I am getting unexpected behavior in the case of a user account accessing files on a remote computer. I have two Microsoft Windows 7 Professional x64 machines (Computer A and Computer B), both connected to the same Homegroup on the same LAN. Neither are members of a domain. I have created two user accounts. Both accounts have identical usernames and passwords (Computer A\User A, Computer B\User A). Both of these user accounts happen to be linked to the same Windows Live ID as well. On both machines "Advanced Sharing Settings" is set with "Turn on password protected sharing" and "Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections (recommended)." I have Homegroup connectivity from both machines to each other. The Windows Explorer Homegroup node for Computer A shows "User A (Computer B)" and vice virsa. My expectation is that Computer A\User A should be able to access everything owned by Computer B\User A by way of either the Windows Explorer Homegroup tree or the Windows Explorer Network tree. Unfortunately, in both directions User A is only able to see what the entire Homegroup could see. In this case the public Music Library. If my expection is correct, it seems that the two machines are not recognizing Computer A\User A and Computer B\User A as the same account, even though they have identical usernames and passwords. Please let me know if I have misunderstood the automatic coordination of user accounts on separate machines within a homegroup or if there is something I could do to continue debugging the access issue? Test Systems: Computer A - Microsoft Windows 7 Professional x64, Computer B - Microsoft Windows 7 Professional x64. Both connected to the same Homegroup on the same LAN. User A has the same username and password on both computers.

Since these are all win7 machines it shouldn't be an issue for each machine to see the other machines libraries (assuming they are all on the same homegroup "this is very important"). Each machine needs to have streaming enabled not just sharing Go to Control Panel then select Choose homegroup and sharing options In the middle of the homegroup settings page place a check in the stream my pictures,music, and videos on my home network Also in this same section there is a link Choose media streaming options click it and make sure your other machines have permission to access to the machine (repeat for the other machines) If each machine is set in this manner then all machines will see each others libraries and be able to play selections from them in Windows Media Player. To access them just open Media Player and in the library panel at the bottom of the list it should show something called Other Libraries this is where your music/pictures/videos from your other machines will be shown.Please remember to flag a post that helps you as "answer" so that it may help others with same problems.

Thanks for the reply DirtyOleBeggar, however this question is not about streaming or Windows Media Player. Perhaps your reply was posted to the wrong thread?

ok so don't place a check in streaming, but you can check to see if the computers are allowing each other access from that linked section quote from previous post "Also in this same section there is a link Choose media streaming options click it and make sure your other machines have permission to access to the machine (repeat for the other machines)" BTW I have 2 machines hooked with identical ID's and logins but if I try to use a file browser to access either machine the other will ask me for login and pass......as it should. While they never ask for permissions when I watch video/listen to music coming from each other cause they are set to allow each other access in the choose media streaming options. Of coarse you should make sure you are sharing the folders you think you are also since the public folders would share by default but any other folder needs to be "told" it has to share. All I can really say unless you phrase things differently (maybe I'm misunderstanding). You may need to review the users permissions to access the machine also (since its not the admin accts) Please remember to flag a post that helps you as "answer" so that it may help others with same problems.

Confirmation of Homegroup Connectivity Thanks for the reply DirtyOleBeggar. Your first paragraph reads: "ok so don't place a check in streaming, but you can check to see if the computers are allowing each other access from that linked section" It is unclear what "that linked section" is referring to. I think you are trying to get confirmation that both computers are connected to the same Homegroup. As noted in my original post, "I have Homegroup connectivity from both machines to each other. The Windows Explorer Homegroup node for Computer A shows 'User A (Computer B)' and vice virsa." Just to be sure I have rejoing the computers to the Homegroup and ensured the same Homegroup password was used. Authentication Your fourth paragraph reads: "BTW I have 2 machines hooked with identical ID's and logins but if I try to use a file browser to access either machine the other will ask me for login and pass......as it should." I have been unable to get Windows Explorer (the file browser) to prompt me for a username or password when accessing files remotely. I suspect that this is relevant to the issue. It seems that Computer A\User A is not being given the same permissions as Computer B\User A when accessing the contents of Computer B from Computer A. It is neither prompting for a username and password for the connection, nor using the identifical username and password combinations for User A to treat Computer A\User A as equivalent to Computer B\User A. I am unable to determine which account permissions are being used for the connection. Media Streaming Your fifth paragraph reads: "While they never ask for permissions when I watch video/listen to music coming from each other cause they are set to allow each other access in the choose media streaming options." The media streaming protocol and access should be independent of the file transfer protocol and access. Therefore media streaming options should not be affecting file access. Authorization I have confirmed that the folders I am trying to access are shared. The File Sharing dialog reports the folders as shared with User A with a Permission Level of Owner. I find that if I grant Security permissions to Everyone then those folders do appear on the remote computer. Therefore, it seems that the Sharing and Security permissions are not functioning consistently. Either: (A) The remote connection is authenticated as User A. The Sharing authorization via Owner permissions are functioning correctly. The Security authorizations are not functioning correctly, as permission granted to User A are not used. or (B) The remote connection is not authenticated as User A. The Sharing authorizations are not functioning correctly since only User A as Owner should be able to access the share. The Security authorizations are functioning correctly as permission are set to only provide access to User A.

Hi, According to my consideration, the Computer A\User A is not the same account as Computer B\User A although they have the save username and password. When adding permission to the shared folder, please choose share with Homegroup. Share files with someone http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Share-files-with-someone Best Regards, Niki Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" on the post that helps you, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Thanks for the reply Niki Han. My objective is to allow a user to access his own files on another computer. For example, a user with a home workstation and home laptop may desire to access files on the workstation, while sitting at the laptop. I would like to achieve this without compromising the security of those files. No one other than the user should be able to access them. I would like the security authorizations to remain unchanged. Sharing files with Homegroup is a very different scenario. If the user shares a folder with Homegroup than any user with any account on any computer that is part of the Homegroup now, or in the future, will be able to access the files. Although this may have the effect of allowing the user to access his own files it does so by changing the security and allowing other people access as well. As a work-around, I have removed Computer A and Computer B from the Homegroup. Now that both computers have left the homegroup things are working as expected. Computer A\User A can now access the contents of the Computer B\User A shares that he owns on Computer B. When Computer A\User A has the same password as Compter B\User A authorization occurs without prompts for a username or password. When Computer A\User B attempts to access Computer B then Windows Explorer prompts for a username and password (unless the user account does not have a password assigned, in which case an error dialog is presented).

I suspect my troubles are related to use of the "HomeGroupUser$" account. The following paragraph from "Windows 7 Inside Out" by Ed Bott, Carl Siechert and Craig Stinson appears to be relevant: "HomeGroup: How it Works The simplicity of setting up and using HomeGroup belies its complexity. The basic sharing mechanism uses standard sharing protocols that have been part of Windows for many years. In short, HomeGroup grants share permissions and applies an access control entry (ACE) to each shared object allowing access to a group called HomeUsers. A password-protected account (which is required for accessing shared objects over a network connection) named HomeGroupUser$ is a member of HomeUsers, and acts as your proxy in accessing shared network resources. (In fact, even if your user account is password protected, HomeGroup still uses the HomeGroupUser$ account to connect to a remote computer instead of using your account, unless you select the Use User Accounts And Passwords To Connect To Other Computers option in Advanced Sharing Settings. For more information about this setting, see 'Configuring Your Network for Sharing' on page 629.) [p.627, emphasis added]" I tested both values of "Advanced Sharing Settings - HomeGroup connections." Values of "Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections (recommended)" or "Use user accounts and password to connect to other computers," as suggested by Bott, did not affect the behavior I was seeing. Therefore it seems that "Use user accounts and password to connect to other computers" is not functioning as it should. It appears that the "HomeGroupUser$" account was being used for the connection regardless of this setting. I did not see a change in behavior until I removed both computers from the HomeGroup.

Hi, The "HomeGroupUser$" account is used when you shared the files with Homegroup. If only the user is in Homegroup, it can access the shared files although password protected is enabled. If you only want to access the shared files with its own account, you don't need to move the computers out of Homegroup. It's better to add permission via Advance Sharing. If you would like to change the Security settings, please refer to the following steps. Right click the file which you want to share on computer A, choose properties. On Sharing tab, click Share… button, just leave one account which can access it. Click Advanced Sharing… button, click Permission button, just leave one account as well. On Security Tab, just leave that account as well. When you on computer B, you could see computer A on homegroup and its sharing. However, that file is not in the list. You need to click network -> computer A, it will ask the user name and password. Please enter the computer A\user and its password to access the file. Or you can click Start -> type \\computerA in the search box. The process is used normal file sharing which is protected by password. Best Regards, Niki Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" on the post that helps you, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Thanks for the reply Niki. It seems that normal file sharing cannot be engaged while the test computer is joined to a Homegroup. Attempts to access a share through the Windows Explorer Network node or by typing \\computerA in the search box do not trigger a prompt for a username and password. They perform connections and it appears that the connection is made using the "HomeGroupUser$" account rather than the user account. Have you been able to get a Windows 7 system to behave as you described?

Have you been able to resolve this issue yet? I just came accross this myself this week after making some changes to the devices on my home network. I added a DLNA device and set up media sharing with WMP. I got the same HomeGroupUser$ error. Here is how I solved it. Right click on the drive or folder in Explore and select Properties. Click the Security tab, then Edit. Click Add/Advanced/Find Now and the search for HomeGroupUser$ then click OK. At this point simply give full control, then select Apply, then Save. You are done. If Everyone is not also there I find it handy to add it as well, repeating the same steps. I hope this helps!

I never found a use for the Homegroup feature. After exploring the behaviors I did not find any that were desirable. I removed all of my computers from Homegroup and now use the "Password protect sharing" feature.

@User 01, you are correct: Accessing shares between two Windows 7 computers is extremely confusing if not impossible, with HomeGroup engaged in addition to "Use user accounts and password to connect to other computers". It seems the only choices are: READ-ONLY, READ-WRITE or NOBODY (meaning not shared with anyone but YOURSELF across the two systems). Even the traditional NET USE command doesn't work in this scenario, hopefully overriding the HomeGroup settings: if exist V: net use V: /dnet use V: \\MyOtherWin7PC\SomeShare /user:MyOtherWin7PC\username * /persistent:no The other thing that I still find confusing and frustrating is that EACH user account on the computer hosting the Shares may apparently define their own set of folders to share and how (R-O, R-W or NOBODY). While it makes sense at some level to do so, ALL of the shares from the various users are accessible on the remote systems which merely adds to the confusion as to which to choose (since different permissions could very well be set). Moreover, the user names associated with the HomeGroup shares are displayed to all remote computers which is somewhat of a security concern since it reveals user names. Either way, that's not what most technical people want to achieve. I assume, like me, I wish to access Shares on a remote machine using either the current user's credentials (scenario where the username and password is same on both systems) OR by manually specifying the credentials at the time of accessing the Share. Furthermore, the HomeUsers (HomeGroupUser$) group seems to contain all users. And folders shared with HomeGroup have Share Permissions of "Everyone", "Administrators". I've been unable to find much useful and clear documentation on these items. Lastly, under Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings > Public, I have set: -Turn off network discovery, -Turn off file and printer sharing, -Turn off public folder sharing. However, it's unclear if two computers connecting via HomeGroup are considered "Public".