I've noticed this in the past week or so. Up until then, my HomeGroup has been working fine. I have 2 Windows 7 PC's connected via HomeGroup, one running Ultimate x64, the other running Home Premium x64. The Home Premium computer is now asked for a "Network Password" when accessing the Ultimate computer's shared folders/libraries. This was not an issue prior to last week. Up until a week ago, I could simply click on my HomeGroup from the Home Premium computer, then click the Ultimate computer name as it appears within the HomeGroup, and finally click one of the shared folders/libraries and it would open the folder/library. Settings are, Advanced Network and Sharing Options are all set to default on both including Let Windows Manage HomeGroup Connections. Network location is set to home on each. HomeGroup password is the same on each. Credential Manager shows [Computer Name]\HomeGroupUser$, correct password, and the persistence is Local Machine on each. Both computers are connected wirelessly using 802.11g via a Linksys WRT400N router, each using a dynamic (DHCP) IP address. Consequently, I can access the Home Premium's shared folders/libraries from the Ultimate computer using HomeGroup without being prompted for a "Network Password". I can access the internet from each computer without any issues. I have tried leaving the HomeGroup on each computer, recreated the HomeGroup on each, deleted the IDStore.sst files on each, all to no avail. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance. ZZaR

I have been struggling with this for years, in the past I would use the credentials of the other computer whenever the security box appeared. One quick way is to simply change your homegroup password. But I agree with previous posts, this can be a very frustrating experience!!!!

I for one have simply removed the Homegroup and recreated it to fix the problem. The "Network Password" requirement can simply be a sign of a corrupted Homegroup setting so yes that needs to be known/remedied). To talk of reformatting the HD is ridiculously over the top.

It is a known bug, I filed it with the home group team prior to windows 8 and they marked as won't fix. They gave me private tools to gather logs and fix - to no avail. Once the homegroup is hosed the only fix I know of is to reformat all machines before attempting to recreate, also don't bring any machine back on to network if an older machine from the home group is still running. Ignore the MVPs on this thread, they don't know what they are talking about on this one.

That doesn't work - it just keeps asking for the Homegroup password, then when I've put that in and told it 'Next', it eventually tells me that 'Windows 7 cannot create a homegroup on this computer' - I wasn't trying to create a homegroup in the first place! I asked to JOIN the homegroup! Just going round in circles with this - it's rubbish!

HomeGroup asking for "Network Password" when accessing HomeGroup Computers

Anonymous

I've noticed this in the past week or so. Up until then, my HomeGroup has been working fine.

I have 2 Windows 7 PC's connected via HomeGroup, one running Ultimate x64, the other running Home Premium x64. The Home Premium computer is now asked for a "Network Password" when accessing the Ultimate computer's shared folders/libraries. This was not an issue prior to last week. Up until a week ago, I could simply click on my HomeGroup from the Home Premium computer, then click the Ultimate computer name as it appears within the HomeGroup, and finally click one of the shared folders/libraries and it would open the folder/library.

Settings are,

Advanced Network and Sharing Options are all set to default on both including Let Windows Manage HomeGroup Connections.
Network location is set to home on each.
HomeGroup password is the same on each.
Credential Manager shows [Computer Name]\HomeGroupUser$, correct password, and the persistence is Local Machine on each.
Both computers are connected wirelessly using 802.11g via a Linksys WRT400N router, each using a dynamic (DHCP) IP address.

Consequently, I can access the Home Premium's shared folders/libraries from the Ultimate computer using HomeGroup without being prompted for a "Network Password". I can access the internet from each computer without any issues.

I have tried leaving the HomeGroup on each computer, recreated the HomeGroup on each, deleted the IDStore.sst files on each, all to no avail. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

ZZaR

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

ZZaR

Well, I seem to have possibly stumbled upon something that may have resolved my issue, at least for the time being. This morning, I renamed my Home Premium computer's full name by removing 1 character from the existing name. Of course, I was prompted to reboot for the changes to take effect. I rebooted and then on the next subsequent logon, I renamed my Home Premium computer's full name back to what it was originally. Again, I was prompted to reboot for the changes to take effect. After rebooting, I clicked on my HomeGroup and from there I clicked on my Ultimate computer that appears within my HomeGroup. To my surprise, the shared library icons were restored to their default appearance; documents, music, pictures, and video. I clicked on each of the four libraries and each opened with full access (default read only) to the contents of each library. I was not prompted for a "Network Password" this time!

If renaming the full computer name of my Home Premium computer twice, once to a new name and then back to the original name did somehow correct the issue, would this mean that the share using the full computer name had somehow become corrupt in the preceding week? Could this be the reason for the "Network Password" prompt? At any rate, my HomeGroup is once again functioning correctly between both my Ultimate and Home Premium computers. Knock on wood.

ZZaR

0 comments

42 additional answers

Anonymous

2015-02-23T07:54:35+00:00

I have been struggling with this for years, in the past I would use the credentials of the other computer whenever the security box appeared.

One quick way is to simply change your homegroup password.

But I agree with previous posts, this can be a very frustrating experience!!!!
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-01-24T01:20:16+00:00

I for one have simply removed the Homegroup and recreated it to fix the problem. The "Network Password" requirement can simply be a sign of a corrupted Homegroup setting so yes that needs to be known/remedied).

To talk of reformatting the HD is ridiculously over the top.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-01-23T20:13:35+00:00

It is a known bug, I filed it with the home group team prior to windows 8 and they marked as won't fix. They gave me private tools to gather logs and fix - to no avail. Once the homegroup is hosed the only fix I know of is to reformat all machines before attempting to recreate, also don't bring any machine back on to network if an older machine from the home group is still running. Ignore the MVPs on this thread, they don't know what they are talking about on this one.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-01-23T19:14:54+00:00

That doesn't work - it just keeps asking for the Homegroup password, then when I've put that in and told it 'Next', it eventually tells me that 'Windows 7 cannot create a homegroup on this computer' - I wasn't trying to create a homegroup in the first place! I asked to JOIN the homegroup! Just going round in circles with this - it's rubbish!
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments