Win7 Sharing Problem (Windows Services Issue?)

Hello SevenForums!

I have a problem with filesharing in my home network and hope you can help me :)
Until a recent windows re-installation everything worked just fine. This, however, is no longer the case.

My network consists of:
HomeBox Win x64 Pro (fresh install SP1 + current updates)
Laptop Win x86 Pro (pre SP1 + no updates [due to a winsxs space-issue])

The laptop (as well as any guest system in my network) cannot list or access the shares on the homebox which in turn can see and use theirs.

HomeBox ---> Laptop (is listed under windows networks, windows explorer access works via IP but not with computer-name)
Laptop ---> HomeBox (is listed under windows networks, but CANNOT BE ACCESSED with windows explorer)
Laptop ---> guests in my network (works fine)
guests in my network ---> Laptop (works fine)
guests in my network ---> HomeBox (is listed under windows networks, but CANNOT BE ACCESSED with windows explorer)


The error in both directions is
Windows cannot access \\laptop (\\homebox)
Error Code: 0x80070045
The network path was not found.


Settings on HomeBox:
network type: Home network

Advanced sharing settings:
everything on (upper radio-button/first choice)

I tried to change the following values:
public folder sharing = on/off (seems to make no difference)
homegroup connections = on/off (seems to make no difference)

My Laptop uses the same settings as the HomeBox.
Both are in the same workgroup.
Both use the same guest-account (which, of course, is enabled) with the same password.


Final note: I always customize my install-dvd. This means slipstreaming servicepacks, updates and drivers as well as removing components services.
It might therefore be possible that I removed something vital (although I am careful and this is not my first time doing this).


What else could I try to get to the bottom of this? Are there any services I should look at? Any additional information I might provide?

The services that need to be turned on are listed below:

• DNS Client
• Function Discovery Provider Host
• Function Discovery Resource Publication
• Peer Networking Grouping
• HomeGroup Provider
• HomeGroup Listener
• SSDP Discovery
• UPnP Device Host

If the services appear to be up and running I would suspect the A/V software or a third party firewall could be causing the problem.

Thank you for taking the time chev!

chev65 said:

The services that need to be turned on are listed below:

• HomeGroup Listener

All other services are up and running. HG Listener cannot be started (error -2147023143).
Since I don't intend to use homegroups (never have really). Also, this service is disabled on my laptop.

Where there any significant changes concerning homegroups or network shares with SP1 or later updates? Can there really be no access without this additional bloatware?

chev65 said:

If the services appear to be up and running I would suspect the A/V software or a third party firewall could be causing the problem.

I use Comodo firewall and Avast antivirus software. Disabling them doesn't help (unfortunately), also I am confident about my firewall settings.

Speaking of which - I read that the firewall service must be started as prerequisite for the homegroup listener. It could not be started because there is no "Windows Firewall Authorization Driver" present in the "device manager->no plug and play driver" section.
This lead me to do a sfc /scannow which finds the following errors (but, of course, cannot fix them):

Code:

2012-04-26 21:14:34, Error                 CSI    000001eb (F) STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND #1003824# from Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::DirectFileSystemProvider::SysCreateFile(flags = (AllowSharingViolation), handle = {provider=NULL, handle=0}, da = (SYNCHRONIZE|FILE_READ_ATTRIBUTES), oa = @0xb3c590->OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES {s:48; rd:NULL; on:[122]"\??\C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-comctl32-v5.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_bg-bg_d05ef37bdb11d344"; a:(OBJ_CASE_INSENSITIVE)}, iosb = @0xb3c570, as = (null), fa = 0, sa = (FILE_SHARE_READ|FILE_SHARE_WRITE|FILE_SHARE_DELETE), cd = FILE_OPEN, co = (FILE_SYNCHRONOUS_IO_NONALERT|0x00004000), eab = NULL, eal = 0, disp = Invalid)
[gle=0xd0000034]
2012-04-26 21:14:34, Error                 CSI    000001ec@2012/4/26:19:14:34.019 (F) d:\win7sp1_gdr\base\wcp\sil\merged\ntu\ntsystem.cpp(2057): Error STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND originated in function Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::DirectFileSystemProvider::SysCreateFile expression: (null)
[gle=0x80004005]
2012-04-26 21:14:35, Error                 CSI    000001ed (F) STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND #1003823# from Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::CDirectory::OpenExistingDirectory(...)[gle=0xd0000034]
2012-04-26 21:14:35, Error                 CSI    000001ee (F) STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND #1003822# from Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::CDirectory_IRtlDirectoryTearoff::OpenExistingDirectory(flags = 0, da = (SYNCHRONIZE), oa = @0xb3ce88->SIL_OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES {s:40; on:"amd64_microsoft-windows-comctl32-v5.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_bg-bg_d05ef37bdb11d344"; a:(OBJ_CASE_INSENSITIVE)}, sa = (FILE_SHARE_READ|FILE_SHARE_WRITE|FILE_SHARE_DELETE), oo = (FILE_DIRECTORY_FILE|FILE_SYNCHRONOUS_IO_NONALERT|FILE_OPEN_FOR_BACKUP_INTENT), dir = NULL, disp = Invalid)
[gle=0xd0000034]
2012-04-26 21:14:35, Error                 CSI    000001ef (F) STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND #1003808# from PrimitiveInstaller::CCoordinator::RepairComponent(Component = Microsoft-Windows-Comctl32-v5.Resources, Version = 6.1.7600.16385, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture = [l:10{5}]"bg-BG", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral)[gle=0xd0000034]

I don't have a clue as to whether or not the homegroup/firewall trouble has an impact on my problem but these errors sure sound like they might.

Trouble is - I don't understand them at all

Edit: Reinstalling is not a problem but I still need to figure out which component causes this.

SP1 won't create any problems with sharing but Comodo firewall is famous for creating such problems as is Avast.

Uninstalling them both completely is about the only way to get around this.

chev65 said:

Uninstalling them both completely is about the only way to get around this.

Removed them both - no change. I'm going back to my old install image and update the running system - this has taken too much time already.

Thank you for all your help so far!