Need to find missing passwords for Windows 11 / Windows 7 network

Question

I have a Lenovo T490 laptop running Windows11, networked to a pair of Windows 7 laptops (a Lenovo X250 and a Lenovo T450s) and also to a Windows 7 desktop. An external disc drive (named "NAS") is also in my network. I am the only user of all of these computers, so "securty" is not really an issue.

The T490 is my "main" computer. The others simply store various folders from several years worth of work.

From the T490 (Win 11), I can access all files on all three Win 7 machines, and the NAS external drive.

From the X250 (Win 7), I can access everything except the T490 (Win 11). It "knows" the User Name, but needs a password, which I cannot remember.

From the T450s (Win 7), I can again access everything, again excepting the T490 (Win 11), but here it also needs a "User Name" in addition to a password, neither of which I can remember.

So it seems the Win 11 machine can "see" the three Win 7 machines, but those cannot "see" the Win 11 machine. Not a huge deal since I can access all the data one way or another. I'm just puzzled why they don't all play nice with each other! Can anyone advise what I should do?

Answer 1

On the Windows 11 laptop (T490), the Windows 7 machines are trying to connect using a username/password that Windows 11 expects for network (SMB) access. Since those credentials are unknown or forgotten, there are two practical approaches:

1. Fix sharing and discovery on Windows 11 so access is simpler
2. Reset or remove the stored credentials on the Windows 7 machines and re‑enter working ones

Because security is not a concern in this scenario, the simplest is to relax sharing on the Windows 11 PC and then reconnect from Windows 7.

1. Check basic sharing configuration on Windows 11 (T490)

Follow these steps on the Windows 11 machine:

1. Make sure all machines are on the same network (same router/Wi‑Fi).
2. Ensure the Windows 11 network profile is set to Private (not Public). See the guidance under Essential network settings and tasks if needed.
3. Turn on discovery and sharing, and turn off password protection:
   1. Select Start → Settings.
   2. In the Find a setting search box, type manage advanced sharing settings and select Manage advanced sharing settings.
   3. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
   4. Under All Networks, turn off Password protected sharing.

With password protected sharing turned off, the Windows 7 machines should be able to access shared folders on the Windows 11 PC without needing a username/password.

4. Ensure sharing services are running on Windows 11:
   1. Press Windows logo key + R, type services.msc, select OK.
   2. For each of these services, right‑click → Properties:
      • Function Discovery Provider Host
      • Function Discovery Resource Publication
      • SSDP Discovery
      • UPnP Device Host If not running, select Start, and set Startup type to Automatic.

These steps ensure the Windows 11 PC advertises its shares and accepts connections from other devices on the LAN.

2. Clear or adjust stored credentials on Windows 7

On the Windows 7 machines, there may be saved (but now invalid) credentials for the Windows 11 PC.

On each Windows 7 laptop/desktop:

1. Open the stored credentials UI:
   • Press Start → Run, type: rundll32.exe keymgr.dll,KRShowKeyMgr and select OK.
   • Alternatively, press Start → Run, type: Control Userpasswords2 select OK, then go to the Advanced tab and select Manage Passwords.
2. In the stored passwords list, look for entries that reference the Windows 11 machine (its name or IP address).
3. Remove those entries so Windows 7 will prompt again when connecting.
4. After removing, try to access the Windows 11 machine again from Windows 7:
   • If Password protected sharing is off on Windows 11, access should work without prompting.
   • If left on, enter a current local account name and password from the Windows 11 PC.

3. If still not visible from Windows 7

If the Windows 11 PC still does not appear under “Network” in Windows 7, try accessing it directly by UNC path from Windows 7:

• Press Windows+R, type \\<Windows11ComputerName> or \\<Windows11IPAddress> and press Enter.

If that works, the visibility issue is usually due to discovery/browsing, which is addressed by the services and discovery settings above.

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References:

• File sharing over a network in Windows
• How to view, add, remove or edit the saved Users names and passwords on a given system