Windows 10: Re-install Homegroup

Hi all,

I help in a small school which has 6 laptops and one desktop. All running Win10 Pro fully updated. Each machine has one user account (for all pupils), and an admin account (password protected for staff only). I set up a homegroup from the desktop machine to allow pupils to share their files. I was logged in as administrator when I did this which means that the laptops view the admin account rather than the user account of the desktop which was not intended. *Sad

The desktop is connected to the router directly by ethernet cable, the laptops connect via wifi.

My question is, do I need to remove the old homegroup (and if so, how) before I re-install the homegroup as before but this time logged in as user on the desktop?

:)

 

How do I delete and/or leave a homegroup in Windows 10?

leave the Homegroup in Windows 10... how could I solve the problem? I had running system restored to the beginning of upgrade from Windows 7 OS to Windows 10. it was working with Homegroup for few days then gone. I could not get renew homegroup back.
I could not see the information of "view or change the password". I am considering that I am going back to Windows 7 OS or re-installing new Window 7 OS again if nobody answers my problem solving.

Thank you

KB

 

Windows 10 - Homegroup cannot be set up on this computer

So if I remove all my Windows 10 pc's from WORKGROUP; I can then re-establish one Homegroup that all can join?

Currently the pc that set up the homegroup cannot join any homegroup, and cannot set up a homegroup. It might have happened after I did a windows 10 re-install 8 months ago; not quite sure. Homegroup worked for several years starting with windows 7 and
into windows 10. For the past year, it hasn't worked on all pc's; just some.

 

What you need to do is use a NAS for storing the student files on and assign a username and password for their files to stay on the NAS and the assigned folder on their computer made to look local, but mapped to the folder on the NAS as their F: drive.

 

We dont want the expense of a NAS device. I can see it would work though.

 

A NAS is insurance to make sure that you have a copy of what you need to make sure that if the student does the wrong thing, you have a backup. You can use a computer with FreeNAS or even find a good low end unit that is certified as being still within mfg spec’s. The huge plus would be that you can access the unit offsite if you need to look over their work.

Home Group is not intended for what you are dand as you have stated, it is a huge headache.

 

Well ok maybe I can promote the idea. In the meantime if we forget the file sharing idea for the moment, is the homegroup required in order to share the printer which has ethernet connection to our router

 

Hey keithjr,
If you wish to continue using Home Group ...
I would remove the Home Group you setup on the desktop with the admin account. To do this, have ALL PC's leave the current Home Group you setup and once that is done, the Home Group should no longer exist. Then you should be able to create a new Home Group under the correct user on the desktop.

See this tutorial ... Leave Homegroup in Windows 10 Network Sharing Tutorials

 

That sounds simple enough - will give it a go. Can you clarify - should the printer driver be installed only on the desktop, and NOT on any of the laptops? In the past the printer has been installed on the laptops, so I think it needs removing where its installed. Also the desktop will need to be up and running (not asleep?) for printer sharing to work? Sorry for so many basic questions *Redface

 

Sorry, I don't know ... never used the Home Group Printer sharing. I don't even use Home Group anymore, too much of a pain *Sad

 

So how do I share the printer without a homegroup?

 

A Home Group is not intended for what you are trying to do. It was basically another failed attempt by Microsoft in trying to believe that it could make folder sharing easier, which it does not.

Stick with standard network sharing, with all shared folders by the students, use a specific username and password for them when they log in, that would allow them to access the mapped folder that would appear as a personal folder mapped to their My Documents or My Files folder, however you name it. Making it say F:, would keep it where each folder is only available to that user who is given the username and password, to access, which they would not have to enter, since you could do it through a script when they log into their machines.

Even a Raspberry PI can be used for a Samba shares with a 1TB or even 120GB USB drive, if they are not saving large files.

 

You go into the Printer and set it to be shared across the network, which you can also do through Advanced Sharing in Network. Really you need one machine that no one will use, that could act as file and printer sharing. Someone always has a spare machine lying around that is not doing anything. I have two of them in my Basement that are Intel Core 2 Duo's that still work, just ended up with them in trade of setting up new machines that replaced them. You can also get ahold of the Pi Foundation and they can help walk you through making your setup work better and also show you how to integrate the Pi into being a file server.

 

The best solution for printing is to have a unit with the Ethernet port and connect by cable to the Router, then install the software on each computer specifying a Network install. You could use Direct Wireless but I've not had reliable success with 2 computers doing that. I have an HP OfficeJet Pro and an HP LaserJet connected to the Router by cable and any computer connected by Ethernet or Wireless/Wi-Fi can print to them and even access the scanner. To reiterate, the software is required on each computer. Windows may have very basic drivers but don't count on it. And do specify the version, either 64-bit or 32-bit depending upon what the computers are running.

 

Thanks too all for your input on this. Now a much better idea of the way forward.