Vista and XP can't file or printer share

I need a simple step by step explanation of how to make this new Vista laptop
communicate with my XP desk top. I have tried everything I can find on the
various forums out there and either none of it works or I just don't know
enough about computers to make it happen. I can't afford to pay someone to
come to my house. Can anyone help me?

I imagine by this point I have really screwed it up by trying so many
different things. I have no problem accessing the net but can't get the
network set up to work. HELP!

Hello Moomitch,

If you haven't already, please review this TechNet article on file an
printer sharing with Windows Vista. If you have any further questions or
problems then let us know.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...y/bb727037.aspx

--
Eric Cross
Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com


"Moomitch" <Moomitch@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:44D455C1-B2AE-4594-BA88-359B45E5898A@microsoft.com...
>I need a simple step by step explanation of how to make this new Vista
>laptop
> communicate with my XP desk top. I have tried everything I can find on
> the
> various forums out there and either none of it works or I just don't know
> enough about computers to make it happen. I can't afford to pay someone
> to
> come to my house. Can anyone help me?
>
> I imagine by this point I have really screwed it up by trying so many
> different things. I have no problem accessing the net but can't get the
> network set up to work. HELP!

Have a read of what is below to Network XP and Vista.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...y/bb727037.aspx

Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.

Permissions/Share info is there as well.

If using Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro I.S., make sure file and printer
sharing is enabled in THEIR firewall (or LAN allowed, depending on how their
Exceptions are worded in their Firewall)

1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
the SAME.

In Vista Network and Sharing:

Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)

Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)

File Sharing: ON

Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
Docs)

Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
passwords (passwords can be different) on ALL computers in your Network) If
you have it ON, you will be asked for a username and password when you try to
access a Vista computer from an XP computer, or a Vista computer.

Also, run the XP’s Home or Small Office Network File and Printer Sharing
Wizard to include Vista in your “New” Network, even if you had an XP Network
set up prior to adding a Vista computer to it(redoing the Wizard seems to
work for XP machines!).

In “My Network Places”: “Set up a Home or Small Office Network”
OR under Accessories > Communications > Network Setup Wizard > Allow File
and Printer Sharing.

--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"Moomitch" wrote:

> I need a simple step by step explanation of how to make this new Vista laptop
> communicate with my XP desk top. I have tried everything I can find on the
> various forums out there and either none of it works or I just don't know
> enough about computers to make it happen. I can't afford to pay someone to
> come to my house. Can anyone help me?
>
> I imagine by this point I have really screwed it up by trying so many
> different things. I have no problem accessing the net but can't get the
> network set up to work. HELP!

Hi Mick
I'm an ex MCSE and have been using shares since 1994 (3.1WFW)......but ....
Unless I missed some bits , I seem to experience the same trouble as Moomitch
XP french , anf Vista English usually did not cause any trouble on my LAN
since few weeks for God knows what Patch installed it seems that The file
sharing became unidirectional : easy as usual shared by Vista used by XP ,
problematic to access XP shares from Vista . When I attempt to map a drive I
am requested username password (identical on both sides) ? ....no !!!! =>
Insert Smart Card !
Attempted then to get both at the latest peer level XP SP3 and Vista SP1
RFM everywhere on the net and MS Tech Support ,
Network discovery is OK on both sides
Network is in deed private
Sharing is on
Firewalls are On (and Off for testing purposes)
not any way to set password protection off .......where do I go from here ?

Thanks for shedding some light

Cheers
Thierry


"Mick Murphy" wrote:

> Have a read of what is below to Network XP and Vista.
>
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...y/bb727037.aspx
>
> Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.
>
> Permissions/Share info is there as well.
>
> If using Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro I.S., make sure file and printer
> sharing is enabled in THEIR firewall (or LAN allowed, depending on how their
> Exceptions are worded in their Firewall)
>
> 1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
> the SAME.
>
> In Vista Network and Sharing:
>
> Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)
>
> Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)
>
> File Sharing: ON
>
> Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
> Docs)
>
> Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
> passwords (passwords can be different) on ALL computers in your Network) If
> you have it ON, you will be asked for a username and password when you try to
> access a Vista computer from an XP computer, or a Vista computer.
>
> Also, run the XP’s Home or Small Office Network File and Printer Sharing
> Wizard to include Vista in your “New” Network, even if you had an XP Network
> set up prior to adding a Vista computer to it(redoing the Wizard seems to
> work for XP machines!).
>
> In “My Network Places”: “Set up a Home or Small Office Network”
> OR under Accessories > Communications > Network Setup Wizard > Allow File
> and Printer Sharing.
>
> --
> Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia
>
>
> "Moomitch" wrote:
>
> > I need a simple step by step explanation of how to make this new Vista laptop
> > communicate with my XP desk top. I have tried everything I can find on the
> > various forums out there and either none of it works or I just don't know
> > enough about computers to make it happen. I can't afford to pay someone to
> > come to my house. Can anyone help me?
> >
> > I imagine by this point I have really screwed it up by trying so many
> > different things. I have no problem accessing the net but can't get the
> > network set up to work. HELP!