Create Completly 'Open' Network Between Win7, Vista & X

1fzj80 · 05 Nov 2009

I am unable to create a completely open network between multiple computers running Win7, 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 Win7.

I have a small home/office with 6 computers, only four are used regulary. Two are Win7, 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 Win7 machines have full access on the Vista and XP computers. However, when any computer tries to acces a Win7 machine (even the other Win7 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 Win7 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' Win7 devices on the network. Each device is shared and permission is set to full control for everyone. What else needs to be done?

kegobeer · 05 Nov 2009

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

1fzj80 · 05 Nov 2009

Disable by leaving the HG?

kegobeer · 05 Nov 2009

Yes.

1fzj80 · 05 Nov 2009

No change. I left the HG on both Win7 computers and rebooted. It did not change how the computers behave on the network. Still can't anything other than 'Public' on the Win7 computers. Something in Win7 is blocking access. Agghh!!!!

Barman58 · 05 Nov 2009

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

1fzj80 · 05 Nov 2009

I checked again and it seems right, but still not access to hardrives on Win7 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?

strollin · 05 Nov 2009

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?

Barman58 · 05 Nov 2009

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

1fzj80 · 05 Nov 2009

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 Win7 computers I have full open access to the Vista and XP machines. Just something is blocking access to anything other than Public on the Win7 computers.