Windows 10: Windows 10 - file sharing won't work on any computer on my network

Ever since the 16xx feature updates, I've been suffering through an issue that I believe I'm the only person in existence to suffer through, for this long anyways. It involves shared folders on computers connected to my home network.

Before I describe the issue, here's the initial steps I did to set up network sharing (I did these on each computer connected to my home network):

1. Created a new folder and shared it with the network, giving "Everyone" Full Access permissions.

2. Went into Network and Sharing Center and changed Network Discovery and File Sharing on for all network types, then turned password-protected sharing off.

3. Enabled SMB 1.0 because the internet said I should.

4. Added the computers to the same exact Workgroup.

5. Changed all computers' network connections to Private.

Whenever I try to access a shared folder from a different computer, I get this error:

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

If I started typing out all the potential solutions I've tried, I'd still be typing this post when the year is 2025. I've lost count - I've been suffering with this issue since the 16xx feature updates, and no solution on the internet works for me. I've searched through Microsoft Answers, this website, Spiceworks, and an uncountable number of other forums for answers. Nothing works. Go search "Windows 10 sharing windows cannot access" on Google and look through the first 100 pages - I guarantee I've done every single thing you'd see.

Here's the frustrating part - I can access the other computers' Public folders just fine and transfer files over that way, meaning it DOES have access, despite the error message. Pinging the other computers is successful. File transfer programs like FileZilla refuse to connect to them though, stating "server rejected access" or something like that.

Additionally, this does rarely work, maybe 1% of the time. When it successfully gains access, I'm able to do everything you'd expect - delete files, copy files, rename files, move files, and set permissions on files, but 99% of the time it gives the error shown in that screenshot and refuses to do anything else.

All computers in my house are running a fully updated Windows 10 Pro x64 setup (feature update 20H2), have all the correct and latest drivers installed, don't have any viruses or malware, and have Malwarebytes Premium set up to allow network shares (I set this up during an attempted fix that didn't work). I've tried reinstalling Windows about 20 times on each of them over this long period, this made no difference.

I tried getting on the phone and in email conversations with Microsoft, but of course they hire "real people" who are only trained to do "Ctrl + C" and "Ctrl + V" (but suspiciously all call themselves MVPs or Senior Programmers) and don't actually know what they're typing, so they just end up spewing out the same solution dozens of times and can't seem to understand what the issue is. r/techsupport - despite the subreddit's name - instantly mass-downvotes my posts and never answer them.

Throughout this never-ending struggle, I've never encountered a single person who didn't eventually find a solution that worked for them. Please please please please please please please tell me there's something I'm missing here! I just want to be able to transfer files this way like everyone else! I shouldn't have to spend literal years jumping through all these hoops when it's supposed to just... work.

:)

 

How could this be? File transfer wizard won't work

all right... networking is strange thing... go to the old computer and look at all your "file sharing" setups. Then you have to mirror the specs onto the new one.
If they say you dont have the ability to have access, that would mean that you are using a log in type of windows.. go into your Admin. and have the ability to share files from all accounts... if you don't have this problem, then just go to network settings and make it to where you can share that folder... Then when you have it, throw a pic or something into the folder.

Step by Step.
1. Look at admin. to see if your allowing file sharing.
2. Make sure you are file sharing for everyone in your network.
3. Go into your network folder and see if you are allowing through that.
4. Drop something in your share folder
5. see if it is visible for both computers.

If you get stuck just pm me.

 

transfer files between computers on a home network

I don't know why this is so hard to do but I would like to transfer files between a desktop PC running windows 10 pro and a laptop running windows 10 home. I would like to transfer files in both directions. Both computers are on the same home network and are connected wirelessly.

Could some one provide either specific step by step instructions on how to do this (I googled and found a countless list of instructions that don't work)

or a link to a reference.

Thanks,

I don't know if this is possible but it would be nice to see the computer sending the desired file in the explorer file manager of the computer receiving the desired file and then under the computer see a list
of shared files and folders.

Again, this seems like such a reasonable way of sharing files and folders. Shouldn't there be a simple way to do this?

 

Can't Get Windows 10 File Sharing To Work Reliably

I am seriously at my wits end with Windows File Share with regards to how difficult it is to simply set two computers to see each other and share files. I'm turning here to get some help because none of the suggestions I've found so far are a true fix for the issue.

Here's the thing: It does work, sometimes. I can see and share files over the network.

Other times, it doesn't. Computers, even themselves, won't show in Network folder. Sometimes, other computers in my house will show up, even when those computers don't have any shared files on them. I'll walk away for an hour and then come back to find all the computer will show in network folder but can't connect between them. (Route error. My assumption was the local IP had changed; this was before I set static IPs) Sometimes, I'll double click to open the network of another computer to have it hang trying to load. No error but it never opens the the folder. Everything seems so completely random.

Computers will still ping each other when the network folder is empty.

The key thing here is how it sometimes can't find itself. How is that even possible? It's it own computer; how can it not find it's own shares. It doesn't have to look at the network for that.

I restart both computer 6 times, turn off and on sharing, restart the router, reset the network cards on both computers, and all other manner of common troubleshooting steps and BOOM, it'll start working, seeing and sharing files with each other. Nothing new is really done or changed, it just seems to want to start working at that time. A day or two later, back to not working. Here we go again with another 45 minutes of guessing what's wrong when nothing has changed.

Scenario:

• Router: ASUS RT-N66U, running the latest firmware.
• Router: Factory defaults loaded and re-setup.
• Router: Computer 1 & 2 have static IP, no DHCP.
• Computer 1 is connected to router by wired connection.
• Computer 2 is connected to router by wireless connection, 5ghz. (Signal is near max, one room away)
• Both Networks are set to Private.
• Computer 1 has Windows 10 Pro Version 1809, fully updated.
• Computer 2 has Windows 10 Home Version 1809, fully updated.
• Both have local user accounts.
• Both are running Windows10FirewallControl, third party firewall software.

-------------------------------------------------
Settings for share:
Private:

• Network Discovery: On
• Turn on auto setup of network connected devices: On
• File and printer sharing: On

Guest or Public:

• All Off.

All Networks:

• 128-bit Encryption: On
• Password Protected Sharing: Off

-------------------------------------------------
Other Info:

• Windows10FirewallControl isn't the problem. I've opened the firewall completely and also uninstalled the firewall program. Behavior is the same.
• Was using DHCP before and now am using static ip address. Behavior is the same (arguably worse now).
• Sometimes one computer can see and share and then the other can't. Don't understand why.
• Function Discovery Provider Host & Function Discovery Resource Publication service set to Automatic. Behavior is the same.
• Router has been updated and factory defaults loaded and re-setup. Behavior is the same.
• Power cycle computers and router many times. Behavior is the same.
• Windows 10 network reset completed on both computers. Behavior is the same.
• Both computer were on Windows 10 1803. Updated both to 1809. Behavior is the same.
• Computer 2 cannot be connected by wire. I understand this "might" fix the issue but that's not feasible with the locations of the computers and router. On principle, wireless should just work. Wireless networks have been around for decades. Switching to wire isn't a "fix" for the issue. It's a workaround. I shouldn't have to inconvenience myself because of Windows's broken file sharing.
• I have zero security concerns on my local network. Only my devices are ever connected to it. Only security concern is if the internet can view my files, which I don't want to happen.

I'm so sick of this crap with something so simple: just share the damn files. The time I've wasted troubleshooting and never really fixing the issue could have been saved by just using a external hard drive and copying the files that way. That's a hassle I shouldn't have to do. This should work without so much headache.

What am I missing here? Any new suggestions on what I can do to fix this once and for all? Better yet, any recommendations for third party LOCAL file sharing (no internet, LAN only) that doesn't hook into built-in windows services that, apparently, are still broken?