Solved Win7 network file+printer sharing stop working all of a sudden.

I am so frustrated I want to cry. It must be something simple that I'm missing.



windows 7 pro 64 PC in closet (aka closet-pc) no longer functions in it's role to serve files and printer. Nothing changed that I know of unless windows automatic updates. PC sits in closet and is not accessed except for shared folders.


network is ipv4 (ipv6 disabled when I took networking class in college last century, it was before ipv6)


server is static IP, along with some other pcs, rest are dynamic with static ip's outside of DHCP range.



according to Advanced IP scanner, the closet-pc is only one with that ip and ip is correct.


closet-pc can see other computers in the network and access their shared drives.



No other computers can access the closet-pc's shared drives.



Software on closet-pc manages patient information stored in sql database (crystalPM) and other workstations running the patient software can access the database on the closet-pc.



Network is set to "work network" and workgroup is same in all pc's.


file sharing and print sharing and network discovery are all turned on.


firewall (bitdefender) was disabled and did not solve problem.



Linux is not an option as patient database software is windows only.

Hi Aplusvision-

Would you be more specific in regards to what you mean by "it won't serve files and printer?"

I don't know if I can help but it would help others who are able to.

Hi Aplusvision-

Would you be more specific in regards to what you mean by "it won't serve files and printer?"

I don't know if I can help but it would help others who are able to.

sure! thank you for the guidance!

1. We have a shared folder on the CLOSET-PC that all other workstations access files from. All of a sudden, none of the workstations can acces the shared folder. Attempting to access the shared folder says "The drive or network connection that the shortcut 'foldername' refers to is unavailable. Make sure that the disk is properly inserted or the network resource is available and try again.' When folder is accessed locally from the CLOSET-PC everything is there.

2. We have an older hp printer ethernet hardwired into LAN network and CLOSET-PC shares this printer to the rest of the workstations. The other workstations cannot print to that printer anymore, and there are jobs in the workstations queue for the printer. Except one. More on that below.

using a workstation (win10 pro) to ask windows to "run the troubleshooter" on the non-functioning printer, the trouble shouter starts "detecting problems" and concludes: "trobleshooting could not identify the problem"

What REALLY baffles me, is ONE workstation can actually print to the printer shared/served by CLOSET-PC. It can't access the shared folder, cannot access "\\CLOSET-PC" when I try to access it in explorer. "troubleshooting could not identify the problem" No other workstations can print to the shared printer served by "CLOSET-PC" All workstations and the "CLOSET-PC" are wired into the same 16 port switch.

all computers are running windows 10 pro, except CLOSET-PC, which is on win7 pro (unless I wipe and reinstall with 10pro which I WISH I had the time for)

It looks like the closet pc drive is no longer mapped.

Would you try re-mapping it from File Explorer?

Try applying the following update (KB4487345), which fixes sharing issues introduced in the security update released on the 8th of January.

Access Denied

Nice response. I forgot about that.

I wonder where aplusvision is on this.

If you are still experiencing this issue then follow the below on each pc as required.

Select and copy the following line between but not including ""

"reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\system /v LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f"

Click Start and type cmd

On the result that is returned, Right Click and click Run as Administrator (if not done this way the rest won't work)
Click [ Yes ]
Right Click - Paste (in the command window)
Hit [ Enter ]

The pc then needs to be rebooted, so make sure that no one is connected to the SQL db just in case it causes a corruption.

This I think is down to Patch Tuesday from MS last week. Windows 7 updates KB4480970 and KB4480960 caused major network issues

it was the update that bombed my network. the patch fixed it and shared drives are back! OMG what a nightmare. You guys are awesome thank you!

Dear Readers,


please find Microsofts best response on this page
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4092694/windows-10-file-sharing-over-a-network
and skip to the subsection entitled
"How do I troubleshootsharing files and folders?"


This has helped me on one occasion,
on a later occasion it was necessary to RESTART THE ROUTER!
This was only discovered AFTER doing all the above - including an unnecessary update and multiple reboots.


Regards