Adding Windows XP Pro sp3 laptop to an existing workgroup

[bzbbassist]

Symptom

I have a laptop running Windows XP sp3 Home Edition. I have had a shared folder on a partition separate from the C drive and for a very long time I've been able to see and use on it an iMac running MacOS High Sierra. All computers are in the same workgroup which I never renamed and was called WORKGROUP. A short while ago I began using another laptop I own that is running Windows XP Pro sp3. I had never connected it to my network and now have the desire to share a folder on it to the iMac. I went ahead and connected it over my wireless network and added it to the WORKGROUP. When I try mapping a drive on the XP pro it can see the Windows Home Edition laptop and the iMac but neither the iMac nor theWindows Home Edition laptop can see it.

I am able to ping the Windows XP Pro laptop from both the iMac and the Windows Home Edition laptop using its ip address as well as by name.

I can connect to the internet but the OS and browser are so out of date I can't do much and really have no desire to use it for that.

I found several things on the internet which I've listed below but still no luck:

Check network settings - Make sure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers in the workgroup. You can also check that the Computer Browser serviceis started and that File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks is installed and not blocked by Windows Firewall.

I Checked NetBIOD over TCP/IP and it is enabled on all computers in workgroup.
Browser service started
File and Print Sharing for MS Networks is installed and not blocked by firewall.
As a side note I tried connecting with both the firewall on and off.


Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended) checkbox

Tried both checked and unchecked.


I tried renaming the workgroup but this did not change the situation.

A person on Facebook noticed my screenshots of the network on Facebook and said:

Notice the Netware networking icon in the network area, it could be blocking the ability to do workgroup, look and see if there is Novell or Netware software installed. If you you might try backing up anything that might be important than try uninstalling the Novell/Netware products. Novell/Netware were networking products in the days beforeMicrosoft even though of doing it's own networking. XP no longerneeded Netware to do networking. We started out using Netware thatthe machine would attach using a DOS client on Windows 3.1 It wasn't until late into XP or early Win7 that we finally ditched Netware.

I uninstalled Netware Networking but no change.

 

[Madeleine Takam]

Symptom
I cant see XP Pro machine

People have this problem all the time between Windows 10 and Windows XP. I used to have this problem. Many people with advice on the net. Never worked.

You have 3 computers:

1. iMac running MacOS High Sierra.

1. Windows Home Edition laptop

1. Windows XP Pro laptop

Your Workgroup is called WORKGROUP.

I am not sure what you are talking about here: -
“I went ahead and connected it over my wireless network and added it to the WORKGROUP.”
Are you using wireless and cable?? With some computers on cable and others on Wireless??
Are you using only Wireless?
Do you have an ISP broadband modem, that you use as a network switch?
Do you have a hardware firewall, that you use as a network switch?
Do you have a network switch? If you do…Is it 10Gbit? 1Gbit? 100Mbit?
Are you only using Wireless connected to the Broadband modem your ISP has leant you?
I don’t have a clue how your network is set up.

Regardless

Your goal is to create TWO icons on each computer that is a short-cut to the respective other computers share folder.
Try this.

1. Turn on all computers.
2. Check they are all connected to whatever it is that you are using as your hub/network switch/firewall. You have already stated that they can all get on the web with all 3 and that they can actually all connect. It is just that the other 2 can’t see the XP Pro.
3. Set everything to workgroup or whatever on all 3 machines. Restart all make sure they can all see modem and the other 2 can see XP Pro
4. If sensibly using a cable network set the 3 computers to the following in Network settings.

Set IP Address on 3 computers respectively and consecutively as….192.168.75.2 192.168.75.3 192.168.75.4 or whatever you feel are good IP’s
Remember whatever you use as a switch need to correspond, so for the above it you need to set on each computer
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 192.168.75.1
Use the following DNS server 192.168.75.1

1. Restart. Make sure you can get on the web with all 3 and that the XP Pro can see other 2.
2. Disable firewall on all computers.
3. Restart all 3. Wait 10 mins go and have coffee.
4. Create share folder on each computer. Make sure it actually shared.
5. Restart all 3
6. Wait 15 mins. Open network on all 3. Create respective shortcuts to share folder on each. Transfer some files to computers that you can, from computers that you can. Leave computers on.
7. Go and have lunch
8. Come back and see if either of the other two computers can see XP Pro machine. If they can create shortcut to its share folder on both.

You will notice that with all the above, I have basically advised you to disable firewall on all. Keep restarting and then waiting until, occasionally you can see XP pro machine on other 2. If and when you can create shortcut links.

If you manage to create shortcut links on all 3 …they will always work.

 

[bzbbassist]

Symptom

I have a laptop running Windows XP sp3 Home Edition. I have had a shared folder on a partition separate from the C drive and for a very long time I've been able to see and use on it an iMac running MacOS High Sierra. All computers are in the same workgroup which I never renamed and was called WORKGROUP. A short while ago I began using another laptop I own that is running Windows XP Pro sp3. I had never connected it to my network and now have the desire to share a folder on it to the iMac. I went ahead and connected it over my wireless network and added it to the WORKGROUP. When I try mapping a drive on the XP pro it can see the Windows Home Edition laptop and the iMac but neither the iMac nor theWindows Home Edition laptop can see it.

I am able to ping the Windows XP Pro laptop from both the iMac and the Windows Home Edition laptop using its ip address as well as by name.

I can connect to the internet but the OS and browser are so out of date I can't do much and really have no desire to use it for that.

I found several things on the internet which I've listed below but still no luck:

Check network settings - Make sure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all computers in the workgroup. You can also check that the Computer Browser serviceis started and that File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks is installed and not blocked by Windows Firewall.

I Checked NetBIOD over TCP/IP and it is enabled on all computers in workgroup.
Browser service started
File and Print Sharing for MS Networks is installed and not blocked by firewall.
As a side note I tried connecting with both the firewall on and off.


Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended) checkbox

Tried both checked and unchecked.


I tried renaming the workgroup but this did not change the situation.

A person on Facebook noticed my screenshots of the network on Facebook and said:

Notice the Netware networking icon in the network area, it could be blocking the ability to do workgroup, look and see if there is Novell or Netware software installed. If you you might try backing up anything that might be important than try uninstalling the Novell/Netware products. Novell/Netware were networking products in the days beforeMicrosoft even though of doing it's own networking. XP no longerneeded Netware to do networking. We started out using Netware thatthe machine would attach using a DOS client on Windows 3.1 It wasn't until late into XP or early Win7 that we finally ditched Netware.

I uninstalled Netware Networking but no change.

Your Workgroup is called WORKGROUP.

I am not sure what you are talking about here: -
“I went ahead and connected it over my wireless network and added it to the WORKGROUP.”
Are you using wireless and cable?? With some computers on cable and others on Wireless??
Are you using only Wireless?
>> Wireless was my first attempt. Then I tried connecting the Lan Cat5 cable from Windows XP laptop to iMac. The iMac is ultimately where I want to be able to access files I create on the Windows XP Pro laptop. I was unable to access the XP Pro laptop from the iMac over the wireless network or the Cat5 cable. The Windows XP Home laptop is only in the mix because I can access shared folders on it to the iMac. I can also, regardless of whether I am going over the wireless network access a folder from the XP Pro laptop which is shared from the XP Home laptop.

Do you have an ISP broadband modem, that you use as a network switch?

Do you have a hardware firewall, that you use as a network switch?
Do you have a network switch? If you do…Is it 10Gbit? 1Gbit? 100Mbit?
Are you only using Wireless connected to the Broadband modem your ISP has leant you?
I don’t have a clue how your network is set up.

 

[bzbbassist]

Your Workgroup is called WORKGROUP.

I am not sure what you are talking about here: -
“I went ahead and connected it over my wireless network and added it to the WORKGROUP.”
Are you using wireless and cable?? With some computers on cable and others on Wireless??
Are you using only Wireless?
>> Wireless was my first attempt. Then I tried connecting the Lan Cat5 cable from Windows XP laptop to iMac. The iMac is ultimately where I want to be able to access files I create on the Windows XP Pro laptop. I was unable to access the XP Pro laptop from the iMac over the wireless network or the Cat5 cable. The Windows XP Home laptop is only in the mix because I can access shared folders on it to the iMac. I can also, regardless of whether I am going over the wireless network access a folder from the XP Pro laptop which is shared from the XP Home laptop.

Do you have an ISP broadband modem, that you use as a network switch?

>> Using an Arris Surfboard Cable modem. Security Mode WPA2-PSK, 2.4GHz, 5GHz.

Do you have a hardware firewall, that you use as a network switch?

>> No

Do you have a network switch? If you do…Is it 10Gbit? 1Gbit? 100Mbit?
Are you only using Wireless connected to the Broadband modem your ISP has leant you?

>> Own the Broadband Modem

I don’t have a clue how your network is set up.

>> Beyond what I answered above what else can I post?

 

[Madeleine Takam]

>> Using an Arris Surfboard Cable modem. Security Mode WPA2-PSK, 2.4GHz, 5GHz.

>> No

>> Own the Broadband Modem

>> Beyond what I answered above what else can I post?

From what you have described your computers can see each other. But you have the age-old problem of not being able to see the XP Pro machine from the other 2. Just like thousands of others including me at one time.

I had a similar problem. I tried every advice on the web to try and get working. Many hours spent messing about with SMB version 1, NetBIOS etc etc etc. You will find if you do a search on the web that it is a constant problem people are having. Lots of helpful advice. None of it worked for me.

My bet is if you decided to play a network 2 player game and used both XP machines you would have no problems. I found it irritating that my games could see each other yet I couldn’t get the share drive icon to show up in the network.

So, I had three Windows 7 machines, two Windows 10 machines that could see each other, but I couldn’t get them to see my XP machine.

I solved the problem by complete accident by one day booting up a very old XP machine, irritatingly all the other machines could see that!

I then booted up my good XP machine and low and behold it could be seen by everything. I thought this is interesting.

I then booted everything without the old XP machine and I couldn’t see my good XP machine.

So, I repeated procedure before and when they all showed up in the Network folder, I created shortcuts for all machines and put them in a communications folder. Problem solved.

Simply try this.

1. Turn off all firewalls create share folders
2. Shut everything down
3. Boot up Windows Home Edition laptop. leave on for 5 minutes
4. Boot up Windows XP Pro laptop. leave on for 5 minutes
5. Pray you can now see Windows XP Pro laptop from Windows Home Edition laptop
6. If you can create shortcuts.

Sorry, that’s the best I can do. There is a huge amount of advice and many many pages on the web covering this. Maybe some of it will work. As, I solved my problem by the above method, I can’t give you better help. For that you will need advice from someone more knowledgeable.

 

[bzbbassist]

Your Workgroup is called WORKGROUP.

I am not sure what you are talking about here: -
“I went ahead and connected it over my wireless network and added it to the WORKGROUP.”
Are you using wireless and cable?? With some computers on cable and others on Wireless??
Are you using only Wireless?
>> Wireless was my first attempt. Then I tried connecting the Lan Cat5 cable from Windows XP laptop to iMac. The iMac is ultimately where I want to be able to access files I create on the Windows XP Pro laptop. I was unable to access the XP Pro laptop from the iMac over the wireless network or the Cat5 cable. The Windows XP Home laptop is only in the mix because I can access shared folders on it to the iMac. I can also, regardless of whether I am going over the wireless network access a folder from the XP Pro laptop which is shared from the XP Home laptop.

Do you have an ISP broadband modem, that you use as a network switch?

Do you have a hardware firewall, that you use as a network switch?
Do you have a network switch? If you do…Is it 10Gbit? 1Gbit? 100Mbit?
Are you only using Wireless connected to the Broadband modem your ISP has leant you?
I don’t have a clue how your network is set up.

So rather than set that up I decided to just allow the Windows XP Pro laptop be connected via Cat5 *hard-wired" to the Windows XP Home machine. I will drop my files on the shared drive on the Home that I can access on the XP Pro laptop.
Since the iMac can also see the shared drive on the Home laptop It will work just as well and I can disable the wireless network on the XP Pro. Any suggestions with regard to whatever security I might want to set up beyond the firewall would be welcome.