Vista Laptop cannot see XP Desktop

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Guest

At least it can't see it today. I had it working a few weeks ago.
I hate repeating questions, but I just read dozens of similar questions and
saw no answer that applies to me.

--- CURRENT SETUP:
Vista Home Premium, Dell Inspiron with Dell 1390 wireless. I have the
"latest" driver updates from Dell, but these come from last November or
December, despite the package itself having a March 2007 date.
XP Media Center desktop, wired to the Netgear DSL/wireless router.
Same workgroup.
Trend Micro PC-cillin on XP, set to "Home Network", and the mac address of
the Vista laptop is designated as "trusted".
McAfee on Vista laptop.

--- CURRENT STATE:
XP can see Vista laptop, can access files.
Vista laptop does not even see XP desktop in its network. The network is
setup as "private".
Vista laptop cannot ping XP, but can ping router.

--- HISTORY OF PROBLEM:
3 months ago I believe I was able to access shared files on XP from the
Vista laptop.
A few weeks ago I could not.
I came to this group and found some clue about some update I needed to apply
to XP desktop so that it could properly share with Vista. Strange, since I
thought it had worked, but I did it anyway. This apparently fixed the
problem. Sorry, can't remember the filename!
Then tonight I again find that the Vista laptop cannot see the XP desktop.
There seems to be no way to bring it back.

I have also had troubles with printer sharing and with wireless network
going out on me, yet showing a full strength signal and even giving me a
valid IP address. However, I will be happy to fix one thing at a time.
(Unfortunately, the best fix would probably be Windows XP on the laptop).

Thanks for bearing with me.
 
If turn off the firewall, can you pig XP by IP? Or this search result may help,

Vista sharing issuesVista: can't see XP ... How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www. ... http://www.chicagotech.net/netforums/viewtopic.php?p=527&sid= ...
http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/vistasharing.htm


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
At least it can't see it today. I had it working a few weeks ago.
I hate repeating questions, but I just read dozens of similar questions and
saw no answer that applies to me.

--- CURRENT SETUP:
Vista Home Premium, Dell Inspiron with Dell 1390 wireless. I have the
"latest" driver updates from Dell, but these come from last November or
December, despite the package itself having a March 2007 date.
XP Media Center desktop, wired to the Netgear DSL/wireless router.
Same workgroup.
Trend Micro PC-cillin on XP, set to "Home Network", and the mac address of
the Vista laptop is designated as "trusted".
McAfee on Vista laptop.

--- CURRENT STATE:
XP can see Vista laptop, can access files.
Vista laptop does not even see XP desktop in its network. The network is
setup as "private".
Vista laptop cannot ping XP, but can ping router.

--- HISTORY OF PROBLEM:
3 months ago I believe I was able to access shared files on XP from the
Vista laptop.
A few weeks ago I could not.
I came to this group and found some clue about some update I needed to apply
to XP desktop so that it could properly share with Vista. Strange, since I
thought it had worked, but I did it anyway. This apparently fixed the
problem. Sorry, can't remember the filename!
Then tonight I again find that the Vista laptop cannot see the XP desktop.
There seems to be no way to bring it back.

I have also had troubles with printer sharing and with wireless network
going out on me, yet showing a full strength signal and even giving me a
valid IP address. However, I will be happy to fix one thing at a time.
(Unfortunately, the best fix would probably be Windows XP on the laptop).

Thanks for bearing with me.
 
Better now, but still not what it was.
Currently my only solution is to open Network view, then in the address bar,
type "\\blue" (name of XP computer, without the double-quotes). This shows me
all shared resources on the XP system. But Vista stubbornly refuses to show
me the computer any other way, even though normal network browsing worked a
few weeks ago.

I remember now that I installed LLTD on Windows XP.
I have also followed instructions found in some excellent advice here to
enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (frequently referred to in this newsgroup as
NetBT). Specifically, this is in network device;TCP/IP;Advanced settings, and
you should not use "Default", rather explicitly select the radio button for
NetBIOS over TCP.
And yes, both Vista and XP computers have the same username/password for the
active login.
Despite this, I cannot see my XP computer in the Network panel, but I can
see it in the Network Map. Unfortunately Network Map does not provide an
active link to the other computers, so I still cannot open the XP system and
access its shared resources.

I can understand Microsoft Vista not working well with Linux, or even
Windows 3.1, but I can't understand how they could ship a new OS that
basically will not play with the last. Windows ME2 indeed.
 
Better now, but still not what it was.
Currently my only solution is to open Network view, then in the address bar,
type "\\blue" (name of XP computer, without the double-quotes). This shows me
all shared resources on the XP system. But Vista stubbornly refuses to show
me the computer any other way, even though normal network browsing worked a
few weeks ago.

I remember now that I installed LLTD on Windows XP.
I have also followed instructions found in some excellent advice here to
enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (frequently referred to in this newsgroup as
NetBT). Specifically, this is in network device;TCP/IP;Advanced settings, and
you should not use "Default", rather explicitly select the radio button for
NetBIOS over TCP.
And yes, both Vista and XP computers have the same username/password for the
active login.
Despite this, I cannot see my XP computer in the Network panel, but I can
see it in the Network Map. Unfortunately Network Map does not provide an
active link to the other computers, so I still cannot open the XP system and
access its shared resources.

I can understand Microsoft Vista not working well with Linux, or even
Windows 3.1, but I can't understand how they could ship a new OS that
basically will not play with the last. Windows ME2 indeed.
Click to expand...

A nicely narrated background, Glenn. Many who come here for help would do well
to provide detail like this.

You could supplement the background nicely, with logs from "browstat status" and
"ipconfig /all", from each computer, to help diagnose the problem. Read this
article, and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely (download
browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.
 
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