I'm Getting REALLY SICK of this (XP sharing with W7)

Hi all

What's up with simple Networking -- Why does Microsoft make it such a pain to get 2 computers to share files etc.

(W7 build 7077 X-64)

The frustrating thing about this is that sometimes it works and sometimes it just DOESN'T.

I can see W7 from a Windows XP virtual machine and access all the files on it. This works 100% every time. (Image 1).

I can SEE the XP virtual machine from W7 but can't access anything on it unless I right mouse click Connect Network drive -- then I get the login screen correctly which prompts for a password (image 2).

It shouldn't work like that -- I should get the logon screen if I click the Brownbear computer (the XP machine)

All firewalls disabled etc etc.

Why on Earth should something SO SIMPLE be so complicated to get working properly. (And Working EVERY time -- not just randomly).

I have ZERO problems with setting up SAMBA shares on a Linux machine which in theory should be a lot more complicated -- and it works EVERY TIME.

Sorry for the RANT but I'm beginning to get a bit frustrated with this -- I need the shares to work every time.

I've been using computers for a long time -- so I can just imagine the pure hell some newbies must be going through with this stuff.

Images shown

Cheers
jimbo

I have similar problem. I have a desktop and a laptop with W7 7077 and my wife's desktop has XP. XP to W7... No problem. I couldn't get either w7 machine to connect to XP. It sees the machine in the Network but when I click on it, I get "Windows cannot access \\computer name. I don't even have the option of "connect network drive". I did a clean install of 7077 on my desktop and now it works fine with XP. I have not done this yet on my laptop. I've compared all settings and can't find any differences. I guess something got messed up during the upgrade install. I'll wait for RC and then do a clean install on the laptop and hope that it will fix it once and for all!

what about checkmarking "remember my credentials" ? or maybe i'm just not hearing/reading/understanding exactly what your problem/issue is. I have no problems at all here jim, not on a VM, but still ...

Are you on about having to connect the drive, or having to input the password, or what exactly?? You know for the shares to work, XP has to be passworded... this is the security. I dont think i'm telling you anything you dont already know, this is why i'm confused as to what the issue is exactly.

[edit] Also, the way homegroups work Jim, MS advises to use the same passwords on all the 7 machines. If not you will get the prompt for 7 to 7 connections

[edit #2] Do you recall this problem in 7000 jim... i'm still on that one, i know you arent currently. I'm thinking it could be that 48 build you are on.... how bout 68 or 77? I would also advise that all pc's of 7 be on the same build on the network.

I turn off passworded sharing, works like XP then.

Hi there
I'm on build 7077 (need to update my profile) X-64.

The example I gave was just with one XP system (VM - although behaves 100% like a Real machine on a network) just hopefully to make the problem clearer.

I have a number of machines in a network consisting of both VM's and real machines. It's a mix of a SUSE 11.1 Linux server (64 bit), several XP and W7 machines.

The problem is (whether user id / password the same / different / passwords switched on / off -- I've tried all possible combinations) as follows.

1) ALL XP machines can SEE and connect to shares on W7 and SAMBA by just clicking on the networked computer -- BLACKDOG in the example in my first post. You get a password prompt and then you can browse the shares.

Works 100% every time.

2) W7 machines can "Sometimes" see W7 machines. When they can you get the message as shown in the first post Windows cannot access \\BROWNBEAR.

3) If the Brownbear computer (XP machine) is in the network list you CAN connect manually by context menu -- right mouse click , connect network drive then \\BROWNBEAR\SHARENAME. You then get the password prompt and it's OK.

4) If the BROWNBEAR (or other XP machines) DON'T appear in the list you can still connect by manually doing a Connect network drive from the explorer menu -- as above \\BROWNBEAR\SHARENAME and then as 3) you'll get the password logon screen and you can connect. Now if you know neither the computer name nor share name this method won't be any good.

IT SHOULDN'T WORK LIKE THIS.

5) W7 Networked computers - no problem works like 1) above

Computers should be in the Network shared list ALWAYS and just double clicking on the computer should either throw up a password (preferably) or just list the shares.

The LINUX system (SAMBA) works 100% whatever is thrown at it.
The SMB:/ command (from a GNOME / KDE / Linux Browser GUI) just shows throws up the entire Network map with ALL (none missing) the SAMBA shares. -- If you have Linux and are uncomfortable with SAMBA commands then there's also a Linux Network neighbourhood program that does the same thing.

Cheers
jimbo