Question [SOLVED] Network File Sharing Access problem with Windows 11 -- AGAIN!

[BonzaiDuck]

THE SCENARIO

We've had a home LAN among three family members since I returned to California 25 years ago.

At some point, I replaced a Windows Home Server installation with Windows Server 2012 Essentials. I maintained this for my brother and elderly Moms until they died between 2022 and 2023. I had to recycle their computers, and re-evaluated my "digital fortress".

I insisted on keeping two client systems -- twins essentially -- as recommended by another friend on the East Coast and former neighbor. A third system -- using the same processor and chipset as the other two -- was deployed as a "Media PC" feeding my Sony Bravia and AVR, and it was also a backup file server. I would synch important personal business files regularly with this third system.

I also have a laptop, and I use it the same way.

When I updated two of these systems (including the Media box) to Windows 11, it was a provisional upgrade, since the processors just precede Coffee Lake -- the first of eligible Win 11 CPUs. The remaining desktop was my daily driver under Windows 10 and the October 2025 ESU.


THE PROBLEM -- PAST AND PRESENT

Previously, I had temporary difficulties with File Sharing between the Windows 10 system and the Windows 11 Media PC and backup file repository. I also had the same problems with the laptop and the Media PC. These problems seemed to involve NTLM authentication, and in both cases I resolved the problem. I just don't remember EXACTLY how, but apparently Windows 11 uses an SMB protocol 2 and 3, replacing SMB 1. I didn't want to switch up, and made sure the proper tweaks enabling SMB 1 were made to Programs/Features-> . . . Windows Features-On/Off for SMB 1.0 /CFS File Sharing Support.

Now that I've upgraded the last system -- daily-driver -- to Windows 11, I have again discovered this network sharing access problem.

The other twin to the daily driver has the same build 25H2 of Windows 11, and no problem sharing with (a) the Media PC and (b) accessing shared files on the daily driver. But this latter system, while it "sees" the other two computers, is not granted access to the shared folders on either.

ANY ADVICE OR GUIDANCE ON THIS WILL BE APPRECIATED -- AND I WILL PRAY TO GOD FOR ANYONE WHO PROVIDES A RESOLUTION FOR ME. I'm a bit reticent about implementing SMB 2/3 on the other systems -- I don't want to lose connectivity altogether.

I've read about the vulnerability under SMB 1.0, and would like to secure my systems, but I MUST have File Sharing among these desktops and my laptop.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

THIS CAN'T BE ALL THAT DIFFICULT TO FIX.

I've logged on directly now to both my daily driver's "twin" and the Media PC. BOTH of those systems still are able to see folders and files on the daily driver. But the daily driver can't see the shared folders on the other two systems. Yet, all these systems have Win 11 Pro build # 25H2.

And so far, they're configured for SMB 1.0. I've yet to check my laptop, but I doubt there's anything gone wrong or amiss with that as well.

 

[mikeymikec]

I'm trying to remember what the details were with Win10 and Win11 for SMB1, it would start as enabled, then disable itself automatically within a certain time span, then once the admin re-enables them they stay enabled?

Why are you insisting on SMB1? IIRC the only time I've had to do that was with some "ancient" office photocopier that only supported that version.

Error messages? Hit it via name and IP from the Run prompt, ie. \\hostname or \\192.168.0.4 ?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I'm trying to remember what the details were with Win10 and Win11 for SMB1, it would start as enabled, then disable itself automatically within a certain time span, then once the admin re-enables them they stay enabled?

Why are you insisting on SMB1? IIRC the only time I've had to do that was with some "ancient" office photocopier that only supported that version.

Error messages? Hit it via name and IP from the Run prompt, ie. \\hostname or \\192.168.0.4 ?

I'm going to try that. I'm worried that if I change everything to SMB 2.0/3.0 I'll have even worse connectivity problems.

What REALLY has me PISSED OFF is that I've always had three different Administrator accounts under my personal name variations, and they had all been LOCAL accounts until this . . . CLUSTER F*** of MICROSOFT ACCOUNTS. I see that I can maintain and even create local accounts, but this has still wreaked havoc on networking privileges and accounts I had always used.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I'm trying to remember what the details were with Win10 and Win11 for SMB1, it would start as enabled, then disable itself automatically within a certain time span, then once the admin re-enables them they stay enabled?

Why are you insisting on SMB1? IIRC the only time I've had to do that was with some "ancient" office photocopier that only supported that version.

Error messages? Hit it via name and IP from the Run prompt, ie. \\hostname or \\192.168.0.4 ?

Activating SMB 1.0 is a recommendation on the checklist for resolving the "path not found" error when you click on the networked destination computer and find you don't have access to the shared folder configured to recognize your account and password.

I've tried it both ways. I'm still stumped on this. I can "see" the other two desktops by their computer names and little "monitor" icons, but cannot access the shared folders. That is -- this computer is "A" and the others are "B" and "C". I can't see the shared folders on B and C from A.

But I can see the shared folders on A from either B or C. I tried to update the network hardware driver, but it's already "up to date".

 

[mikeymikec]

Activating SMB 1.0 is a recommendation on the checklist for resolving the "path not found" error when you click on the networked destination computer and find you don't have access to the shared folder configured to recognize your account and password.

Yeah, no. It's a dumbass suggestion. SMB 2 was introduced in Windows Vista, there's simply no way that versions of Windows way after Vista are defaulting to SMB1. What else is on this list? I'm concerned that the list contributes to the problem (at best, why introduce more variables when one should be doing the opposite).

I've tried it both ways. I'm still stumped on this. I can "see" the other two desktops by their computer names and little "monitor" icons, but cannot access the shared folders. That is -- this computer is "A" and the others are "B" and "C". I can't see the shared folders on B and C from A.

But I can see the shared folders on A from either B or C. I tried to update the network hardware driver, but it's already "up to date".

Ok, so logically the problem is on computer A. Tell me about that computer, what edition and version of Windows it is, do you have any security software running, what credentials are you attempting to use and how do those credentials tally up with what's set up on B and C (I suspect you're not getting a chance to supply credentials). Please also tell me about the network itself. Hold the option of rebooting the router in reserve because that can sometimes help but also can mess with local name resolution.

One huge problem with Windows and its file sharing protocol is that the error messages are often "dunno" worded in different and misleading ways so therefore you may be led along a completely wrong path if you follow the message.

 

[mikeymikec]

What REALLY has me PISSED OFF is that I've always had three different Administrator accounts under my personal name variations, and they had all been LOCAL accounts until this . . . CLUSTER F*** of MICROSOFT ACCOUNTS. I see that I can maintain and even create local accounts, but this has still wreaked havoc on networking privileges and accounts I had always used.

I don't think it will have a bearing on your filesharing issues, but you can convert them back to local accounts and remove the MS account linkage.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I don't think it will have a bearing on your filesharing issues, but you can convert them back to local accounts and remove the MS account linkage.

Also an idea to list as something to try.

This "LAN" has three desktop PCs, a laptop, two tablets, two cellphones, four TV sets with two active ROKU devices. I'm focused here on the wired Ethernet desktops and the wirelessly-connected laptop.

I finally turned the laptop on this morning, and see that it connects to the problem PC as well as the Media PC (and synching file backup "server") and the other desktop. But again, the A computer "sees" the laptop in the icons displayed under "Network" with file explorer, but won't access anything that might be shared, and the A computer doesn't ask for credentials and a password with any of these attempts.

It also turns out that desktops "B" and "C" -- which includes the Media PC -- do not have the SMB 1.0 checkbox checked under the "Turn Windows Features on or off" dialog, so I assume they're using the higher, more secure SMB 2/3 protocol. A's setting was only changed in an attempt to fix this problem.

"A" boots by default into the local account. it also has accounts that are specifically linked to the MS account, and both the other desktops have accounts for the local and the MS. There are only three user-names or account names -- also with similar account options on the laptop.

I've proven so far that it doesn't matter which account is being used on A: I get the same "unable to access" result trying to open the shares on any of the other systems.

It won't do any harm at this point: I'm going to log off all but the A system, turn off my TV and then enter the router firmware to reboot it.

UPDATE: ROUTER REBOOT -- DONE. [Only missed a couple minutes of the BBC news about the Mendelson problem for Keir Starmer.] NO CHANGE IN DESKTOP A'S ACCESS TO OTHER SYSTEMS. Also unchecked the SMB 1.0 checkbox in "Turn features on/off". Rebooted the A system to get to this point.

Also, there doesn't seem to be a new driver for the onboard integrated network controller, as reported through Windows Update. "This is the latest driver".

 

[mikeymikec]

Just bear in mind that how A is trying to access B and C (in terms of credentials) is still relevant - at least IMO - what was your plan here?

For example, you can force anonymous connections. You can allow the use of blank passwords in non-anonymous credentials. I can't remember for a fact whether you can get A - logging in locally with the same username as B - but with a different password locally and another password when talking to B. Is there a chance that the usernames match but the passwords don't?

IIRC Win10/11 Pro reacts slightly differently by default to logging in to network resources than Home does.

Do you have any third party security software in place?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

THIS GETS WEIRD-ER . . . Turns out the laptop "sees" the shared folders on A, but denies access to opening the folders. But B? B sees the problem computer A; it sees the shared folders on A and it opens the folders on A. It of course also connects perfectly to the Media PC/file-backup-server.

So! B is the twin of A, except that A has the ASUS Z170 workstation mobo and B has the Sabertooth Z170 S.

I'm only going to devote so much time to solving the A problem.

OPTIONS:

1) Restore the Macrium backup of Windows 10 Pro with ESU good until October.

2) Do an in-place repair-install of Win 11 build 25H2 for A.

MEANWHILE! Using the no-longer-supported MS SyncToy (and I have a replacement for it) -- I will synch my files From A to B, move my outlook file to B, establish B as the recognized system for my banking and brokerage, and move software from A to B.

Then I can dick around with A all I want to, while I start putting together the Rocket Lake system.

I bought this Rocket lake Z590 hardware last summer. You can say "Why don't you build an Arrow Lake system?" Sure -- I know. But I'm pinched for money this year, and the Rocket Lake should do just fine. For now -- for a few years. Meanwhile, Win 11 works fine on two out of three systems, and the problem with the A desktop is still minor by "mainstreamer" standards.

But I am NOT a Mainstreamer, I USE peer-to-peer and I WANT peer-to-peer. I don't let go of these "problems" I solve them -- one way or the other.

WEll, keep on keepin'-on and look forward to your insights!

 

[MtnMan]

Ditch MS SyncToy and download SyncBackFree. I used SyncToy for years. It is properly named with "toy" in the name.
SyncBackFree has been rock-solid and allows for scheduled backups, with options, filters, logs, etc. It does not rely on drive mappings, as it reverts to FQDN even if initially set up to a mapped drive. I use FQDN in any application that I want to have access to devices on my network.
Windows drive mapping is just flakey, at best. Mappings I create as persistent, ain't, but only sometimes. I just have a .bat file containing "net use" commands to map all my drives on other PCs and NAS and can quickly run it if I need to access a mapped drive or folder.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Ditch MS SyncToy and download SyncBackFree. I used SyncToy for years. It is properly named with "toy" in the name.
SyncBackFree has been rock-solid and allows for scheduled backups, with options, filters, logs, etc. It does not rely on drive mappings, as it reverts to FQDN even if initially set up to a mapped drive. I use FQDN in any application that I want to have access to devices on my network.
Windows drive mapping is just flakey, at best. Mappings I create as persistent, ain't, but only sometimes. I just have a .bat file containing "net use" commands to map all my drives on other PCs and NAS and can quickly run it if I need to access a mapped drive or folder.

Thanks. I HAVE SyncBackFree. I've used it on my Media PC to keep a backup of my 12TB drivepool on a single 8TB 3.5" HDD. That is -- I was testing it. SyncToy is just installed on the other systems and I have the "Pair definitions" set with them.

I just finished (yesterday) re-establishing my e-mail on the Twin to "A", re-establishing my connections to various institutions, and synching my files so I can continue synching them with my Media/file-backup-"server".

I have the option of restoring my Windows 10-with-ESU from April 7 to the problem "A" machine. On the other hand, I might "learn" something if I persist in troubleshooting the Peer-to-Peer trouble with Win 11 Pro.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

DECISION: I am going to restore the boot disk to the Windows 10 Pro with ESU from a Macrium image of April 6.

I can't believe how even this routine restoration operation has taken my time over the last day or so.

Apparently, restoring a Win 10 over a Win 11 boot/system disk cannot be done from "within Windows" as other restorations would ordinarily proceed -- most likely because we're going backward from Win 11 to Win 10. The conventional wisdom -- which appears to be working as I type this on my functional computer -- is that this needs to be done from a Macrium Rescue disk. So this is "good" for the moment until I decide -- before next October -- what to "do" with this computer.

So. Incidentally. Macrium Reflect is no longer "free" as it used to be. You can download the fully-functional trial and use it for 30 days before the ability to create backups becomes disabled.

Apparently, a 4-PC 1-year license (for subscription renewal) will cost you about $99. I bought it, but I'm using the trial so my account still shows "0 installations".

 

[Steltek]

I'm trying to remember what the details were with Win10 and Win11 for SMB1, it would start as enabled, then disable itself automatically within a certain time span, then once the admin re-enables them they stay enabled?

Why are you insisting on SMB1? IIRC the only time I've had to do that was with some "ancient" office photocopier that only supported that version.

Error messages? Hit it via name and IP from the Run prompt, ie. \\hostname or \\192.168.0.4 ?

You're right.

From what I recall, SMB 1.0 can be re-enabled in Windows 11, but if you don't use it for 15 days Windows 11 will automatically disable it again. Microslop fully intends to entirely remove SMB 1.0 support altogether in an as yet unannounced future update anyway, so it is definitely best not to use it even if you are willing to risk the security issues associated with it.

I also recall reading something late last year (don't remember where, but it was in the last half of last year) stating that some of the Windows 11 cumulative updates that were released significantly tightened up SMB authentication for Windows 11. As a result of this, it is possible that a Windows 10 machine will continue to connect to the server just fine under SMB 1.0 while Windows 11 machines will not (they almost always will fail with username/password issues as SMB 1.0 doesn't support the newly tightened Win 11 SMB authentication protocols).

 

[BonzaiDuck]

You're right.

From what I recall, SMB 1.0 can be re-enabled in Windows 11, but if you don't use it for 15 days Windows 11 will automatically disable it again. Microslop fully intends to entirely remove SMB 1.0 support altogether in an as yet unannounced future update anyway, so it is definitely best not to use it even if you are willing to risk the security issues associated with it.

I also recall reading something late last year (don't remember where, but it was in the last half of last year) stating that some of the Windows 11 cumulative updates that were released significantly tightened up SMB authentication for Windows 11. As a result of this, it is possible that a Windows 10 machine will continue to connect to the server just fine under SMB 1.0 while Windows 11 machines will not (they almost always will fail with username/password issues as SMB 1.0 doesn't support the newly tightened Win 11 SMB authentication protocols).

WELL! WAY-ULL, PIL-GRUM!! I don't know exactly what I did to SOLVE my networking problem, but it's "SOLVED".

Where was I? Oh. I resurrected the April 7 Macrium backup image containing the most recent Windows 10 boot/system partition, and went through hoops before figuring out that I needed to use the USB rescue disk to get it to restore. DID THAT!

Macrium tells me that the partition in the image was corrupt!! O-KAY!! I ran CHKDSK, SFC /SCANNOW, and then some three different variations of DISM commands. All repaired! All Good! All OK!

THEN! I just decided to go for broke, downloaded the ISO Win 11 64-bit installation file, tweaked my system to turn off the AV, and ran the installation.

ALL GOOD! Then I check for connectivity with my Media PC. NADA. NO CIGAR!!

But I poked around in the Networking and Security menus and made some tweaks. An error message suggested that I "re-enable" NTLM authentication. Did that. Restarted the machine. First discovered that the shared folders on the restored Win 11 box were visible and accessible from the twin system.

Then came back to this system and tried to open access to the MediaPC/file-backup-server.

VOILA!! IT'S ALL THERE! I'M BACK IN BID-NIS! I'M BACK, I'M BAD, I'M ON TOP -- THEM MICROSOFT WING-TIP BOZOS DON'T HAVE NUTHIN' ON ME!

LIKE WE SAID IN ANCIENT AND PREHISTORIC TIMES: "ROCK AND ROLL!"

ALSO -- don't need that SMB 1.0. We're running 2.0/3.0. DONE!

 

[Steltek]

WELL! WAY-ULL, PIL-GRUM!! I don't know exactly what I did to SOLVE my networking problem, but it's "SOLVED".

Where was I? Oh. I resurrected the April 7 Macrium backup image containing the most recent Windows 10 boot/system partition, and went through hoops before figuring out that I needed to use the USB rescue disk to get it to restore. DID THAT!

Macrium tells me that the partition in the image was corrupt!! O-KAY!! I ran CHKDSK, SFC /SCANNOW, and then some three different variations of DISM commands. All repaired! All Good! All OK!

THEN! I just decided to go for broke, downloaded the ISO Win 11 64-bit installation file, tweaked my system to turn off the AV, and ran the installation.

ALL GOOD! Then I check for connectivity with my Media PC. NADA. NO CIGAR!!

But I poked around in the Networking and Security menus and made some tweaks. An error message suggested that I "re-enable" NTLM authentication. Did that. Restarted the machine. First discovered that the shared folders on the restored Win 11 box were visible and accessible from the twin system.

Then came back to this system and tried to open access to the MediaPC/file-backup-server.

VOILA!! IT'S ALL THERE! I'M BACK IN BID-NIS! I'M BACK, I'M BAD, I'M ON TOP -- THEM MICROSOFT WING-TIP BOZOS DON'T HAVE NUTHIN' ON ME!

LIKE WE SAID IN ANCIENT AND PREHISTORIC TIMES: "ROCK AND ROLL!"

ALSO -- don't need that SMB 1.0. We're running 2.0/3.0. DONE!

Good to hear.

You might want to do another backup of all your running systems now that everything is working. Especially after bragging about it - otherwise, you might just be tempting Murphy..... 🙂

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Good to hear.

You might want to do another backup of all your running systems now that everything is working. Especially after bragging about it - otherwise, you might just be tempting Murphy..... 🙂

In the process of handling this "crisis", I purchased a 4-PC license to Macrium X for $99.99 or about $25/PC. License expiration only affects updates, but it appears the software will continue to "work" in all the features I need.

I actually need to install these over my old licenses, although I could continue using the old paid and free installations. I need to think about this . . . BUT! I need to make sure my definition files continue to provide me daily backup.

I really feel good today (at 5:30AM). With all this trouble, I was able to shampoo the carpet in my den/entertainment room -- and it looks pretty damn good. I need to pick up some more Woolite and Pine-Sol at the grocery.

All my computers are tip-top!! Ha!