asked on

Cannot access shared drive on network running Windows 7 OS

Hello Again Experts -

I have two computers on a home network. Each has been configured so that their respective drives C are available to everyone else on the netwok as "SharedC".

But, when I go into either comoputer trying to get access to drive on the other computer, I get the message:

"Network Error

Windows cannot access \\GORDON-PC\SharedC

You do not have permission to access \\GORDON-PC\SharedC. Contact your network administrator to request access."

Well, I am the administrator. About the only place where I am in charge in this life.

I have setup the sharing of each drive with full access rights to eveyone. Then, I went into the Control Panel and changed the advanced sharing settings so that I "Turned on file and printer sharing". In otherwords, I think that I have done everything correctly, but access is still denied.

Any idea of what is going on here?

andoss

Can you access any files or folders on the other machines?

Remember you need to setup the security under both the 'Sharing' and the 'Security' tabs.
Sharing is for the share permissions which Security is the NTFS permissions.

Also are the machines a member of the same HomeGroup? Did you create a HomeGroup?

gbmcneil

ASKER

Hello andoss -

Thanks for responding. Give me a chance to get answers to your questions. I'll be right back!

gbmcneil

ASKER

Okay. Here is what I've got. Let's talk about Computer1 trying to gain access to drice C on Computer2. The problem exists both ways, but it get's confusing if we try to tackle the problem on all machines at sametime.

Computer1 can "see" two shares on Computer2. The first one is a public area in the Users subdirectory. I can actually bring text files there into my text editor on Computer1. Then second share is the entirety of drive C on Computer 2.

I can't touch the second area. I can see it, but not access it. When I try to access it, I get an error message.

The network must be working or else I woudn't be able to see the "shares", and I wouldn't be able to read the text file in my editor.

So, something is missing here. Both are Windows 7 machines. I used to do this without a problem when my computers were running XP and I didn't do both "sharing" and "security" settings.

Any thoughts?

gbmcneil

ASKER

It is almost 2:00 AM here in Boston. I'm going to get some sleep. Talk to you in the morning.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

andoss

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

gbmcneil

ASKER

I am not trying to make things more secure. I'm trying to make access to each computer wide open.

I'll look at the Securities tab again, but I specifically made access open to everyone - and for reading, writing, deleting, whatever.

NotVeryFat

Can you access the default c drive share (\\PCname\c$)?

If not, I found the following fixed issues mapping FROM a Windows 7 PC to another PC, but not sure whether it will fix Windows 7 to Windows 7. Possibly worth giving it a try:

Start -> Run -> secpol.msc.
Local policies -> Security Options
Network Security:LAN Manager authentication level, change to 'Send LM & NLTM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated'

(Make a note of what it was before you change, and then change back if it doesn't solve it after a restart.)

NotVeryFat

Also, is the administrator password the same for both PCs? If not, set them the same and see if you can then map across as administrator.

mgroover

Which version of Windows 7 are you running?

gbmcneil

ASKER

I am up and at 'em.

Let me itemize for you the three areas of security that I have reset:

1. In the Network and Sharing Center of the Control Panel I have turned on "file and printer sharing", "public-folder sharing", and "40 or 56-bit encryption", and turned off "password protected sharing".

2. In My Computer, Local Drive C:\ Properties I have changed Sharing \ Advanced Sharing by naming the shared C;\ root directory "SharedC", and changed the Group or User names to "Everyone" and allowed "Full Control", "Change", and "Read". I did not re-set anything to do with "Caching".

3. In My Computer, Local Drive C:\ Properties I have changed the Group or user names for:
Authenticated Users
SYSTEM
Administrators (Gordon-PC\Administrators)
Users (Gordon-PC\Users)
so that for each of these categories, I allow the maximum level of control

gbmcneil

ASKER

Then I rebooted.I should report that in the process of doing all of the above, I got an error message:

Error Applying Security

An error occured while applying security information to:

c:\hiberfil.sys

The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

Then it separately stops in its tracks to announce various subdirectories like C:\Program Files and C:\Windows.

It seems like it is giving authorization to access each file.

Then, when I have tred to access SharedC from Computer1 after a reboot, there is a progress bar that runs at the top of the dialogbox - as if it is engaged in checking the status of each one of the files in SharedC.

I don't know what the heck is going on here!

gbmcneil

ASKER

And, then I finally joined a "Homegroup" as suggested by andoss. That did the trick.

Actually I joined Homegroup on both Computer1 and Computer2.

Both C drives are now available no matter which computer I'm on.

Thanks many fold.