Windows 10: Windows 10 Pro File & Printer Sharing Issue

We have three machines running Windows 10 on our home network (2 desktops; one with Windows 10 home & one with Windows 10 pro and one laptop w/ Windows 10 home). We previously had a homegroup setup that allowed us to share printers and files and access a USB 3.0 4TB hard-drive connected to our router (Netgear Nighthawk x6 R8000). Everything was working fine with printing and file sharing until the latest Windows 10 update where the homegroup function was removed by Microsoft.


Now, the two Windows 10 home devices can still share files and access the router-shared network hard-drive, however, the Windows 10 pro machine (which hosts the shared printer) cannot access the shared hard-drive and none of the Windows 10 home computers can access the shared printer on the Win 10 pro machine. At first, it would not even see the other machines on our network. All the machines are under the same generic "WORKGROUP" but to no avail, we cannot access the printer from either of the two Windows home machines.


Here's what I've done so far....

• Enabled/configured file & printer sharing identically on all machines
• Checked Windows firewall settings are set to allow printer and file sharing on all machines
• Enabled SMB 1.0/CSIF File sharing support in windows services on all machines
• Enabled all the necessary file & printer sharing options in the "Turn Windows Features On or Off" settings
• Tried disabling Windows firewall, no difference
• Tried disabling the security suite (provided by Charter Spectrum ISP), no difference

I have now the Windows 10 pro machine can see the other machines on the network, but still cannot access the shared files on the router hard-drive and we cannot access files on other Windows 10 machines nor can the Windows 10 home machines see the shared printer or access prior shared folders that were accessible when homegroup on the Windows 10 pro machine.


Help!

:)

 

turning on file and printer sharing windows 10

Thank you for the update. What we can suggest now is to turn on File and Printer sharing in Command Prompt. Here are the steps to do it:

• Leave File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks turned
  on.
• Type CMD in the Search bar.
• Right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
• Type netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes, and hit
  Enter.
• Exit from the command prompt, and check if it will work.

If issue persists, try turning it on using Powershell, and check if it works. Here are the steps:

• Leave File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks turned
  on.
• Type Powershell in the Search bar.
• Right-click on Windows PowerShell, and select
  Run as Administrator.
• Type netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes, and hit
  Enter.
• Close PowerShell.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Can't share printer—getting error message

Yeah, I have windows firewall disabled, and I don't use any other firewall... mostly to prevent stupid issues like this.

None taken... and yeah, I do.

 

Can't share printer—getting error message

Step 1: Go to store.
Step 2: Buy a less shitty printer.
Step 3: Pick up some beer while you are there.
Step 4: Enjoy both your new printer and your beer.

In all seriousness, I have had more issues with Lexmark printers and their shitty drivers then any other manufacturer, HP is a close second though.

However, if you don't want to get a new printer*Laugh :laugh:, and I can understand that, when my Lexmark was giving me the same troubles in Win7(and Vista) I had to make sure the Windows firewall was ON and the firewall service was enabled and running. After I shared it I could re-disable the firewall and firewall services.