Win7 can't access Vista Biz on Workgroup

Hi,

I've got a Vista Business x32 box and a Win7 Home Premium x64 box on my local Workgroup. Each box sees the other box on the network. Vista can access all the Win 7 shares. Win7 cannot access Vista.

On each box, network discovery is turned on, as is file/printer sharing. I have passwords turned off. I have rebooted both boxes after making changes. When I try to access Vista in Win7, I get a user/password query nonetheless, and I am denied access because of incorrect user or password.

The account name and password on each box is the same, and they are very simple, with no practical chance for input error. The workgroup is via router. Win7 is wireless, Vista in over ethernet.

One other thing puzzles me. When Win7 first accessed Vista, I saw the entire Vista User folder structure wide open. I can't imagine how it was deemed sharable. I went into Vista, and though Sharing wasn't enabled on the Properties sheet, when I clicked Advanced it was. I unshared there, and the problem was solved. But why were these folders accessible in the first place, and why didn't their shared status show on the Properties sheet without delving deeper?

Check this Microsoft article: Networking home computers running different versions of Windows

It looks like the problem is on the Win7 end. I just fired up an XP box, and it had no problem seeing the Vista public folders. Something is clogged on this end.


Edit: I just dropped the Win7 firewall, to no avail. For some reason Win7 is requiring a log in for me to connect out to Vista, when Vista itself doesn't require it.

I'm attaching the two ipconfigs. But I believe I've identified the problem. Home Premium does not allow changing the method of authentication. Check out this thread: Windows 7 can't access Share in a workgroup for unbelievable evidence of inexcusable incompetence by MS. Now I'm clear on why I spent a solid week half a year ago trying to get this machine to network with a linux box, without a hint of success. I like Win7 in many ways, but I can't see how professionals can tolerate this level of brokenness.

After a reboot, that made no difference. Now, though, under Network/Media Devices, it lists Vista/Paul, and when I click it, a song that I have on the Win7 box comes up -which makes no sense at all.

OK, I dropped firewalls and realtime shields. I created a folder, "A", under each C drive. I made them shares, and I went in and gave create/modify rights to Everyone.

I went to the Start menu on Lenovo (the problematic Win7 laptop), and on entering \\Vista the Vista shares appeared above. I clicked on A and I was in.

I created new text docs in each folder, and saw the changes on the other boxes. I modified the file on Win7 using Vista, and was able to save. I modified the file on Vista using Win7, and I was not able to save.

Also, Win7 sees \\Vista\Users\Default and \Guest. Neither of those users are shares.

So, the questions are:

• what opened Vista up to Win7
• why aren't Modify rights bilateral
• why are unshared folders showing up as shares

This seems like very haphazard behavior. My next move is restore the firewalls and scanners, one at a time. Thanks for the guidance so far.

p.