homegroup problems

Originally Posted by alanh

In 7 where do I find the settings for DNS client etc?

Click the StartOrb and type
services.msc
and hit enter

Now that there is a break in the action, I will ask one, very very small, question.....did you run the Homegroup troubleshooter? It does many of the things Trouble has already proposed, but it does show a list of things that were done and any fixes accomplished.

Maybe after it is done it will list something that might be helpful.

You can find it by opening Network and Sharing Center, go to "Choose Homegroup and sharing options". Bottom item on the list is the troubleshooter. Make sure and use the Advanced option and then hit the Next button.

When you finish running what you want, look at the bottom and "View detailed information" should be available.

I haven't quite figured out the Print/publish option, but I do not yet have a printer on this new install...

The map created in the Network and Sharing center uses Link Layer Topology Discovery (lltdsvc) which was stopped on my system until I created the map. And it says it will not work on domain based networks. Also, all computers have to be in a single subnet.

One simple question, since the other members has the bases covered. Are the homegroup passwords the same? They have to be the same, or all is no good. Usually the desktop is going to have the master password, to share attached printers. Other computers password's can be changed to match the main one. Have the main computer on, view the password, write it down exactly as is, leave that computer on. Then go to the 2nd (& subsequent) computers, and change the password to the one that you wrote down.

At that point, your printer icon should appear in the lower right corner (if you select to share printers).

You can access this by typing "View Homegroup Password" into the Start Menu.

Best of Luck,
Cat

Hi - Yes have run the homegroup troubleshooter on both computers.
On the desktop it reports no problems on the desktop but says it cannot access the laptop. When I run on the laptop it says it cant find any problems !! One thing that may be a problem is that I had to reload Windows 7 on the desktop however, I did not have a homegroup set up previously so shouldnt really make a difference.

thanks

Yes, both computers have the same password. I have also tried removing both computers from the homegroup and starting from scratch setting the homegroup up as the desktop as host - didnt work then removing both again and setting up a new homegroup using the laptop as host different passwords each time which I entered on both computers but same result cannot link the two.
Question could there be any residual homegroup information retained in the registry? If so is there any way of wiping that clean and starting completely afresh??

thanks

Well, we seem to have come to the end of the road as far as possible fixes tried. The Link Trouble gave you should have gotten the Homegroups set up without any issues.

So I will still concentrate on the laptop. I still think you have a basic network problem.

When I click on 'see full map' on the desktop it shows the desktop - router - internet map (same as on the basic network information screen) but when I do the same on the laptop it says 'windows cannot discover any computer or device' despite it showing laptop - router - internet on the basic network information screen. Internet works perfectly well on the laptop and the desktop.

So, in an effort to discover some new information that may be hiding, I will ask for a couple of things from your laptop.

Disconnect the system from the internet and just leave the local network in place. Then disable ANY anti-virus programs you have running.

Next, open the Network Connections dialog (ncpa.cpl) and right click and properties for your network adapter-Local Area Connection.

Open the Local Area Connection Properties and take a picture of that. Also open the IPv4 and IPv6 properties and do the same thing. Use the snipping tool to take a picture and attach using the paperclip in the Advanced Replies window for any suggested pictures. (see Attachment)

As long as you are on a roll, take a picture of your Network and Sharing Center, and edit out personal info with Paint, then attach.

Next, on the laptop, run the Homegroup trouble shooter again, and make sure to run it in the Advanced mode and allow it to fix everything. When it finishes, you should have some type of window like the one attached. I had shut down the HomeGroup Provider for testing. Shutting down the service also kept the Network Map from being presented.

I realize you have done these things several times. But either something is hiding in your settings, or something has gotten stuck in the registry stopping the homegroups from working. I will continue to look to see if I can find a way to reset the entire system on your laptop.

Hopefully, something will show up to help.

Hi Saltgrass
Thanks for the suggestions - I will work my way through them and see what turns up.

regards