Solved Win7 machine becomes invisible to XP laptop after sharing via network

[Jaybee]

This is just plain weird...! Here is what is happening. I have three PCs all on the same MS Home network, not password protected. Connected via Netgear router

Windows 7 x64 machine 'A' - Ethernet
Windows 7 x64 machine 'B' - Wireless only
Winxows XP SP3 laptop - Ethernet

Win7 'A' has a range of shared folders the other two can access at will throughout the day.

I can spend all day randomly accessing Win7 'A's shared folders from the XP laptop and everything is working fine. BUT If Win7 'B' accesses the shared folders on Win7 'A' then trying to access afterwards from XP laptop fails with a "//Win7APC is unavailable, contact network admin etc. etc." fault pop-up.

Doesn't matter what I do, the laptop just won't connect after Win7 'B' has been accessing 'A's files.

Looking the other way (once this fault occurs) Win7 'A' can see and access the Shared folder on the XP laptop and write and modify anything within fine..

Only solution I have found is to reboot Win7 'A' then all is well, the laptop can access again as normal.

So Win7 'B' accessing the Win7 'A' files seems to be causing the loss of access to the laptop. I should add that the accesses are not simultaneous. I have tried this with the laptop idle while 'B' accesses 'A' and then once 'B' is finished and not connected I try to access once more from the laptop - it produces the same fault. Only the rebooting of 'A' will cure it.

Any ideas why a simple folder access from another machine on the network should stop the Laptop from accessing the network? I am all out of ideas!

Cheers


J

 

[chev65]

Have you tried adding Everyone to the Security settings tab on the problem machine?

I have directions for that if you want to try.

 

[Jaybee]

Hi!

By 'problem machine' do you mean Win7 'A' that holds the shared folders? If so, yes, all folders it shares are shared with 'everyone' in security settings tab, no password protection.

 

[chev65]

There is also a sharing tab but the security tab might also require an adjustment.

Other than that I would suspect the A/V software or a third party firewall program.

 

[Jaybee]

Thanks, I've taken a look.

The security tab says "Everyone" and the sharing tab says "Shared". There is an advanced sharing tab showing which doesn't seem to have anything (i.e. its blank) once I click it.

Should I add an "everyone" in there too?

p.s. no external firewall. Just Windows firewall (on) and AVG (on)

 

[chev65]

Yes on the sharing tab of the actual drive, use the Advanced setting and set Everyone with full control.

On the Security tab of the actual drive, use the Edit button, and the Add button to add Everyone to where it says "Enter the Objects Name to Select" type Everyone there then add the check marks for full control, hit apply then ok.

 

[Jaybee]

OK those are both in place.

"Everyone" Full control on Sharing Tab and the same on Security tab. I'm sure this is how I had it set up as they were there in place when I just checked.

Win7 'B' has accessed the shared folder in last 15 mins and now, predictably, the XP Laptop is saying shared folder is "not accessible".

The sharing is 100% reliable all day unless Win 7 'B' accesses Win 7 'A's shared folder - then this happens....! Really appreciate you trying to help. It's a weird one for sure.

Jaybee

 

[chev65]

Is this XP home or XP pro? If it's the Pro version have you tried turning off simple file sharing? Have you tried running the network wizard on the XP machine?

Have you tried changing the encryption in the Advanced Sharing settings on the Win 7 machines to use 40 or 56 bit encryption? Have you tried to enable the Public file sharing options?

 

[Jaybee]

Just to reiterate:

The FOLDER is shared to Everyone and has the security settings in the folder set to Everyone

The DRIVE (parent drive of the folder that is shared) is security set to Everyone, full control. The whole DRIVE isn't shared.

Still no joy with those settings though, yet a reboot of Win 7 A will allow Laptop to see everything and work as normal...

 

[Jaybee]

Is this XP home or XP pro? If it's the Pro version have you tried turning off simple file sharing? Have you tried running the network wizard on the XP machine?

Have you tried changing the encryption in the Advanced Sharing settings on the Win 7 machines to use 40 or 56 bit encryption? Have you tried to enable the Public file sharing options?

Hi,

Laptop is XP Home SP3 (all up to date via Win updates).
When it's connecting fine (i.e. up until Win 7 'B' decides to access the network shared folder on Win 7 'A') the XP network wizard finds the network. I have all the drives I need to access on Win 7 'A' listed in "My Network places' fine - and 100% access until 'B' appears on the scene then it can't connect to any of them.

Encryption is set to 40/56
Public sharing is on
Password protection is off

 

[chev65]

Which A/V software is installed? Are you using a third party firewall?

You do not have a Home group set up on the Win 7 machines I take it?

Using the same workgroup name on all machines?

Strange problem, haven't seen this one yet.

 

[Jaybee]

Bit about behaviour (if this helps):

Double Clicking the shared folder name in My Network Places on the Laptop. Then there's a 3-5 second delay, then the sand timer appears. 10-15 secs later the pop up appears telling me \\XXPC\\sharedfolder is not accessible etc etc.

There's a real lag, the denial is not instantaneous.

 

[Jaybee]

Which A/V software is installed? Are you using a third party firewall?

Strange problem, haven't seen this one yet.

Using AVG basic (free).
No 3rd party firewall (just Win XP on laptop and Win 7 firewall on Win 7 'A').

We may be right at the bleeding edge of network discovery here....

 

[Jaybee]

Which A/V software is installed? Are you using a third party firewall?

You do not have a Home group set up on the Win 7 machines I take it?

Using the same workgroup name on all machines?

Strange problem, haven't seen this one yet.

Both PCs and laptop are in MSHOME workgroup

 

[chev65]

I'm finding other references to this same problem but not much definite for a solution.

Do you use a password to login to the XP machine when you boot up?

Have you ever ran the network set up wizard on the XP machine?

 

[Jaybee]

I'm finding other references to this same problem but not much definite for a solution.

Do you use a password to login to the XP machine when you boot up?

Yes, the laptop is password protected at boot. The two Win 7 machines are not.

 

[chev65]

From what I read, just having a log in password might cause this problem to occur, turning off the login on the XP machine as a test might be worth while.

 

[Jaybee]

From what I read, just having a log in password might cause this problem to occur, turning off the login on the XP machine as a test might be worth while.

OK I'm happy to try that. Just to note that the XP laptop doesn't require it's password at any other time than boot, if it's idle it just goes to screensaver (no password either). Just a flick of the mouse or on trackpad wakes it up.

I'll disable the logon password and see what happens!

Update: Just removed that password and no change. Still no access. Will start again in morning with fully working network and see if changing that stops it from dropping off the network.

I expect, if it was a Win 7 laptop we wouldn't be having this conversation but loathed to upgrade as all it does is "call" data stored on the main machine. That's why it's so annoying when it drops off the network after the other machine has been using it.

Thanks for the ideas, the search continues..!

Jaybee

 

[chev65]

The only other adjustment that seems to be working is with the registry on the Windows 7 machines. I've seen this lanman server adjustment but it's usually used when a Windows 7 machine can't access an older server. You can do that adjustment in the GPO as well but the registry might work better. I'd back up the registry first. Windows key +R then type "regedit" without the quotes.

When running a standard xp, or 7 computer for file sharing, the following changes need to me made to the registry.

1. locate the first key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\LargeSystemCache

2. By default this value is probably set to “0” and needs to be changed to “1"
​

3. Then locate the following key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\Size
​

4. By default this value is probably also “0” and needs to be changed to “3”

 

[Jaybee]

Hi Chev,

Sorry it's been manic here. I've taken the password off the XP machine and the only tests I've been able to do so far are to get Win7 'B' accessing a few folders on Win7 'A' and this has not caused the XP laptop to drop out!

So far so good.

However, I need to replicate the exact amount of heavy data transfer (lots of images) that Win7 'B' normally accesses (and writes meta-data into) but can't do that for a day or so. I'll update the thread when I can retest under 'fault conditions'.

At the moment Win7 'B' just accessing a.n. other shared folder on 'A' and looking at files is not causing the problem.

If, after a proper test, it fails again I'll try the Registry tweaks and report back.

Cheers for now.... to be continued

Jaybee