Help - How can I share files/folders between my desktop and laptop?

[Keeperos]

I have a desktop and a laptop, both connected to my Thomson Speedtouch ST585 wireless modem/router, the desktop via LAN and the laptop wireless.

I want to share certain folders from my desktop to my laptop so that I can listen to my music and watch my movies/series by streaming them directly from the desktop instead of having to copy them to a usb stick or my (60gb) laptop's HDD.

The desktop has Windows XP Pro SP3 (English) while the laptop Windows XP Home SP3 (Greek).

I tried to setup a home network by using the Network Setup Wizard but it didn't work. Both PCs are now part of the same Workgroup and while they can both see each other only the desktop can access the laptop's shared folders. The laptop cannot and when I try to access the desktop directly (via clicking on the desktop's name under "View Workgroup Computers") I get an error saying that (and this is a rough translation from the Greek OS's message) access to the desktop was not possible; connection failure, user account limitations, this could be due to illegal blank passwords, time expirations or policy limitations).

(BTW, on both PCs I only have a single user account with Administrator privileges).

Could someone give me an idea of why this is happening and which PC's problem it is?

BTW, I disabled windows firewall AND 3rd party internet security software on BOTH PCs just in case but little did it help...

[g-force]

on both PCs I only have a single user account with Administrator privileges

Do both accounts have same name and password?

[Keeperos]

You're right, yeah, same name, same (no) password.

Should I change that?

EDIT: Ok, I created a new user account at the laptop with a different user name, I tried again to access the desktop and this time it asks for a username and password.

I tried both the desktop's and laptop's user name (both have blank passwords) but after that I get the same message I did before.

The desktop is still able to access the laptop's shared folders/files

Edited April 26, 2009 by Keeperos

[g-force]

Have you tried to connect the shared folder as a Networkdrive?

[Keeperos]

How do I do that?

[g-force]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308582

[Keeperos]

I found how to do that but although I can now see them in my desktop under my computer I still can't see how to access them from the laptop (plus now "my computer" is even more cluttered...)

[g-force]

You try to share files/folders vice-versa, right?

First you add the shared folder/drive on Desktop as Networkdrive on Laptop.

Second you add the shared folder/drive on Laptop as Networkdrive on Desktop.

For me it`s the easiest way to access files/folders on the other PC.

If you try like that, can you access to the files from both PC to the other PC?

If not, what happens?

[Keeperos]

Oh I see.

Well, in that case that won't work at all since my laptop cannot access my desktop at all and thus, can't see what folders I have shared so as to create a network drive out of...

So, any ideas WHY my laptop can't access my desktop while the desktop can access the laptop?

Which is the one with the problem, the one that can't see the other or the one that can't be seen?

[Keeperos]

Oh I see.

Well, in that case that won't work at all since my laptop cannot access my desktop at all and thus, can't see what folders I have shared so as to create a network drive out of...

So, any ideas WHY my laptop can't access my desktop while the desktop can access the laptop?

Which is the one with the problem, the one that can't see the other or the one that can't be seen?

[g-force]

On Laptop go to "Map Network Drive", choose a Driveletter, then in that line under this

don`t use "Search" - instead you type in manually like this: \\PCNameDesktop\Driveletter\Folder

As example on my PCs: \\SERVER\E (whole partition is shared)

I had problems with this month ago, I resolved it like that: \\IPAdress\Driveletter

Example: \\192.168.2.3\E

[Keeperos]

Nope, in every case the same thing happens, access denied, same message as before

[Keeperos]

Anyone?

[Guest Iulian Claudiu]

Hi,

1) Try to ping to the pc that you wan to access the share file

2) If the ping result is success, share out the folder by right click the folder & choose share , make sure the share permission are done correctly. If you can see the share , are u using XP pro. Go to network properties , choose setup Home & file sharing option.This will carry you with the share method

PHP web design development atlanta

Edited May 4, 2009 by Iulian Claudiu

[Keeperos]

ping succeeds both ways (the laptop successfully pings the desktop and vice versa), I have done all that and still the laptop cannot access (it can SEE but cannot ACCESS) the desktop.

I strongly suspect now that it's the desktop's fault.

Now, I remembered that the XP I use on the desktop were nLited. Specifically I removed exactly two things from windows programs and services.

First was the Windows Messenger (which I doubt it had anything to do with it) and also the Messenger SERVICE as in "Transmits net send and Alert service messages between clients and servers".

Could that be it and if so, how can I enable it without having to re-install windows?