Windows 10: Homegroup seems stuck in join loop?

Short version: Windows is saying it sees a homegroup on my PC under my user ID, but it is not actually in the homegroup - it is forcing me to try to join the group it says I already created!

All homegroup functions have recently stopped working, after mostly working OK for a year under Win 8 and Win 10.

Here's what is happening:

• With all other PCs turned off, I restart my main Windows 10 PC, "Media PC" and sign in under L: myname@outlook.com.
• Under HomeGroup, I am then prompted to join a HomeGroup. It says, "myname@outlook.com on Media PC has created a homegroup on the network."
• But, instead of seeing the homegroup control page, (where you can change the password etc.), it is displaying a "join now" button. I don't have the password, and without the normal homegroup panel, I can't reset the password, or do anything except join.
• If I so click join, it asks for the password, which I don't know and can't change (see above). If I enter a dummy password, it says "Windows can no longer detect a homegroup on this network." - but then immediately brings me back to the message shown above.

That makes no sense - it is asking me to join a homegroup that it says my user already created, and denying me the normal homegroup tools to try to fix it.

I have restarted the PC several times, restarted my router, switched the network from private to public and back (restarting in between), toggled the HomeGroup services off and on, and deleted the contents of the hidden "PeerNetworking" folder. And I am still stuck in this loop - unable to join a homegroup it says I already created.

Really all I want is simple, 1990s style folder sharing on my home network. Up until this week, homegroups usually were good enough. I thought the days of reformat/reinstall were behind me, but it seems like my last option to restore normal network activity. Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Edited to improve late-night clarity.

:)

 

After upgrading to windows 10 from 7 my homegroup has stopped working.

* Original Title: Win 10 Homegroup

Hi after upgrading to windows 10 from 7 my homegroup has stopped working. On my main PC (where I created the homegroup) I only get the option to join the homegroup not view or manage the homegroup? This seems odd because the message is asking me to join
the homegroup created by me on my own computer.

If I try to join the homegroup and put in my old password I get an error message

"Windows no longer detects a homegroup on this network. To create a new homegroup click OK, then open HomeGroup in Control Panel."

When I do this I go back to ...

"FirstName LastName on Name-PC has created a homegroup on the network...

Join now"

No other computers can join also,

Stuck in a loop, please help

 

Ghost homegroup can't be deleted

I forgot to say that when the other PC is shut down the homegroup that this one says it has disappears. So the situation seems to be:

1. PC1 created a homegroup.

2. PC2 joined PC1's homegroup.

3. PC1's homegroup disappeared.

4. PC1 is somehow detecting the ghost of the homegroup that PC2 joined.

Confused? Join the club! I am able to create a new homegroup on PC1, but not able to get PC2 to join it.