Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

How do I create a new home group?

Nov 1, 2014 12:24AM PDT

Not long ago I moved to another state, connected to a new ISP, and immediately found that my household computers didn't talk to each other so well any more (one desktop, two laptops, all Win 7). Eventually I started working on trying to fix it, and have now "fixed" things beyond all recognition.

In short, after being unable to get everybody connected properly on the same home group, I tried having all computers leave the group so that I could start from scratch and create a brand new group. Mistake. Now I can't find any prompt for creating a new group, and I can't even try to rejoin the old group because I didn't write down the former password and it won't tell me what it is.

At no time has the Troubleshooter been any help at all.

So how do I create a new home group?

NG

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Like this?
Nov 1, 2014 12:31AM PDT
- Collapse -
Except for the part about the Create button
Nov 1, 2014 4:11AM PDT

Which doesn't say Create, it says Join. And I can't seem to Join without a password. And I don't see any Forgot Your Password? prompts. And this is where I was stuck before. I couldn't seem to Join, no matter what I did with the password. How can I start over?
*

- Collapse -
Re: homegroup
Nov 1, 2014 5:50AM PDT
- Collapse -
Still locked out
Nov 1, 2014 6:05AM PDT

I need the password in order to change the password. And there no longer is a "view password" button since I opted to leave the homegroup (thinking that I could just create a new one). So am I locked out forever?

*

- Collapse -
System Restore helped, but didn't fix it
Nov 1, 2014 8:19AM PDT

I got back to where I could Create a homegroup on the desktop and access the new password. Then I could Join it with one of the laptops, using the newly-generated password. Then I went into Properties of the folders of both computers and turned on Share. But they won't share, I can see each computer from the other, but can't get into any of the other Library folders. Troubleshooter still didn't fix it. What now?
*

- Collapse -
Tried It Manually Like This?
Nov 2, 2014 1:50AM PDT

First, IF any XP computers are on the network, install LLTD on the XP computer to help Vista/Win7 map the XP computer better.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4F01A31D-EE46-481E-BA11-37F485FA34EA&displaylang=en

1. Plug router into the modem, then connect all computers to the router.. Make sure they all have an internet connection. Then adjust any router settings such as a wireless security password by using the wired computers only.

2. Next, and this is important... Create the EXACT same username on all computers, with the same password, and give that user administrative privileges. (Don't use the default "adminstrator" login.. Create a new admin user on all machines.)

3. On all computers, login using the new username, then change the "Workgroup" to be exactly the same.. (RIGHT click on "Computer", choose "Properties", select "Advance system settings" in the upper left, then click on the "Computer Name" tab. When that opens, click on the "Change" button next to "To rename this computer or join a domain". On the next window, place a dot/tick in the "Workgroup" selection and give the the workgroup a name..) Make sure all computers have the same workgroup name.

4. Make sure all computers have "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" enabled. Open the Control Panel/Network & Sharing Center" icon, select "Change Adapter Settings" in upper left, then RIGHT click on the "Local Area Connection" icon, choose "Properties". When that window loads, make sure the box next to "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" has a CHECK mark in it.

Also make sure "Network Discovery" is enabled on all your Vista/Win7 computers by opening the same Control Panel/Network & Sharing Center" icon, then select "Change advanced sharing settings". Once there, make sure your "Home or Work" network settings have "Turn ON network discovery" enabled.

5. This next section depends on the version of Windows you're using.. Home versions of Windows 7 are slightly different than Pro versions, but it should give you a starting point. If you're wanting to share folders between computers, On computer 1, share out the files, folders and printers by opening Windows Explorer, RIGHT click on the C: drive, choose "Sharing and Security" or (Share With)-"Advanced Sharing", then click on the "Advanced Sharing" button. At the next window, place a CHECK mark in the "Share this folder on the network", then follow the prompts to share the drive. Click on Apply, then OK.. Perform the same thing on computer 2, etc... You should now be able to see and share folders between computers.

Please note, sharing the entire C: drive per the instructions above is not safe.. IF you're going to share files between computers, it's best, after following the above instructions, to then share out a single folder, such as the "My Documents" folder.. Once the "My Documents" folder is correctly shared, you can then return to the C: drive and "unshare" it.. After doing so, the "My Documents" folder will remain shared but the entire C: drive will be invisible.

6. In order to share a printer with others on the network, on the computer where the printer is installed, you'll need to click on Start-Device and Printers', then RIGHT click on the installed printer and "Share" it.

If connecting to a shared XP printer from a Vista/Win7 machine, instead of installing a new "network" printer from the Vista/Win7 computer, install the printer as if it was a "local" computer using the instructions below. (Yes, I know it's "network" printer but please try the instructions below.):

Go to Control Panel. Choose printer. Then choose Add Printer.

Choose Add a local printer. Click on Create a new port. The default in the drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.

A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name. Type in the \\computer name\printer name of the XP machine....ie. My computer's name is basement and the printer name is EpsonSty so I typed in \\basement\epsonsty

Next, see the link below for other networking tips:

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?threadID=264135#2584349

Hope this helps.

Grif

- Collapse -
Nope
Nov 8, 2014 4:59AM PST

Did everything you said. Now, when I go to Computer, there's another member of the Homegroup, but when I try to access it, I get a "cannot find" error message, and a suggestion that maybe I have misspelled it. Hard to do, since it was added automatically. I checkmarked all the desired folders to be shared, but all I still get is that I can see on the other computer Documents and Music and Pictures and all, but I can't access them or read their properties.

The diagnostics suggest that there is a network error and that I reboot the network adaptor. Can I do that separately from rebooting the whole computer? I did reboot the computer and the router. Nothing.

I will keep working on it.

- Collapse -
Don't Use "Computer-Homegroup".
Nov 10, 2014 10:09AM PST

Instead, to see the other members of your network and their shared folders, double click on the "Network" icon on your desktop. (If it's not there, RIGHT click on the desktop, choose "Personalize", then select the "Change desktop icons" on the left side, then place a dot/tick in the 'Network' listing. Select "Apply", then OK.

After double clicking on the "Network" icon, you should see all of the Computers in your homegroup/Network. IF YOUR ARE LOGGED IN AS THE ADMIN WHICH HAS THE SAME LOGIN ON THE SECONDARY COMPUTER, double clicking on any of the shared computers should allow you to open the various shared folders on the other computer. IF it does not, or if you want other users to be able to share the folders, then you haven't set up the security correctly on the other computers. RIGHT clicking on one of those shared folders, then selecting "Share with" should get you eventually to the "Advanced sharing/permissions" section which you can then set up sharing for "Everyone" should you wish to do so.

Hope this helps.

Grif

- Collapse -
Answer
Steps for create a new home group
Nov 9, 2014 11:29PM PST

Open up the Homegroup options within the control panel.
Disable the network adapter / disconnect the Ethernet cable.
Enable the network adapter and be prepared to create a new Homegroup quickly when the options appears.
When the create new Homegroup option appears and quickly enter a password, as it will fail if it has enough time to find the exisiting Homegroup.
Follow the prompts to set up and then insert your password on the other computers in the network like normal and it should automatically find the matching Homegroup.