As a first step in diagnosing problem I tried pinging each network IP. Every device (including Win98 PC)returns fast ping (0 ms) except Vista to Vista which returns at 200 ms. I disabled Netbios on both Vista PCs and the ping rate improved to near 0 ms going from Vista x32 to Vista x64 but Vista x64 to Vista x32 still remainsat 200 ms. Does anyone know what's going on ? It's causing Windows Explorer to crash, whenever I try to browse the Public folder of the other Vista laptop. Please help.

The Please disable the anti-virus and firewall on both of the Windows Vista 32bit system. Also make sure that the network adapters' drivers are up-to-date. Then try to access the Public folder again. If the issue persists, please boot in Safe Mode with Networking, and check if the issue persists. Please restart computer, press the F8 key when the boot menu pops up, select [Safe Mode with Networking], and boot up. Please check if the issue still occurs. If the issue persists in Safe Mode with Networking, please restart and try to upgrade the driver of the network adapter. Then, enable Guest account on both of the Windows Vista computers. Enable Guest======================== 1. Click the Start Button, input "cmd" (without quotation marks), right click on the Cmd.exe in the search result list and select Run as administrator.2. Type "net user guest /active:yes" (without quotation marks) in the open window and press Enter Key. Also please turn off Password protect in Network and Sharing Center. Please make sure that Public folder sharing is enabled either. Please try to access the Public folder. Is the issue resolved? If it persists, please let me know If the computers are in a domain or workgroup. If you can access the Public folders on the Windows Vista systems from other computers. Additionally, try to create a shared folder on both Windows Vista computers and check if you can access the folder from the other Windows Vista computer, and from other non-Windows Vista computers. If it is possible, replace the router and test the issue. Hope it helps.

Please see answers below: Artxie wrote: The Please disable the anti-virus and firewall on both of the Windows Vista 32bit system. Also make sure that the network adapters' drivers are up-to-date. Then try to access the Public folder again. Disabled Firewall & Antivirus and updated all network card drivers, updated firmware on router but problem persists If the issue persists, please boot in Safe Mode with Networking, and check if the issue persists. Please restart computer, press the F8 key when the boot menu pops up, select [Safe Mode with Networking], and boot up. Please check if the issue still occurs. Yes problem persists in Safe Mode With Networking If the issue persists in Safe Mode with Networking, please restart and try to upgrade the driver of the network adapter. Then, enable Guest account on both of the Windows Vista computers. Enable Guest======================== 1. Click the Start Button, input "cmd" (without quotation marks), right click on the Cmd.exe in the search result list and select Run as administrator.2. Type "net user guest /active:yes" (without quotation marks) in the open window and press Enter Key. Also please turn off Password protect in Network and Sharing Center. Please make sure that Public folder sharing is enabled either. Please try to access the Public folder. Is the issue resolved? Yes problem persists after activating guest account If it persists, please let me know If the computers are in a domain or workgroup. If you can access the Public folders on the Windows Vista systems from other computers. Additionally, try to create a shared folder on both Windows Vista computers and check if you can access the folder from the other Windows Vista computer, and from other non-Windows Vista computers. Will try when I get more time, not done yet. If it is possible, replace the router and test the issue. Replaced the router and updated with latest firmware but problem still persists Hope it helps.

I finally had an opportunity to pursue the last action item. Yes the computers all have the same workgroup name. The only other computer I have on the LAN is a Win98SE PC. It can see the two Vista computers from the Win98SE machine in Network Neighbourhood and Ican even see the shared folders, but as soon as I try to browse theshared folder I'm in trouble. What's amazing to me is I can browse the shared folders of theWin98SE machine from either Vista machine (x32 & x64) but nothing can browse the shared folders of the Vista machines. I created a new shared folder with User permissives on the Vista x32 machine and it also couldbe seen but not browsed by any other machine on the LAN.

Hi Satwar, I am sorry to say that we cannot directly access Windows Vista computers from Windows 98 computers. Let's focus on the communication between the two Windows Vista computers. Please follow the steps below to allow Guest account to access the computers. 1. Please click Start, in the Start Search box type "gpedit.msc" and press Enter. 2. Expand "Computer Configuration"->"Windows Settings"->"Security Settings"->"Local Policies"->"User Rights Assignment". 3. In the right pane, double-click "Access this computer from the network"4. Add "Guests" (without quotation). Then, try to access Public folder again. If the issue persists, please follow the steps below to allow anonymous enumerate. 1. In the window of Local Group Policy Editor, expand "Computer Configuration"->"Windows Settings"->"Security Settings"->"Local Policies"->"Security Options". 2. In the right pane, double-click "Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts". 3. Disable this policy. Then test the issue. If the issue is not resolved, please let me know before we enable Guest account on both Windows Vista computers, if you created accounts with the same user name and password on the two computers and log on with the accounts, then try to access the Public folders of each computer.