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Can you assist finding out why a certain Windows 10 Home computer claims "the user name or password is incorrect" when trying access it through a local network (using the target computer's own user/password)?

It's not even about specific shares as it happens even when typing \\computer-name itself without any specific shares.

It happens regardless of which device tries to access it (another Windows PC, an Android device, etc.).

Strangely enough, there's another Windows 10 Home computer with exactly the same advanced sharing settings, Windows firewall, default folder shares, etc., that can be accessed flawlessly by typing \\its-computer-name (even through the aforementioned Windows).

Both computers use Microsoft logins and the users/passwords are known.

Do you think it's possible the aforementioned Windows somehow has a local password that is different than its Microsoft password and that's why it fails? Because as soon as I turn off password protected sharing, then everything gets fixed...

I've even tried changing the password just to be sure I know it, but it didn't help.

Failed access

Password requirement

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  • 1
    have you tried Username as remote-machine-name\remote-machine-user and password remote-machine-user-password (substituting for actual)
    – Smock
    Commented Aug 23, 2019 at 11:08
  • Yes, both remote-machine-user, remote-machine\remote-machine-user and \\remote-machine\remote-machine-user failed.
    – LWC
    Commented Aug 23, 2019 at 11:10
  • Login happens before requesting a share. If the account is valid but doesn't have access, it would just say "Access denied" and not re-prompt.
    – grawity_u1686
    Commented Aug 23, 2019 at 11:14
  • It's not in the local group (just like the second computer doesn't have the first computer in its local group and yet can access it). What do you mean about the share permissions? Where?
    – LWC
    Commented Aug 23, 2019 at 11:14
  • 1
    Try creating a new local account (not Microsoft account) and see if the issue persists.
    – I say Reinstate Monica
    Commented Aug 23, 2019 at 11:39

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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After struggling, I finally did 2 actions and at least one of which seemed to be the one that fixed it! I can't guarantee which one as I dare not reproduce this.

  1. Taking on my theory that somehow the Microsoft password didn't match the local password, I've entered the lock screen, cancelled the pin code, asked to unlock via a password instead and entered the Microsoft password.
  2. User Account Control Settings had a lower setting than the default (in the "good" Windows it was the default), so I brought back the default.

Somehow I got to do both of these together, then Bingo! I could finally use (from multiple devices) the Microsoft user and password to enter \\that-computer!

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  • 4
    #1 was what worked for me. On the sharing computer I locked the screen, logged back in with password instead of PIN, and immediately afterwards the other machines were able to connect to its share.
    – jw013
    Commented Dec 11, 2021 at 16:53
  • Yes to number 1, should login with password, not PIN. I also need to turn off "Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts" before I can login with password.
    – Endy Tjahjono
    Commented Dec 7, 2022 at 14:20
  • For Windows 11, go to Settings ->Accounts -> Sign-in Options -> Additional settings and disable …only allow Windows Hello sign-in… to enable password based log in.
    – mlt
    Commented Apr 20, 2023 at 16:11
  • Number 2 did it for me. I set it to "do not dim my desktop", which is level 2 out of 4, with 4 being "Always notify". It's very strange that my inability to connect happened out of nowhere, during a file transfer no less.
    – Antonio Banderéz
    Commented Mar 30 at 4:36
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Here is my solution, in my case I've checked

  1. Open the smb windows service
  2. Discoverable in private and public network

However, when I try to conncect to the server (windows share folder) on my iPad, I consistently get the "Incorrect username or password" -prompt.

My solution is to switch my Windows's account from "Microsoft account" ([email protected]) to "local account" (same name as that in C://User/{username}/).

Then, magically, my iPad can access the shared folder smoothly with the {username} and its password. Is this a bug on windows?

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1
  • It sounds related to my #1 method but then there's no need to do a whole replacement when you can just fix the password.
    – LWC
    Commented Feb 18, 2023 at 22:22

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