Q & A: Access other Vista without asking password

[chicagotech]

Turn off the Password protected sharing or create the same username in all computers.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Robert W" <RobertW@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:4ED43307-99F5-40A1-8BB2-B47CAA8430F2@microsoft.com...
I have an existing Vista 64bit box (Desktop1) and I have just upgraded
another PC within my small 3 system network to Vista 32bit (Desktop2).

I have enabled network discovery (private network), turned on File Sharing,
turned on Public Folder Sharing and turned off password sharing but yet when
I try to access this machine, known as Desktop2 from Desktop1 I am asked for
a Username and Password. If I do the reverse and access Desktop1 from
Desktop2 I am granted access to the shared folders on that box.

I have disabled Windows Firewall and the same happens. I have no installed
the same security software as Desktop1 has and trusted the local network but
yet it insists on asking for a password.

I have also tried to access Desktop2 from my Win XP Laptop, it sees the
system in Add Netwok Place but will not connect to it.

All systems are in the same workgroup: MSHOME

I am stumped by this one. I have a large amount of files to copy across from
Desktop2 to Desktop1 and can figure the only way to do just now is pull the
files from Desktop1 by allowing temp sharing of the folder they are currently
located in.

Any help greatly appreciated as networking ainb't my strong point.
--
Robert W

[boab2791]

I am the original poster of this topic from the MS Communities Newsgroup this was taken from.

I can confirm that Password Sharing is disabled, Network Discovery is ON, File Sharing is ON, Public Folders is ON, Password Sharing is OFF.

Desktop2 has 32bit Vista HP installed while Dekstop1 has Vista 64bit and Laptop has Win XP MCE2005. Desktop1 and Laptop can access each other fine without passwords and Desktop2 can access Dekstop1 and Laptop without issue.

However, when attempts to access Desktop2 from Desktop1 I am asked for a Username and Password and on Laptop it will appear in Add Network Place but will not allow me to add.

Both Desktop1 and 2 have NIS 2007, disabling makes no difference as access problem was evident before security software was installed.

I don't know if the password sharing option on Dekstop2 is broke somehow, if so, does anyone know where the registry setting for this may be so I can check for differences or is a service broken.

I don't really want to reinstall Dekstop2 as it has taken me a few days to get it where I want it and to have to do it all over again would break me.

Any help appreciated.

Robert W

[chicagotech]

Do the both computer have the same username? if you logon the Vista 1 using Robert as logon ID and then logon Robert in other vista, does the system ask you the password?

[boab2791]

Ok, this is truly bizarre.

To let you understand more Vista1 is my private PC while Vista2 is the Family PC and has more accounts on it. My father and I have the same name so on Vista2 to differienate I give myself a different name but my name remains the same as my father on Vista1 although has a different password, this is obviously where the problem lies. I created a new account with my same details as Vista2 and it let me in. Mystery solved, not so...

With Password sharing OFF I have multiple accounts on Vista2 PC but not on the Vista1 PC, these accounts on Vista2 can access Vista1, so do they invoke the Guest account or something even though it is turned off.

I see there is a conflict in username/password combinations but I thought the whole point in turning off password sharing was that anyone on the network could see each others Public/Shared folders even though they don't have an account on that PC just like XP.

What I figured out so far then:

1. Vista to Vista:

Connection requires either same username/password combination in order to access each other successfully or a username/password combination that does not exist on the other PC's and would invoke the guest account or something, this last part would only work without password sharing.

2. Vista to XP:

Connection successful irrespective of username/password combinations

3. XP to Vista:

Either needs a username/combination that exists on the Vista PC or does not exist on the Vista PC with the exception of a conflicting username/password combination.

I assume that if I were to turn password sharing back on even the account names that match on the other system would be challenged to enter a password?

Why have they changed it like this, you would have thought by turning password sharing off we go back to like sharing was in XP.

Please enlighten me...

[chicagotech]

Perhaps, we need to call MS tech support. This is the info:

Info: Vista 90-day no-charge support
http://chicagotech.net/netforums/viewforum.php?f=3

[boab2791]

I would like to talk to MS about this weird issue but my copies are OEM and when I enter my product code for Vista 64bit it tells me I have entered an invalid code!

Could someone ask them about this on my behalf perhaps?