computer asking for password when accessed on the network

[dave]

I have a small business LAN in which a dozen PC's are connected via a
switch. All are running licensed WXP Pro. Recently I reformatted one of
the PC's and re-installed XP, and now when we try to access that machine
through the network we're prompted to enter a password. Of course I
don't know the password as I didn't set one up. I have reformatted
several machines recently and this has not happened with any others so I
am at a loss as to why this one is doing it. The popup window has an
icon with a bunndle of keys and asks for the password for "guest". I
have searched through the User and Networking options to try to find a
setting causing this but to no avail. Any help appreciated!

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Could this be that this one machine incorrectly joins a DOMAIN instead
of a workgroup?

Also, if there is no password, why not just hit ENTER and see what
happens.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have a small business LAN in which a dozen PC's are connected via a
switch. All are running licensed WXP Pro. Recently I reformatted one of
the PC's and re-installed XP, and now when we try to access that machine
through the network we're prompted to enter a password. Of course I
don't know the password as I didn't set one up. I have reformatted
several machines recently and this has not happened with any others so I
am at a loss as to why this one is doing it. The popup window has an
icon with a bunndle of keys and asks for the password for "guest". I
have searched through the User and Networking options to try to find a
setting causing this but to no avail. Any help appreciated!

If you're in the business of formatting disks then you should
make it a habit of creating an admin account on each such
machine under your own name so that you can access it no
matter what, rather than relying on somebody else perhaps
doing it for you. You can solve your current problem the same
way: Create an account "xxx" on each machine, using "YYY"
as a password, then log on as "xxx". You will get no more
challenges.

 

[dave]

If you're in the business of formatting disks then you should
make it a habit of creating an admin account on each such
machine under your own name so that you can access it no
matter what, rather than relying on somebody else perhaps
doing it for you.

I am the 'sysadmin' so I just make every computer accessible to every
other on the newtwork, and its up tot he users to share files or not.

You can solve your current problem the same
way: Create an account "xxx" on each machine, using "YYY"
as a password, then log on as "xxx". You will get no more
challenges.

But that's not solving the problem - there's a reason why this is
happening and I want to fix it on this one machine rather than fix it
on the other 12.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I am the 'sysadmin' so I just make every computer accessible to every
other on the newtwork, and its up tot he users to share files or not.


But that's not solving the problem - there's a reason why this is
happening and I want to fix it on this one machine rather than fix it
on the other 12.

Thanks for your advice.

The reason for password challenges is always simple:
The machine hosting the resource (e.g. a share) does
not "know" the person attempting to access that
resource. The solution is equally simple: Make sure
that the person demanding access is known to the
owner of the resource.

This is usually done by synchronising accounts and
passwords. I believe it can also be done by setting
up the Guest account in a certain way. Since this
represents a big security risk, I refuse to consider it.

 

[Charlie Tame]

Dave, try this:-

Look on that machine in IE tools>internet options>security>internet zone >
custom button

Down near the bottom are some log on options (4 options)

Now look on a working machine and compare.

Same for intranet and the other zones.

Auto log on with current user name should work if you have users set up, but
that's why I say compare with a working machine, that way you should get the
same behavior.

Seems like this "Sometimes" affects things and sometimes not.... but check
all the zones and maybe more than one other machine and see if it works.

Charlie

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have a small business LAN in which a dozen PC's are connected via a
switch. All are running licensed WXP Pro. Recently I reformatted one of
the PC's and re-installed XP, and now when we try to access that machine
through the network we're prompted to enter a password. Of course I
don't know the password as I didn't set one up. I have reformatted
several machines recently and this has not happened with any others so I
am at a loss as to why this one is doing it. The popup window has an
icon with a bunndle of keys and asks for the password for "guest". I
have searched through the User and Networking options to try to find a
setting causing this but to no avail. Any help appreciated!

Run the Network Setup Wizard on the reformatted PC (and only on that
one, even if it tells you to run it on the others). That often fixes
access problems.

If it doesn't, the solution depends on whether you've disabled simple
file sharing on that PC.

With simple file sharing enabled, which is the default for a workgroup
computer, networked access uses the Guest account. Open a command
prompt window (Start | Run | cmd) and:

1. Run this command to enable the Guest account for networked access:

net user guest /active:yes

2. Remove the network password from the Guest account:

a. Run this command:

control userpasswords2

b. Click Guest.
c. Click Reset Password.
d. Click OK without entering a new password.

If you've disabled simple file sharing on that PC, create matching
user accounts on all of the PCs: same user name and password.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[bkaj]

Another thing to check, if you're sometimes too clever like me... make
sure that there aren't time restrictions on the guest account.

From the command prompt, enter the command:

net user Guest

If you see time restrictions under "Logon hours allowed" and want to
remove them, enter:
net user Guest /times:Su-Sa,12am-12am

I've done all the earlier recommendations and none of it worked until I
found (remembered?) that I had set login time restrictions on the
account. Apparently even though the guest account is active for network
use and there is no password, it still prompts you for the password and
rejects any entry if the account is not allowed to login at the target
computer at that time.