Windows 10: File sharing, replacing the useful homegroup

After a good deal of bad words about the removal of homegroup and about the "easy" Windows 10 file sharing, squeezing my brain to the last neuron and thanks to the help of the community too ...

*** I succeeded in having my 2 PCs on my home network visible one each other on File Explorer ***

!!! and all my shared disks and printers are visible too !!!


BUT :-(


Pros

a- Printers are available and I can print from both the PCs on the printer connected to the other

b- I can see all the disks on both the PCs as shared, but ...

I have no access (shared access is granted to [everyone]) to the PC internal HDs ...

c- ... whilst I can fully access and read / write / delete / create everything on the USB HD connected to PC-A (from PC-B)

d- on the other hand I have no access to the USB HD connected to PC-B from PC-A

e- also users/public folder is accessible


f- All the HDs, internal and USB on both the PC are shared and access is granted to [everyone]


g- All the services interested are set to automatic started and running


h- The WiFi network is defined as private

All the network configuration related to file and devices sharing are set and password protection is disabled


z- My brain is not able to imagine anything more to check or tune


Does anyone have any idea? or already experienced - and solved - this mess?


Thanks mates

Fabio


P.S. and mainly: but why? why they decided to remove the homegroup?

OK, it was not wonderfully professional (or professionally wonderful) ... but working, and safe, you could grant / deny access easily

and don't tell that nowadays we have to use the cloud ... please, do not answer with Matrix (the movie) related copyandpasted motivations

:)

 

Share files through homegroup

Hello,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.

I understand that you are trying to share files and data to your computer by using HomeGroup. I suggest you to refer the below steps and check if it helps creating and sharing files through Homegroup.

How to Check HomeGroup has been Created on Windows 10

• 
  Go to the HomeGroup
  window.
  
• 
  You can see the list of
  libraries and devices that the system is sharing in the homegroup.
  
• 
  There are many options available for you to do any changing.
  
• 
  For instance, you can change the password by selecting the
  Change Password link.
  

With a view of sharing data with other computers in homegroup, you need to ensure whether the
network discovery is turned on. If it is not you will face problems while sharing the data.

How to turn on Network Discovery on Windows 10

• 
  Press (hit) on the Change Advanced Sharing Settings link when you are into the
  HomeGroup window.
  
• 
  Navigate to the Private (current profile) section.
  
• 
  Select the option which says to
  Turn on network discovery.
  
• 
  Then select the option of
  Turn on file and printer sharing so that you can be able to share files and printers within the homegroup.
  
• 
  Windows will administer your homegroup connection by default. But, by the way, if you want to put some extra security then create a user account and password for any machines that are connected to your homegroup.
  
• 
  So to do this, select the
  Use user accounts and passwords to connect to other computers
  option.
  

Hope this information is helpful. Keep us posted to help you better.

 

Problems with file or printer sharing using HomeGroup following a Windows 10 upgrade

Hi Harold,

A PC may depart from a HomeGroup if it’s upgraded while disconnected from the home network, or if it’s the only HomeGroup device active on the home network at the time of the upgrade. This can result in file and printer sharing issues on your home network,
including your Xbox 360 not playing media files.

If the upgrade was performed on the HomeGroup network and there is a HomeGroup error, the HomeGroup will need to be reset by following these steps:

• Make sure the PC is connected to a home network, and that no other machines running HomeGroup are connected.
• Stop HomeGroup using Command Prompt:
  • Search for “command prompt” using Cortana, then launch
    Command Prompt.
  • Copy and paste “net stop homegroupprovider” (without the quotes) in the
    Command Prompt window. Then press Enter to run the command.
• Search for “regedit” using Cortana, then run the regedit command to complete these steps:
  • Navigate to the following registry folder: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\HomeGroup\SharingPreferences
    • If present, right-click on this Value: “UsersAndPublicShared”=1 and select “Delete”
  • Navigate to the following registry folder: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Function Discovery\RegistryStore\Publication\Homegroup
    • NOTE: Do not remove this folder, it has special permissions
    • Right-click and delete the values in this folder.
• Restart HomeGroup using Command Prompt:
  • Search for “command prompt” using Cortana, then launch
    Command Prompt
  • Copy and paste “net start homegroupprovider” (without the quotes) in the
    Command Prompt window, then press Enter to run the command.
• Open HomeGroup in the Control Panel and create a new HomeGroup.

Note: If you see “join” then another PC has already been joined. Get the password from the other PC and join.

If you have additional questions on setting up a HomeGroup, please go here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17145/windows-homegroup-from-start-to-finish

If you would like to share files and printers without using HomeGroup, these resources should help:

Share Printers

Share files in File Explorer

Stream media in Xbox 360

 

File Sharing

Hi Dwayne,

The ability to share files within your homegroup can be set based on your preference in the HomeGroup settings. For us to identify if the file sharing issue is caused by the update or an option not being retained in the HomeGroup setting, we'd like to ask
for additional details. Please answer the following:

• Aside from installing an update, have you also made any recent changes to the HomeGroup settings?
• What specific update have you installed before the file sharing stopped working? To check the Update history, follow these steps:

• On the Search bar, type Settings.
• Open the Settings app from the search result.
• Click Update & security and check the Windows Update section.
• Click the Update history link.

• Have you already checked if the file and printer sharing is enabled in the
  Advanced sharing settings in the Control Panel?
• What build and version of Windows 10 are you using?
• What troubleshooting steps have you tried based on the threads that you've read?

For initial troubleshooting, you can run the built-in troubleshooter for HomeGroup by following the steps below:

• On the Search bar, type Troubleshoot.
• Open the Control Panel from the search result.
• Click View all and locate HomeGroup.
• Click HomeGroup and follow the on-screen guide to run the troubleshooter.
  

We hope to hear from you soon.