Windows 10: Problem sharing files and Network Credentials error

Hello, I'm a new forum member and I could use some help solving some win 10 problems regarding sharing files and a persistent Network credentials expired password and incorrect password errors.

I have a new Acer Nitro-5 laptop with a i5, 8 gb, GeForce GTX 1650 using wireless to a router. The laptop has Win 10 Home version 2004, OS Build 19041.508, upgraded from 1905 I think when brand new. I also have an older PC with an early i3, running Win 10 Home, version 2004, upgraded from an earlier version. The PC is connected to the wireless router with an ethernet cable. I log into both laptop and old PC using a pin number attached to my Microsoft account email @live.com.

So, I have a new, 2 weeks old Acer Nitro-5. I spent the first few days running updates and getting familiar with the laptop. I then spent too many days trying to get the laptop to be able to see my PC and access folders and files on the old PC. I researched and tried many suggestions on youtube and other web forums trying to set up sharing...I've changed many settings now and I honestly don't know where to begin to find all the changes and undo them...At some point I was successful in sharing the folders and files. I somehow created a Z: drive. I'm not sure what it is or how it works but it did work. So I started accessing the files and doing work. Everything was good until several days ago. I started the morning with the laptop working on files from the PC. When I woke the laptop up that morning, there was a message saying a restart was needed to finish installing updates. I ignored this restart initially and worked on my files. When I was finished working, I restarted the laptop and left it.


When I woke the laptop up later that afternoon and attempted to access the PC files I was met with a Enter Network Credentials password box. It listed my microsoft account email @live.com and the password box and a message under the password stating that "the password of this user has expired". I thought the error message was weird because I log into both the laptop and my PC with my microsoft account and the password worked if I logged out of windows and then logged back in. So I typed in my microsoft password and received the error message "The user name or password is incorrect". I tried every password I could find and I even changed my @live.com password to a new one and nothing worked. I can find no option or screen or opportunity to update my network credentials with a new password. I would assume that the updates I did changed a setting somewhere. That's the only guess I can take seeing that it worked in the morning and quit working after the restart to complete updates. Either that or the update created a bug that's not fixable without a patch from microsoft.

So I now have a new laptop that I cannot get into my PC to access my folders and files I want and a network credentials error I cannot get past.

I assume the red X thru my Z: drive in file explorer is related to the network credentials problem I'm experiencing. The other weird thing is....if I go to my PC and look for my laptop name under networks in file explorer, it's there. I can see my laptop and the folders. So why can i go from the PC to the laptop? But I can't go from the laptop to the PC?

I have made so many changes, tics on and off in so many windows under so many windows processes that I don't know how I would go about undoing them. I'm sure many things I changed probably didn't need to be changed. I would appreciate any suggestions, steps I could take to just fix the Network Credentials error and leave my mess of file sharing system changes alone. Or if someone could help me to just reset everything back to the windows default network settings and the file sharing default settings and then show me the correct changes to make to my laptop to access my PC through the home network and share folders on the PC.

thanks for any help you may have, I attached 3 screenshots of the error boxes I receive.

:)

 

File Sharing and Network Credentials

File Sharing

I've read dozens of questions and answers on this topic and I still can't figure out how to fix my problem. I have two Windows 10 PCs connected to my home wifi network. I want to be able to use PC1 to see and use files on the hard drive of PC2. It seems
like it should be a simple matter of using the correct network and sharing settings, but it just doesn't work. I have no homegroup set up. On both PCs I have the following Advanced Sharing Settings:

Private (Current Profile):

Network Discovery ON

Automatic Setup of Network Connected Devices CHECKED

File and Printer Sharing ON

Allow Windows to Manage Homegroup Connections CHECKED

Guest of Public:

Network Discovery OFF

File and Printer Sharing OFF

All Networks:

Public Folder Sharing OFF

Media Streaming OFF

USE 128-Bit Encryption CHECKED

Password Protected Sharing OFF

When I try to use File Explorer to look at the files of either PC from the other, I receive a window requesting Network Credentials--a username and password. I have no idea what it wants. I want to do this without requiring any passwords. But, I wouldn't
mind so much if I had to enter credentials--I just have no idea what they are or how to set/change them. I've read several answers to similar questions in this forum that equate Network Credentials with WiFi log in information, which makes no sense to me.
I've tried using my Microsoft account log in information, which doesn't work. This is incredibly frustrating. All I want to do is access one PC from the other over a private home WiFi. Could anyone suggest what I'm doing wrong here? I'm glad to provide any
other information I have that you might need to help.

 

Asking to enter network credentials when access files on network

Hi Steve,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



I understand that after an update, you get a prompt to enter network credentials to access files over network. I’ll certainly help you with the issue.



Ideally, if you have never used credentials to access files over network, you may want to check the network settings and see if Password protected sharing is turned off. To do this, refer the steps mentioned below:

1. Go to control panel > Click on
   network and internet > Click on network and sharing.
   
2. Click on Change advance sharing settings
   on the left pane.
   
3. Turn off password protected sharing.
   
4. Click on Save changes
   

Let us know how it goes.



Regards,

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

Network Credentials

Hi Sammy,

To assist you better regarding your concern with network credentials, have you checked the Windows credentials for any information about the username and password for the network credentials? If not yet, follow the steps below to access Windows Credentials
manager.

• Press the Windows icon on the desktop.
• Type in Windows Credentials.

We would appreciate as well if you could provide us a screenshot.

Let us know how it goes.