Networking Vista machines with Win 7 Machines

[richard mitnick]

I have two Vista machines and two Win 7 machines.

The two Vista machines see each other's files. Tha was accomplished by using just the sharing dialogue boxes.

The two Win 7 machines see each other's files. That needed two steps: the standard networking diaogue box for sharing; putting one password on both machines "homegroup"

The Vista machines cannot access the Win 7 machines' files.

One Win 7 machine can see the files on both Vista machines.
One Win 7 machine can see the files on one Vista machine only.

Now, all the permissions are in place, all of the sharing options in Network and Sharing Center| Advanced sharing settings have been made identical.

Apparently, Homegroups are new with Win7 so one cannot even have one in Vista.

I have seen two threads across the internet: 1.) you will never get this done, it cannot happen; and 2.) easy as pie just do XXX [where XXX=the steps I have already taken] blah. blah, blah.


Anyone got any helpful hints?

>>RSM

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[Antony]

My wild guess (Sorry, I haven't been actively using Windows machines for ages): open firewalls and wait.
Sometimes it just takes time for machines other machines recently joined the networks.

My better suggestion: Ask Don.

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[richard mitnick]

Hey Antony-

Hang on, Spring is coming.

Thanks, but I do not have a firewall problem. I use windows firewall both ways on all machines.

Yo, Don, are you there?

>>RSM

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[Don_HH2K]

While I can't think of anything immediate that would resolve your problem, here are two things you might want to try.

First, are all the boxes configured with the same username and password combo? Depending on how you have permissions working, this does make a world of difference. If I try to view the files on my Web server, where my username is Don_HH2K, from my laptop where my username is also Don_HH2K, things work fine and the authentication is automatic. However, if I try to view the files on my NAS, where my username is donhh2k (due to it being a FreeBSD box), I actually have to authenticate manually.

Second, temporarily try giving "Everyone" read-only permissions over the network. "Everyone" is a pseudo-user that corresponds to all accounts on the machine, so this would effectively break permissions enough that anybody should (temporarily, of course) be able to see your files over the network. This is useful for determining if it's a permissions problem or a connectivity problem.

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[richard mitnick]

Don-

Hey, thanks for the tips. The last first, "Everyone" is in the permissions for each machine and each drive.

The user name ans password situation is more problematic. First, the two Vista machines have different user names and passwords and are no problem. second, the two Win 7 machines also have different user names and passwords and, after setting the Homegroup password they are no problem.

Then, and here's a unique thing, one Win 7 machine can "see" everything on one Vista machine, but not on the other Vista machine.

If there was a Homegroup utility in the Vista machines, then one could set the password. But, in Control Panel in Vista, there is no Homegroup dialogue box.

I have been very careful to check for example that the Advanced sharing settings on both Vista machines are identical.

>>RSM

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[Don_HH2K]

When you say you can't "see" anything on the one Vista machine from the Seven machine, does the computer show up with no shares at all, or does it just not show up? What happens if you browse to a network URL for a folder on the machine, i.e. \\computer_name\shared_folder?

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[richard mitnick]

Don
zero and zero. get a message when I just go via Windows Explorer, saying I do not have permissions. It doesn not even ask for a user id and password.

Browsing gets absolutely no response.

>>RSM

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[Don_HH2K]

Just to see what happens, try creating a new user on the Vista machine with the same username and password as that on the Seven machine you're trying to access from, and see if it works then. Take care to make sure any Explorer windows are closed before trying again on the Seven machine as it apparently caches failed networking attempts in memory.

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[richard mitnick]

User name was the same, changed password, re-booting, back in a bit.

And , good or bad, thanks.

>RSM

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[richard mitnick]

O.K., I tried it, no luck.

But thanks.

>>RSM

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[Don_HH2K]

I know you said earlier that this wasn't a firewall problem, but have you tried temporarily turning off the firewall on all four machines, to see if they can all talk to each other then?

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[richard mitnick]

Don-

No, there is enough network connectivity so that i am sure that is not the problem.

>>RSM

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[richard mitnick]

Don

I need to come squeaky clean here.

I do not think this will ever be resolved, until MSFT resolves it. I do not think they will try very hard, that would mean supporting Vista which they are not about to do. And, for me, it does not matter.

Fortunately, the Win 7 machine where I can see all of the others is in my "digiteria", with the other main machines. So, I can move or copy anything I want from any machine to any other machine. The Win 7 machine which can see only the one Vista machine and the first referred to Win 7 machine is in the "annex", my son's ex-bedroom, where my wife uses it for email and web surfing, and all I use it for is "crunching" for BOINC and WCG projects. That is my present barn burning i7-920 hyper threaded quad.

The reason I am spending time on this is because it should work and I want it to work.

I have put the the text of the original post also at WinBBS and in the Windows 7 forum at MSFT.

Also, in truth, a network is not the best way to move or copy and paste large files like video or music. it is much faster to use an external drive like a WD USB 2.0 or 3.0 Passport or USB 2.0 or 3.0 "memory stick".
I have a 320 gig Passport and a 16 gig memory stick.

I am probably going to keep at this, especially going after MSFT to come up with the right answer. But, I am not hindered at all in any of my work.

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[richard mitnick]

Don, O.k., help from WinBBS now has both Win 7 machines seeing everything; but not the Vista machines seeing the win 7 machines.

Here is Arie's article which helped.
>>RSM

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/Windows7/Windows_7_Networking_With_Other_Windows_Versions.html

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[iJohnE]

Richard-

I was having the same issue you were, with a Vista Home Basic machine and my 7 Ultimate. What I had to do was disable the "homegroup" and go back to standard networking.

Not sure if that will be any help, as I also can't remember how to turn it off.

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