Networking home computers that are running different versions of Windows

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Dear all,
Can anyone advise me on a mixed network issue.
I have several PCs at home as well as music streaming devices such as Pure Sensia and Freecom MusicPal.
The PCs run a mix of Windows 7 HP and Ultimate all 64bit.
I use Serviio to share music to the streaming devices and PCs.
The PCs all use password protected network shares, and I selectively share certain folders from different PCs to enable both simple file sharing and backup which are simple script driven processes.
All has been working reliably for years until (Dum-Dum-Dum!) Windows 10…
A new laptop arrives with Windows 10 preinstalled.
I’ve got it up and running but cannot work out how to add Microsoft cloud accounts, such as those directly linked to OneDrive, onto the windows 7 PCs to enable password protected sharing to an from this new laptop.
The accounts have the same usernames on each flavour of windows PC, but the windows 10 version also has an email.
Can anyone advise me on how to work round this without using only local accounts on the windows 10 laptop.
Many thanks Don

PS: Latest update: HP have now spent two weeks looking into the issue as it involves their responsibility for Windows OEM on the laptop, also Microsoft community have responded just once to recommend Homegroups! Kind of useful. Anybody here on the lounge got any ideas?

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Hi Guys,
Thread has been knocking around for a week or so, any ideas?
Thanks,
D.

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Have you made sure your workgroup names are the same on all machines?
Do you have NetBIOS over TCP/IP enabled?

You can have a local account on the Win10 machine with the same name and password as the other machines regardless of how you actually login to the Win10 machine. The basic Windows networking using workgroups is still the same.

Joe

--Joe

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There are a lot of posts about people using Window 10 having problems with Work Group networks. There doesn’t seem to be a simple solution to fix it either. My windows 7 see Windows 10 but Windows 10 doesn’t see the others.
Joe

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Joe, Joe, & Don,

I don’t have a problem using std networking from Win 10 to Win 7
43116-w10TOw7

or Win 10 to Win 8.1
43117-w10toW81

as long as I’m using a Local User Account.

However switch to a MS account and….
43118-W10MSAcct

The above dialog will not accept any combination of UID & PW on any machine!

Oh Yeah, I want to use a MS Account! 42088-HeadBang

Update: I forgot to mention I have no problem going to the Win 10 machine (from 7 or 8.1) when either account is logged on.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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My results mirror RG’s as long as it’s a local account ( as Rg said ). I don’t have 8.1 in the mix but all my win 7 and my 1 win 10 all see and communicate with each other, no problem.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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FWIW, I use a Microsoft account for my created Administrators group account, but for everyday usage I sign in to a Standard User account. My NAS stays signed out, but is online and accessible from all machines. I use work group networking, and don’t have any problems with any PC seeing any other PC.

I only use my created Administrators group account for maintenance on any of my machines. UAC is not a hassle for me, and I personally see no need to be constantly signed in as a member of the Administrators group. When you sign in on your PC using a Microsoft account, you are also signing in to your Microsoft account online at the same time. I personally see no need for that.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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RG: I got to the exact networking point you got to when I decided that it was too early for me to switch to W10.
I shouldn’t have to be such a technician to do what is nowadays ordinary stuff, and when it doesn’t work properly either . . .

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Hi Team,

Many thanks for the input. I’m exactly where RetiredGeek (RG) got too…

Because of the Linux devices on the network I can’t use Homegroups, which Microsoft continue to demand of me

I also need the Microsoft accounts on the Windows 10 laptop so I can use the family safety features with my son’s account.

It seems astonishing to me that Microsoft who with Windows 7 recommend “Password protected” sharing for security, have made it impossible between different versions of Windows :confused:

I did find this link http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/networking-home-computers-running-different-windows#networking-home-computers-running-different-windows=windows-7 However this only describes Windows 7 to Vista issues. It would have been, dare I say it, helpful of Microsoft, if they’d cared enough to create similar Windows 10 advice.

Really clutching at straws now, would the user account name that is used on the LAN be hidden in the register somewhere? Perhaps if we can identify the actual Windows 10 user name being used, I can create an account with this name on the Windows 7 PC, and then hide it. Desperate I know, but that is how I feel

I started the process of Windows 10 migration with an open mind, assuming that the largely rabid scaremongering was just that, however I’m rapidly being moved into the Windows 10 hating camp by this kind if incompetence.
Does anybody know if Microsoft are aware, or even care about this mess they’ve created?

I know the routes open to home users, i.e. “(Don’t) Answer Desk” have not the slightest idea how to resolve, and will not raise any kind of second level ticket with Microsoft, unless I wish to pay them for it.
HP who made the laptop have inherited the responsibility for the Windows 10 (OEM), and their tech team appears to be equally clueless.

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I have three PCs on my workgroup – win10, win8,1 and win7. I can see each other PC and look at their files from each PC (where I’ve shared them). The win 8.1 and win 10 have the same account details on each, the win7 one has a different account name. I don’t know why other people have problems, so if someone asks me what particular settings are, I can give them and see if that solves the problem.

Note, I’m no network whizkid.

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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Hi Access-mdb,
How do you describe a Windows 10 “Microsoft account” on the Windows 7 PC. Without this, Password protected sharing cannot function.
Cheers,
D.

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I haven’t time to check this out at the moment, it may be tomorrow before I can look at it.

Sorry, this is an answer to #11

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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Hi jwoods,

Cool, the user names appear to be different from the display names.

I’ll create one of these on the Windows 7 PC, and see if it’s recognised by the Windows 10 one.

Thanks for the idea.
D.

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But you say in #15 that all the PCs on the network need the same username and password. My 8.1 and 10 PCs do, but the 7 doesn’t. Or am I barking up the wrong tree (as I said, I’m no expert on this….).

Note, I shared the relevant folders with ‘everybody’, is that the answer?

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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I shared the relevant folders with ‘everybody’, is that the answer?

YES!

:cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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My win 7 workstations and my win 10 workstation ( laptop ) don’t all have the same username but they all have the same password. I shared each HDD w/ full permission and required password protection.
To connect to other computers for the first time requires that I enter the correct username and password and check the box to remember. After that they all see each other and I can transfer anything I want.
There is 1 computer in the house that I set up to just have a “Shared Folder” so that there are no transfers of anything other than files to that folder.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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I personally don’t share folders with Everyone on the network, just the users that need access.

I set up all my shares with access only for Authenticated Users, i.e. the user has an account on both machines. I create a dummy account on each of my machines that has the same user name and password on all the machines. This method has worked since XP up through 10, EXCEPT if you use a MS Account.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Dear all,

Below are the results of the latest test.

I used “net localgroup users” to find the actual usernames of the Microsoft accounts. In most cases these were the first 5 characters of the email. In on case it also had a code number appended to the end.

I created on the Windows 7 PC a user with exactly this username, and gave it the same password.

I then granted this new user access to one of the network shares, and rebooted the PC.

I confirmed that the workgroup was the same on all the PCs which it was, and that password protected sharing was enabled exactly the same on both PCs.

Logged into the Windows 10 PC to check access, and got the same error, basically this user does not have permission to access the share.

Disappointing to say the least, as I thought I was on the way to a fix, but now were back to the start again.

Any new ideas Team?

Many thanks,
D.

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