Quick Vista/XP networking problem question.

[Clunk]

Vista home premium on wireless laptop.

XP home on main pc, connected by ethernet cable.

MSI router.

Network was working fine for a couple of days, I havent changed anything as far as I'm aware, but now, if I try and access the XP machine from the vista machine, I get asked for a user name and password. I havent set a user name or password, so I have no idea why this has happened.

I'll find a fix on google, but I'm keen to know what caused this so I can avoid it in future.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[abeacock]

Has the .NET framework been updated/installed recently?

That can effect how users log onto the box as it creates a user on the system.

I think you can safely remove the .NET user as it's only relevant if you are a .NET developer but I can't be sure of that.

Other times changes to the guest account can effect logons.

[Clunk]

Thanks,

I havent installed .NET for anything myself. The XP machine is pretty much a bare install of xp home and a few small programs. Its got an nvidia card, so no .NET there.

From the XP machine, I can connect to the vista machine with no problems, but if I try to connect to the XP machine from the vista one, the box appears.

I cant see anything out of the ordinary on the XP machine, so I'm stuck :\

[this_is_gav]

It's going to sound really basic, but sometimes just setting XP to use the Simple File Sharing is enough (if you don't need fancy permissions). I've never bothered to check why it sometimes doesn't work otherwise. The Windows home network is often a fickle thing.

You're not the only one to have had issue sharing folders between XP and Vista though, that I can say.

[BlackDwarf]

I had the same sort of problem a long while back (XP to XP though), and the only solution i found was to create a password on the machine you're connecting to.

Worth a try?

[emul8]

I had the same problem last week with Vista to XP

I firstly ran the network id wizard in XP Under My computer/Properties/ Computer name.

Also I found that searching for computers on your network via the XP machine (right click my network places) helps the PCs to see each other.

[Clunk]

Thanks.

I'm not sure where to enter the username and password though. Very strange this :/

[emul8]

Once the PCs see each other properly you should not need the user/pass
If you do not use a pass on either machine!

[Clunk]

So, where do I set up the password and username? I cant see anything in XP for that

[emul8]

Start / Control panel / User accounts / Click your user name / Create password / Add your pass /OK

Go back to user accounts / Change the way users log on log off / Deselect use welcome screen / OK

[Clunk]

Nope, that doesnt work, it just says incorrect username and password.

Ideally, I could do with getting rid of the popup box for username and password.

Thanks though

[emul8]

On your router there should be a network/workgroup or domain name like on XP (right click My computer/Properties/ Computer name)

Usually XP defaults to mshome or workgroup but on your router it will be different.
I had a BT wireless router and its network or domain name was 2wire604 so I just made sure all my PCs workgroup names were 2wire604.

You can change the workgroup name by right clicking My computer/Properties/ Computer name/ change workgroup name.
This change will require a restart on both machines after change.

Lastly on some network interface cards there is an option to enter a value for the Network address, If there is enter the same name.

You can find that in
Control panel / Network connections / Right click local area connection /Property's / On the general tab click Configure / Advanced tab

[this_is_gav]

No router I've seen has had anything to do with domains?

[emul8]

No router I've seen has had anything to do with domains?

I am trying to describe that it will have a name I also mentioned network id and workgroup!
Could you not try and add something constructive?

[this_is_gav]

But routers don't deal with workgroups or domains... it's just MACs and IPs in my experience. It is constructive if it's stopping someone trying to find info that's not there...

Are you sure your '2wire604' wasn't the SSID?

[Clunk]

Thanks for the input so far, but after pissing around with it for 2 days, I decided to install vista x64 on a seperate drive to see if there was still a problem and sure enough there is, although its slightly different now.

So, to recap, we now have;

Vista 32 bit laptop using wireless g.
Vista 64 bit main pc connected via ethernet cable.
MSI router.

Both PCs connect to the internet with no problems, and can download flat out at 10mb with no problems either.

If I open the network on the laptop to view the files on the main PC, I can see them, and I am able to drag a few small files (2mb ish) with no problems, but if I try and drag a large file (say 100megs), that where things go pear shaped. It will start to transfer the file and then will come up with an error saying,

"\\Main-PC\Public is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

The network location cannot be reached. see windows help blah blah"

The same happens when using the main PC to view the network and trying the same thing, only I get 2 different errors -

"0x80070079 - The semaphore timeout period has expired."

And,

"0x8007052f - Logon failure: User account restriction, possible reasons are blank passwords not allowed, logon restrictions, or a policy restriction has been enforced."

Its doing my flaming swede in




Edit: Wondering now if the router is playing up.