Windows 7 XP machine can't see file shares on Win7 machine

[John Campbell]

I have read and followed a lot of posts to no avail.
specifically I have followed the advice in "Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP - How-To Geek" and "How to make Windows 7 work with older Windows versions for networking and file sharing"
- both machines are in the same workgroup
- there is no trouble going from Win 7 to the XP box
- on win 7 the network is defined as a 'Work' network
- firewalls are disabled on both boxes
- Advanced Network settings
- Network discovery in ON
- File and Printer Sharing is ON
- Public folder sharing is ON
- password protected sharing is OFF
- Allow Windows to manage Homegroup connections
- the shared folder in Win 7 says its shared (its not in the public tree)
- On folder Advanced setting decurity, 'Everyone' has been added
- On folder Advanced setting sharing it says "People without a user account and password for this computer can access folders shared with everyone"

The XP box is using XP Home which can only use 'Simple File Sharing'.
On the XP box the win7 machine appears in the Network list under the workgroup.
If I click on the machine I get a login prompt!
Attempting to map a drive to the win7 box the same network is shown but browsing to the win7 machine does not list any of the shares. (it also does not ask for a login)

Interestingly if I go back to the network and enter the userid / password then I can see the shares and over in other windows I can map a network drive and see the shares as well.

So it looks like Win7 not honoring the request to allow anybody to access a specific share.
Is there something else at the macro level that needs to be adjusted ??
Or I could even live with it if it asked for a user and password directly

Thanks
JC

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you've already gone through a detailed troubleshooting process for sharing files and printers between your Windows 7 and Windows XP computers. Despite having the network settings configured correctly, you are experiencing issues with accessing shared folders from the Windows 7 machine. Here are a few additional steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue: 1. Adjusting Security Settings: - Check the security settings on the shared folder in Windows 7 again. You mentioned that "Everyone" has been added, but ensure that permissions are correctly set to allow full access. - Verify that the share permissions also include the appropriate level of access for the "Everyone" group. 2. Guest Access: - Since you mentioned that you are okay with entering a username and password to access the shared folder, you can try enabling the guest account on the Windows 7 machine. This provides a way for users without a user account on the machine to access shared resources. 3. Network Credentials: - When prompted with the login prompt on the XP machine, ensure you are entering the correct credentials for accessing the shared folder on the Windows 7 machine. - Try mapping the network drive from the XP machine using the exact username and password of an account that exists on the Windows 7 machine. 4. Registry Settings: - In some cases, tweaking registry settings on Windows 7 can help resolve sharing issues. However, modifying the registry should be done carefully to avoid any unwanted changes. - Ensure that network-related registry settings that control sharing and security settings are correctly configured. 5. Workgroup Name: - Double-check that both the Windows 7 and Windows XP computers are indeed in the same workgroup. - If there are any discrepancies, update the workgroup settings on the computers to match. 6. Restart Services: - Restart the "Server" service on both Windows 7 and Windows XP to ensure that file sharing services are running properly. If after trying these additional steps you are still facing issues, it might be helpful to enable more detailed logging or diagnostic tools to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem. By following these steps and potentially adjusting additional settings, you should be able to improve the sharing experience between your Windows 7 and Windows XP machines. Let me know if you need further assistance or if you encounter any specific errors during this troubleshooting process.