Why Win11 cannot access shared folders

Question

Several shared folders have been set up on the old xp computer used as a shared file server.Computers of different Windows systems within the local area network can see and access those shared folders.Only the newly purchased Windows 11 Home Edition system's computer cannot be seen and cannot accessed.What is the reason？

Answer 1

Hello,

Windows 11 Home Edition, like other modern versions of Windows, uses more secure networking protocols by default, which may not be compatible with the older Windows XP sharing settings.

Windows XP relies on the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol version 1, which is considered insecure and has been disabled by default in recent Windows versions.

The reason your Windows 11 Home Edition system cannot see or access the shared folders on the Windows XP computer is likely due to this protocol incompatibility.

To resolve this issue, you have a few options:

1. Upgrade the file server: Replace the Windows XP computer with a more recent and secure operating system, such as Windows Server or even a more recent Windows 10/11 version. This will allow you to use more secure SMB versions (SMB 2 or SMB 3), which are supported by Windows 11.
2. Enable SMBv1 on Windows 11: While not recommended due to the security risks associated with SMBv1, you can enable SMBv1 support on your Windows 11 computer to access the shared folders
   on the Windows XP machine. To do this, follow these steps:

a. Press Win + X and select "Apps and Features."

b. Click on "Optional Features."

c. Click on "Add a feature."

d. Scroll down and find "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support," then click "Install."

After the installation is complete, restart your Windows 11 computer, and you should be able to access the shared folders on the Windows XP machine.

Keep in mind that enabling SMBv1 introduces security risks, and it's best to upgrade your file server to a more secure and up-to-date operating system to maintain better security and compatibility.

Answer 2

You show us:
a. Press Win + X and select "Apps and Features." b. Click on "Optional Features." c. Click on "Add a feature."

First, Win 11 has nothing called "Apps and Features."
Second, in "Add a feature." there is no "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support"

I did find it
Press "win + x", then click "installed apps", then click "Apps" on the left, then on the right click "Optional Features" the way down at the bottom it says "More Windows Features" and in there you can find "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support,", then click the check box and restart windows. Windows 11 is bad enough, but the support, no one seems to know how it's setup, no one knows how to navigate settings, even Microsoft tells you to go places that don't exist.