ok this is weird i have my windows 7 and my mom's xp in a network but i can't get my laptop to join it any ideas
Are you talking about trying to Join the XP machine to a Windows Home Group?
As far as I know.. Windows XP does not have the necessary networking ability to join a Windows 7 Home Group.
You should be able to do it using normal networking procedures, by using computer name and/or IP address, user accounts on both machines, etc etc...
This website has some pretty lengthly instructions. Almost all things can be found with Google. I don't actually have windows 7 to see if all that works.
It was a little tricky on my wifes laptop. She only needs the shared drive with the baby pictures. I had to manually enter the location I needed so that her XP laptop would see the link.
I don't know about you, and not to hijack the thread, but UGGHHH I am about to rip my hair out.
I take a chance, once again, and install win 7 onto my HTPC that also does minor file sharing duty. It has been running perfectly with windows XP Pro for ~ a year.
Now I get nothing but dropped shares. Every time the rig restarts or goes to sleep, no other computer can connect without having to restart, regardless of OS (7, Vista, XP, OSX, Ubuntu . . . I've got it all). It is driving me nuts as I didn't have the issue AT ALL on XP/2000/Server 2000/Server 2003.
Windows 7 looks all pretty, and probably works great for people who don't do anything but the basic crap, but the everything involving network is nothing but a headache for me. First the gaming rig with net issues on only 7, now the darn htpc/file server not reconnecting properly.
Note: Homegroup off, workgroup setup. Remote Differential Compression off, IPv6 off, etc etc. Can't get it to work stable for the life of me. Does it only under certain repeatable conditions. All it has to do is share ONE folder to everyone on the network stably and nothing is making it work.
I feel for ya, but I'm just gonna go back to XP and UI mod it I guess.
That's my issue; it doesn't make any sense. If the server restarts or sleeps while the computer that is going to connect is on, when it reboots, the client can't connect. If the client rig is on when the server turns on it won't connect.
The server must be on first, and then the client rig turn on. That works, but only as long as the server stays on/not asleep.
I had no issues with order when using XP pro. Then again I had the server running 24/7. I stopped doing that as I added a more powerful video card to play games on the couch (htpc/file server duties/now a bit of gaming) and because I might use it half hour a day if that (less we watch a movie/tv show). Figured I'd save power. That is the issue I think.
I'll just have to buy an atom board or something low power, and separate htpc from file server in order to keep the server running to get rid of these connection issues.
Edit: That's my issue. Nevermind. It's not specific to just win 7 which is why I brought it up thinking my prob might help out. I just tried it on other rigs and its repeatable under other windows OS'.
Guys, make sure that your network card isnt shutting down to save power. Check that power management tab on the device in the mangler. That might be your issue.
\m/ d(-_-)b \m/
R9 290X+Kraken+Corsair H90, Xeon 5649@4ghz, Asus P6T-WS Pro
My power management stuff was all setup before hand. My issue was the above; losing connection while the client rig was off left it un-connectible until the client restarted while the server was on. It was repeatable. I tested last night and it was repeatable each and every time.
All because I didn't want to leave it running 24/7 because it now has the 8800GTS in it. For now it will have to do. I just feel bad for doubling the idle draw. I don't pay for power, but still . . . It will have to wait until I can save up for an atom mAtx (not itx, figure more expandability with cards and such) or an Acer EasyStore H340 or something.
For Pcclan's issue: We really need some more information about the setup. But maybe you will luck out and it was a similar issue as me, lol.