W7 won't recognize XP shared files via Explorer but....

[bkirkpatrick]

My wife's laptop running W7 won't recognize my XP shared files from another computer. However, I have several graphics software programs that allow network detection and I can drill into the files on my XP machine from her W7 machine via the graphics programs but the files are not recognized in the W7 Explorer. Her W7 machine recognizes my two printers and she prints to them regularly but I cannot see any XP files on my XP machine even though they are shared.

I have checked the settings but don't know what else to do. She has Homegroup setup and my other W7 laptops are on them but how to I drill into my XP files via the W7 explorer?

 

[goombawaho]

Very confusing thread verbally, especially this: "My wife's laptop running W7 won't recognize my XP shared files from another computer"
and "but I cannot see any XP files on my XP machine even though they are shared." Can you refine it? Something like this:

Wife's W7 Laptop >>>> My XP machine printers (works)
Wife's W7 Laptop >>>> My XP machine files (doesn't work)

Check this out - you may want to disable the home group and set the options as seen here.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-between-windows-7-and-xp/

 

[bkirkpatrick]

Sorry about the confusion. Two machines: Wifes Laptop running Windows 7 and desktop running XP sp3. Wifes recognizes the shared printers on the desktop but will not recognize any shared files via Explorer or Networks. However, there are a couple of software programs that I have on the laptop where I can actually drill into the network folder (Microsoft Windows Network) on the desktop. Thus, I know the laptop in theory can see the desktop. However, I cannot get to them via the Windows 7 "Explorer". Both of the workgroup names are the same also.

 

[goombawaho]

So, same workgroup - good. What is the share name that you gave the folder on the XP machine.

Try to do a "ping XPcomputername" (no quotes) at the CMD prompt from the Windows 7 machine. Does it answer back.

Then try typing "\\XPComputerName\ShareName" (no quotes) on W7 PC search bar. Does is take you to the shared folder?

Have you tried disabling the home group and then trying above again?

 

[bkirkpatrick]

Tried the ping and it did not find the desktop computer. Reset the routers (just for giggles) and tried the re-ping and nothing. Unjoined the Homegroup and tried it and nothing. Pretty weird that a software program can let me drill into my desktop but the W7 OS won't see it.

 

[DrB0b]

Have you tried plugging your wife's laptop into the router and then trying the ping?

Learning - A never ending quest for knowledge usually attained by being thrown in a situation and told to fix it NOW.

 

[bkirkpatrick]

Just tried that and nothing. Renamed the laptop, workgroup, restarted and still nothing. However, I know it works because I have a shared printer connected to my XP machine that the W7 machine prints to. I even created and shared a test folder on my XP machine and I can drill into it via the graphics software on the W7 machine but its not showing up at all in my Networks on the W7 machine.

 

[vacunita]

Have you tried Goomb's suggestion:

Then try typing "\\XPComputerName\ShareName" (no quotes) on W7 PC search bar.

Even just typing as far as \\XPComputerName

If you can do that, in my experience it will then show up in Network once you go back to it. You can also then create a Shortcut on the Desktop for easy access to the PC.

Also if both PC's are on and fully logged in, try hitting F5 in Explorer when in Network and see if that brings it up.

In my experience the XP PC won't show up until someone has logged in to it. Something to do with the fact that Wifi connections do not become activated in XP until after log on.

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[bkirkpatrick]

Tried that also. Does not ping back at all. I am sitting here at the XP with the laptop on the desk next to it. I even tried changing the home network to a work one and no luck. As of now, I am completely baffled. I have searched the internet but get a ton of answers to which none work.

 

[cmeagan656]

Not getting a ping response may simply mean that ping (ICMP) is turned off.

Do you have simple file sharing turned on or off on the XP machine? If on turn it off, if off turn it on. It's been almost 3 years since I've used XP and I can't remember which way it should be.

Also, does each computer have the same user name and password? I.E. The username/password that your wife is using on her Win7 machine should be set up on your XP box and vice versa.

Hope this helps.

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[bkirkpatrick]

I just tried to rename my xp machine workgroup and it is greyed out (even though I am an administrator).

 

[vacunita]

I reiterate Goomb's suggestion
Type
\\XPComputerName

in the Explorer Address bar.

This is not a Ping, just type 2 slashes followed by the computer name in the Address bar, see what happens.


----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[bkirkpatrick]

In the Laptop W7 IE bar, it returns the directory and subs for the shared XP directory. Put the ping returns nothing. If I could just get the Explorer in Laptop to see it directly.

 

[goombawaho]

We DO NOT want you to PING this time. Look at what it says:
\\XPComputerName and then \\XPComputerName\ShareName

Report on result please.

 

[DrB0b]

In the Laptop W7 IE bar, it returns the directory and subs for the shared XP directory. Put the ping returns nothing. If I could just get the Explorer in Laptop to see it directly."

Are you not using the Command Prompt to test this but "IE"?

"I just tried to rename my xp machine workgroup and it is greyed out (even though I am an administrator). "

I thought you said you were part of a workgroup on both machines?

Do as Goomba and Vacunita want with the "\\PCname" in the Command Prompt without the quotation marks and substitute PCname for the XP PCs actual name.

Is Ping turned off as CM states?

Without all those questions answered in full, its going to be hard to get this lined out.

Learning - A never ending quest for knowledge usually attained by being thrown in a situation and told to fix it NOW.

 

[bkirkpatrick]

I have answered those questions. The command prompt ping does not return anything. I did the \\computername in the IE bar and this is what I said, "In the Laptop W7 IE bar, it returns the directory and subs for the shared XP directory" that is shared. Yes, Yes and Yes, we are on the same workgroup. I have checked that. However, what I thought about doing was renaming it on the XP machine, restating, and then renaming it back to the original workgroup to give the W7 machine a something fresh to look for. That was when I discovered that I could not edit the Workgroup was greyed out and not editable at all. As stated above, the W7 machine sees the xp machine it in the IE bar with the \\computername.