Question : Help in setting up or re-working Home Network between a New Vista Machine and an Old XP Machine and to Share One Printer (From XP) - Re-Submittal Question

I asked this and awarded a solution, but after all was said and done, I jumped the gun and ended the question before the network was up and running. The solution was perfect, but there must have been something I missed.  Below are three entries and replies - My first Question, My Selected Solution and My Follow ups, after realizing it was not working:  Please bear with me.

My Question:
I have searched in EE but have not found what I need.  I have two desktops, both are hardwired to a Netgear Wireless Router. We can both access our Cable Internet Connection with no problem. I need to set up a Network so that each computer can have FULL access to the other... Primarily the Vista need to access the XP's files. Also both need to use the same Epson CX8400 Printer that is hardwired to the XP machine.  The XP is the computer that has YEARS of files and programs which is almost full.  The VISTA is a NEW system with lots of speed and space.  BOTH will be used by two people for a new home business.

Please help me.
I have searched in EE but have not found what I need.  I have two desktops, both are hardwired to a Netgear Wireless Router. We can both access our Cable Internet Connection with no problem. I need to set up a Network so that each computer can have FULL access to the other... Primarily the Vista need to access the XP's files. Also both need to use the same Epson CX8400 Printer that is hardwired to the XP machine.  The XP is the computer that has YEARS of files and programs which is almost full.  The VISTA is a NEW system with lots of speed and space.  BOTH will be used by two people for a new home business.

Please help me.
I have searched in EE but have not found what I need.  I have two desktops, both are hardwired to a Netgear Wireless Router. We can both access our Cable Internet Connection with no problem. I need to set up a Network so that each computer can have FULL access to the other... Primarily the Vista need to access the XP's files. Also both need to use the same Epson CX8400 Printer that is hardwired to the XP machine.  The XP is the computer that has YEARS of files and programs which is almost full.  The VISTA is a NEW system with lots of speed and space.  BOTH will be used by two people for a new home business.

Please help me.
I have searched in EE but have not found what I need.  I have two desktops, both are hardwired to a Netgear Wireless Router. We can both access our Cable Internet Connection with no problem. I need to set up a Network so that each computer can have FULL access to the other... Primarily the New Vista machine needs to access the Old XP's files. Also both need to use the same Epson CX8400 Printer that is hardwired only to the XP machine.  The XP is the computer that has YEARS of files and programs which is almost full.  The VISTA is a NEW system with lots of speed and space that I will be using most of the time.

ACCEPTED Solution:
You're making this seem too complicated :-)
First, since both machines are seeing the INTERNET with no problem through your router, you clearly have DHCP enabled -- so don't worry about the details  [It's simply a protocol that assigns an address to each PC -- but if it wasn't enabled, your INTERNET wouldn't be working].

NOTE FROM ME FOR ABOVE:  Protocol May NOT be set up right?

Second, don't worry about the technical networking parameters -- you (a) don't need to adjust them; and (b) if you did change them you could mess things up.

Do the following:

(1)  On the XP machine, right-click on My Computer;  select Properties;  click on the Computer Name tab;  click the Change button;  give your PC a name (e.g. "Malvar-XP") ((I assigned this name))  Then, be sure Workgroup is checked; and assign a Workgroup name (e.g. "Malvar") ((I assigned the name MSHOME to both))   Then click OK and do a reboot.

(2)  On the Vista machine, right-click on Computer;  select Properties; click on "Advanced system settings";  click the Computer Name tab;  click Change;  assign a name (e.g. "Malvar-Vista") ((The Name that I assigned));  be sure Workgroup is checked; assign the SAME name you used in step 1; ((MSHOME)) click OK; and reboot.

(3)  On the XP system, open Windows Explorer and navigate to a folder you want to share (any folder will do);  right-click; select Sharing and Security; click on "If you understand the security risks but want to share files without running the wizard, click here"; (did not find this text after right click regarding a Wizard)  check the "Just enable file sharing" box in the window that pops up; and click OK.   Then check the "Share this folder on the network" box in the next window;  give the shared folder a network share name (it will default to the folder name, but you can change it); check the "Allow network users to change my files" box if you want to be able to do that (generally you do);  click on Apply; then OK. ((I checked the Share box and checked the Allow others to change box))

(( text are my comments))

(4)  On the Vista system, open Windows Explorer and navigate to a folder you want to share (any folder will do);  right-click; select Share;  in the windows that opens there is an "Add" drop-down list -- select "Everyone" from this list and click Add.   Now click on Share.   Then click on Done. - ((I Did this and did not see exact text but I did click on share for these too))

Reboot both systems -- and you should now be able to "see" the other system in Windows Explorer (just click on Network).   Assuming this is working okay, sharing the printer is just about as easy -- the only issue is you may need to update your driver (to version 6.5a) ((I Cannot find this?)) if you're not already using the current version (which works with both XP and Vista).

My Problems: ((No MSHOME Network can be seen AT ALL from the Vista Machine Network Icon in Windows Explorer... MSHOME can be seen under Windows Explorer in My Network Places, Under the Microsoft Windows Networks.  There are two others under Windows Explorer: First one under Network Places with nothing below is "Terminal Services" and then "Web Client" is at bottom. The icon for Microsoft Windows Network in between these two.  BUT... When I click on MSHOME which is under that, I get this error: "MSHOME Not Accessible. You May Not Have Permission to use... Contact Administrator ... List of Servers NOT available",  

I named it and renamed it and added files from both machines but ZERO.  No MSHOME that I can see from Vista or click and / or access from XP.  I get an error on XP saying it cannot open MSHOME.  Maybe I should delete the whole thing and start again with new names of network and computers?  Remember, I changed them twice already to make them try to see each other.

NO PRINTER Either - I will not find a network printer or any other for that matter from the Vista - (The Epson is connected to the XP)

I am tearing hair out.  Should I resubmit a new question for points? How do I get the name of my first person who helped me on this question again???

I want to award a million points for fixing this.... Help me please...... Ugh!!

I think wiping it all out and restarting may be best - How can I delete what I've done (except the sharing settings?  Can I delete computer names and network names? Will this help?  How bout the registry settings? I also heard that I have to see DNS addresses? Or IP Addresses? I do not know how or where? - I also turned off the Firewall and then turned it back on and off and now it's on again...

Help?

Thank You so much -Thanks Gary (if you are in here too).

George Malvar
PS: By the Way:  I can intermittently see a DASUBERCOMPUTER NETWORK icon under the Vista Network Icon - (maybe a neighbor) but I cannot click it without getting a "Cannot Access" error.. It Vanishes and then reappears... Am I Picking up from a neighbor?  Can they see mine, I wonder? Is it deletable?

Answer : Help in setting up or re-working Home Network between a New Vista Machine and an Old XP Machine and to Share One Printer (From XP) - Re-Submittal Question

There are a few things this could be ... so let's tackle them one-at-a-time.

This round, we'll try the LLTD package ...
While this is supposed to be included in SP3 (and thus won't install on SP3), I've seen several indications that it may not be.    But you can "brute force" the install on an SP3 system ...

(a) Download the package [http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4F01A31D-EE46-481E-BA11-37F485FA34EA&displaylang=en ] ... pay attention to where you save it :-)

(b) Extract the files from the package by running it with the following at the end of the command line: " -x:c:\KB922120"
i.e. open a command window (Start - Run - CMD), navigate to the folder where you saved the file, and run the command "windowsxp-kb922120-v5-x86-enu.exe -x:c:\KB922120"

(c) You'll get a message that the extraction was completed. Close the command window.

(d) Go to Windows Explorer, go to Tools - Folder Options - View and check the "Show hidden files and folders" button (I'd also uncheck the "Hide extensions for known file types box). You may also want to go to View - Toolbars - Customize and add the "Copy To" option to the toolbar -- this makes it much easier to copy files to a given location without having to drag-and-drop (I REALLY wish they hadn't removed this option from Vista's Explorer). Now navigate to the folder where the files were extracted [ C:\KB922120 if you used my example]. You'll see a folder named SP2QFE. Inside this folder is a file named rspndr.exe ==> copy this file to C:\Windows\System32; then copy rspndr.sys to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers; and finally copy the file rspndr.inf from the IP subfolder to the C:\Windows\INF folder.

(e) Finally, open another command prompt (Start - Run - CMD), navigate to C:\Windows\System32 (I presume you know how to do this -- just type CD C:\Windows\System32 -- and then type the command "rspndr.exe -I" When you get confirmation that it's done, just close the command window.

NOW check the network in your Vista machine and see if that did the trick. You shouldn't even have to reboot XP ... but if it doesn't work right away, reboot it anyway [never hurts :-) ].

... and of course, if you should ever reload the system, be sure to apply the LLTD package BEFORE you update to SP3 :-)
(To do that you simply double-click on the package you downloaded.)