Cannot Network Windows 7 with Windows XP

[zawy]

This is a repost of my previous post, but cleaned up. This is how to get Windows 7 and XP PCs to see each other's files in a network. The instructions are for the Windows 7 machine. This is a lowest-security approach to increase chances of getting it to work. You can modify it for better security.

Summary:
1) Ownership and Permissions of a folder
2) Sharing the folder
3) "Work" group, not "Home"
4) All PCs in same group
5) Reboot all PCs
6) Last ditch effort

Part 1: get the folder's ownership and permissions right on the Windows 7 machine

1) make sure you own the folder: RtClk-properties-security-advanced-owner-edit (and make yourself the owner)
check "replace owner of subcontainers" to apply to all files and subfolders

2) "OK" the above to set everything and get out, then go back in to give "everyone" read/write permissions. Delete all the others like administrator which someone above said might cause a conflict:
a) RtClk-properties-security-advanced-permissions-change-permissions (if everyone is not in the list, click "add" and type "everyone" in the big box - "OK").
b) "Remove" all others, but remember how to use "add" as in a) above to get them back if necessary.
c) "Edit" "everyone" and give them all permissions.
d) uncheck "inherit parent permissions" to make sure it doesn't override what you want
e) check "replace child permissions" to apply to all files and subfolders

3) "OK" the above to get out and then go back in:
RtClk-properties-security. If "everyone" is not the only one listed or does not have all permissions, fix with "edit".

Part 2: Share the folder.
RtClk-properties-sharing. In both "share..." and "advanced sharing...->permissions" make sure "everyone" had read and write. Remove any others.

Part 3: Networking with XP: All XP and 7 PCs should be a "work" group and not a "home" or "public" group. "Home" is only if all computers are Windows 7.

1) Control Panel-network&sharing: under the bold name of your group is an underlined link someone took a pic of above: change it to "work" instead of "home" or "public".

2) Control Panel-network&sharing-ChangeAdvancedSharing set all the obvious settings there.

3) Control Panel-network&sharing-Firewall (I turned it off for now)

4) Control Panel-network&sharing-SetupNewConnection (this function is not completing for me)

Part 4: Have One Group Name. All machines have to be in the same group. To change the group name on XP or 7:
Control Panel-system-advanced-computer name-change

Part 5: Reboot all PCs. If letting the windows 7 Machines be the last ones to boot doesn't work, try letting the XP machines be last.

Part 6: Last Ditch Effort. See if the PCs can at least see each other. On an XP or win7 PC, find its IP address. Click start menu-programs-accessories-command prompt-type "ipconfig" and hit enter. Write down the IP address. Go to the other XP or win7 PC and click start menu (then click "run" in XP) and type \\[IP address you wrote down] and hit enter and you should see all shared folders on the other PC. With my linksys router, it's \\192.168.1.10x where "x" is a number from 1 to 5 identifying the various PCs in the house (assigned by the router starting with 1 in the order they are booted up).

Finished

The "work group" name should probably not be "home" as I did, which seeemed to cause problems.

[marflo]

Well, I think sending unencrypted passwords is not necessary. I finally found in Win7 where to enter my workgroup name, which I change from the default to gain a little security. Once I did that I can network with my other XP machines using the same workgroup name just fine.
As mentioned I did have to make the shares on the Win7 machine to Everyone.

Can you please tell me what step did you do to solve this issue? I cannot connect to my network, as soon I try to do so I loose internet for all pc's,then need to reset router to get back the internet connection, the xp pc's are ok on network.

[marflo]

it sounds like you have a different problem.
I would start by making sure your router firmware is up to date.
I have seen older Linksys routers do strange things with Vista and work fine with XP - updated firmware and all was fine.

Oh, but my problem is that as soon I try to connect to my network i loose internet conection for all pc's and I need to restart the router,I checked online with microsoft compatibility and the router is compatible with win 7 and also they checked the router and all is working fine.
If I put my hdd with xp my network is working fine no issues at all.
My router is Belkin 75d... ( i don't remember the other digits of the model) and is listed on Belkin routers compatible with win 7. I can check and list exactly the model if it is needed to solve my issue, i will try also to see if there are any updates to it's driver or so but I remember thnat when I had the vista basic which came with my Emachines laptop it worked fine until the vista crased and i needed to reinstall with the rescue discs that i made as soon i got the laptop.
I tried to contact Belkin support but they were not able to fix the issue.
I stopped the firewall I stopped any password and no luck, am so pissed of because i like so much win 7 in comparison with xp.
So please advise if you have any ideeas!

[marflo]

Ok once again: windows 7 doesn't see my network at all; as soon i try to connect internet is gone for all pc's and I have to unplug the router and then to plug back in 20 sec.

All xp see win 7 but cannot access it;

All xp pc's see each other from more than 3 years buy now, and were ok even after i installed the new Belkin router;

1. Windows laptop connects wireless to my Belkin f5d7230-4,version 8000, checked with windows compatible online and got ok, my laptop is Emachines E620 and I have downloaded drivers only from their site.

2. Xp pc's are connected wired to my router, they see each other flawlessly from many years by now, and it was ok with vista home basic before it crashed and i need to reinstall with my recovery disc made soon after I got the laptop as they advised, then got the network, bought another hdd still same issue.

3. disabled all security software less microsoft security essentials, disabled firewall, disabled password tried the guess permission, no luck!

I don't have any pasword as admin, nothing.

When I had on this hdd xp it worked ok, the network was excellent, but i wish win 7 because it is a huge difference you know after I used beta version where i had the same issue the same behaviour as described for win 7, 6.1 7600 build.
I was advised to start safe mode, ok, I did it,results-in safe mode,
I can see my xp pc's and enter in the documents,

What I have to do next?
I like to ask you what is the catch with the safe mode, what i have to look into?

[ruggb]

OK
With your XP system connected, there is no issue.
With your Vista system connected, there is no issue.
When you connect your W7 system, the router locks up and you have to reset it.
You have verified that the firmware version on the router is the same version as on the Belkin site.

When you reset the router does everything work or is there still a problem?
Who is your ISP?

There is a possibility that you have an IP address conflict. I usually see this with a DSL ISP.

Connect a working system direct to your MODEM and go to CMD prompt - type IPCONFIG and note the IP address. It must not start with 169. That means something is broke already.

Reconnect the modem to the router, connect the system to the router and do the same thing.

The IP addresses will both start 192.168., the next number must be different, if it is not you must change the IP address of the router to something else - I usually use 10. >> 192.168.10.x

[ruggb]

marflo
The IP of your router is only an issue if the IP of your MODEM has the same first three parts. You need to plug an XP system directly to your MODEM and check the default gateway address - the system address should be the same except for the last part.
IF the first three parts of the MODEM IP are 192.168.2 then you have a conflict and must change the ROUTER default gateway address to something else.
That will yield a different system IP when plugged into the ROUTER with the third part being whatever you changed it to.

IS your W7 system accessing the router via wireless????????

If so this may be associated with another issue that appears to be a W7 bug - There is a LONG thread RE this somewhere. I do not believe it has been resolved yet.

[marflo]

Yes my laptop is connecting wireless to my router, and when I had xp was ok, I never checked to see if wired is ok, I will test to see what happens.But i need wireless not wired to work, on safe mode I can see the xp pc's and enter documents, whatever.
My router is ok I already teted online with microsoft; today I wrote to belkin let see if they respond.
If it is bug from win 7 how come they didn't solved by now is more that 6 month from rtm version.
The problem that the same it was happening with vista home basic after I need to reinstal duo to a marvelous os missing, ha-ha. I was lucky that as soon I got the laptop I did the recovery disc as the manufacturer advised.
If it is a microsoft win 7 bug shame to them, they have to do smth unfortunately we are so insignificant that they don't care if they defy us.

[ruggb]

if u tested wired and got an unidentified network there must be an issue between your router and W7. Normally if that happens a 169.x.x.x IP is assigned. But u said it was a 192 address so it may be an IPv6 thing.
I would go to properties for the wired adapter and turn off the IPv6 protocol.
Mine is running, and I have no problem, but I have heard that many people do.

See if that does anything.

U may just want to do a hard reset on the router and put it back to factory defaults. It is easy to muck up configs. If it doesn't work on defaults Maybe u can borrow a different router and try it. It really should be plug from factory defaults.

U never did say what the MODEM gateway IP was.

[ruggb]

I have seen routers work with XP and not W7.
I have seen routers work fine with both on default settings but not W7 with security.
I have seen routers work fine with one ISP and not another - usually the IP conflict I pointed out previously.

Work with a wired connection till u get it going as, as far as I know, there is still a W7 bug with wireless. Once u get it working u can switch to wireless and, hopefully, fix any issues there.

[marflo]

I hope that some day I will be able to solve my issue, because going back to xp is like driving a Mercedes and then a Honda.
Unfortunatelly I cannot see how to solve, I tried all what I got from internet, a guy from microsoft replied once and then I've never heard about him, that is a well known practice from them, that's why people are hating them so much.
All I can say that I didn't spend to much for my win 7 I spent a couple of bucks just for a license for one machine and I only reinstall on the same machine.
Next days i will give a try with wired to see if I can make it work.

[Big Fish]

Just a small thought out of the blue, did you try to install the Microsoft TCP/IP version 6 protocol in both computers by clicking install on your LAN properties dialogue window, I was able to find it in the install list, and then restart. You can also try to change the Windows XP pc name from mshome to the name of your network, I also heard that it could be a "Home" network as long as it wasn't Homegroup. Changing to a "Work" network and confirming matching network names finally worked.

[marflo]

Today I got reply from Belkin, tried what they told same issue, replied back with more information let see what they come up with, I am not convinced yet that is a router issue because if I install my xp hdd on my laptop all is ok
I am not sure how to install that microsoft protocol, I will look into and if I won't be able to do it i will ask assistance.

[ruggb]

Let me ask a couple questions that may have been asked.......
I am assuming you do not have a problem connecting EITHER system to the internet thru your router. Also, you can connect two XP system if you have them.

Have you disabled or uninstalled any software firewalls running on either system? Some firewalls still block even after you disable them....

Is this a clean install of W7?

Have files/folders been transferred from another system?

Is the XP system set for a Workgroup?
Is the W7 system workgroup NAME the same as the XP workgroup?
Do you have the network and sharing detail on the W7 set correctly? -
no password
share printers and files
network discovery on
128 bit .............
Is the DRIVE from which you want to share on the W7 system set to share with permissions for EVERYONE = full?
Is the SECURITY, on the same window as above, set for EVERYONE = full?
Is at least ONE folder on that drive set to share with Specific People - EVERYONE = READ/WRITE?
When you open the above window do you see "UNIDENTIFIED USER" (or something to that effect)?
IF SO YOU NEED TO "TAKE OWNERSHIP" OF THAT FOLDER and delete those users from that window. Unidentified users comes from previous system folders being moved to the new system, or an install over an old system (like upgrade).
Is the XP system's DRIVE that you want to share set to share?

IF ALL THE ABOVE IS CORRECT, YOU NEED TO START OVER! Something got missed.

[marflo]

All are as you said.The issue is as soon as I try from win 7 (clean Install) from my laptop to access the network the internet connection is lost for all pc's, and I need to restart the router, xp pc's are ok in network.

[ruggb]

OK-Maybe you haven't missed anything on the systems.
Verify/set one more thing
verify that IP protocol does not have IP6 loaded on W7 system. Of course, this will prevent Homegroups from working but it doesn't sound like you have more than one W7 system.

I am aware of old Linksys routers with old firmware that do strange things with Vista and W7. A firmware update fixed their issue.

1. verify F/W is at latest Belkin version.
2. do a hard reset on the router. Leave everything except the following at factory default.
3. verify there is no IP conflict between the router and the modem. This happens often with DSL connections. Either change the router IP or make the modem passthru. For me, it is easier to change the router to something like 192.168.11.1.


If it doesn't work at this point - try another router.