Solved Win 8 Home to XP 32 Bit Pro WILL NOT NETWORK

The author is shortening this down a bit ...like to only this one sentence so that others looking to resolve this issue can find the answer easily ...

If you're frustrated trying to map a drive into, make a network object to get into, your XP machine from a Windows 8 machine running Home ... don't give up ... here's the work around. See the last post.

Hello guitarMike,

I can really appreciate you long tale of woe; however, I must say that I'm having a very difficult time trying to understand exactly what you are trying to do. Are you really trying to downgrade from Windows 8 to XP 32 bit? I would recommend that you provide a brief explanation with only the facts and maybe someone could then be able to help you. Please don't be offended by my suggestion because I do understand your grief. I've been there.

guitarMike said:

Thanks,

Mike

Click to expand...

How about letting us know clearly and much more briefly what your problem is?

OK, here's the brief explanation:
I can't browse my XP machine. No matter what directions are followed, they DO NOT WORK. I've brought the machine to the store where I bought it and the technician and I went over this. This made sure it wasn't some silly missing point and click omission on my part. He could not set it up either.

1. Setting up a network to map to the computer, won't work
2. Setting up a homegroup, won't work
3. Windows "Easy File Transfer" -- won't work.

See the attachments below. I can see but cannot browse the XP machine. NOTHING works. OK, I know this isn't rocket science, there is SOME omission someplace happening. I would appreciate an answer. Who has one?

What do you need from me to fully describe the issue? There are no code commands, of course, this is all point and click. All I can say is I pointed and clicked myself, had a technician do the same and we both worked at it. No Joy.

OK -- what's next?

Not fixed 100% but there is a work around

OK, i called Toshiba Support and was amazed to find they're available 7 days a week. They ran into the same issues but found a work around. Not the best but it works.

1. On the XP machine, at a command prompt, run ipconfig /all and get the IP address of the machine.
2. Obviously, on the Windows 8 Machine, hold down the Windows key and press R to bring up Run
3. Type in \\192.168.x.x (in my case 192.168.1.64 -- internal IP, can't be accessed over the web)
4. Bingo. All shared folders are visible.

As far as the network setup method found in Windows 8 documentation, we're not able to find why it won't work. We went into the Windows Credentials and even deleted/re-added the credential. With the right password for the XP machine -- did not work.

But while the answer was never found, the work around will do the trick. Alternatively, typing \\192.168.x.x will work from the Network Window. DO NOT type in \\machinename\sharename. Why not? Who knows? In the infinite wisdom of someone this convention was blown off.

Find the IP of the machine you want to dial in to and use just that. It will work when nothing else suffices.

Let me put in a plug for Toshiba -- buy their machines, they're there to help. I was sure I'd hear "leave a message or look us up on the web..." but no, got a human being and my question answered in 30 minutes.

Now if I'd only done that 2 weeks ago ...

Mike

There is another way to access the XP machine, you need to set up an account with the same User name and password on the Windows 8 machine as you had on the XP machine.

It's nice to know that the old method of using \\192.168.x.x works for this also.

I don't follow ... how does just simply having a duplicate account on each machine work? If they're not being used in the authentication process, what's that do?

You're saying simply a duplicate account on each machine so that each recognizes the other, added to the objects one wants to access (the folders with the Permissions and Security having the account added to them and privileges set) allows the icon in the Network window to access the XP Machine?

I want to play around with this but want to make sure I understand where you're going with this.

Thanks,

Mike

guitarMike said:

I don't follow ... how does just simply having a duplicate account on each machine work? If they're not being used in the authentication process, what's that do?

You're saying simply a duplicate account on each machine so that each recognizes the other, added to the objects one wants to access (the folders with the Permissions and Security having the account added to them and privileges set) allows the icon in the Network window to access the XP Machine?

I want to play around with this but want to make sure I understand where you're going with this.

Thanks,

Mike

Click to expand...

This is only if you continually get the password prompt when sharing between Win 7 and XP.

Once the permissions and workgroup name are set up correctly, you will generally get a password prompt when trying to access files or folders from XP to Windows 7 however, if you use the same User account, same User name and password on both machines then you won't get the pesky password prompt which makes sharing much easier.

So yes, from the Network icon in Windows Explorer, you would have access to XP visa versa, Win 7, without the password requirement, you won't even get the prompt.

Just one more question: This also applies to Windows 8, not just to 7?

Thanks,

Mike

PS -- will definitely Rep you. Thanks VERY much.

guitarMike said:

Just one more question: This also applies to Windows 8, not just to 7?

Thanks,

Mike

PS -- will definitely Rep you. Thanks VERY much.

Click to expand...

With Win8 and 7 you won't get the password prompt unless you enable "password protected sharing" in the Advanced Sharing Settings.

Sharing with Win7 or 8 and XP, you will tend to get the password prompt even with that setting turned off, this is because XP uses an older method for sharing. But using the same User name and password you can avoid that nagging prompt.