network died

[keithinoz]

My home network that used to use homegroups to link my desktop and laptop has died. I tried deleting and rebuilding but nothing happened. my current situation is
1. My desktop shows the status of the homegroup as "ready to create"
2. My laptop shows the status of the homegroup as "available to join" I have no idea what it is trying to join and if I try to join I get no response when I enter the old password
3. Explorer in both computers lists both machines under networks
One thought was to create a workgroup network rather than homegroup but I don't know how to do that.
Help appreciated

 

[goombawaho]

Check out the following procedures. First I would check to make sure that the network setting on both PCs is set to be discovered (i.e. not set to PUBLIC).
Link

Then set about creating the home group on the desktop and then move to the laptop
Link

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[keithinoz]

The setting are correct. Each computer have discovered the other one.
I tried to create a new homegroup on the desktop and clicked on the laptop to join but nothing happened on either machine.

 

[goombawaho]

Try this - complete Home Group resetting on both PCs. Reboot after procedure. Try to recreate and join home group.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[keithinoz]

I tried everything. I followed

https://www.howtogeek.com/school/windows-network-sharing/lesson1/all/

but to no avail.What I would like to do to use Workgroups as my network but I dont know how?

 

[rclarke250]

Try instructions for windows 10, they might help.Link

 

[keithinoz]

If you follow the Windows network setup to "How to create a HomeGroup on Windows 10" to start the creation it is necessary to have both computers showing "there is currently no homegroup on your computer". My desktop does show that but unfortunately my laptop shows the status as "You've been invited to join a homegroup". My problem is that I have no idea what homegroup it is trying to join. If I create a homegroup on my desktop the laptop can't join the homegroup using the password I entered into the desktop..
SO what I am looking for is
1. There must be some setting somewhere that will allow me to show the laptop as ready to create a homegroup
or
2. Set up a network using workgroups assuming the homegroup issue doesn't get in the way

 

[rclarke250]

Try this:
1) Turn off all computers and reboot the one that you wanted to set up the homegroup.
2) After reboot, that computer will changed from "you are invited to join homegroup" to "create a homegroup"
3) create a homegroup
4) turn the other computer on and join homegroup with password.

 

[keithinoz]

Thanks for the help but rebooting made no difference to the messages

 

[rclarke250]

someone at cnet solved the issue this way. but step 3 is basically what I said to do above.

The issue for me is solved. Here are the steps I took, but I'm not sure they were necessary. I would try step 3 first and if that doesn't work, try 1 & 2 and then 3 again.

1) Deleted the idstore.sset file found in the \Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking folder of your system drive (for example, drive C). It was really idstore.sst.

2) Went to services.msc and enabled (automatic):

"peer network grouping"

"peer network identity manager"

"homegroup listener"

"homegroup provider"

3) Steps 1 & 2 didn't seem to be working so I shut down all 4 PCs and went to bed. In the morning I only turned on my newest formerly WIN 8 laptop. I knew that this PC never hosted the "Ghost" HOMEGROUP. I opened HOMEGROUP and it allowed me to set up a new one and gave me a new password. I turned on the other 3 PCs and HOMEGROUP connected with the new PW. So I think the issue may be is that if the PC that created the "ghost" HOMEGROUP is powered up WIN 10 sees the "GHOST" as active and tries to connect to it.