Vista PC and XP PC cannot connect to each other.
Hi, I recently got a new computer (with Vista) and put it up in my garage. I've been trying to set up filesharing and print sharing between this PC and my older Windows XP machine in my office. They are connected both into my router via wires (not wireless). On the vista machine, the XP computer shows up in the network map, but i cannot connect to the computer or the printer.On the XP machine, the Vista computer doesn't show up in My Network Places at all.Is there something I'm doing wrong?
September 22nd, 2008 6:17am

Hi, I suggest that you temporary disable the firewall and anti-virus on both computers first. If the issue persists, please set that the Windows Vista computer and the Windows XP computer are in the same work group. If it does not help, check the related settings in Windows Vista. Step1 Adjust setting in Network and Sharing Center. ============================= In Windows Vista, please launch Control Panel->Network and Sharing Center. Please enable Network discovery, File sharing and Printer sharing. Also disable Password protection. Step2 Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP ============================ 1. Click "Start", input "NCPA.CPL" (without quotation marks) and press Enter. 2. Right click on the connection that you use for the local connection, and then click "Properties". 3. Click Continue button to verify the administrator permission. 4. Click to select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)", and then click "Properties". 5. Click "Advanced" button in the open window. On the "WINS" tab, click to select "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP", and then click "OK" to save the setting. Step3 Enable Guest account. ============================ 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. On Windows XP computer, enable Guest account. Enable Guest account ============================ 1. Click the Start->Run. 2. In the open box type "net user guest /active:yes" in the open window and press Enter Key. Please check if the network works properly now. If the issue persists, please let me know the detail information of the error message when you try to access the Windows XP computer from the Windows Vista computer. Please try to access the other computer by its IP address. In Windows Vista, click Start, in the Start Search box type \\[IP address of Windows XP computer] to access the Windows XP computer. On Windows XP, Click Start->Run, in the open box type \\[IP address of Windows Vista computer] to access the Windows Vista computer. If any error message is received, let me know the exact error message/symptoms. Please also let me know the system version of the Windows Vista system and the Windows XP system. Hope it helps.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
September 23rd, 2008 1:41pm

Hi I have the same problem... tried all the steps above, still get "windows cannot access \\MAIN" (the name of the computer I am trying to connect to). When I click on the "diagnose problem" button, Vista reports that there is no problem with my network connection.Computers are in the same workgroup and everything described above has been done with no success. Connection is wireless, but I have connected the computers via cable and get the same result.Any other ideas?
November 9th, 2008 6:12pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics