Windows Explorer Not Listing Newtork Computers

[hlewton]

Just recently, and without anything being changed to my knowledge, Windows Explorer has started not listing all the computers in my network occasionally. Sometimes after booting up it is fine and other times no matter how many boot-ups I do it will not show a couple of the computers in my network. I have searched the WEB and apparently this isn’t uncommon however, I can’t find a solution. At least one I can understand.

One suggestion was to open Network and Sharing Ctr., and click on "see full map" to see if all the computers were listed there. I got to the Network and Sharing center but saw no option to “see full map.” Another suggestion was to ping the missing computer so I tried that and was successful. Still I could not see it or map any folders to it when it isn’t available in Windows Explorer. Does anyone have a solution to fix this problem? This is on a Win 10 machine and most all I read about was on Win 7 machines which this one was until the free upgrade to Win 10.

Thanks

Edit: It may be worth noting that I have a program called MyFolders that easily allows me to map any folder on the Network and it will not allow new mappings when the computer is not listed in Windows Explorer BUT I can still send files to the already mapped folders on those computers. Maybe this tell you no more than a successful ping does but thought I should mention it.

[DaveA]

Are you using Workgroup network or the library one each machine?

Have you shared dives, and/or folders on all machines?
If using libraries, have you added folders and/or file type to the Library on each machine?

Do you have passwords on all user accounts that are being used on all machines?

[hlewton]

Are you using Workgroup network or the library one each machine?

Have you shared dives, and/or folders on all machines?
If using libraries, have you added folders and/or file type to the Library on each machine?

Do you have passwords on all user accounts that are being used on all machines?

I am using Workgroup. All drives and folders are shared on all machines but I didn't know how to assign all those permissions so the fellow who builds my computers did it for me. All was working well and still does once in a while. I do not have any passwords on any machines and never did. Nothing was changed to my knowledge.

This problem is on the machine I had problems with after it updated to Win 10 Creators Edition. When Windows Explorer is not working as it should and showing all my network computers it only shows the two that have been updated to Win 10 Creators edition if that means anything. Of the two computers it does not show one has Win 10 Home and the other is an old one that still is running with XP. They are both laptops but, again, they have always been listed in Windows Explorer until very recently.

On the computer that updated to Win 10 Creators edition without any problems, that I have discovered so far, still consistently lists all the computers in my network.

[DaveA]

The networking with Windows works most of the time and requires passwords on ALL machines.

One trick that really helps with the networking is to have the SAME user name and same password on all machines. This account does NOT need to be logged into, just fully set up on all machines. It needs to be of the "Admin" group and can be used as a secondary back door if one was to have their prime account clobbered.

The above tip is really needed with the used on XP on any of the machines.

[hlewton]

Thanks Dave I just do not know how to do that and have never had any passwords on any of my machines. I do run all of them with Administrator rights.

Today they booted up the way they should and I will post an attachment to show it. When they boot up wrong again I will take another screen shot and post that as well but I just do not know why this all of a sudden started happening and why it doesn't work the same every time it boots up. Anyway here it today's screen shoot:

Explorer1.jpg

[hlewton]

Not sure what is going on here but I got an email notice about a reply to this thread and when I got here it is nowhere to be found.

Topic: Windows Explorer Not Listing Newtork Computers
Author: Rudi
I have not been following this thread (as I don't have Windows 10), but might the advice here
(https://www.clonefileschecker.com/blog/ ... xplorer-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
help.

(Please note it refers to registry changes. Make backups of the registry before you modify things.)

This is what the email said but I can't find the post here. I was able to follow the link but not sure it is applicable because it mentions duplicate drives and I don't believe I have any of those. Appreciate the help but wonder why the post is missing.

[viking33]

Not sure what is going on here but I got an email notice about a reply to this thread and when I got here it is nowhere to be found.

Topic: Windows Explorer Not Listing Newtork Computers
Author: Rudi
I have not been following this thread (as I don't have Windows 10), but might the advice here
(https://www.clonefileschecker.com/blog/ ... xplorer-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
help.

(Please note it refers to registry changes. Make backups of the registry before you modify things.)

This is what the email said but I can't find the post here. I was able to follow the link but not sure it is applicable because it mentions duplicate drives and I don't believe I have any of those. Appreciate the help but wonder why the post is missing.

Are you sure it wasn't a PM and not a regular post? Guess Rudi will have to answer that?

[Rudi]

Hi,

My apologies.... I deleted the post (hoping that you were not subscribed to the forum)/
The deleted post provided info about duplicate drives (which I initially thought was the issue you were experiencing!) After I posted the reply, I noticed your thread title and scanning a bit more thoroughly through the thread I concluded that your issue was not related to my answer, so I promptly deleted the post.

Deleting a post as you noticed does not delete the notification if you are subscribed to the forum.
Apologies again.

[hlewton]

Are you sure it wasn't a PM and not a regular post? Guess Rudi will have to answer that?

LOL actually I am never sure of anything when it comes to computers anymore but I believe it was a notification of a post being made here. Here is what it said ahead of my last post with a quote, "
Hello hlewton, the topic "Windows Explorer Not Listing Newtork Computers"
at "Eileen's Lounge" has received a new reply since your last visit. You can view this post by clicking on the following link:
http://eileenslounge.com/viewtopic.php? ... 0&e=209540" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

After not finding it by clicking the link shown I searched within this thread and still did not find it. Also I don't see anywhere that there is a PM but I have used those so rarely here that I could be missing where to look. Still I believe it was a post.

[hlewton]

Just to follow up on the attachment I posted yesterday. With everything being exactly the same as far as drives and computer being on in my network the attachment below is how Windows Explorer sees my network today. You can see there are 2 computers missing and they are both laptops but for years they always were listed until very recently.

Explorer2.jpg

[DaveA]

Are they on and some user account is logged in?

[hlewton]

Are they on and some user account is logged in?

I really don't know how to answer this because I'm not sure. I checked the Start menu of each computer just now and saw one has my first name, one has Owner, and the third has my last name. If this answers the question then I guess the answer would be no but I really have no idea.

What happened today is the machine that is acting up only shows itself in the Network. Again I will attach an attachment to show this but with the very little I know it seems like the Network Discovery option on this machine is not working correctly and I know of no way to try to correct that.

Explorer3.jpg

[DaveA]

Can you list the machines names and what OS they are running?
Then on each machine give us a list of what is seen from it?
I know that Windows 7 and 10 can see windows XP without any passwords most of the time, but a Windows XP can not see that Windows 7 and 10 machines most of the time without passwords.

On those machines that do NOT appear in your last listing, go to one of them and add a password to the user account that is being used.
Reboot it.
Then go back to other machine and open Windows Explorer (File manager) and see if it is listed, if so, select it to see if you have access, you may have to type the password that you added to the other machine.

Bottom line, I stall say that if you were to set up a common User Account and common password on ALL machines, then most of your network issues will go away. Each Windows update just may have been adding changes to the networking files.

Also note, we share at the drive level (including the C drive) on all machines. This allows all folders including any new ones to be seen and accessed.

[hlewton]

Can you list the machines names and what OS they are running?
Then on each machine give us a list of what is seen from it?
I know that Windows 7 and 10 can see windows XP without any passwords most of the time, but a Windows XP can not see that Windows 7 and 10 machines most of the time without passwords.

On those machines that do NOT appear in your last listing, go to one of them and add a password to the user account that is being used.
Reboot it.
Then go back to other machine and open Windows Explorer (File manager) and see if it is listed, if so, select it to see if you have access, you may have to type the password that you added to the other machine.

Bottom line, I stall say that if you were to set up a common User Account and common password on ALL machines, then most of your network issues will go away. Each Windows update just may have been adding changes to the networking files.

Also note, we share at the drive level (including the C drive) on all machines. This allows all folders including any new ones to be seen and accessed.

Thank you Dave but this is getting past what I am comfortable doing especially assigning passwords. I am going to keep this and other posts of yours and get the fellow who builds my computers to come to my home again and see if he can straighten all this out so if things get messed up, which I'm fairly certain would be the case if I were to try to fix this, he will be here to straighten it out.

However, to answer just a couple of your questions: All the computer names are listed in the first attachment I posted. The 1 named Owner-F24BC21E1 is the XP machine and really is the least of my concerns because I may soon be retiring it. All my C: drives are supposed to be totally shared so all folders under them are accessible from the other machines on my network. All this worked fine the way I described it just now with all the permissions the fellow I referred to set up for me until just very recently. Now the only machine that is still consistently seeing everything is the one named New-PC, Lewton-PC and Owner-PC do not always list all the network computers. I just hope that they act up when I get this fellow down here. Although he has often times just remotely fixed numerous problems and may one again try it that way.

Thanks for your help and if I can get it all working again I will post back here with what was done.

[hlewton]

Well and update:

The fellow came to my home yesterday with my new laptop and got my entire network working properly again. I asked him to tell me what he did so I could relay it here. I do not remember all the steps but all my computers' names and my Workgroup network did not change. Every thing he did was in the sharing on all the computers. Some were once again requiring a password to access them or at least that option was checked in the sharing application. Once he changed everything back to how it was originally setup by him all worked well again. However, he said I will probably have to contact him each month to remote into my computers and set them properly again because Win 10 updates make these changes to the network sharing settings. He sets up networks for businesses and home offices so I am very confident he knows what he is talking about because he said he gets these calls every month after Win 10 updates. Anyway right now all is well.

[DaveA]

YES, Windows 10 does seem to make network changes.
But, your support guy was to set things up wit the usage of passwords, then you should NOT be having these issues.

I hope that he uses passwords in setting up the business networks!

[PJ_in_FL]

Maybe his business model is based on the similar model from Microsoft - never really "fix" anything to make sure support is always needed, insuring a perpetual revenue stream!

[hlewton]

Maybe his business model is based on the similar model from Microsoft - never really "fix" anything to make sure support is always needed, insuring a perpetual revenue stream!

He never charges me a dime for anything I ever need over the phone or when he remotes into any of my computers or those of any of my family members who have never even bought anything from him. It is probably mostly my doings because I have never wanted any user accounts other than my own on any machine I own nor have I ever wanted any passwords to allow me into those accounts. He tries his best to make things work the way I want them to and I believe business people like him are very hard to find in this day and age.

[hlewton]

YES, Windows 10 does seem to make network changes.
But, your support guy was to set things up wit the usage of passwords, then you should NOT be having these issues.

I hope that he uses passwords in setting up the business networks!

I'm not sure what he does at businesses but I'd bet he sets them up as they want and in a safe manner. I really have come to rely on him over the years and have recommended him to others and would do so again. As I mentioned above, he is only setting my computers up the way I like to use them and he has no problem fixing them after Win 10 updates for me. Sometime is is a little hard to get a hold of but he has never let me down and I have been dealing with him for probably at least 15 years now.

[PJ_in_FL]

Maybe his business model is based on the similar model from Microsoft - never really "fix" anything to make sure support is always needed, insuring a perpetual revenue stream!

He never charges me a dime for anything I ever need over the phone or when he remotes into any of my computers or those of any of my family members who have never even bought anything from him. It is probably mostly my doings because I have never wanted any user accounts other than my own on any machine I own nor have I ever wanted any passwords to allow me into those accounts. He tries his best to make things work the way I want them to and I believe business people like him are very hard to find in this day and age.

Sounds like a "keeper"!