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Network problems, maybe credentials and/or permissions problems

Anonymous
2022-02-07T05:17:47+00:00

On our home network, we have a multiple computers and devices. However, I'm only interested in getting 3 of them working together. I think my credentials are broken. I had been able to copy between computers but now can not.

If you need to know ... I had an old computer which had 2 internal and 4 external hard drives.

My husband built a new computer for me (named PYRITE) and it has 2 new internal drives and 2 of my former external hard drives.

My old computer was erased and reincarnated as a media home server (named PLEX) with 2 of my former external hard drives (now internal).

I have a laptop, named PROSPECTOR.

The problems started yesterday when I was unable to connect to any of the computers. I spent a lot of hours on the phone with MS with them linked to all 3 computers. Short version: the person logged in and out of all the accounts, turning network sharing features on and off in all the profiles. Eventually the network began to work and all was well. When asked what he did to fix the problem, he said he thought the profiles had issues but otherwise had no idea what caused it or even how he fixed it.

That was yesterday.

Today when I tried to get my computers to be able to write to each others drives across the network (running backup software). I first found the hard drives on the new PLEX had to have their permissions and ownerships changed. After I did that, my credential from PYRITE to PLEX quit working. So I deleted it in order to force Windows to ask for my credentials again. Only Windows didn't. Instead it told me "\PLEX is not accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource. The network address is invalid." I then manually recreated the credential and all went downhill from there. The specific details are below on what works and what does not.

I sort-of think it has something to do with my credentials but I could be wrong since there were permission problems as well.

Frankly, I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Computer #1 PC Desktop : name PYRITE Edition Windows 10 ProVersion 21H2Installed on ‎12/‎15/‎2021OS build 19044.1466Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3920.0Computer #2 PC Desktop : name PLEX (set up as a home media server) Edition Windows 10 HomeVersion 21H2Installed on ‎2/‎3/‎2022OS build 19044.1466Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3920.0 Computer #3 PC Laptop : name PROSPECTOREdition Windows 10 Home
Version 21H1
Installed on 07/13/2021
OS build 19043.1466
Serial number PF2QX7JP
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3920.0on PYRITE1) PYRITE does not show up in network2) can not select PROSPECTOR\PROSPECTOR is not accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource. The network address is invalid.3) was unable to select PLEX until I manually added a Windows credential. I entered an admin account and password. That made it so I could select PLEX from the network but I can only write to 1 shared drive (remote drive F, shared as "Plex Home TV") and not the other (remote drive G, shared as "Plex Home All other Media")need to be able to write to both driveson PROSPECTOR1) PYRITE does not show up in network 2) can select PLEXcan write to 1 shared drive (remote drive F, shared as "Plex Home TV") and not the other (remote drive G, shared as "Plex Home All other Media")need to be able to write to both driveson PLEX1) can see ALL computers2) can read/write ALL computers

I'm not totally clear what else I should include and my apologies if I missed something. I may have been a programmer in another life (more than 20 years ago), but I was never much of a network person. Besides, nothing today is like it was and my memory is failing. What can I say? I'm an old curmudgeon, long past my sale-by date.

Attaching a few screen shots from all 3 computers (in the order listed)

PLEX: network, credentials, HD permissions (both) and HD security settings (both)

EVERYONE can read/execute, but not write/modify

ALL Authenticated users on PLEX have FULL control

same for both drives

PYRITE: network, credentials

CORRECTION (below): should read \PLEX is not accessible .... however, I do get this error message when I try to connect to \PROSPECTOR

PROSPECTOR: network, credentials

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-02-08T04:43:39+00:00

    https://pureinfotech.com/setup-network-file-sharing-windows-10/

    Nothing I didn't already know here.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/file-sharing-over-a-network-in-windows-10-b58704b2-f53a-4b82-7bc1-80f9994725bf

    Ditto

    https://www.lifewire.com/windows-file-and-printer-sharing-818221

    Ditto

    https://winaero.com/password-protected-sharing-windows-10/

    Ditto -- and I want password protected sharing on. I want only people who have accounts to access the drives. We often have guests in our home and I don't want them accessing the shared directories.

    https://www.lifewire.com/windows-file-and-printer-sharing-818221

    Ditto and not relevant. No problems with printers.

    https://appuals.com/how-to-fix-the-windows-10-file-sharing-not-working-problem/

    Related services: running

    ownership: configured

    credentials: maybe a problem as I originally stated

    windows credentials: don't get prompted; have to enter manually

    IPv6: disabled already

    SMB : enabled

    OS : all updates current

    https://www.windowsbasics.com/2020/02/how-to-fix-windows-10-file-sharing-not.html ditto

    https://winaero.com/password-protected-sharing-windows-10/

    ditto -- besides, not only did not fix anything I wouldn't want password protected sharing to be disabled

    https://www.guidingtech.com/fix-window-10-file-sharing-not-working/

    ditto

    https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/network-error-windows-cannot-access-pc-name-network-sharing.3298936/

    Already found this (and several more like it) -- there is no longer a home group in windows 10. Yes, I can ping PLEX from PYRITE and vice versa. Yes, I can access a computer with IP, just NOT name. Verified all the discovery/settings are correct. Yes, all the services are there and running.

    https://softwarekeep.com/help-center/how-to-fix-windows-cannot-access-the-specified-device-path-or-file-on-windows-10

    This is a rehash of everything above.

    https://thegeekpage.com/fix-you-currently-dont-have-permission-to-access-this-folder-problem-in-windows-10/

    Ditto.

    https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-cannot-access-shared-folder-or-drive-in-windows-10 Ditto.

    It doesn't help to give a long list of links to the same things over and over again.

    I'm pretty certain the problem is more network related and most likely to one specific computer, PYRITE.

    As I said, PYRITE can not see itself on the network and it should be able to. And I think that's the reason it can not connect to the other computers. If it were able to connect to the others, then maybe the read/write permissions would be correct.

    The errors I reported originally have not changed.

    Please review my original post and particular the pictures I sent.

    Thank you.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2022-02-08T08:14:47+00:00

    I cannot think of anything else. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

    Just for clarity: I did not say Home Group is broken. I said (twice) that Sharing has been broken since Home Group was removed. Many think that since HomeGroup worked so well and nothing replaced it that this was intentional to get us to use OneDrive for sharing. Unfortunately that does not help with media servers.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-02-08T08:04:33+00:00

    I went through all the pages as you sent them. What I was trying to get you to understand, is that I had already done all those steps. I also did not see any approaches different than what I had already tried. I did follow them again, but there was no change. I simply wish to avoid doing the same thing over and over again. I also understood Home Group is broken.

    I will be more specific with my replies.

    https://appuals.com/fix-you-might-not-have-permission-to-use-this-network-resource/ Solution 1: turn on file/printer sharing. It was already on.

    Solution 2: Adding a Windows Credential

    ![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/08e8f962-9927-4ee0-9f9a-4884a27b34f2?platform=QnA"https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/a3d9c84a-7cc9-446e-a153-fcb9cda1bd22?platform=QnA" rel="ugc nofollow">![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/a3d9c84a-7cc9-446e-a153-fcb9cda1bd22?platform=QnA"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyhi81Duf6c" rel="ugc nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyhi81Duf6c

    Assumes password problem And I stated above I had already manually added the credentials so I can access the computer. However, it does NOT show up in the network and I have to enter the IP (most of the time). Some days, like today, I can actually enter the name. Have no idea why. Yesterday I could see 2 of the computers but not Pyrite (I'm on Pyrite). Today I can see none of them, including Pyrite.

    Note: the computer Stan-i7 is not part of this conversation. What should be showing here is also PYRITE, PLEX and PROSPECTOR.

    But if I manually type the IP or the name, then I can reach the computers.

    I need to be able to write to 2 of the drives above: Plex Home TV Shows, Plex Home All other Media.

    I can only write to the first one.

    And before you direct me to the shared settings and permissions, note I already showed the 2 drives are set up identically in my first post. Here they are again.

    ![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/2d1ae992-4e52-4559-8e76-0c127ada8563?platform=QnA"https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/f75f9eb1-876a-486a-93db-ad7f9c38bb23?platform=QnA" rel="ugc nofollow">

    Notice that the owner of these drives is the user "plex" on the computer named "plex" AND that I manually created a Windows credential with the user name "plex" and corresponding password on the computer named Pyrite. Pyrite is the one with the error message that I can't write to the hard drive on Plex.

    PROFILE

    As I said, he said he thought it might be related to the profile but didn't in fact know. Because of that, I already tried switching to 2 of the local accounts I have. No change whatsoever. I also tried using a local account from within my MS-Account (by going through the user account control panel). No change. I tried all the aforementioned steps in the local account. Nothing changed.

    Did I miss anything?

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-02-08T06:56:47+00:00

    Each link which repeats steps has a different approach or other steps, too.

    I tried to make clear in my first post that Sharing is broken since removal of Home Group, to the point that it's not always fixable. It's for this reason that I provide every possible resource, whereas for other more fixable problems it might only be a few. This is what is required to get Sharing fixed,

    Let's focus next on the error you're getting:

    https://appuals.com/fix-you-might-not-have-perm... (Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro, PC Repair Tool and Reimage ads)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyhi81Duf6c
    You said the MS phone agent thought there were profile problems. This can be tested by creating a new Local Admin Account to test if the problem persists:

    https://www.isumsoft.com/windows-10/3-ways-to-c...

    You said the MS phone agent said the problem might be with the profile. You can test this by creating a new Local Admin account to test if it works:

    3 Ways to Create Local Administrator Account in Windows 10

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-02-07T08:40:46+00:00

    Hi SHM. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

    Sharing has been widely broken in WIndows 10 since they removed automated HomeGroup, which many think is to push us to use OneDrive, which I'll discuss a bit later.

    How to set up simple file sharing in WIndows 10:

    https://pureinfotech.com/setup-network-file-sha...

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/help/409269...

    Sharing basic troubleshooting:

    https://www.lifewire.com/troubleshooting-window...

    https://appuals.com/how-to-fix-the-windows-10-f... (Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro and Reimage ads)

    https://www.windowsbasics.com/2020/02/how-to-fi...

    https://winaero.com/password-protected-sharing-...

    /network_sharing_troubleshooting_tips.htm

    https://www.guidingtech.com/fix-window-10-file-...

    Try fixes for the specific network access and permission errors here:

    https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/network...

    https://softwarekeep.com/help-center/how-to-fix...

    https://thegeekpage.com/fix-you-currently-dont-...

    https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-cannot-a... (Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro and Reimage ads)

    https://www.alphr.com/cannot-see-shared-folders...

    https://techquack.com/fixed-you-currently-do-no...

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

    https://www.tenforums.com/network-sharing/12980...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmaE7ucZzn8

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWXkrucDnuA

    See here how to set up network file sharing using OneDrive:

    https://www.alphr.com/cannot-see-shared-folders...

    If problems persists please report back exact failure and any errors received. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

    ______________________________________________

    Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

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