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Please can you help with a major networking problem which has caused substantial disruption since August 2019. Originally seven Windows XP computers were networked via Ethernet or WiFi and all were mutually accessible - the Windows XP network worked very well. The problems started when one of the computers needed to be replaced and the only option for the OS on the replacement was Windows 10. Windows 10 caused huge problems - it appeared to install a "Fort Knox" around it, blocking access to everything and defeating the whole purpose of networking. After many hours of work I managed to get the Win 10 machine communicating with the Win 7 based Workstation, which is a critical connection. Then, about a month ago, the Win 10 machine was forcibly 'upgraded' to Win 11. This caused the network to break again. Now, the Windows 7 Workstation (a critical connection) remains permanently locked out to the Windows 11 Desktop computer with the message "\CompName is not accessible. You might not have permission...etc, etc" Access is always denied. This is a computer/file sharing problem - Internet access always works. I have tried everything that is written down here and in various other resources, over the past six weeks... I have:
Windows 11 Troubleshooter is broken - it assumes that all connection problems are Internet related, and does nothing to correct file/folder sharing between computers - the whole original purpose of networking computers!
I am very tired of this problem - for many months I have had to transfer files between computers by running up and down stairs and along corridoors, with a USB stick in my hand!
I will be very grateful for your help to fix this huge problem.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I hear you! One of the techs suggested that I should just store all my files on the Microsoft Cloud and download to each computer as needed. Although that is a workaround, it does not excuse this lack of support for basic networking. If you ever find a solution, please let me know.
Hi JD, thanks for your observations on this problem. It is truly a massive problem because it has locked out all other computers on my network, _and_ wasted a whole year of my time, purely through _forced_ installation of a new Windows 10/11 machine (no new bug-free version of Windows was available). To backtrack for a moment: There are seven (7) computers on my Network (but just two computers gives the same result). A few years ago, they were all running Windows XP, and all computers connected perfectly, flawlessly, and fluently. Then Microsoft introduced Windows 7. This started introducing problems, but it was still possible to connect all computers. Then Microsoft introduced Windows 10, and, at a stroke, this broke the whole network. Windows 10 could not communicate with any other computer, and vice versa. It caused _huge_ disruption - for over a year - I read copious articles, tried all manner of patches and fixes, and in the meantime was forced to convey files between the seven computers by USB stick!!! It is very clear that in Windows 10/11, Microsoft introduced "features" that made basic Networking virtually impossible! (without some very specialist knowledge). Microsoft should be UTTERLY ASHAMED at having allowed this MASSIVE problem to **** for so long!!! (For clarification: this problem has NOTHING to do with Internet Access - it is _solely_ to do with CONNECTING COMPUTERS OVER A NETWORK).
I have been having the exact same issues as you between two machines running Windows 10 Pro. Windows was set up on one machine using my microsoft business account (I am a 1-man firm with a business email), and Windows on the other machine was set up using my personal microsoft account. I'm guessing this is causing my issues. Microsoft keeps telling me to contact my IT department and can't seem to grasp that I have NO IT department - I am a 1-man operation who set up both machines. This is so frustrating! I can read and get files from the machine that has my personal account Windows setup, but that machine cannot read or get files from the machine that has my business account setup. I have tried everything I can find online, as you have, with no luck!
Cristiano and TA, Thank you VERY much for your advice. I will look at all of these points carefully, but unfortuately I have been distracted by a boiler fault at our home - I will be back with information soonest!
As you mentioned, the issue might be related to permissions, and it's possible that the permissions on the shared folders have changed during the upgrade process from Windows XP to Windows 11.
To check and adjust the permissions, you can try the following:
After adjusting the permissions, try to access the shared folder from the Windows 11 computer again and see if the issue has been resolved.
Regarding the "Open Folder" title of the error message window, it might be related to the process you are using to access the shared folders. You can try accessing the shared folders by typing the network path (e.g., \Win7ComputerName\SharedFolderName) in the File Explorer address bar instead of using the "Open Folder" button.
The error message window always has the title "Open Folder" but I don't immediately understand what it means...
