Cannot Join HOMEGROUP, and I am ON the computer that created it

I am trying to rejoin (or delete & recreate) my HOMEGROUP. I am ON the computer that originally created it. Attached "IMAGE 001" is what I see on the 'main' computer (called NEWDELL) that originally started the HOMEGROUP. Notice there is no option to view the Homegroup Password. When I try to join it, I get the standard dialog boxes (attached images 002 and 003) but I do not have the password and as stated I cannot access it in the usual place.

Notice the message in 001, that "Parents on NEWDELL has created a HOMEGROUP". That's me, I am user=PARENTS, and I'm on the computer that created the Homegroup which is NEWDELL.

Based on numerous hours of research on forums, I have already tried the following solutions:

1) From CMD.EXE, run as Administrator, issue statement: "net share Users /d" without the quotes to delete the Share called "Users". Reboot.

2) In Windows Explorer, navigate to "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking" and then delete all the files in this folder. Reboot.

3) In Services, stop
- Homegroup Listener
- Homegroup Provider
- Peer Name Resolution Protocol
- Peer Networking Grouping
- Peer Networking Identity Manager

...then reboot & restart these services. Also tried changing them from Manual to Automatic.

4) I had 2 NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices on my network, sharing to Homegroup, and I have switched them to "WORKGROUP" - - in other words as far as I know I have no computers, and no other devices on HOMEGROUP.

5) For clarity, I tried the Homegroup Troubleshooter - - didn't work.



I suppose I need to completely wipe all existence of HOMEGROUP and start over. How do I do that?

Did you notice that where it says type the Homegroup password?

Where it says: You can get the password from Parents on NEWDELL or another member of the Homegroup?

Wait, if you are the parent at NEWDELL you were locked out of your own system.

Strange problem but it may work to leave the Homegroup from all Homegroup machines then create a new one and rejoin. Windows appears to be treating you like you aren't really in the Homegroup any more.

If you have any problems rejoining then delete all the files at PeerNetworking on each Homegroup machine but I can see you tried that?

If this is a single machine see if you are able to simply leave the Homegroup.

1) Followed advice to empty the same folder on all machines (I only have one other one, and it was not joined to the homegroup).

2) Manually changed "workgroup" on all machines from HOMEGROUP to WORKGROUP. Rebooted both.

Then on the main one (NEWDELL) it finally allowed me to create a new homegroup.

Thank you for the prompt reply. I do not know whether (1) or (2) or (both) fixed my issue but at least it's fixed.

avip2u said:

1) Followed advice to empty the same folder on all machines (I only have one other one, and it was not joined to the homegroup).

2) Manually changed "workgroup" on all machines from HOMEGROUP to WORKGROUP. Rebooted both.

Then on the main one (NEWDELL) it finally allowed me to create a new homegroup.

Thank you for the prompt reply. I do not know whether (1) or (2) or (both) fixed my issue but at least it's fixed.

Oh good, and thanks for reporting back in.

It might create problems using HOMEGROUP as the WORKGROUP name because then you would have two local networks with the same network name.

And yes deleting files from PeerNetworking from all networked machines can fix these types of problems, I've had to do that myself a couple times.

Microsoft really needs to add the deletion of the PeerNetworking files each time a machine leaves the Homegroup.

Hi, just a quick follow-up...

Are you recommending that all my PC's/Devices be assigned to a workgroup called "Anything but HOMEGROUP" ?

I thought they all had to be a member of workgroup=HOMEGROUP in order for HOMEGROUP file & printer sharing to work ?!?

Thanks again.

avip2u said:

Hi, just a quick follow-up...

Are you recommending that all my PC's/Devices be assigned to a workgroup called "Anything but HOMEGROUP" ?

I thought they all had to be a member of workgroup=HOMEGROUP in order for HOMEGROUP file & printer sharing to work ?!?

Thanks again.

The Workgroup network is really a completely different network than the Homegroup so there is no need at all to rename the Workgroup. In fact the Homegroup can still work even if you don't have a Workgroup set up at all.

Setting up a Homegroup creates a separate Domain within the Workgroup. In Windows 8 it's referred to as a Homegroup Domain because it creates a security wall between the Workgroup machines and the Homegroup machines.

You can also set up specific user sharing by not including restricted machines from joining the Homegroup. Let me know if you need any help with this. :)

Well, my HOMEGROUP issue is solved, so perhaps this post should go in a new thread. But I'll leave it here for now.

To briefly describe, I have a home network comprised of

• ...ROUTER - I use it for both wired & wireless; it also has optional USB storage not currently in use (Netgear R7000)
• ...WIRELESS ACCESS POINT - connected to router via ethernet, generates alternate SSID in areas where the router's is weak; it also has optional USB storage not currently in use (Amped Wireless 20000G)
• ...Network Attached Storage aka NAS - it has an internal hard drive and 2 external HDs via USB3 ports that are all shared (QNAP TS-121)
• ...Main/Desktop PC - the one called NEWDELL, this one is my personal computer
• ...2nd/Laptop PC - called HPEnvy14, this is my 'work' computer
• ...WDTV - a media streaming device that needs access to the QNAP; it also has USB storage on it shared to the network
• ...various other devices (smart phones, kids' ipods, Wii, etc.)

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I want to keep things very simple. I do not need any more security than keeping intruders off of my network.

I would like for both PC's to have RW access to each other's files (documents, music, photos, etc) as well as see/access all shared storage meaning the QNAP's 3 drives as well as the WDTV's USB. If I were to connect something in the future to the USB on either the router or the amped_wireless, then those too.

I can go into the configuration of my QNAP and WDTV, and assign them a WORKGROUP. My router and the 'AMPED' have this option as well, except that it's only used if I had something plugged into the USB and I do not at this time. Of course I can also change the workgroup on both PC's.

Currently, I have not yet finished resetting everything back to them all being WORKGROUP= HOMEGROUP. Let me elaborate - - in troubleshooting and fixing Windows 7 Homegroup not working, I changed all devices and PC's to WORKGROUP=WORKGROUP. Then I was finally able to generate a new Windows 7 Homegroup on the main NEWDELL PC. So, I was in the process of changing all the devices back to WORKGROUP=HOMEGROUP when I read your prior two posts.

Well, one of the PC's is still WORKGROUP=WORKGROUP and it has been assigned the IP address 127.0.0.1 Everything else, has an address that is 192.168.1.* The PC that is still on WORKGROUP and 127.0.0.1 can't access anything.

I was about to finish changing it back to WORKGROUP=HOMEGROUP when I had second thoughts. Your post said

"It might create problems using HOMEGROUP as the WORKGROUP name because then you would have two local networks with the same network name."

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So I'm not sure if this is the right question to ask, but my question was, should I assign all my devices and PC's to a WORKGROUP called "MY_WORKGROUP" (or whatever) instead of "HOMEGROUP"?

Being an idiot I thought everything had to be in the workgroup called HOMEGROUP for all the devices to communicate AND for the "Windows 7 HomeGroup" to function properly.

I want to keep all my IP addresses in the range 192.168.1.*, and so far it looks like changing any device to a workgroup that is not HOMEGROUP puts it into another IP address range.