win xp cannot see win 7 on network places

Just a few things to check :)

on the Win7 machine make sure you use the Advanced Sharing option on the properties tab rather than either the Share option or the right click share with ...

I have known the simple share options on Win7 to be not recognized in mixed OS networks

One other thing that may be worthwhile is under advanced sharing options in Network and sharing centre check that the option to let homegroup manage sharing is not set

There were 2 differences. I had it set "turn on network discovery" and also "Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in Public folders". The rest of those settings are all the same. I changed all to match, logged off and back on both win7 and XP, and XP computer still does not show win7 computer in network places. I had to turn back on the "turn on network discovery" because when I changed it to off, like you showed me on top of your list of settings, I then could no longer see my other computers on my network on my win7 computer. Once I turned it back on, all my network computers showed back up on my win7 computer. So technically I only changed the 1 setting of "Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in Public folders".

When I went to win7 public documents folder it shows state on bottom as shared. When I click properties and then on sharing tab it shows "documents shared, network path \\name of computer\documents. But then if I then click "share" I then only see administrators and also my login name on the list. If I use drop down menu and click on everyone, then click share, it then says "Your folder can't be shared." ???

I then went back to XP computer network places and clicked on 'add network place', if I put above path, it would deny. So then I went and put \\computername\users and it brought up sign in box. I then put in name of computer\my login name and then windows password and then it added folder "user on that win7 computer". I now can see the documents from win7 computer on XP. If I log off, I have to do that sign in box again when I click on that folder in network places on XP list. Why is it doing this? I have that option turned off on win7. ??? I am happy I can atleast access it now though! Funny thing is, it is not the shared folder from Win 7, but the regular documents folder, contacts, favorites, desktop, downloads, links, my music, my pics, my videos, saved games, and searches folders. Hmmm? So technically not what I was going for.


UPDATE: Right after I posted the above, I went into win7 computer and right-clicked on regular "my documents" folder, (not shared). I then went to properties and clicked on sharing tab and clicked advanced sharing. I then checked box to share this folder, and clicked on permissions, and set everyone to have allowed on all 3 boxes and clicked add and ok. I the went to my XP computer and now that folder is listed on my XP network places list. Yipee!!! I have no idea why the actual 'public documents' folder would not work though. Crazy, but I am very happy! Thank you for all your help in this crazy adventure. It only took me all day! LOL!!! Now the contemplation of trying it on another computer LOL!

UPDATE2: When I logged off the XP computer and logged back on and went back to the network places, win7 file was still there, but when I clicked on it, I once again had login box and had to put win7 computername/winlogin user name and windows password to be able to open it.

I think that the problem with the public folders not showing up may be that the default settings in Win7 for sharing these are set to use the simple sharing which I know XP sometimes has issues with - you could try manually sharing the public folders using the advanced sharing option.

As for the need for password, that would suggest to me that the user name you are using in XP is different to the one on Win7 you have to have identical user names with passwords set (passwords can be different) to allow seamless sharing

Good to see you're progressing though :)

Barman58 said:

As for the need for password, that would suggest to me that the user name you are using in XP is different to the one on Win7 you have to have identical user names with passwords set (passwords can be different) to allow seamless sharing

So you are saying that my win7 computer and my XP computers need to all have the same windows login user name and passwords, then it will not popup the login box when I click on the network places folder in XP computer anymore?

hmmm, will have to give that a try. I find it odd that it does not do it the other way around, win7 to XP...no popup box. This must just be a win7 thing....cause my XP computers have different passwords, yet I have never had the pop up box for them.

Thanks! I will keep my fingers crossed and let you know! The nice thing I know is that my struggles and solution will help someone else who may google the same issue and come across this board like I did!

UPDATE: That was it! thank you!!!