Folder share issue involving network path

When you open the properties after having it set right. On the Security tab you will see Everyone with permissions checked.

Progress, in as much as at least now I can access this laptop from this laptop over the network. Sort of...
I can now double-click on the laptop and see some sub-folders. Before I'd only get an error that it was refusing any connections.
I still can't get into those sub-folders though.

This is trying to access the documents folder on this laptop, using this very same laptop via the home network:


But I still can't access this laptop at all from any other device on the network.

You will have to give permissions on each subfolder as well. It is the way NTFS works.

Also my shares did not work for a couple minutes after I set them up. After that I was all good.

I'm just stuck at the same point as I have been ever since the beginning.
Here's the message from another PC trying to access this laptop:


I think it's a losing battle.
I was hoping it would be something like editing that location path in the properties > sharing but if it's not that then I don't think anything is going to fix this.
I'm just going to have to live with being able to access shared folders from this laptop but not being able to share folders from it.

I think something has messed up the firewall rules on the laptop to be honest. There is no reason for it not to work. The only reason that caused me sharing issues was when I had my PC behind a router and the other device was connected directly to the modem wifi. Long story but once they were both on the same network, it started working.

It has to be the firewall rules. Give this a try:

Restore Default Windows Defender Firewall Settings in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

OK I'll try that, or even turning it off completely.
But I don't know that that would affect even the attempt to share a folder the way it is.

This is that completely useless error message I get when trying to share the sub-folder:



This appears after right-click folder > properties > sharing (weirdly long delay to go there) > Share... > Everyone = Read/Write access > Share

I could see how firewall might possibly block access from another machine, but I can't imagine it causing an error like that to prevent sharing a folder in the first place.

That is part of the security. That is why it is recommended to use a different folder. You have to set the Security before permissions of any subfolders in the user folders.

OR that laptop has some issues with Windows itself.

EDIT: I was just able to share my Pictures folder with a ton of subfolders and it worked across my network. There is definitely something wrong with the laptop. I did exactly what I posted for you.

Yeah, I'm strongly suspecting I broke something when I deleted the original user account that I set up when I first bought it.

I don't remember why I did it, but I created a second user account with Administrator permissions and then deleted the original user account. Actually I do think I remember it was something to do with a spelling error on my username or something that I wasn't able to correct, so I re-created a new user account with same privileges and deleted the first one.

Anyway, disabling Defender firewall hasn't changed anything, and as you experienced it is quite possible to share those folders - I've done it with all my other computers. Just this one machine won't comply.
I'll chalk it up to experience and live with it I suppose.

Thanks so much for all your time and energy in helping!

I think I might have a way for you to fix it. Open Computer Management, click on Shared Folders on the left side. Then click on Shares. Now on the right side, right click, New Share. Go through the wizard there and then see if it works.

You're very welcome. I hope that ^^ fixes it.

Thanks again for going beyond, but that option of right-click > New Shares isn't available for me.

Right-clicking on Shares does nothing, and even left-clicking on More Actions only gives one choice and that's Help.
It's probably not built in to Windows Home, I guess.