Help please - XP comp won't show up in Vista comp networking

[dan]

Trying to network two home computers, should be very easy. One is a desktop
(xp), the other a laptop (vista).

The XP machine can see and access the Vista machine, but the Vista laptop
can't see the desktop. I have made sure its a private network, that the XP
is set up to except file sharing from its firewall, LLTD responder is
installed. its not any of that.

In the vista laptop when I view the network map I can see the Desktop, but I
can't click it (right or left) and when I "view computers and devices" it
doesn't appear?

Why? and why is this so difficult in general? this should be dead simple.....

 

[dan]

Ok - get this, I jsut opened up Itunes in the Vista laptop, and my Itunes can
see my shared file in the XP, but I still can access the files the normal
way, whats with that?

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

Do you have third party security software like Norton? Or this search result
may help.

Vista cannot access othersVista: Can't access one of servers ... Ok, I
finally got the Vista client ... My Vista desktop can't see, or access, the
TabletPC come hell or high water. ...
www.chicagotech.net/vista/vistaaccess1.htm


--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Trying to network two home computers, should be very easy. One is a desktop
(xp), the other a laptop (vista).

The XP machine can see and access the Vista machine, but the Vista laptop
can't see the desktop. I have made sure its a private network, that the XP
is set up to except file sharing from its firewall, LLTD responder is
installed. its not any of that.

In the vista laptop when I view the network map I can see the Desktop, but I
can't click it (right or left) and when I "view computers and devices" it
doesn't appear?

If the preceding replies haven't led to a solution, you could
check http://winhlp.com/node/179 .

Why? and why is this so difficult in general? this should be dead simple.....

Good question. Not very easy to answer, and nobody really knows.

My take is that the makers have created more complexity than
they can master. Also, when companies deliver stuff that doesn't
really do what the end users want, need, and expect, lack of
competition often plays a role.

This may be an interesting discussion, but it is rather aimless.
The only thing we can do is to try to solve or work around the
problems.

Hans-Georg

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Trying to network two home computers, should be very easy. One is a desktop
(xp), the other a laptop (vista).

The XP machine can see and access the Vista machine, but the Vista laptop
can't see the desktop. I have made sure its a private network, that the XP
is set up to except file sharing from its firewall, LLTD responder is
installed. its not any of that.

In the vista laptop when I view the network map I can see the Desktop, but I
can't click it (right or left) and when I "view computers and devices" it
doesn't appear?

Why? and why is this so difficult in general? this should be dead simple.....

Networking is dead simple, when you don't make any mistakes. Make mistakes, and
it gets unbelievably complex.

The most common cause of this problem is a misconfigured or overlooked personal
firewall or anti-worm protection, blocking browser (not Internet Explorer) SMBs.
What antivirus program do you use?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html

Try diagnosing 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 note how to run a Vista command window as an administrator!):
<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.

 

[TJ]

Dan: Sorry to hear you are having problems. Here is what I did:
I have 3 XP computers and one Vista Computer sitting behind a Netgear
Wireless router in my home network. Of the 3 XP desktop computers, two of
them are connected to the router by cat 5 LAN cables and one of these is set
up as a server with multiple hard drives and all my printers hooked up to it.
The third XP desktop computer has a wireless card. The VISTA computer is a
laptop and connects wirelessly. I can see all machines from any of them. I
can access any of the disks and files that I have shared from any other
computer.

Here is what I did:

1. Make sure all computers have the same Workgroup name.
2. Turn on sharing and share the drives and the folders you want to see
from the other computers.
3. On the Vista computer I turned off “Password Protected Sharingâ€

It was that simple.