Things are now working perfectly and the rest is easy.
(5) For each partition/drive on the target machine that you want to map to a network drive letter on the current machine, right-click on that drive letter in Explorer and select "map network drive".
Then select the drive letter on the current machine that you'd like the network drive (from the target machine) to be mapped to.
Then push the FINISH button, and a new Explorer window of that target network drive should appear. You can close it.
Rinse and repeat for every other target drive on the target machine that you want to map to a network drive letter on the current machine. I have my own scheme for assigning network drive letters, with them all starting from P (for C on the target machine), Q (for D on the target machine), etc. So no matter what machine I sit down at, P is always C on the other machine, Q is always D on the other machine, etc. Keeps it easier for my brain to handle.
Let me know if this whole approach works, or if you have a problem somewhere that didn't occur on my own machine while I was running through this same recipe to be sure it would work as I describe.