Windows 7 Can see shared files but can't access them Laptop on network

[WightWalker]

I know this has probably been covered previously but I haven't fixed my problem yet.

On my original setup the Desktop PC (Windows 7) talks to the old Laptop (Windows XP) perfectly OK.

I've just bought a new laptop with Windows 7, configured the Network to MSHOME (same as on existing Desktop), set up partitions to share & given access to everybody.

The Windows 7 laptop can see the Desktop & XP Laptop and view/exchange shared files - so the new laptop must be connected to the network.

The problem is that I can't access any shared files on the new laptop from either the Desktop PC or the old laptop - states that I don't have permissions.

If I view a shared files on the Desktop, it shows this as a shared file at the bottom of Windows Explorer whereas on the new laptop it doesn't.

I'm using KIS 2010 on the Desktop & new Laptop - NIS 2003 on the old laptop. However, disabling the firewall on the new laptop makes no difference.

Attached image shows the 'Shared' icon on the Desktop which is missing from the new laptop.

I've tried everything but still can't access the new laptop on any partitions that I've set up to share except public folders that is ticked under the settings in Network & Sharing.

Any ideas - I must be doing something wrong.

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Update
I've just booted up from my 2nd hard drive (Windows7 Home Premium) &, I don't believe it, I can access the new laptop.

Rebooting on the 1st hard drive (Windows 7 Ultimate), I still can't access the new Laptop.

There must be a clue here but I blowed if I can fathom it out.

Any suggestions (apart from use the Home Edition HD - old laptop still can't see the new laptop) greatly appreciated.

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Further Update
The reason why I could access the new laptop was because I'd set up a Homegroup - having left the Homegroup, I can no longer view the shared files on the new laptop.

 

[oneextraid]

Do you have other partitions on either HDD? Do you have your share on the Ultimate system setup as the "C" drive? Give me a layout of your partitions and what each contains.

 

[WightWalker]

Do you have other partitions on either HDD? Do you have your share on the Ultimate system setup as the "C" drive? Give me a layout of your partitions and what each contains.

I've created separate partitions for things like Images, Data, Downloads which I've setup as shared on both the Desktop & Laptop.

 

[oneextraid]

Can you give me a layout? Each HDD and what it contains and how the drive letters match when booted into Ultimate.

 

[WightWalker]

The hard disk is partitioned as follows:

Recovery Partition - 11.72G
System Reserved Partition - 100M
C - 231.8G Windows 7 operating system
D - 9.77G Data (shared)
E - 9.77G Downloads (shared)
F - 48.83 Camera Images (shared)
G - 48.83 Archive (shared)
H - 104.98 Ghost Images

 

[Trouble]

Wight:
Probably something you don't want to hear, but I would suggest uninstalling (not disabling, not turning off) all third party software suites that may impact networking (ZoneAlarm, Comodo, Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, AVG, etc) just uninstall them and see if that has any impact on your issue. You can always reinstall them later, for now just eliminate them as a potential source of the problem while you're trying to resolve issues with your internal network. Let us know if this made any difference at all.

 

[oneextraid]

After you booted into Ultimate, you said that the laptop could see the shares but could not access them. What are your settings, in W7, for Network & Sharing Center? Also, do the systems have the same workgroup?

I have Network Sharing settings for file sharing encryption set to 40 bit and Password Protection turned off. Also, be sure that each system in your network has a unique name.

 

[WightWalker]

After you booted into Ultimate, you said that the laptop could see the shares but could not access them. What are your settings, in W7, for Network & Sharing Center? Also, do the systems have the same workgroup?

No. My problem is that the Desktop can see the Laptop but is denied access to the 'Shared Partitions'.

The new Laptop can both see & read/write to the Desktop.

I have Network Sharing settings for file sharing encryption set to 40 bit and Password Protection turned off. Also, be sure that each system in your network has a unique name.

File encrytpion set to 128bit & Password Protection turned off - all network devices have a unique name - the workgroup is MSHOME on all devices.

 

[WightWalker]

Wight:
Probably something you don't want to hear, but I would suggest uninstalling (not disabling, not turning off) all third party software suites that may impact networking (ZoneAlarm, Comodo, Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, AVG, etc) just uninstall them and see if that has any impact on your issue. You can always reinstall them later, for now just eliminate them as a potential source of the problem while you're trying to resolve issues with your internal network. Let us know if this made any difference at all.

I'll give it a try - I have disables KIS 2010 which made no difference.

 

[WightWalker]

Obviously, something is preventing access to the shared partitions on the new Laptop.

On the Desktop, if I click on a shared file, it shows an Icon with 2 people side by side with the status as 'Shared'.

I don't see this on the new Laptop - solve this & I'm sure I'll solve my problem.

 

[WightWalker]

I un-installed KIS 2010 and it made no difference at all.

So I decided to restore the Windows 7 Laptop back to how it was by following the Acer Restore proceedure.

As expected, total wast of time - made no difference.

 

[WightWalker]

Needless to say, I've kinda given up and decided to use Homegroups to enable local network access.

Not ideal but for amount of time that I use the local network, it'll have to suffice.

 

[Bulldogs]

I encountered a similar issue but haven't found the exact source of the problem yet.

Basically I have 3 hard drives.

Disk 0 : 2 Partitions - Part 1 : System/junk/Primary - Part 2 : Logical/Windows 7 64 bit (retail)
Disk 1 : 2 Partitions - Part 1 : Boot/Primary/Windows 7 32 bit (RC 7100) - Part 2 : Windows XP/Primary
Disk 2 : 1 Partition - Part 1 : Vista/Primary

I have narrowed the problem down to Windows 7 64 bit. I have been over all the network and permission settings and even tried lowering the security to minimal but every time I start Windows 7 64 bit it takes over network access to it's installed hard drive (the logical drive). From then I have to redo all permissions when I boot into another O/S (remove and redo permissions) for network access. While under Windows 7 no one on the network can access the 64 bit drive (can see the shared folders but no permission to access them), and network gaming (LAN) doesn't work (can't see games)

For access purposes I use the same user name and password on each drive and the only drive that gets effected by this is the Windows 7 64 bit partition.

There are no anti-virus/firewalls/security software installed on the 64 bit OS.

Update : Fixed the problem by converting the 64bit partition from an extended logical to a primary partition, but the lousy partition program "fixed" my XP partition in the process making it invisible to every non-XP OS. May just format and start fresh, it's been an extremely experimental make shift setup for a long time.

 

[jlm849]

I'm having basically the same problem, but mine has to do with my Windows 7 (host) not being able to access my files on the Vista (client) machines and vice-versa, Also having problems installing the shared printer on my Vista machine.

 

[oneextraid]

The problem does seem to be W7 x64. I can share and access files between XP and ALL x86 W7 systems. I can share and access files between ALL W7 x86 and x64 systems. I can access XP from W7 x64.

However, I cannot see or access files from XP on the x64 W7 system.

 

[WightWalker]

Can't say that I agree - I have the same problem with all operating systems on my Desktop PC i.e. Windows XP 32 bit, Vista 32bit, Windows 7-32 bit & Windows 7-64 bit.

I can see the Laptop but cannot access any shared files - Windows cannot access \\Laptop\\Images - the Laptop can read/write to all shared files on the Local Network.

 

[Bulldogs]

Same problem I had, Wight, but mine was only partition specific.

For the other issues, I recall hearing about a problem between XP and 64bit Windows, and a similar issue was between 64 bit Vista and XP as well, but I can't remember what the cause was.

I've never seen an issues with a logical drive effecting network permissions before but I guess when they're communicating across two different O/S's there's a chance of issues. That said, there's no reason to think that your laptop would contain the O/S on anything other than a primary partition, but best to check under computer management just to make sure.

 

[WightWalker]

I May Have Solved my Local Network Problem

I believe that I may have solved the problem which is down to the Security settings for the shared partition. I posted the problem that I was having with not all foders on a partition being shared & received a response from 'Trouble' with this being my conclusion to solving the lack of a local network:

See thread: Link Removed due to 404 Error for full response

I've recently moved to Windows 7 having avoided Vista, so security along these lines is something kinda alien to me - I remember when Windows NT (& 2000) was installed on PCs at work & hated the way it would restrict you from doing things.

My XP network was fine but having installed Windows 7 on the Desktop & the purchase of a new Windows 7 Laptop, I've had no end of trouble trying to set up a local network to the point of dispair - don't understand how uSoft can lay claims to it being easier.

Having set Security on the partitions on both the Desktop & Laptop to 'Everyone', for those that I want to Share, I now see the 'Shared' symbol against the folders & their respective files (the Laptop security was set to 'Authenticated User' on all partitions). I still couldn't establish a local network connection between the Desktop & Laptop - worked the other way.

Read the bit about network security & user partition (gets kinda complicated) and set the shared partitions to allow full access to 'Everybody'.

Forgot that a reinstall of KIS 2010 had resulted in the Firewall settings for the network to Public - changed this to Trusted & now have two way communication between Desktop & Laptop and visa versa.

Maybe it's not the most secure way to have achieved this but for the moment I'm just relieved to have got it working.

I'm nothing like an IT guru but have a reasonable understanding (basic when it comes to networks) of PC architecture & am prepared to research the 'net etc to resolve problems but I wonder how the more basic user is expected to cope with setting up a local network - the uSoft videos make it look so simple but I couldn't even get the Desktop to talk to the Laptop using Workgroups.

Judging by the number of posts from users elsewhere in this forum getting messages like 'Network error - Windows cannot access \\MyDesktopPC\\ (or whatever), it's a problem for a lot of users.

 

[jlm849]

I have found a work-around. Network Magic works in as so far as to be able to see and access all file folders on all machines. The problem I am having now is not being able to attach my printer to the Vista (client) machine. Keeps asking for an ".INF" file.
CAUTION: when you use Network Magic, you have to install Network Magic and set folder permissions on all the machines that are having problems.