I am running a private static ip network with one windows 7 pro machine all other machine are xp pro and they can see the window 7 machine fine but the windows 7 machine only see the xp machines in a user account but not from the administrator account and all machines have the same workgroup name. firewalls are turned off windows defender is off and the internet is working fine Administrator account can see network at times but as soon as you log off and come back the network does not come back

Hi MtHighVs, a. What type of connection do you use? Is it a wired or a wireless connection? Step 1: As a first step, check whether the same issue persists in Safe Mode with Networking. Safe mode starts Windows with a limited set of files and drivers. Startup programs do not run in safe mode, and only the basic drivers needed to start Windows are installed. Safe Mode with Networking starts Windows in safe mode and includes the network drivers and services needed to access the Internet or other computers on your network. Refer this link to boot into Safe Mode: Start your computer in safe mode http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Start-your-computer-in-safe-mode Refer this link for more information: Advanced startup options (including safe mode)http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Advanced-startup-options-including-safe-mode Step 2: Also I would suggest you to create a new user account as an administrator and test whether the same issue persists in the new administrator account. 1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety, and then clicking User Accounts. 2. Click Manage another account. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. 3. Click Create a new account. 4. Type the name you want to give the user account, click an account type as an administrator, and then click Create Account. Refer this link for more information: Create a user account http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/Windows7/Create-a-user-account Regards, Divya R – Microsoft Support.

Hello, MtHighVs Do all your administrator accounts (be it the actual "administrator" account or user accounts with administrator privileges) have the same user name/password on all machines? Aaron

Yes all the machines have the same administartor name/password

This network is wired. There are 4 subnets, 2 cable modems for internet, subnet 1 is not connected to any router or modem, subnet 2 has 2 router/switches with one connected to a private connection modem and the other to the master router/switch which is connected to the main modem, subnet 3 has a router/switch connected to the master router/switch, and subnet 4 has a router/switch that is connected to subnet 3's router/switch there are other switches also, but this is the layout of the entire network. Ran the machine in safe mode with networking and network worked fine in all accounts. Logged on and off of all accounts multiple times and network always worked, could see and access all machines on the subnet (#4) (this machine W7,and both XP Pro machines) Created new user with admin rights and networking worked in that account. Restarted (not safe mode), logged onto new user account and the networking was working. Logged off new user account and logged in to the "administrator" account and Networking worked. Logged off and then logged right back into "administrator" and networking did not work. Went to network and sharing center and clicked on see full map, and one XP Pro machine (with Link Layer Topology Discovery Responder on it) showed up along with this Windows 7 machine and the network switch and the gateway and internet (world). However, the XP Pro machine was not accessible and there is one other XP Pro machine (without the responder on it) that is on the same subnet that did not show up. Next, logged into new user with admin rights and networking did not work. Clicked on see full map and got the same result as from the "administrator" account. Logged off and onto another account with admin rights with same result. Logged off and back onto "administrator" same results. Restarted, and logged into new user with admin rights and the network was back. Full map showed this machine, XP Pro machine with LLTD responder on the switch behind the gate to the world and the other XP Pro machine at the bottom of the window because it couldn't place it on the map. And both XP Pro machines were accessable. Logged off and logged onto the other admin rights account with the same results. Logged off and logged onto "administrator" account and the network was gone again. Full map was back to just this machine and the XP Pro machine with LLTD responder, the switch and gate to the world and XP Pro machine was no longer accessible. Checked the other two accounts and no network there either. Restarted, accounts with admin rights had network back. Logged onto "administrator" account and no network again. Logged off and back into other user accounts, no network. Restarted, same results. It seems that as long as we stay out of the "administrator" account the networking is fine. As soon as we log into the "administrator" account networking goes away until a restart. This may sound stupid, but after testing every possible combination of changing accounts this is what we always come to. Is there an explaination for this behavior? Since the network works in safe mode with networking, is there some process or service that is causing the problem? and if so how can it be turned off? The really stupid part here is that the internet access never is a problem, only the local private network which is secured behind 3 routers with NAT. Oh, and accessing the printers located on the main router/switch is never a problem either. It seems to me that W7 is trying to protect this machine from only its local peers. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

When you are logged in on the Win7 Box as admin, though you are unable to see the other machines in Windows explorer, can you ping the other machines either by ip address or more importantly by Machine NAME? One possible solution/suggestion, especially if you are initially unable to ping by machine name: Since you are using Static IP's, have you enabled Netbios over TCP in advaced/Wins section of your network adapters. If not you should make sure this is set on all machines - even the XP Boxes- reboot all the machines afterwards, even if it does not prompt you do to so. Aaron

Yes I can Ping by ip address or the machine name and have no trouble recieving a respones from the remote machine

Ok enabled Netbios over TCP on one xp machine and rebooted it and now can see all machines on subnet 4 and what I find strange is that before enabling that on the xp machine the win 7 machine could not even see it self on the subnet. It seems that if the win 7 looks at the network and does not find what it thinks it should see it just shuts down local networking