Cannot access Windows 7 share from Windows XP

Question

I have a new Windows 7 machine named PAP44 in the PAP workgroup. The networking is set to "Work" mode for the wired LAN.

I have a couple of users and I've shared a folder and set it so both users can read/write. Confusingly for me, rather than sharing just that folder (as I'm used to with older versions of Windows) it appears to be sharing a path (\\pap44\users\...\myFolder)

From another machine on the LAN, running XP, when I go to \\PAP44\Users I'm asked for a username and password, but neither of the usernames+passwords work. It just jumps back to the username and password dialogue, except that the username I entered gets prefixed with PAP44\

My end goal is to get my Debian/Ubuntu machines to be able to access this share, but first of all I thought I'd try to get it working in Windows, after all, that's supposed to be easy!

Is there another step? (PS. I am not a "hit and run" case!)

Solution 1

As @inhabitant already mentioned, the short answer is you need to disable file sharing password protection on the Windows 7 machine.

Here is a good link on the topic.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itpronetworking/thread/a25bb8f4-fa03-436c-9c33-6c90c7b0723f

Relevant Excerpt:

When you mark a share as Everyone read/write, the Windows 7 system still requires authentication from every connection. When that fails the connection is rejected.

As soon as you disable file sharing password protection, you enable Guest access. This enables access to the share without authentication. This will allow access to the system from an XP machine.

By default the authentication from XP is not compatible with Windows 7, that's why you can only access the share without authentication.

If you want to use an SMB share between various MS OS and Linux, I would suggest looking at setting up a SAMBA share.

Solution 2

Make sure you're using credentials for an account which is created on Windows 7. Also I would check NTFS permissions for that shared folder on the Security tab.

Otherwise you can try to disable pwd prompt to check if the issue is credentials-related.

Open "Control Panel > Open "Network & Sharing Centre > Select "Advanced Sharing settings > Expand "Home / Work Network > Scroll to "Password protection > Select "Turn Off Password Protect Sharing.

Comments

[Nixphoe]

What happens if you hit the full share path and not just \\pap44\users?

[artfulrobot]

Same problem. Also, I've just tried "Advanced Sharing" (aka how it used to work) that creates a direct share to the folder, as in \\pap44\myFolder and this has the same issues.

[unhappyCrackers1]

@artfulrobot, Is the share everyone read-write or user read-write? I believe that you need everyone read-write in addition to disabling file sharing password protection for the XP machine to access the share. That is the only way I have done shares in situations similar to this.

[artfulrobot]

@Somantra yes, it is. But I think the problem with that is that it won't let me turn off password protection. I click No passwords, click Apply, window goes away. Open up the advanced blah blah window again, and the option is re-set to Passwords!

[unhappyCrackers1]

@artfulrobot, dare I ask if it is Windows 7 Home Premium? I can't even ask without rolling my eyes ;-)

[artfulrobot]

@Somantra sorry, delayed response, but no, it's Pro, not Home Premium.

[artfulrobot]

Thanks everyone for your help. I have given up with it. I have moved the resource to a Debian Samba server; all windows machines seem to have access now. Ridiculous Windows. Anyway wanted to say thanks for help, but that I can no longer test further answers. Happy to delete question if moderators think that's best.

[artfulrobot]

Thanks for your time. Yep, I'm using the credentials I set up on the W7 machine. The NTFS permissions are open for all users. I disabled passwords as suggested and it now says "Logon failure: the user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer."

[artfulrobot]

(sorry if this is a daft question:) When you say look at setting up a Samba share, do you mean on a linux server? I can do this, but there's a specific use-case (Quickbooks) that sort-of requires me to have data on the W7 machine. I want my Debian server to be able to access these files so that I can back them up.

[artfulrobot]

Actually, I did disable passwords, pressed Save, the dialog went away, but re-opening it shows that passwords are still enabled! Doesn't seem to like me turning them off. [Sigh] in a world without walls, who needs windows?!

[artfulrobot]

thanks. I only buy Windows PCs if specific software requires it these days. Such a headache.

[Volodymyr Molodets]

Hmm, I suppose you should try changing this setting via registry: Run type "regedit.exe", then go here: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\limitblankpassword‌​use and change from "1" to "0".

[artfulrobot]

Thanks for tip. All this registry voodoo makes me nervous - difficult to maintain (I have 4 of these to set up!). I'll try that soon.