I've search this forum for similar scenarios, and no luck, so will post new and hopefully get some illumination on this mess. I have a Windows 7 laptop that cannot connect to my Vista Utlimate tower system. Here's the details: 1. This was working, not sure if an update munged this... 2. Error I get when attempting to connect to the sharded PUBLIC folder is "Unable to connect to \\TOWERPC . You may not have access privileges to this device. etc" 3. I can access the shared items on the WIN7 laptop from the Vista Tower just fine, this only happens when trying to go form WIN7 to Vista Tower. 4. I have another Vista laptop on same network, can access Vista Tower, no problem. Here's what I've done so far to try and fix this annoyance: 1. Boot Vista Tower in Safe mode with networking: problem still exists. 2. Removed Norton 360 from laptop, removed firewall from Tower: problem still exists. 3. Tried msconfig and boot with basic services: problem still exists. 4. Checked network settings using the Group Policy editor, and they are all as they should be. 5. Tried disabling file sharing, and re-enabling it: problem still exists. 6. Enabled Guest account on both machines: still no luck. 7. Removed 3rd party network software on both machines (Network Magic) What's baffling about this is it only occurs in one direction, and on one PC ( The Windows 7 laptop). I can see the Tower in the Network list, I can ping it, etc. If I open the shared folders on the Windows 7 laptop from the Vista Tower, no problem accessing anything. Go figure... I'm still leaning toward the Windows 7 machine being the culprit, but might it also be a compatibility issue with the Win 7 and Vista I am not aware of? Any guidance on this would be appreciated. I've tinkered with this for 2 days now, and it's another Microsoft conundrum that's going to drive me nuts. :)

Hi, Please make sure the computers are in the same workgroup. For more detailed information, please refer to Troubleshoot file and printer sharing. As it was working before, system restore can be under consideration on both PCs. Hope it helps. 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. ”

" are NOT in the same workgroup?" Everything I've known and read on this says they should be in the same workgroup. I hope system restore is not necessary. This is the only PC that doesn't have bi-directional access to the Tower system on my net. All the others (one XP laptop, one Vista laptop) have full access, no problem. It's only the Windows 7 laptop that can't get into it.

I hope system restore is not necessary As you said, it was working before so the system restore operation is the easiest way to proceed to solve your problem. To do a system restore in Windows 7, please proceed like it is mentioned in this article: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html Just save the files and the folders that had been created since the last restore point in another location and all should be okay. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Sorry, that was a mis-type. As all the other PCs can access Vista sucessfully, the issue should not lie in the Windows Vista system but the laptop running Windows 7. As this forum focuses on Windows Vista specific issues, this inquiry would best be posted to Windows 7 forum: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/w7itpro The reason why we recommend posting appropriately is you will get the most qualified pool of respondents, and other partners who read the forums regularly can either share their knowledge or learn from your interaction with us. Thank you for your understanding.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.