Windows 7 + Samba = FAIL, Windows XP Mode + Samba = OK?

Oh this is a fun error. Maybe someone has a little experience with this particular problem? I'm trying to set my wife's computer up to use my DIY NAS. I have already verified the following.

1) My W7 computer can see and use her SAMBA share and my SAMBA share.
2) My OS X laptop can see and use either SAMBA share.
3) Her W7 computer cannot see nor use either share.
4) Her W7's XP Mode "computer" can see and use both shares!

#1, #2, and #4 all tell me that there isn't some device in the network that is hosing communication between the PC and the NAS. #3 and #4 tells me this installation of Windows 7 is stupid . These are the steps that I have already taken to try and resolve the issue.

1) Disable Firewall (Norton, don't judge) entirely.
2) Add an exception to the firewall allowing all traffic between the two PCs.
3) Reset credentials stored for the DIY NAS and her W7 machine.
4) Lowered security requirements as suggested here.

Nothing works. Any ideas?

 

What kind of error are you getting exactly? Are you trying to map the share as a network drive or just access it? Do you use hostnames to connect or directly the IPs? Do you have homegroup set up on your W7 machine and if you do is you wife's machine member of the group?

In the meantime you might want to try the following though I'm unsure if it safe to do it:

Source: http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/213344-samba-share-not-accessible-windows-7-client.html

 

OK, update. Stupid problem seems to have resolved itself after rebooting...apparently I had to add the firewall exception, delete stored credentials, and then reboot. Fail, Windows, fail . ...and on the next reboot the problem starts all over again. The computer is toying with me...

It just states that it cannot connect, with no useful information. From the command line (net use Z: \\192.168.2.200\user) I get error 1231 (or 67 sometimes).

Map as network drive. But trying to access it one time doesn't work either.

Tried both. Neither works.

I don't generally use homegroups (too proprietary and Windows specific).

 

You linux box seem to have very old version of SAMBA. It's not compatible with the newer security implementation in Windows 7. I believe SAMBA version 2.xx are pretty much will have this problem. You basically have to turn down the LM compatibility down. Check out this link.

 

That wouldn't explain why my W7 computer can connect, while hers cannot. Plus I'm running Samba v3.5.11 . What's more interesting is that I cannot even connect to a network share on another Windows 7 computer on the network, yet I can remote desktop into said computer. I'm beginning to think network file sharing is completely borked on my wife's PC.

Riddle me this, NBR. I can connect to the share when I use the wireless network. But not when I'm wired on GigE. I've got a Linksys E4200 that might be improperly configured?

 

SOLVED! Turns out that "Client for Microsoft Networks" was not enabled in the properties page for the NIC. Some program must have borked that setting...thanks for the troubleshooting help!