Cannot access shares on Windows 7 from XP machines

[Robguad]

I have file and printer sharing enabled. I can access these shares from other windows 7 machines on the network, so I know the shares and permissions are correct. I have an active directory and I am logging onto the xp machines with the same account I always do, my own account which is a domain admin. The error I get when trying either \\windows7machinename or windows7machinename\sharename is

windows7machinename is not accessible. you might not have permissions....

the specified server cannot perform the requested operation.

Like I stated above, I know how to create the shares in Windows 7 compared to XP, much different. I can access these shares from other Windows 7 machines, and with different accounts that have the permissions to gain access. I just cannot access these same shares from my XP machines.

 

[zigzag3143]

Rob

Im assuming the obvious has been taken care of like workgroup not homegroup, windows firewall off, add your win 7 user name pword and xp user name and pword (they are different). Could you tell us more about the networking set up

Ken

 

[RustyFalcon]

Here is a really good short list of things to do to enable sharing from Win 7 to XP. I used this procedure myself for my computers at home:

How to make Windows 7 work with older Windows versions for networking and file sharing.

 

[Robguad]

Rob

Im assuming the obvious has been taken care of like workgroup not homegroup, windows firewall off, add your win 7 user name pword and xp user name and pword (they are different). Could you tell us more about the networking set up

Ken

Here is from my original message:

I have an active directory and I am logging onto the xp machines with the same account I always do, my own account which is a domain admin. The error I get when trying either \\windows7machinename or windows7machinename\sharename is

windows7machinename is not accessible. you might not have permissions....

the specified server cannot perform the requested operation.

Like I stated above, I know how to create the shares in Windows 7 compared to XP, much different. I can access these shares from other Windows 7 machines, and with different accounts that have the permissions to gain access. I just cannot access these same shares from my XP machines.

So Clearly I dont have to worry about a workgroup because I am in a AD Domain. there is ONE usersname and of course ONE password associated with this account. I use this account to access ALL 7 of my machines on my network. I just found out today that my Windows 2003 server is doing the same thing with the same error, it cannot access any shares on the Windows 7 machine either.

I have turned off the firewall on all machines, that didnt matter, and I dont want to have to turn it off, it was fine in my Windows 2003 AD with XP clients having it on before.

 

[Robguad]

Here is a really good short list of things to do to enable sharing from Win 7 to XP. I used this procedure myself for my computers at home:

How to make Windows 7 work with older Windows versions for networking and file sharing.

That article is about a workgroup. I am in a domain model

 

[RustyFalcon]

Sorry about the oversight Rob. Not many people asking about AD. I'm not up on how to make things work there either.

Here is a really good short list of things to do to enable sharing from Win 7 to XP. I used this procedure myself for my computers at home:

How to make Windows 7 work with older Windows versions for networking and file sharing.

That article is about a workgroup. I am in a domain model

 

[ultraplanet]

When the w7 machine joined the domain did the domain admins group get added to the local administrators group on the w7 machine?

 

[stevejum]

Administrators cannot access their own shares on Window

I can't access my Windows 7 system shared files; here is what I have found:
- Running Windows 7, running workgroups (not AD), sharing C drive
- Standard NTFS permissions on C drive
- Shared C drive, using passwords
- Shared C drive to Administrators only (deleted "everyone")
- Administrators have full permissions

- I can't access Windows 7 C Drive from XP client. Am logged in as the same person, same password, on XP and Windows 7. On both systems I am an administrator.

- If I modify the Windows 7 C drive share to allow access to me (stevejum on both systems), it works. Therefore we know that sharing, firewalls, etc are all fine. I can get into Windows 7 C drive as a person. But I can't get into Windows 7 C drive as an administrator (again, I am the same person, and in the administrators group on both systems).

Here is the clincher ... if I sit on the Windows 7 system, and try to access the shared C drive via the network (browse the network systems, select my own system, and try to access the C drive):
- As an administrator, I cannot get into my own shared C drive, which is set to allow administrators full access
- As a person (stevejum), I can get into my own shared C drive ... if I change the C drive share to allow me (stevejum) full access.

SUMMARY: WINDOWS 7 WILL NOT ALLOW ADMINISTRATORS TO ACCESS SHARED DRIVES/FILES, EVEN THOUGH NTFS FILE PERMISSIONS, AND SHARE PERMISSIONS GIVE THEM FULL ACCESS.

Unless someone can offer a rational explanation, it appears that administrators can only access Windows 7 shares if their personal login accounts are enumerated in the share permissions.

Now that's what I call "Microsoft Enhanced Security" ... locking admins out of their own systems!

 

[wekaholic]

Ok, some more to add to this issue:

I've worked in IT (hardware and software) for over a decade and know very well what I'm doing.

I have a network consisting of 4 Windows 7 Machines and 1 XP machine.

When everything starts up, there is no issue accessing any shares from anyother machine, but within 10-15 min (suspect something with a delayed startup?) I loose the ability on the XP machine to see the shares on 1 of the windows 7 machines. I can still access all other windows 7 machines, and can even access the xp machines from all windows 7 machines (including the one that is a problem when viewing in the other direction).

Exact same error message as listed, and I've checked the network settings on all windows 7 machines and permissions on all of the shares, and everything is identical. So why the error with just this one machine?

I'm using workgroups, 2 of the windows 7 machines are in a different workgroup (which I can access fine) and 2 are inside the same workgroup as the XP machine, yet I can only see 1 of them.

The only thing to add that perhaps points to something other then share permissions is when I try to access the computer itself just to list what if any shares are available I get the same exact same error just trying to access the machine (therefore it does FIND the pc on the network otherwise I'd be getting a different error message).

Anyone have any idea's ??

 

[dschuster]

Windows reboot did the trick

As most of you know, rebooting the Win 7 system fixes the problem. I am wondering if there is a limit to the number of legacy systems that can connect to Win 7 and where that setting is at. My guess is that it is a registry setting but I have not found it yet.

 

[patwhatsthat]

This may have an impact on the problem you are describing, have a look, make the necessary edits to the two registry values as described and see if it helps.
Windows 7 Nonpaged Pool Srv Error 2017 | alan.lamielle.net
Keep us posted.

 

[rumcaiz]

Well i faced the same problem. Tried all the stuff like enable file sharing, setting same workgroup, ...etc. Nothing helped but this:
I noticed that there is a multiple number of network adapters in Device manager. All were hidden so one must click View and enable hidden devices. all of it were named something like ...4to6 adapter. When i removed all these adapters my file/printer sharing and networking with XP clients starts working after reboot. If there is a huge number of these adapters you have to remove it all. It can be done using appropriate (32 or 64 bit version) tool DEVCON.EXE (which is part of Windows Driver Kit - Download details: Windows Driver Kit Version 7.1.0). More can be found here The DevCon command-line utility functions as an alternative to Device Manager.
This i have found here microsoft 6to4 adapter and solution is here Automating "6to4" Adapter Removal in Windows - RyanVictory.com - thank you Ryan.

 

[nodak]

Multi MS OS Network

Here is a really good short list of things to do to enable sharing from Win 7 to XP. I used this procedure myself for my computers at home:

How to make Windows 7 work with older Windows versions for networking and file sharing.

This link into MS Technet provided by "RustyFalcon" on 9-12-2009 got me over the hump and back into a fully functioning network.
Thanx!
Pete

 

[vik748]

Solved issues with UAC

In my case I had very similar problems on a fresh install of windows and after I turned User Access Control (UAC) off, all the problems went away. Hope that helps folks.

 

[BillS7718]

I had been going round for weeks trying to solve this issue! On my Win7 laptop - no problem - on my Win7 PC, no access!

Seems UAC IS the answer... Press Win Key, type UAC, press enter, turn it OFF! Job done! Voila!!

Thanks vik748

 

[kwalsh24]

Has anyone else found any other working solutions for this error or than a reboot to the Win7 system? I have tried disabling UAC & all the reg mods listed in this posting and nothing seems to work, the multiple netowrk card issue posted up by rumcaiz isnt affecting the system I am working on.

This system is a network storage system that is accessed by 4 WinXPSP3 workstations on a daily basis, so right now I have a system backup happening on a daily basis with a scheduled reboot. The issue does clear up if I restart the server service, however it would be nice to just have the matter be resolved.

 

[Technician007]

Similiar Issue - Windows 7 Professional with a shared directory. User is connecting via a Windows XP SP3 machine. Several other Windows 7 computers can connect without issue to this share. It appears that the XP user is able to connect successfully immediately following a server reboot and once the connection is lost; ie the mapped network drive goes to a disconnected state; the only course of action is to restart the "Server Service" on the Windows 7 computer and the mapped network drive can be successfully reconnected.

 

[ptulkens]

Hi,

I came across the same problem ...

It is definitely linked to an attempt to map a drive from an XP machine to a Win7 one (access two other Win7 machines was successful; attempt to access from another XP machine was not).

The problem was solved by rebooting the target Win7 machine.

Any explanation and how to avoid this in the future ?

 

[phantomofrussia]

Here is a post to a similar problem I posted a possible solution:

My first question would be why are you guys using a client machine for sharing when you are in a domain environment?

But here is a thread I found that might solve your problem: http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/71137-windows-7-stops-sharing-files.html

This is what solved that users problem with network sharing:

On the server i found err id 2017 with source serv.

I googled on this errcode and found it can be solved by modifying registry.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanserver\parameters\size was on 1 and had to be changed to 3.

It looks like it is working now.

Thanks for all your help.

Hopefully this helps you guys out.

 

[bluscarab]

Solved

I'm going to necro this thread for anyone else stuck in this ingenious reinvention of the wheel.

For me and the 216 Windows 7 workstations that could not be accessed by 13 XP desktops, 2 XP laptops, a $105,000 Oce production printer that uses a specialized Windows NT4.0 controller, and a bazillion Dell PowerVault NAS running Windows 2000 Server, the problem was indeed with the hidden network controllers on all of the Windows 7 computers.

Disable those hidden network cards and you will immediately gain access to the Windows 7 shares from all types of pre-Vista OS without even having to reboot anything. Don't try to delete them though. Microsoft geniuses did think about that one and took the necessary programming steps to prevent you from solving puzzles like this and will automatically re-install those hidden network cards in a split second and you'll be left scratching your head and saying.... well that didn't work so it must not be that.

Just DISABLE them.