Windows 7 - Create Completly 'Open' Network Between Win7, Vista & X

I am unable to create a completely open network between multiple computers running Windows 7, Vista and XP on a simple Workgroup network? I need all devices (hardrives, DVD, CD, etc…) available to all machines without any restrictions (not just the Public Directory). It was working fine until Windows 7.

I have a small home/office with 6 computers, only four are used regulary. Two are Windows 7, one is Vista and the others are XP. It is a simple network using a Netgear switch and Workgroup. All computers are visible on the network and the Windows 7 machines have full access on the Vista and XP computers. However, when any computer tries to acces a Windows 7 machine (even the other Windows 7 computer), only the public directories are available. No hardrive, etc. The hardrives show, but I get “don’t have permission to access” when I try to open.

The Windows 7 computers are set to: network discovery-on, file sharing-on, password protection-off, HomeGroup-use user account & password to connect to other computers. How do I 'open' Windows 7 devices on the network. Each device is shared and permission is set to full control for everyone. What else needs to be done?

Homegroup is only for Windows 7 computers. Disable it and see if things improve.

Disable by leaving the HG?

Yes.

No change. I left the HG on both Windows 7 computers and rebooted. It did not change how the computers behave on the network. Still can't anything other than 'Public' on the Windows 7 computers. Something in Windows 7 is blocking access. Agghh!!!!

Are you actually sharing the folders on the windows 7 machines?

Another issue could be that the permissions have been set for only the Homegroupuser$ group as a side effect of the use of homegroup.

Check the share permissions and the NTFS permissions on the shared items on Windows 7.

The use of homegroup can reset the normal permissions required for workgroup sharing and also if you wish to share the root of the drive this has to be done specifically and cannot rely on the C$ type admin shares

I checked again and it seems right, but still not access to hardrives on Windows 7 computers. This is how I set it up: right clicked on drive, set as shared, advanced sharing permission group set to everyone with full control. Maybe I need to add the specific path of each networked computer? Does 'everyone' really mean everyone?

When you left the Homegroup did you setup the Win 7 systems to be part of your Workgroup that the Vista and XP machines are part of?

You will need to take ownership and add the everyone group to the NTFS permissions for the whole drive in addition to the sharing permissions.

The adding of everyone to the complete system drive is difficult due to the additional security in Windows 7.

The security is set on certain areas so that even the administrators do not have full rights, and there is actually use of deny permissions, on links, which complicate matters.

I would always suggest that you only share the minimum areas that you need to work as changing global permissions may cause unexpected results on the sharing machine

Yes, it is on workgroup and I can access the Public directories and the other shared devices show on the network, but get error window pop-up if I try to open hardrive, DVD, etc. And from the Windows 7 computers I have full open access to the Vista and XP machines. Just something is blocking access to anything other than Public on the Windows 7 computers.