Networking Two Vista PCs

[Anthony Bollinger]

I have two PCs connected through switches hooked to a router than were
networking fine under XP Pro. I have installed both with Vista Ultimate 64
and they can ping each other from the command line, but I cannot get either
computer to show up in the network using explorer so that I can share files,
etc. I have assigned both computers to the same workgroup name. I am
running Norton, but have entirely disabled it on both computers to allow any
and all connections to go through.

Anyone know what is the issue here?

Thanks!
Tony

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I have two PCs connected through switches hooked to a router than were
networking fine under XP Pro. I have installed both with Vista Ultimate 64
and they can ping each other from the command line, but I cannot get either
computer to show up in the network using explorer so that I can share files,
etc. I have assigned both computers to the same workgroup name. I am
running Norton, but have entirely disabled it on both computers to allow any
and all connections to go through.

Anyone know what is the issue here?

Thanks!
Tony

Tony,

What Norton product do you have? Does it include an anti-worm component? The
switch to disable the firewall won't affect the anti-worm component, you have to
configure that properly.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/your-personal-firewall-can-either-help.html

When you ran the Network and Sharing Center wizard, did you set the Network
Location Type to Private?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html#VistaServer>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html#VistaServer

If you don't have an anti-worm / firewall problem, let's diagnose the problem,
using logs from "browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config server", and
"net config workstation", from each computer. Read this article, and linked
articles, and follow instructions precisely (Download browstat, and not how to
run as admin when starting the command window!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Mick Murphy]

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

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

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 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

..

 

[Jeffrey Randow]

In addition to Chuck's advice, make sure that you are on a private
network (under Network and Sharing Center). If it is Public or
Unidentified, Sharing will not work...

 

[Anthony Bollinger]

Thanks for all the advice! Since I did not have to do anything with Norton
under XP, I assumed it this would be the case with Vista also (same version
of Norton), but I needed to add the IP address to the trusted list,
something I was not familiar with before Chuck's post.

I can see the computer and the shared public folder fine. Under XP I was
able to share the D-drive. I cannot find a way to do this in Vista. It
allows me to share folders on the D drive, but I don't want to share 50
folders, I just want to share the entire drive. How is this done?

Thanks!
Tony

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Thanks for all the advice! Since I did not have to do anything with Norton
under XP, I assumed it this would be the case with Vista also (same version
of Norton), but I needed to add the IP address to the trusted list,
something I was not familiar with before Chuck's post.

I can see the computer and the shared public folder fine. Under XP I was
able to share the D-drive. I cannot find a way to do this in Vista. It
allows me to share folders on the D drive, but I don't want to share 50
folders, I just want to share the entire drive. How is this done?

Thanks!
Tony

Tony,

With Windows XP and previous versions, each disk drive had a default
("administrative") share. Windows Vista doesn't have this, by default, though
you can get it back with a registry setting change.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2007/06/windows-vista-and-administrative-shares.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2007/06/windows-vista-and-administrative-shares.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Anthony Bollinger]

I tried that. Not sure I totally understand. Does administrative share
mean automatic share? With or without the registry setting you mentioned,
the share button for the drive was disabled, but in either case I could
always share the drive using the advanced button, so I guess I don't know
what that registry entry did for me.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

I tried that. Not sure I totally understand. Does administrative share
mean automatic share? With or without the registry setting you mentioned,
the share button for the drive was disabled, but in either case I could
always share the drive using the advanced button, so I guess I don't know
what that registry entry did for me.

Thanks,
Tony

Tony,

The share labeled "C$" is a hidden, administrative share. The browser doesn't
pick up shares ending in "$", and only administrative users can access it.
Under Windows XP and previous, whenever a new storage volume (disk drive or
whatever) was setup, this share was created automatically. Under Windows Vista,
it isn't, and you have to tweak the registry to get it to be available.

You can make your own share, if you wish. It's your choice. Some folks liked
using "C$", because it was always there. I like my own, non-$ names.

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.