File Sharing Brainteaser

[Guest]

Machines
Desktop PC Running XPPRO SP2 NTFS
Laptop PC Running XPPRO SP2 FAT32

Background Info
Network setup wizard has been run on both machines
Simple file share enabled or disabled makes no difference
Folders set to share on both machines
Both machines can ping one another (connection is via a netgear router hub)
Both firewalls can be disabled with no change in results
The router sees both machines IP addresses as attached and both machines
access the WWW emails etc.
Both macines are set on workgroup mshome

Now the Laptop can see and share files on the desktop but vice versa does
not work. The desktop cannot map a drive on the laptop.

Yes I know its daft. I refuse to belive that it is the NTFS/FAT32
compatibility as the FAT32 box can see the files on the NTFS box. If it was
the other way round I could understand it but no. It has me beat!

 

[burmanh]

the windows firewall or an external firewall may be causing this ...
also make sure that when you share a folder the "make this folder
private" is unchecked

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Machines
Desktop PC Running XPPRO SP2 NTFS
Laptop PC Running XPPRO SP2 FAT32

Background Info
Network setup wizard has been run on both machines
Simple file share enabled or disabled makes no difference
Folders set to share on both machines
Both machines can ping one another (connection is via a netgear router
hub)
Both firewalls can be disabled with no change in results
The router sees both machines IP addresses as attached and both machines
access the WWW emails etc.
Both macines are set on workgroup mshome

Now the Laptop can see and share files on the desktop but vice versa does
not work. The desktop cannot map a drive on the laptop.

Yes I know its daft. I refuse to belive that it is the NTFS/FAT32
compatibility as the FAT32 box can see the files on the NTFS box. If it
was
the other way round I could understand it but no. It has me beat!

The file system format doesn't matter at all across a network, but I'd still
recommend using NTFS anyway - FAT32 is inefficient, error-prone, and
insecure.

What errors do you get when you try to map a drive or use
\\laptopname\sharename on the desktop? Do you get any errors in your event
logs? Have you tried

net use x: \\laptopname\sharename

in a command prompt?

Do you have identical usernames/passwords configured on each computer?

 

[Guest]

As I said in my original statement I have fully disabled all software
firewalls. The hardware firewall recognises all attached devices and each
machine can ping one another. Indeed 1 machine can see the share files on
another. So the problem is not the hardware firewall either.

 

[Guest]

Errors are path not found from the NTFS to the FAT32

 

[R. McCarty]

Check the System Event Log for Service errors, make sure the
Computer Browser service is running.