Folder share issue involving network path

I'm unable to share folders on a laptop. From the laptop in question I can see and access shared folders on other machines on WiFi at home. But when on those other machines I can only see the laptop. I can't access it at all. Just get the common message after diagnosing the error that the remote device is available but not responding to connection attempts.

I've searched for hours and tried several things that have apparently helped others, but nothing is working for me.
SMB1.0 is enabled.
File and Printer Sharing is turned on.

When I try to share a folder from this laptop I get an error that simply says "The folder can't be shared".

One thing I've discovered is that the network path looks strange.
For example, I right-click on the Documents folder and the properties say it's at
C:\Users\My username
That's fine. But when I click on the "Sharing" tab it takes ages to get there (about 10 seconds), and the Network Path is:
\\LAPTOP-name\Documents
There's no mention of users or username in the path. Every other computer I have can open the Sharing tab immediately, and gives the Network Path name as something like \\ComputerName\Users\My username\Documents

I expect this is why I can't share the folder. The sharing settings can't locate it properly. But how can I manually set that network path to match the true location of the Documents folder?

I have a vague memory of setting up a user account when I first got this PC and then deleting that account. This problem may well be related to that in some way?

Welcome to the forum. If you are trying to share a users folder that is a problem as even if your on the PC as admin by default you can't access another users documents folder etc. Create a folder away from the users path and share that when you share a folder you set permissions on the share but the NTFS permissions then kick in and if they are set to deny you won't get in as with any users folder

I've now created a folder directly on the laptop's C drive and named it 'Share'.
I've shared this folder and at least the laptop doesn't throw an error for that. But I still can't access this laptop from any of the other computers (I've got 2 desktops and 3 laptops currently on the home network - all running Win 10). There's absolutely no problem sharing any user folders between any of the others; it's just this one laptop.

When I right-click on this new 'Share' folder the same long delay occurs when trying to access the Properties > Sharing tab... and the network location is: \\LAPTOPName\Share
The Properties > General tab has its location as C:\

I am not sure if you are using password sharing or not. If not, check this post:

Wanting to use unallocated space on my hard drive, any dos and don'ts? - Page 3 - Windows 10 Forums

I went through it all with another member trying to setup a share so he could backup over the network.

Password sharing is already off. I've also tried adding a rule to the firewall specifically allowing port 445 (this was a suggestion I found on some other site during the various searches I've tried)
I've also tried running DSIM.exe and then sfc. Apparently no corrupt files anywhere.

If your folder is set like I showed in the pics in the other thread, it should work. I did that on a 2nd PC that was a clean install to share a folder. It works. Is your network (Private) setup like this?

Attachment 184661

Yes, mine is identical to that.
If I expand the All Networks section at the bottom then I have Turn off public folder sharing, use 128 bit encryption, ant turn off password protected sharing.

You don't think it's anything to do with the strange network location in the properties? It's the only thing I can think of that's out of the ordinary.

The location should be like that:

PCNAME\SHARE for any share any where on the PC.

Are you using any other firewall than Windows Firewall?

It's just that the properties > general tab has the location looking the same on each computer
C:\Users\MyUsername
But the properties > sharing tab has the network location different from all the other computers I have
On this one it's
\\LAPTOPName\Documents

while all the others have that properties > sharing - network location as
\\LAPTOPName\Users\MyUsername\Documents

It's the only thing I can spot that's different from all the others.

I'm not using any other firewall. I've considered turning Windows firewall off completely to see if that's the issue, but haven't tried that yet.

I see the same on my shared folders on my PC. Couple others from the one I posted as a pic. It shows PCNAME\shared name for the Network Path.

Under the properties, sharing tab, at the bottom does it say People without a user account and password for this computer can access folders shared with everyone?