Network problem has me puzzled

[Cherepes]

I'm running Windows 7 Pro on my PC and gf runs Windows 7 home on her laptop. Did not have any problems for the past year until recently. I have an external shared drive (e) attached to the PC. Both of us had users on each others computer and both as administrators. Add 2 regular users on the laptop, still no problems. About a month ago, the laptop couldn't see the e-drive under her user. I remapped it under my user, then switched to hers and it was removed from both. Tried deleting and reestablishing both network and homegroup with no success.
:banghead:

If that wasn't bad enough, we took the laptop with us on a trip and the e-drive. I couldn't see it connected under my user but could see it under hers. I have no idea what to try next.

 

[Darryl Licht]

Check your antivirus solutions on each PC... many now include a firewall. Shut any firewalls off, a recent upgrade of Norton stopped all my files shares from working until I stopped the firewall from starting!