Di I need the help of a Network Engineer to fix my problem?

TheForce

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Oct 13, 2003
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Jacksonville, FL, Earth
Background-
I have a number of computers on my home network that I have designated long ago with the workgroup name of "xyz". I never had any problems accessing my network computers from any other computer, as I had all drives and attached printers shared. Simple! The only time I would change things was my laptop on winXP when I traveled I would add a password to turn it on and boot windows. Then I would shut off all sharing.
Life's good and then I bought a windows Vista Home computer and the trouble began. I couldn't see the machine on my network of XP computers. I could see all computers from the Vista machine but could not access the files. Said I didn't have permission even though those XP computers had no trouble manipulating files from each other. Recently I added a windows 7 computer and the network access gets even more frustrating. On my 7 computer I can see and manipulate all the files on the Vista computer. BUT I can't see any of the XP computers. On the Vista computer I can see the win 7 computer and all its drives but I can't open them because it says I don't have permission to access the drives. Worse yet, since I added my win 7 computer, now the Vista computer can't see any of the XP computers. I'm sure I missed some permutations of this mess but you get the idea. Basically my network is AFU'd! Appears like one way streets everywhere I turn.

Is there a way I can reset all my computers permissions, owners and any other settings so that I can just access my networked computers with full control? I don't use any passwords to log into any of my computers and I am administrator on all of them yet I have been denied access in many directions. I want all these one way streets eliminated and replaced with 2 way streets. Presently I only have two XP computers left in my home network and since I tested and verified that all my legacy software can run in windows 7 Professional, I have no problem with upgrading 4 computers to win 7 professional if that will fix my rats nest of security checks. IT's driving me nuts! But I'd rather just get the present melting pot of OS working like it should. 4 new OS's is $800 ouch!
 
Are you using the Administrator user in the win 7 workstations or did you setup a user with admin rigths?

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Don, sorry I don't have much time to help you troubleshoot your settings (very busy this week), but keep in mind that Windows Vista and Windows 7 are much more secure than XP. Part of that tighter security is that certain things that used to be wide open in XP are now locked (disabled) by default. That includes the file sharing and even the account called "Administrator" (this used to be the default user with all permissions, but it is now disabled in Windows 7). If you google "Windows 7 file sharing" you should quickly find step-by-step instructions on how to enable file sharing in Windows 7. Good luck!
 
Are you using the Administrator user in the win 7 workstations or did you setup a user with admin rigths?

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I think the later but at this point I am really frustrated with the mess MS has created in their interest to protect me from having access to my files on my computers. Too damn many passwords and too many permissions settings and protocols.

I'll repeat the question:


Is there a way I can reset all my computers permissions, owners and any other settings so that I can just access my networked computers with full control?
 
Don, sorry I don't have much time to help you troubleshoot your settings (very busy this week), but keep in mind that Windows Vista and Windows 7 are much more secure than XP.
I don't think it is fair to say that they're more secure as we've become so accustomed to granting administrative rights to everything. A computer is only as secure as its operator and any Windows-based computer sufficiently tied down to fully protect itself would probably be unusable.

Windows security is a complex patchwork of... well... patches.
 
You can turn off password protected sharing in both Vista and Win7. This is what I do at home and it eliminates problems. Of course I do not do this on my laptops which I remove from the home environment.

If you have to go under security on the folder and put everyone has full control. Essentially just leave it wide open.
 
Is there a way I can reset all my computers permissions, owners and any other settings so that I can just access my networked computers with full control?
There are a couple of software packages that will try to make SMB work. Obviously you have to run it on each computer.

I've heard some good things about Cisco's Network Magic.

Another possibility might be Spiceworks.
 
You can turn off password protected sharing in both Vista and Win7. This is what I do at home and it eliminates problems. Of course I do not do this on my laptops which I remove from the home environment.

If you have to go under security on the folder and put everyone has full control. Essentially just leave it wide open.

I've already set every listing on every drive on all computers to Full control and I still get the messages I don't have permission to access the files. Using windows troubleshooter tells me the reason I don't have access is because I'm not the owner or I logged onto the network under a different name than is allowed. I don't think the later is correct because I only log on each computer as Administrator.

One more thing- As I bought my basic win 7 computer, it is telling me in one message that CompUSA still has access to my win7 computer as administrator. I don't see CompUSA listed in any users. How do I shut that down if they aren't in the user list?

What is SMB?

I will search the referenced software, but I have my doubts.


IMO, MS should give us the option on all Vista and win7+ to set up a home network where each computer is open to others. Then allow us to isolate a single computer as necessary. In my home I just want my top security to prevent people outside my firewall in my router from access. Then as before, let me open the ports for things like sling box and security cameras.
 
With Vista Microsoft introduced a new GINA. Since Win7 has the same "plumbing" it applies there, too.
This is the reason why for example Cisco's Start-Before-Logon stopped working. Or old Netware client.

To make a "virgin" Vista/Win7 install act like WinXP, essentially two things have to be done:
- declare the network as "Work" the first time you are asked (for discoverability)
- disable password protected sharing (here).
Also recommended - disable IPv6 on Vista/Win7 machines.

If any of the following was applied, all bets are off
- firewall installation/editing/configuring;
- subnetting on the router side;
- VPN;
- network protocol installation (NFS, iSCSI, etc.);
- third party antivirus with network monitoring
and other network tools.

Renaming the workgroup and/or PCs names will disable all sharing and allow to start from scratch.

Diogen.
 
On win7 (don't have vista anywere atm to give pointers on that) Go to control panel->network and Sharing Center->Advanced sharing Settings

Turn on network discovery
Turn on file and printer sharing
Enable file sharing for 40 or 56 bit encryption
Turn off password protected sharing (this is the one that turns off login names/password matching in windows)

Under System and Security->System->Computer Name, Domain, Workgroup

I use a common workgroup name between all my computers.

Then on the shared folder->properties->advanced sharing

Check Share this folder

under permissions Everyone has full control

Then under security tab (not the sharing tab under properties)
Add Everyone to the Group or users names via the Edit... button and give full control


You have to do it under both the sharing tabs and the security tabs for it to work.

I have home group turned off, I just use a regular workgroup name since that is compatible with XP
 
Wow, I hadn't realized how easily things can become FUBARed in a home network situation. That's because several years ago I took the plunge and built a Windows Server domain and joined everything to it. One centralized management of all users on the network and I push out whatever policies I want to the rest of the machines.

Of course being network admin at work encourages such experimentation, most people probably don't have the time.
 
Using windows troubleshooter tells me the reason I don't have access is because I'm not the owner or I logged onto the network under a different name than is allowed. I don't think the later is correct because I only log on each computer as Administrator.
When you're accessing it from another machine, you're not just "Administrator", you're in fact "\\machine-name\Administrator". There's a difference as far as Windows is concerned.

Answer this: Between XP, Vista, and 7, the main issue occurs when going from one OS to another, yes ? It sounds like it... Vista and 7 won't allow XP access because it's "insecure"; XP can't access Vista and 7 because they contain newer features that XP can't handle.
 
Hall, It isn't quite that simple here. I don't think I have a "main issue". Let me be specific on what I can and can't do. What happens is I can have complete access of my Vista machine from the win 7 machine only. From the Vista machine I can see the win 7 machine but can't access the drives. ( no permission) Neither machine can see nor access either of my 2 XP computers. One Xp machine, my laptop, can see the vista computer but can't access the drives. Neither XP computer can see the win 7 computer. The other XP computer can't see anything and I get the error popup that the workgroup is denied access. Yet this computer is a member of that workgroup. As I said my network is a complete mess and I'm having trouble deciding where to begin.

I also have on the network- The Popcorn Hour and I can transfer files to it from the Vista and win7 machine with no trouble. It has it's own UserID and password. I can see it on the two XP computers too but don't have a need to transfer so haven't tried. I also have two printers and a Seagate Network storage drive and these are also visible and I can access from any machine. I have security cameras and two Dishnetwork DVR's that show up.

The wifi can have a variety of connections but usually these are for internet access and I don't usually access from another computer. ( smart phones, ipads wife's laptop )

Many thanks for the suggestions, diogen and Mike. I will look into those and see if things improve.

Another thing I saw and don't fully understand what's needed and what's in the way- are the install of "stuff like netBios etc. Do these get in the way? or should I just leave all of them checked off.
MS TCP/IP vwer 6 is checked
NWLink NetBios is checked
NWLink IXCP/SPX/NetBios Compatible transport Protocol is checked
HTC NDIS Protocol Driver is checked
Internet Protocol TCP/IP is checked
On the XP machine that can't see anyone else.
 
Uncheck everything starting with NW.
It's NetWare, i.e. Novell.
Don't need that.

Better, reset it.
Remove the NIC in Device Manager, then re-scan.
Novell would not have been checked on a normal XP install.


Diogen.
 
Last edited:
JimK2-

Are you hinting that even a network with all w7 systems won't network with each other? I was hoping that if I can't get this mix mash of OS's working that this would be my last try and just go to all w7 Professional OS next year and be done with it. One day I will be there maybe anyway. I was just thrilled that I finally got win7 to pass the legacy software test. But even that was like fighting a school yard bully.

Anyway, I worked on my business XP computer last evening until the wee hours of the morning and finally got the XP computer to see the w7 and the Vista Home computer's hard drives and while I am still denied access to the w7 drives from the XP machine, I now have full control on the Vista machine. So, I'm making progress. Using the new settings in network properties, I copied those to my XP laptop and that computer, too, now has identical network access.
This is good as I am making progress in a tiny way. Diogen- thanks to your post I was able to use your logical approach and get somewhere. One thing that was missing from what you listed was that in order to get the new settings to work I had to reboot the computer many times and do refresh on Network Places and then wait for as much as 5-10 minutes, and then the new computers began to show up. In part this constant rebooting and wait period, maybe was what I was not doing before and failed too soon.

So, I hope today I will achieve some progress in getting my Vista and win7 computers to see and access the XP machines.
 
Finally got the XP machines to see and access the drives on the win 7 and Vista computers. While I can see the XP computers from the Vista and win 7 computers, I still can't access the drives. Says I don't have permission. Not sure how to set permissions in XP but still looking. Loading NetBios on the XP machines was the key to allowing the XP computers to see and access the Vista and win 7 drives.
 
On the XP machine go under security of the shared folder and put everyone in with full control.

Note again MS has 2 securities involved. There is the remote user security and the local machine security. They both have to allow it for it to work.

Essentially you can have a file that is writeable by everyone on a machine but not anyone remotely because the local everyone is set to full control but the "sharing" one is not set that way.

Even if the "sharing" one is set to full control, if the local one is not set that way the local one will override the "sharing" one and not allow the action.
 
Mike I don't have that option other than what I already have set in this way:

Right click on the drive icon in My computer
Select Sharing and security from the menu
Check both boxes under Network sharing and security. I added a drive letter for the name.

Share this folder on the network checked
I added a drive letter for the name.
Allow others to change files checked.

Where else do I check?
 
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