Windows 10: Joining a Homegroup with Win 10 V 20H2

Purchased new computer and I need to get into and existing Homegroup. Actually got a hold of Microsoft and the told me updating to v20H2 would correct the issue about joining. Well spent all afternoon with them and updating and you guessed it. I still cannot join an existing Homegroup with other 10 and 8.1. Any suggestions or work arounds?

:)

 

Joining a homegroup

Hi,

Homegroup networks are created mainly for sharing files and devices with other computers. We'd like to learn more about you concern so that we could provide the proper resolution. We just have a few questions for you:

• Did you receive any error messages when you tried to join the homegroup?
• Who created the homegroup?
• Do you have the homegroup password?
• What troubleshooting steps have you done so far?

 

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.

 

Cannot join homegroup in Win 10

The HomeGroup was working fine until I tried to upgrade my operating system on my new desktop. Finally i did not upgrade my windows 10 home edition and Microsoft support helped me to restore to my windows 10 home edition.

Then when I wanted my home computers to join the HomeGroup my new computer was giving me an error and would not join although I followed all the steps you have outlined in your article. The new PC shows the HomeGroup but I cannot join. Will appreciate some
help in resolving this issue.

Regards

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