Why is login required to new PC on network?

[Nigel Andrews]

I have a network of 4 x XP Pro PC's and have recently replaced an WindowsME
PC with an XP Home PC.
Whenever I try to browse the new PC from an XP Pro PC I get a login prompt,
whereas if I try to browse an XP Pro PC from the new one it works fine!

Can anyone tell me why I get a login prompt and how I can get around it? I
haven't any account on the new PC that I have set-up so I don't know any
password!

Thanks
Nigel

 

[Dave Patrick]

You'll want to create an account (in Users Accounts) on the WinXP machines
with the username and password that you use to logon to the other machine(s)
with. Then you'll need to share out the resource(s) with permissions for
those users. Also make sure they're all part of the same workgroup and on
the same subnet. Then you'll no longer be prompted for the IPC$ password
(Inter-process communication)

In a peer level workgroup, when you try to access resources on a Windows
NT/2000/XP/2003 machine, Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 needs to authenticate the
user. If the user account doesn't exist in it's local account database, then
access will be denied.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I have a network of 4 x XP Pro PC's and have recently replaced an WindowsME
| PC with an XP Home PC.
| Whenever I try to browse the new PC from an XP Pro PC I get a login
prompt,
| whereas if I try to browse an XP Pro PC from the new one it works fine!
|
| Can anyone tell me why I get a login prompt and how I can get around it? I
| haven't any account on the new PC that I have set-up so I don't know any
| password!
|
| Thanks
| Nigel
|
|

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

:
|I have a network of 4 x XP Pro PC's and have recently replaced an WindowsME
| PC with an XP Home PC.
| Whenever I try to browse the new PC from an XP Pro PC I get a login
prompt,
| whereas if I try to browse an XP Pro PC from the new one it works fine!
|
| Can anyone tell me why I get a login prompt and how I can get around it? I
| haven't any account on the new PC that I have set-up so I don't know any
| password!
|
| Thanks
| Nigel

You'll want to create an account (in Users Accounts) on the WinXP machines
with the username and password that you use to logon to the other machine(s)
with. Then you'll need to share out the resource(s) with permissions for
those users. Also make sure they're all part of the same workgroup and on
the same subnet. Then you'll no longer be prompted for the IPC$ password
(Inter-process communication)

In a peer level workgroup, when you try to access resources on a Windows
NT/2000/XP/2003 machine, Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 needs to authenticate the
user. If the user account doesn't exist in it's local account database, then
access will be denied.

Dave, I think you missed the fact that Nigel's new computer has XP
Home. What you said is right on for XP Pro (with simple file sharing
disabled), but XP Home doesn't have permissions for shared disks. It
uses the Guest account for all access over the network, regardless of
the actual account being used on the other computers.

Nigel, run the Network Setup Wizard on the new PC -- that might fix
the problem. If it doesn't, follow these steps on the new PC:

1. Open a command prompt window (Start | Run | cmd).

2. Enter this command to enable the Guest account for networked
access:

net user guest /active:yes

3. Remove the network password from the Guest account:

a. Enter this command:

control userpasswords2

b. Click Guest.

c. Click Reset Password.

d. Click OK without entering a new 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

 

[nandrews]

Steve (et al)

Many thanks for the quick reply,
I ran the Wizard after doing your second suggestions (as they seemed
easier but didn't have an effect) and found that File and Printer
sharing was turned off!!!! A bit of an oversight!
All working now I am pleased to say

Thanks and Happy Christmas
Nigel

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Steve (et al)

Many thanks for the quick reply,
I ran the Wizard after doing your second suggestions (as they seemed
easier but didn't have an effect) and found that File and Printer
sharing was turned off!!!! A bit of an oversight!
All working now I am pleased to say

Thanks and Happy Christmas
Nigel

You're welcome, Nigel. I'm glad that my suggestion helped you solve
the problem. Thanks for reporting the result.
--
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

 

[craig9999]

Thanks for the helpful post Steve. This solved the problem for me
connecting from one XP Home pc to another XP Home. This also solved
the print sharing problem.

Is there another way - i.e. less techno than going into CMD mode to
solve the problem? It appears that going in from Control Panel is
limiting in what you can do
with user accounts.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

[snip]What you said is right on for XP Pro (with simple file sharing
disabled), but XP Home doesn't have permissions for shared disks. It
uses the Guest account for all access over the network, regardless of
the actual account being used on the other computers.

Nigel, run the Network Setup Wizard on the new PC -- that might fix
the problem. If it doesn't, follow these steps on the new PC:

1. Open a command prompt window (Start | Run | cmd).

2. Enter this command to enable the Guest account for networked
access:

net user guest /active:yes

3. Remove the network password from the Guest account:

a. Enter this command:

control userpasswords2

b. Click Guest.

c. Click Reset Password.

d. Click OK without entering a new password.

Thanks for the helpful post Steve. This solved the problem for me
connecting from one XP Home pc to another XP Home. This also solved
the print sharing problem.

Is there another way - i.e. less techno than going into CMD mode to
solve the problem? It appears that going in from Control Panel is
limiting in what you can do
with user accounts.[/QUOTE]

You're welcome, Craig. Control Panel only gives you access to local
account settings. Using the CMD window is the only way I know of to
access the network account settings.
--
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