Network sharing problem

Hi. I am trying to connect three home computers so they all see and share folders & files. I am almost there (I like to think), but have come up with a problem I haven't been able to solve yet.

There are two PCs running Windows 7 and a laptop running Windows 10 (all Home Edition). All three PCs show the other two in the 'network places', but only one is working as I'd want. So:

PC 1 (Windows 7) Sees the other Win7 PC and accesses all the shared folders there. Also sees the Win10 laptop and acesses the shared folders there. So this one is working.

PC 2 (Windows 7). Sees and accesses the shared folders on PC 1, but although it sees the Win 10 laptop, a Network password box opens when I try to connect to it.

Laptop (Windows 10). Sees PC 1 and PC 2. When I access PC 1, it goes to the default Documents folder (I assume), containing subfolders 'Pictures', 'Music' 'Videos' & 'Playlists'. I can't see how to access the shared folders on PC 1. When I try to access PC 2, I get a message saying that the PC is denying access. "Contact the owner of the media server"...

I tried turning off password-protected sharing in the laptop's advanced options. When I do that, instead of the Network Password box in PC 2, it just searches and searches for the laptop and never finds it. The same now with PC 1 - with the password-sharing off on the laptop, PC 1 no longer finds it. Turn the password-sharing option back on and PC 1 is fine again and PC 2 brings up the network password box again.

I have permissions set properly for all the shared folders...

Does any of this make sense? What I'd like to achieve is:

1. Have PC 2 access the Win10 laptop in the same way that PC 1 does (i.e. instantly shows the shared folders). I can't see why PC 2 isn't doing this as well. I have no idea what to enter in the network password box anyway (user name?), but it seems I should be able to stop this box appearing in the first place?
2. Ideally have the laptop show the shared folders on the two Win7 PCs, though I can manage fine doing file copies the other way, once I get PC 2 to work as does PC 1.

Hope that's all clear!! Haven't found any other 'solution' applicable to Home Editions by Googling, apart from turning off password-sharing (which has, as I say, odd results in my setup).

Thanks,

Martin

I assume your not using homegroup as it's been removed from Windows 10. The problem is by default Windows passes your current login when connecting as 10 uses email 7 doesn't understand. When you connect and it asks for username and password enter admin username and password on the PC your connecting to. What folders are you sharing anything in user profile is protected even as administrator on the PC you can't access others folders. You need to create a shared folder set permissions to everyone then NTFS permissions must also be set most people forget this which gives access denied error

Sorry, I don't understand what you are advising me to do (if anything). One Win7 PC works just fine. I can't see why the 2nd. Win7 PC does not - they seem to me to be set up just the same. Is there something I haven't looked at? There must be a difference somewhere. (As I say, if for some reason I can't access the Win7 PCs from the Win10 laptop, it doesn't matter, I can just do the copies etc. from the Win7 PCs with the laptop as the 'target', once I get both of them working)

OK, I have solved part of this.. I need to open the network PCs from Windows 10 in the Network window, not the network places shown in 'This PC'.

The only thing left is the password dialogue box issue...

Hi. Thanks for the examples - thing is, I don't have a password AFAIK on the Win10 laptop... I wasn't asked to set one up at the first run of Windows 10, just a PIN, which I have to put in every time the laptop starts.

When 'PC2' asks me for user name and password though, is it asking for those on PC2 itself or for the laptop it is trying to log into? I'm assuming the former: I don't know if I set up PC2 with a password or not - I don't have to enter one at startup. Maybe it's set that way in Control Userpasswords2 (will check). The problem must be with PC2, not the Win10 laptop - as I say, PC1 goes straight to the laptop's shared folders, no dialogue box.

I think by now my brain is going round in circles on this, so sorry if I am getting confused over something simple!

It asks for username password for a user on the PC your connecting to not the one your on. Windows doesn't like no password and throws a wobbler

Windows doesn't like no password and throws a wobbler

PC1 is happy with it... That's my 'dilemma', why one is OK and the other not. I can't see what the difference could be. Exactly same O/S trying to connect to the same laptop... Why doesn't PC1 bring up a password window too?