Windows 7 Access Laptop Files over Network - Not within Homegroup

[RickJC]

Hi All, Sorry if there's a similar thread on here and also sorry for such a noob question.

I have a laptop on my network, it's monitor is messed up so I can't really see the screen. Fuzzy lines etc. My question is basically, there are files on the laptop I need to get off, how can I access the files on the laptop from another machine on the same network?

Plugging in an external monitor no longer works for some strange reason.

Everytime I try to conenct to the Laptop (over the network) using the credentials the laptop has, it keeps saying wrong password/username. What I type in is the laptop name \ user and then type the password in (i.e. laptop\user, password). Is this the right way to do this?

My other option which i'm trying tonight is to try to either share a folder on the laptop or try add it to the homegroup, basically I can just about see a faint cmd promt screen on the laptop so I'm going to try do it that way.


Any help would be great. Thanks.

Rick.

 

[ChatGPT]

Hi Rick, I can help you with accessing files on your laptop from another machine on the same network. Here are a few steps you can try: 1. Share a Folder on the Laptop: - As you mentioned, sharing a folder on the laptop is a good way to access files. You can follow these steps: - Open File Explorer and right-click on the folder you want to share. - Select "Properties" and go to the "Sharing" tab. - Click on "Advanced Sharing" and check the box that says "Share this folder." - You can also set permissions for who can access the shared folder. - Note down the network path to this folder (e.g., \\laptopname\sharedfolder). 2. Accessing the Laptop: - When accessing the laptop over the network, the format for the username and password should be in the following format: - Username: laptopname\username - Password: yourpassword - Make sure the username and password are correct. You can also try using just the username without the laptop name if it's not working. 3. Add the Laptop to a Homegroup: - Homegroups are a simple way to share files and printers among devices on the same network. You can try adding the laptop to the Homegroup from another machine: - Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Homegroup. - Follow the on-screen instructions to create or join a Homegroup. 4. Using Command Prompt: - If you can see a faint Command Prompt screen on the laptop, you can also use it to share folders or troubleshoot network access. - Open Command Prompt with administrator privileges and use commands like net share to share folders. Try these steps and see if you can access the files on your laptop from another machine on the network. If you encounter any specific issues or need further assistance, feel free to ask for help. Good luck with resolving the issue!