Home Business Network recently upgraded from 3 HP PCs running XP Pro and 1 HP workstation running Win 7 Pro x64 XP Compatible. One of the HPs running XP Pro was used as the "Server PC". hosting our document and image files and the Sage ACT database. File and database sharing worked fine with no problems among all four.
Four weeks ago we elected to upgrade to two new Dell workstations. They arrive three weeks ago, 1 T3600 and 1 T5600 both running Win 7 Pro x64 XP Compatible. We elected to keep the HP workstation running Win 7 Pro x64 XP Compatible to use it as our Server-PC.
We changed none of our networking hardware, which consist of a U-Verse gateway, two LinkSys plug and play switch boxes (1 in 4 out) and one Cisco System plug and play switch box (1 in 8 out). From the beginning the two Dell workstation have shared with each other and the HP workstation, but the HP workstation acting as the Server PC will not share. I spent over a week and a half trying to get the HP to share. This include countless hours of my own, coupled with Pay For Technical Level One Support from Microsoft (India). The tech bailed on me refunding our money and telling me I needed to use Microsoft Level Two support which cost about three times as much. The corruption the tech left in his wake caused me to have to do clean installs of the software and drivers on all three PCs. I went through a similar experience with Tech Support from Sage ACT. The only bright spot in this dilemma has been Dell Pro Support helping me do clean installs on the Dell workstations each time I need them. I purchased a 3rd Dell workstation to replace the HP workstation grasping at straws. Once the 3rd Dell workstation was installed, we encountered the same file sharing issues we had with the HP workstation.
Dell Pro Support has been unable to help, although they have tried. Each computer is configured the same for sharing using a common workgroup and no passwords. The first two Dells continue to share with no problems, but the new Dell is having the same file sharing issue as the HP workstation.
It seems as if there is some variable in Win 7 that is limiting the number of PCs that can share files without a password. I am at an impasse. Any help would be appreciated.
Four weeks ago we elected to upgrade to two new Dell workstations. They arrive three weeks ago, 1 T3600 and 1 T5600 both running Win 7 Pro x64 XP Compatible. We elected to keep the HP workstation running Win 7 Pro x64 XP Compatible to use it as our Server-PC.
We changed none of our networking hardware, which consist of a U-Verse gateway, two LinkSys plug and play switch boxes (1 in 4 out) and one Cisco System plug and play switch box (1 in 8 out). From the beginning the two Dell workstation have shared with each other and the HP workstation, but the HP workstation acting as the Server PC will not share. I spent over a week and a half trying to get the HP to share. This include countless hours of my own, coupled with Pay For Technical Level One Support from Microsoft (India). The tech bailed on me refunding our money and telling me I needed to use Microsoft Level Two support which cost about three times as much. The corruption the tech left in his wake caused me to have to do clean installs of the software and drivers on all three PCs. I went through a similar experience with Tech Support from Sage ACT. The only bright spot in this dilemma has been Dell Pro Support helping me do clean installs on the Dell workstations each time I need them. I purchased a 3rd Dell workstation to replace the HP workstation grasping at straws. Once the 3rd Dell workstation was installed, we encountered the same file sharing issues we had with the HP workstation.
Dell Pro Support has been unable to help, although they have tried. Each computer is configured the same for sharing using a common workgroup and no passwords. The first two Dells continue to share with no problems, but the new Dell is having the same file sharing issue as the HP workstation.
It seems as if there is some variable in Win 7 that is limiting the number of PCs that can share files without a password. I am at an impasse. Any help would be appreciated.