Cannot Share Files and Printers with Vista Machine

Check that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all the computers:
(for Vista) Start, Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center
click Manage network connections
right click the Local Area Connection, select Properties
select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4); click Properties
click Advanced
select the WINS tab
select Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP; click OK, OK, Close

This setting for XP is in the same place, just the route to get to the Local
Area Connection's Properties is slightly different (Start, Control Panel,
Network Connections).

If you have "turned on" File Sharing and Printer Sharing in the Network and
Sharing Center on the Vista computer, it should not be necessary to make any
adjustments to the Firewall settings for file and printer sharing to work.

With respect to the Access Denied connecting to a network printer, neither
XP nor Vista have a way to prompt for credentials when connecting to shared
printers (regardless of the Windows version running on the target computer),
but it does for folder shares. Try accessing a folder share on the target
computer - you should get a prompt for credentials; key username and
password for a user account known on the Vista computer that has permission
to access the content of the folder shared on the Vista computer. Then,
assuming the user account you used has permission, you should be able to
connect to the printer shared from the Vista computer.

Also, keep in mind that by default, XP and Vista do not allow connection to
shares using user accounts that do not have passwords set for them. So,
whatever user accounts you are using must require passwords.

I just installed XP SP2 on a computer, turned on NetBIOS over TCP/IP and all
the computers (XP, Server 2003 and Vista) on the LAN appear under My Network
Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network under their Workgroup
name. When I click on any of the computers (XP, 2003 or Vista), I get a
prompt for credentials; after keying appropriate credentials, the folder and
printer shares appear in the right pane of Windows Explorer (provided that
the target computer actually has published at least one share).

Just because a computer does not appear in a list, does not mean it is not
accessible remotely

If a computer does not appear in the list of computers, click Start, Run,
then key \\ followed by the Computer Name of whatever computer you want to
connect to and press Enter (e.g. \\VistaComputerName). You may get a prompt
for credentials - key the username and password for a user account on the
target computer. You should get a Windows Explorer window with a list of
the shares (both folders and printers) on the target computer.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP Printing
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.



"EagleRed@HighFlyingBirds.com"
<EagleRedHighFlyingBirdscom RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E15C1DAD-A4FE-4495-8960-EC61D737D2C3@microsoft.com...
>I installed Vista Ultimate (RTM) on a workstation and added it to a
>workgroup
> containing 3 other machines running XP SP2. I need to share files and
> printers on all machines to all machines. I cannot do it.
>
> I have a printer attached to the Vista machine that I have shared and two
> hard drives I have shared. I have turned Network Discovery on and the
> firewall off. I can see the Vista machine from the XP machines but not
> any
> shared drives or the shared printer (access is denied).
>
> I cannot see any of the other machines from the Vista machine at this
> point.
> However, at one time I could the machines and the shares and could copy
> files from the XP machine to the Vista machine while on the Vista machine.
>
> I would appreciate any guidance on how to effect resource sharing
> involving
> Vista and XP machines in a workgroup. A good comprehensive references
> would
> be very helpful that provide (1) straightforward how-to just get it done
> and
> (2) a good conceptual discussion of what is going on in Vista in this
> regard.
>
> I have spent considerable time setting up exceptions in the Vista firewall
> and turning various things on and off without being able to simply share
> files and printers in the workgroup. The machines in the workgroup all
> are
> in a trusted physical environment setting behind a router that connects to
> the Internet.
>
> Any help would be appreciated. I am past desperation.
>
> Thanks,
> Eagle

Thanks for your reply. I enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP on the VISTA machine
and one of the XP machines with no effect. Your counsel makes sense but it
didn't work for me. Did I miss something? In my attempt to connect to the
VISTA machine (mufasa) for one XP machine (simba) it did not get a
username/password prompt. In one case I even got a message box stating that
mufasa was not present.

On the simba (running XP) I have always been able to see and share share
resources witht the other XP machines, pumbaa (my grandchildren are into Lion
King) and shrek (my wife's machine). Mufasa appears in the workgroup but
that is all.

Even after enabling Netbios over TCP on mufasa I still cannot see any other
machines.

Something must be messed up.

Thanks,
Eagle

"Bruce Sanderson" wrote:

> Check that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all the computers:
> (for Vista) Start, Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center
> click Manage network connections
> right click the Local Area Connection, select Properties
> select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4); click Properties
> click Advanced
> select the WINS tab
> select Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP; click OK, OK, Close
>
> This setting for XP is in the same place, just the route to get to the Local
> Area Connection's Properties is slightly different (Start, Control Panel,
> Network Connections).
>
> If you have "turned on" File Sharing and Printer Sharing in the Network and
> Sharing Center on the Vista computer, it should not be necessary to make any
> adjustments to the Firewall settings for file and printer sharing to work.
>
> With respect to the Access Denied connecting to a network printer, neither
> XP nor Vista have a way to prompt for credentials when connecting to shared
> printers (regardless of the Windows version running on the target computer),
> but it does for folder shares. Try accessing a folder share on the target
> computer - you should get a prompt for credentials; key username and
> password for a user account known on the Vista computer that has permission
> to access the content of the folder shared on the Vista computer. Then,
> assuming the user account you used has permission, you should be able to
> connect to the printer shared from the Vista computer.
>
> Also, keep in mind that by default, XP and Vista do not allow connection to
> shares using user accounts that do not have passwords set for them. So,
> whatever user accounts you are using must require passwords.
>
> I just installed XP SP2 on a computer, turned on NetBIOS over TCP/IP and all
> the computers (XP, Server 2003 and Vista) on the LAN appear under My Network
> Places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network under their Workgroup
> name. When I click on any of the computers (XP, 2003 or Vista), I get a
> prompt for credentials; after keying appropriate credentials, the folder and
> printer shares appear in the right pane of Windows Explorer (provided that
> the target computer actually has published at least one share).
>
> Just because a computer does not appear in a list, does not mean it is not
> accessible remotely
>
> If a computer does not appear in the list of computers, click Start, Run,
> then key \\ followed by the Computer Name of whatever computer you want to
> connect to and press Enter (e.g. \\VistaComputerName). You may get a prompt
> for credentials - key the username and password for a user account on the
> target computer. You should get a Windows Explorer window with a list of
> the shares (both folders and printers) on the target computer.
>
> --
> Bruce Sanderson MVP Printing
> http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders
>
> It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.
>
>
>
> "EagleRed@HighFlyingBirds.com"
> <EagleRedHighFlyingBirdscom.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E15C1DAD-A4FE-4495-8960-EC61D737D2C3@microsoft.com...
> >I installed Vista Ultimate (RTM) on a workstation and added it to a
> >workgroup
> > containing 3 other machines running XP SP2. I need to share files and
> > printers on all machines to all machines. I cannot do it.
> >
> > I have a printer attached to the Vista machine that I have shared and two
> > hard drives I have shared. I have turned Network Discovery on and the
> > firewall off. I can see the Vista machine from the XP machines but not
> > any
> > shared drives or the shared printer (access is denied).
> >
> > I cannot see any of the other machines from the Vista machine at this
> > point.
> > However, at one time I could the machines and the shares and could copy
> > files from the XP machine to the Vista machine while on the Vista machine.
> >
> > I would appreciate any guidance on how to effect resource sharing
> > involving
> > Vista and XP machines in a workgroup. A good comprehensive references
> > would
> > be very helpful that provide (1) straightforward how-to just get it done
> > and
> > (2) a good conceptual discussion of what is going on in Vista in this
> > regard.
> >
> > I have spent considerable time setting up exceptions in the Vista firewall
> > and turning various things on and off without being able to simply share
> > files and printers in the workgroup. The machines in the workgroup all
> > are
> > in a trusted physical environment setting behind a router that connects to
> > the Internet.
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated. I am past desperation.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Eagle
>

I'm having the same problem. I can see the Vista machine and its shares from the Win2k and XP pc's but cannot see anything from the new Vista box. Also have a laptop with Vista and am getting the same results.
Cannot connect using UNC with either machine name or IP either. I've plowed through the layers of security on Vista and have disabled everything I can find, but still no luck.



EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

I had the same problem but dicovered that OneCare was blocking everything. If
you have OneCare then check the Firewall settings using the "Firewall
Connection Tool".

Good luck.

On Feb 8, 8:15 am, Al Rosenfeld wrote:
> I'm having the same problem. I can see theVistamachine and its shares from theWin2kand XP pc's but cannot see anything from the newVistabox. Also have a laptop withVistaand am getting the same results.
> Cannotconnectusing UNC with either machine name or IP either. I've plowed through the layers of security onVistaand have disabled everything I can find, but still no luck.
>
> EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choicehttp://www.eggheadcafe.com

I am having the same problem. Have you found a solution?

>> I'm having the same problem. I can see theVistamachine and its shares from theWin2kand XP pc's but cannot see anything from the
>> newVistabox. Also have a laptop withVistaand am getting the same results.
>> Cannotconnectusing UNC with either machine name or IP either. I've plowed through the layers of security onVistaand have disabled
>> everything I can find, but still no luck.
>
> I am having the same problem. Have you found a solution?

I was having a similar problem with a Windows 2000 PC. I upgraded
it to Windows XP Pro and the problem went away.

Lynn