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Network consists of 7 clients. 5 running XP and 2 running Win-7. On a new windows 7 machine in explorer under network all of the computers are visible except one XP machine. All other clients can see this machine. If i go "run" and type in a share path for that xp machine I get the folder and can browse and access. It then actually shows this computer with the others under network. But as soon as I close that window and open a new one it is once again gone.

All computers are on workgroup "workgroup" all on same network. All have shares with Everyone Full Control Permissions.

Any ideas?

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  • Home & Office network have full access? Windows firewall should have files and printer sharing in exclusions list.
    – crea7or
    Apr 5, 2012 at 21:37
  • Yea, that is all set right.
    – Falcor
    Apr 5, 2012 at 21:41
  • Network Neighborhood (or whatever they're calling it nowadays) is notoriously flaky. Lots of things can interfere with whether machines are displayed there, regardless of whether they're actually physically present on the network. I never use it anymore. Just navigate directly to the machine with the UNC path, or map a network drive if you need frequent access to the resource.
    – Cody Gray - on strike
    Apr 5, 2012 at 22:15

2 Answers 2

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Check firewall settings or other software that may in any way interfere with network communication to/from that one system.

In order for a system to show up in network neighborhood it needs to be responding to the network broadcasts sent out by the other Windows systems. Basically, the systems send out pings to one another to see who else is on the network and if someone doesn't reply, the computers don't know they exist. If you explicitly try to access them however, it works and then for a while, your system will know they exist - but the next round of pings and it may forget agian.

It could also have to do with the versions of the systems. The Windows network protocol uses an elective system that weighs the OS as the qualifier as to who should be the network boss. Chances are your two Windows 7 systems should be fighting it out, but if some of your XP systems are trying to be the boss as well, it could be there's a constant re-negotiation for who the boss should be, so that one system constantly gets the losing end of it and doesn't show up.

Check your firewall settings though -I think that may be it.

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Might be a problem with the name of the PC; try mapping using the IP address \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\share

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