JamesHl

windows networking question

I have two windows xp machines. Both can see each other, but my laptop will not logon to the desktop. When I try, the place for your user name is greyed out and 'computername'\Guest is stuck there where I should be able to type my name in. Password field is fine. The desktop to this system does not have this problem. I suspect it's because I briefly used this as part of a domain when I was toying with samba's domain controller features on the fileserver. However, I switched it back to regular networking, and I can log into other computers without having this problem.

Cees Alons

James,

You didn't say which system you have on that notebook, but I'll assume XP.

(1) If you right-click 'My Network Places' and choose Properties, you'll get a list of network connections (possibly only one). Right-click on the one that you want to use to connect to your desktop and choose Properties again. Does it have 'Client For Microsoft Networks' (and is the box before it checked?) You should also have 'File And Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks' - if that's what you want.

(2) Look in Control Panel/User Accounts. Is there a user (who has administrator rights). And is that you? (I would set 'Guest Account' to Off, BTW.)


Cees

JamesHl

I've done all the basic and a certain amount of advanced configurating (which is probably the problem, I suspect), so I'm a little beyond that. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Shayne Lebrun

Make sure that all three machines, if you're not set up as a domain, have the same Workgroup name.

If you are all part of the same domain, make sure that the laptop is a domain client, and that you're logging into the domain, not into the local machine.

Oh, and assuming you're trying to get into a share, make sure the permissions are all kosher. Windows XP hides too much of that stuff behind 'friendly' little prompts.

JamesHl

Yeah... same workgroup, no domain, and I can log into the computer from other systems. I think the main problem is that it automatically supplies the username "Guest" and doesn't let me change it, which it doesn't do with any other system I try to log into.

Hanson Yoo

So your laptop will not allow you to log in as anyone other than Guest?

If that's the case, boot up in safe mode (hit F8 while booting up and select) and go into your user properties and see if something is wrong there. You must log in as administrator in safe mode, so have your admin password handy.