Network file sharing problems

I’m having perplexing difficulty getting two Windows 10 desktop computers to share files over my network. The setup of the two computers (names OFFICE-PC and TVROOM) is entirely symmetric (same network and sharing options, same Workgroup, same HomeGroup),yet TVROOM can access OFFICE-PC files but Office-PC cannot access TVROOM files.


This would seem to suggest a hardware problem preventing TVROOM from accepting connections. But a Windows 7 PC on the network (name ZOTAC, with same sharing options selected as the other computers) can access files on TVROOM.

Details of how the computers are set up, and on connectivity are below. Any help would be much appreciated.

Common settings for the computers are as follows:

Network and SharingCenter > Advanced Settings

Private profile is current profile with selections:
Turn on networkdiscovery
Turn on automaticsetup of network connected devices
Turn on file andprinter sharing
Use user accountsand passwords to connect to other computers

Guest or public selections:

Turn off networkdiscovery
Turn off file andprinter sharing

All networks selections

Turn on sharing soanyone with network access can read and write files in public folders
Use 128 bitencryption …
Turn off password protected sharing (have also tried turning this option on, to be consistentwith the private profile selection, with no change in behavior)

For shared drives
On security tab,created “Everyone” category with read access
On sharing tab,advanced sharing, selected “Share this folder” and gave read access to “everyone”

Behavior

Rows 1 and 2 of the table below reports the asymmetrical behavior of the two Windows 10 computers. Note the error messages given in the table footnote.

Rows 3 and 4, and rows 5 and 6, show that the Windows 7 computer can access both Windows 10 computers, and both Windows 10 computers can access the Windows 7 computer.

Welcome to the forum. What you don't tell us what happens when you try and connect do you see the share do you get an error when you try. You have set the shares but then you must set NTFS permissions on the folder or you won't connect if you don't have rights

Samuria said:

Welcome to the forum. What you don't tell us what happens when you try and connect do you see the share do you get an error when you try.

Row 1 of the table shows 3 different methods of trying to access TVROOM. There is no icon for TVROOM under "network", and there is no icon for TVROOM under "Homegroup". When I try to access TVROOM by specifying the path \\TVROOM from file explorer, the footnote to the table reports the error messages that occur.

Samuria said:

You have set the shares but then you must set NTFS permissions on the folder or you won't connect if you don't have rights

I reported this information in my post. To repeat:
For shared drives
On security tab,created “Everyone” category with read access
On sharing tab,advanced sharing, selected “Share this folder” and gave read access to“everyone”

randym said:

Row 1 of the table shows 3 different methods of trying to access TVROOM. There is no icon for TVROOM under "network", and there is no icon for TVROOM under "Homegroup". When I try to access TVROOM by specifying the path \\TVROOM from file explorer, the footnote to the table reports the error messages that occur.

Correction: Row 1 of the table shows 3 different methods of trying to access TVROOM. There is an icon for TVROOM under "network" but clicking on it results in errors reported in table footnote, there is an icon for TVROOM under "Homegroup" but clicking it does nothing, and specifying the path \\TVROOM from file explorer results in error messages reported in table footnote.

Can you run this on every pc and see if it {a} sees all pc {b} and which one is master browser. Is netbios running on all pcs? can you map a drive via IP?

Samuria said:

Can you run this on every pc and see if it {a} sees all pc {b} and which one is master browser. Is netbios running on all pcs? can you map a drive via IP?

To keep things more simple, I'll focus on the two windows 10 computers (OFFICE-PC and TVROOM), and leave the windows 7 computer (ZOTAC) shut down. I mentioned ZOTAC only to make the point that two-way communication works between the ZOTAC and the two windows 10 computers.

Please see rows 1 and 2 of table 1 above for what each computer "sees" under “network” and under “homegroup.”

The service “TCP/IP NetBiosHelper is running on both computers.

I cannot map a TVROOM folder on OFFICE-PC using the IP address. I get the message “Windows cannot access \\192.168.1.165\e ; Check the Spelling of the name. Otherwise, etc” .When I click on “diagnose”, I get the message “Windows can’t communicate with the device or resource”

I can map an OFFICE-PC folder on TVROOM using the IP address.

With regard to figuring out which computer is the “master browser,” I cannot find instructions on the web for doing this that work. I did try one set of instructions that do not work from either computer. When I tried to implement those instructions from OFFICE-PC, I discovered that the command “net view” issued from the command prompt gives error message “the service has not been started.” This is so despite the fact that the services “Computer Browser” and “Workstation” are running.

The command “net view” issued from the command prompt on TVROOM works. However, the command “nbstat”, which my instructions said would reveal the Master Browser, is not a working command.

How do I find the Master Browser?

Note that the installation of Windows 10 on Office-PC was an upgrade from Windows 8.1, whereas the installation on TVROOM was a clean install.

Thanks.

Assuming your P2P Work Group is set up correctly with shares and security permissions correctly.
Here are a couple of settings that you need to check Program and Features/ Windows features SMB 1.0 select SMB 1.0 CIFC Client and select SMB 1.0 CIFC Server deselect select SMB 1.0 CIFC automatic removal.

In Services Homegroup listener and Provider, services need to be turned on Auto.

Clintlgm said:

Assuming your P2P Work Group is set up correctly with shares and security permissions correctly.
Here are a couple of settings that you need to check Program and Features/ Windows features SMB 1.0 select SMB 1.0 CIFC Client and select SMB 1.0 CIFC Server deselect select SMB 1.0 CIFC automatic removal.

In Services Homegroup listener and Provider, services need to be turned on Auto.

Your suggestions got me a working network. There are quirks I can live with. Thanks to both you and Samuria for your help!

Clintlgm said:

Assuming your P2P Work Group is set up correctly with shares and security permissions correctly.
Here are a couple of settings that you need to check Program and Features/ Windows features SMB 1.0 select SMB 1.0 CIFC Client and select SMB 1.0 CIFC Server deselect select SMB 1.0 CIFC automatic removal.
In Services Homegroup listener and Provider, services need to be turned on Auto.

Just created an account here to say that THESE suggestions addressed my network issues. I've been sharing files among my PCs for many years without issue. Lately, the Windows 10 updates seem to keep taking my network file sharing down. This time, the above settings changes fixed my issues. Thank you!!

Slightly reformatted for exhaustive step by step...

1. Click windows icon in lower left, type 'Control Panel' and click on it in the search results
2. Click on 'Program and Features' (if it isn't there, click on Programs, it should show up in that screen)
3. Click on 'Turn windows features on or off' (window pops up)
4. Next to SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support, click the "+"
5. Make sure the following are checked
- SMB 1.0/CIFS Client
- SMB 1.0/CIFS Server
6. Make sure the following is UNchecked
- SMB 1.0/CIFS Automatic Removal
7. Click ok
8. When it asks to restart, don't do it yet
9. Click windows icon in lower left, type 'Services', click on 'Services' desktop app
10. Find 'Homegroup listener' and 'Homegroup Provider'
11. Right click on each and select properties
12. Change startup type to 'automatic'
13. Restart computer.