# Solved: Can't find shared folder on home network



## Pandimensional (Jan 26, 2009)

Hello,

I've got an XP machine networked to a Windows 7 machine. I've set the standard shared folder in XP as being shared over the network. I've also set the XP My Docs folder to be shared. 

When I'm on the Windows 7 box, I can see the XP computer, yet the only folder I can access is called "Public". It contains "Public Pics", "Public Vids" etc.. and a few "Recorded TV" type files. I have no idea where this "Public" folder is on my XP machine. I can't find it.

I don't know why the folders I've specified as shared are not showing up. And what's the deal with this "Public" folder?

?

Thanks.


----------



## Pandimensional (Jan 26, 2009)

I was incorrect. I cannot see the XP machine from the Windows 7 computer. The folder I'm seeing (on the local network) when I'm on the Windows 7 box is actually on the same box. 

I'm new to this. I am expecting to see my shared XP folders when I'm looking at the network through my Windows 7 machine, yet I cannot.


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Turn off any firewalls for debugging. If the firewall is the problem, you'll have to configure it to allow access to "trusted zone" addresses. Note that some firewalls must be completely uninstalled to stop them from affecting your networking.

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *CMD* to open a command prompt.

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following commands:

PING each remote computer by IP address, and if successful, PING by name. Open a command prompt as described above and type.

PING _<ip address>_ 
or
PING _<computer name>_

Where: 
_<ip address>_ - is the x.x.x.x IP address
_<computer name>_ - is the computer name

*A failure to PING is almost always a firewall configuration issue. Any failure to PING needs to be corrected before you go any farther.*

_*Note:* You can obtain the IP address and computer name of a computer by opening a command prompt (DOS window) and typing *IPCONFIG /ALL*. This should work for any Windows version. The IPCONFIG /ALL display will provide a wealth of useful information for debugging your network connection._

Check your Services are Started on all PCs: 

COM+ Event System (for WZC issues)
Computer Browser
DHCP Client
DNS Client
Network Connections
Network Location Awareness
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Server
TCP/IP Netbios helper
Wireless Zero Configuration (XP wireless configurations)
WLAN AutoConfig (Vista wireless configurations)
Workstation

_*Note:* You can check the services in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services._

All of these services should be started, and their startup type should be automatic.

If a service is not running, open it's properties and check the dependencies. Check each of the dependencies and see which one is preventing the service from running. Checking the event log is also a good idea here, there may be clues to what is failing.

All computers should be in the same workgroup for computer browsing to function properly. File & Print Sharing has to be enabled on any computer you wish to share files or printers from. You also need to actually share the resource in question from My Computer, right click on the drive/printer/folder, and select sharing.

If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Places (_Network and Sharing Center in Vista_), make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login. NOTE: Vista's default is to require a password on the account to enable file/print sharing.

While the default NetBIOS setting is correct for normal network configurations, it's possible for it to be altered, and it costs nothing to make sure it's correct. NETBIOS over TCP/IP must be enabled for normal network browsing. You can open a command prompt as described above and type the following command: *nbtstat -n*. This will display the status of NetBIOS or indicate it's not configured.


----------



## Pandimensional (Jan 26, 2009)

Okay thank you. I'll give all this a try and check back. On both machines I'm only using the Windows firewall - so I assumed this wasn't the problem.

Also if I have a hardwired connection, I assume Wireless Zero Configuration and 
WLAN AutoConfig don't have to be enabled, correct?


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Have you enabled file and printer sharing on the XP?


----------



## Pandimensional (Jan 26, 2009)

yup


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Can you ping each way by computer name?

For each machine, let's see this.

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *CMD* to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following commands, one at a time, followed by the _*Enter*_ key:

_Note that there is a space before the -n or the /ALL, but there is *NOT* a space after the - or / in the following commands._

NBTSTAT -n

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter* to copy the contents to the clipboard.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.


----------



## Pandimensional (Jan 26, 2009)

Thank you very much John for all this great troubleshooting info. 

It turns out that I had the workgroup wrong. Duh.

Everything is working fine now. 

I have another network related mystery - I'll repost on another thread.

Thanks!


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

*You can mark your own threads solved using the







button at the top of the first page of the thread in the upper left corner.©*


----------

