Okay, let me make things a bit clearer; apparently I'm not being fully understood. I have four desktops and a laptop. Two desktops run Ubuntu Linux, two desktops run Windows 7 Ultimate, one x64 and one x86, and the laptop runs Windows XP. The computer I'm having issues with is the x64 Windows machine. It has all of my shared drives in/on it. The Ubuntu machines are networked perfectly, and I can share and access all files between them. I can also connect to the laptop through the Ubuntu systems. Both my 7 machines will not allow me to connect to either of them, whether through XP, Ubuntu or 7. They constantly ask for Username/Password. I have, in the interest of humoring myself, set up Usernames and Passwords on both 7 machines. I then try to connect to either 7 machine, and get the Username/Password prompt. Upon entering the Username/Password, it tells me it is incorrect, and to try again. This happens whether I'm trying to connect to the 7 machines with each other, with the XP laptop, or with Ubuntu. The 7 x86 machine is one I've added to my network in the past few weeks, and it has never networked properly. The x64 machine I had networked perfectly, and was able to share files, folders, drives and printer with the Ubuntu machines and the XP laptop. unfortunately, I was forced to reinstall on that machine, and now it does not work.
I appreciate the suggestion to try Linux forums, and I have, in fact, already made posts on three different Linux forums asking for help. in each case, the ultimate suggestion is that there is "something wrong" with the 7 setups, and that I should come to a 7 forum for help on that end. That explains why I am here. I'm not trying to fight your suggestions; I think I may have just been not completely understood in my setup and question.
Oh, also, I have set all my shared drives with permissions for Everyone, and Full Control. If I can ever get to actually SEE the drives on these machines, I know I will be able to access them at that point. My problem is that I can't get to the point where I can SEE the shared drives. Whether or not I use a Username/Password, it does not work.
I hope I have cleared up my situation. I think what I am looking for is for someone to perhaps walk me through (step-by-step, if possible) a basic network setup, to be accessed by ANY machine. We can, for platform compatibility, assume that I am simply trying to network two 7 machines, or a 7 machine and an XP machine. I don't care how it's viewed; it's all the same to me. My issue is happening on all three platforms.
Thanks again for your help and suggestions!