Windows 7 Homegroup help please...

[melissarose]

Hi,
I have two computers networked with a router - Thanks to wonderful Randy's help . I have set up a homegroup between the two and I can accesss the main computers library files from the second computer but I can not access the library files on the second computer from the main computer. When I click on the properties of the media device on the second computer it appears to have the wrong ip address. I have tried ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew but this did not help. Is there a way to change the ip on just the media device? I can access the public folders and the second computer can access the internet it just appears that the media device has the wrong ip. Thank you for any help you can offer
Best Regards Melissa Rose

 

[Trouble]

Hi,
I have two computers networked with a router - Thanks to wonderful Randy's help . I have set up a homegroup between the two and I can accesss the main computers library files from the second computer but I can not access the library files on the second computer from the main computer. When I click on the properties of the media device on the second computer it appears to have the wrong ip address. I have tried ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew but this did not help. Is there a way to change the ip on just the media device? I can access the public folders and the second computer can access the internet it just appears that the media device has the wrong ip. Thank you for any help you can offer
Best Regards Melissa Rose

When you attempt to access the "Library Files" on the second computer what happens. Do you get an error? What does it say? Are you prompted for a username and password? What type of security suite(s) are you running on the second computer? Familiarize yourself with that software and how to configure trusts that will support network access or consider uninstalling any and all of them and replacing them with Link Removed due to 404 Error and using the builtin Windows Firewall. Using a common username and password across both platforms will help aleviate and complications or confusion regarding any password prompts, but is not mandatory you just need to know that if you are prompted for a username a password you will have to use the following format
MachineNameOfComputerHostingShare\UserNameOnThatMachine
PasswordForThatUserNameOnThatComputer
What is "The Media Device" on the second computer? Is this a host connected USB device, perhaps running a version of Linux and requiring it's own type of access permissions including a seperate and unique username and password?

 

[melissarose]

Hi !!!
Thanks again for the help the other day and today as well ! When I click on them nothing happens. I don't get any error messages or prompts. They don't look like the proper icons either. They look generic. I can take a screen shot if you like. I have Norton's 360 installed but I tried disabling it and still nothing :-|. Thanks for the tip on the MSE!!! I love all things Microsoft and would prefer MSE to Norton's !!! I tried doing a release and renew of the ip but now instead of the wrong ip it shows :1 ? I did change both computers to use the same password for their homegroup. I can access the Public folders on the second computer just not the library files.The media device is the Windows Media player or encoder. It shows up as a media device in the network. I'm sorry I didn't reply last night but I'm putting in my spring garden and boy is it making me feel really old - LOL ! I think I went to bed around 8:00 :-0 last night!!! I think I'll take the Norton's off and put on the MSE on both computers and see if that helps any first. Linux might be over my head! I truly appreciate your help beyond belief Randy and I really can't Thank You enough !!!
Best Regards Melissa Rose

 

[melissarose]

Also I enabled sharing of all the folders as well.

 

[Trouble]

First try going ahead and removing (uninstalling Norton) use the control panel programs and features applet to perform the uninstall and then follow that up by using this Link Removed due to 404 Error reboot the machine as prompted or if not prompted be sure to reboot after running the removal tool.
Then download Link Removed due to 404 Error and install it.
Afterwards open your libraries folder, right click on one of the containers (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, etc.) and choose the "Share With" option from the context menu and then, according to your preference, HomeGroup Read, HomeGroup Read, Write or Specific People, this is where having the same user setup on both computer will come in handy. You don't necessarily have to be logged on as that user, you just need to have that user available as a choice and that user needs to have the appropriate share and NTFS permissions to access the share. (NTFS permissions are defined under the security tab of the Share's properties).

 

[melissarose]

Hi Randy ,
I tried the above steps and still nothing. I think I'm goning to just do a full re-install of Win 7 Ultimate on this computer. I think I probably messed it up pretty good when I had the swith connected! On older versions of Win you could reformat using the Win disk before doing a clean install - will the Win 7 disk do this as well or do I have to use a "third party" reformater? I hope I'm making sense!!! I love MSE though! what a great program. Microsoft is just so AWESOME in my opinion !!!
Best Regards Melissa Rose

 

[Trouble]

Hi Randy ,
I tried the above steps and still nothing. I think I'm goning to just do a full re-install of Win 7 Ultimate on this computer. I think I probably messed it up pretty good when I had the swith connected! On older versions of Win you could reformat using the Win disk before doing a clean install - will the Win 7 disk do this as well or do I have to use a "third party" reformater? I hope I'm making sense!!! I love MSE though! what a great program. Microsoft is just so AWESOME in my opinion !!!
Best Regards Melissa Rose

Yes, during one of the screens early on in the custom install process you'll be asked for a location to install to. Maybe not quite as intuitive as in the past but you should see your drive and it's partition and you'll be able to delete partitions, create new ones, etc., as far as formatting during this process it's automatic and quick like the old ntfs/quick option, but no options, Win7 wants an ntfs volume, you can only determine the size either during this process or in advanced by creating and formatting the partition/volume beforehand.
Just a note in advance. I'm all for attempting to start over, clean slate and all that, but don't be suprised if we're meeting back here in the not too distant future to start this process over again. Unless there is something very corrupt in the windows registry and key files and services are damaged, then I'm not sure a clean install will win the day. Certainly won't hurt, but may very well not help. But please, please, please when you do this, establish your network first before adding any software or peripheral hardware and it's associated driver software. Avoid installing anything but the drivers alone for you networking devices and get them from the device manufacturer or computer/MoBo manufacturer, not microsoft. And please don't use any CD/DVD that may have came with your new router, there is almost certainly nothing on there that will help.
Keep us posted
Good Luck
Randy

 

[melissarose]

Thanks Randy !!! I print your replies and they are so very helpful!!! The router CD wouldn't even work - LOL. Last night I added another computer to see what would happen and the other two have no problem accessing each others library files or mine. It's just me that can't access theirs - LOL. It's not anything I can't live with out though !!! I think a clean install might be good though specially with my nack for creating end user errors - LOL ! I'll do it tonight when my hubby goes to work. I'll let you know the results tomorrow - I hope !!! Have a great Day and I hope you have a beautiful sunny day where ever you are !
Best Regards Melissa Rose

 

[Sonny]

I don't know if this will help. But if you are running Norton, you will need to set up your homegroup before putting Norton in. I do not know why but found out through a friend of mine that Norton will not allow a home group to be set up. That goes for all computers that are put on your home group. How much truth to that I don't know. I did a clean install and tried setting up a home group again before putting Norton Security back in and it worked.

 

[melissarose]

Hi !
It worked!!!!!! I'm back and I can access all the other computers and they can access me! Oh happy dance !!!! Yeahhhhh !!! I think Sonny might be right!!! When I was running XP Pro and my hubby Vista Ultimate Norton's gave me such a headache networking them I went to Bitdefender to get us connected. It did not really matter if I could access his library files it just bothers me a little that it wasn't right!!! Now all is right in my world ! Even my two tiniest newborn baby wood turtles are cohabitating peacefully - LOL ! What a great day and what an AWESOME Forum! You guys ROCK !!!! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!
With the Best and Highest Regards
Melissa Rose

 

[Trouble]

Melissa Rose;
Great news and glad to hear that everything is once again all right in your world (including the turtles). Thanks for posting back with the followup and letting us know. And yes Sonny is often right. And Norton's can often be an issue.
Best wishes to you as well and we hope to continue to see you around the forums.
Randy