How To Share Files and Printers Between Windows 7 and Vista
With three different versions of Windows being used now, you’ll probably find yourself trying to share files or printers between them. Today we take a look at how to share files and printers between Vista and Windows 7 machines.
In this example we are on a basic home network using Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit version) and Windows Vista Home Premium SP2 (32-bit version).
Set Windows 7 Share Settings
On the Windows 7 machine we need to set up a few things in Advanced Sharing Settings. First type network and sharing center into the search box in the Start Menu and hit Enter.
Then click on Change advanced sharing settings…
Now in Advanced Sharing Settings, make sure to turn on network discovery, file and printer sharing, and public folder sharing. Make sure these are enabled in both the Home or work and Public profiles.
Depending on your setup, you might want to turn off password protected sharing. Other wise you’ll need to enter the password for each machine in, which isn’t that big of a deal. Turning it off while you’re setting it up makes things a bit easier though by saving a step.
Set Vista Share Settings
On the Vista machine we need to double check and make sure it’s sharing settings are ready to go. Right-click on Network and choose Properties.
The Network and Sharing Center opens up. Under Sharing and Discovery we need to turn on File Sharing, Public Folder Sharing, and Network Discovery.
Also on the Vista machine you might want to turn off password protected sharing … but it’s completely up to you.
Share Files Windows 7 View
Now that we have the correct settings on each machine, it’s time to put it to the test. Open up Network on the Windows 7 machine, and you should see all of the machines on the network. The Vista machine in this example is VISTAGEEK-PC.
There was no need to enter a password to access the Vista machine because password protection is turned off. But now you can go through and see the User Shared folders. In this example both public and Users directories are shared.
Share Files Vista View
Now on the Vista computer, double click on Network and you should see the Windows 7 machine (where in this instance it’s MYSTICGEEK-PC).
I enabled password protection on the Windows 7 machine so we can take a look at the login screen that will be displayed before connecting.
Then you’ll see the folders and devices that are shared. Here you can see the HP printer connected to the Windows 7 machine is available.
And you can continue browsing through all available shared folders and files.
Printer Sharing
As we showed above, you can see the printer connected to Windows 7. Let’s make sure we can connect to it and print a test document. In Vista click on the Start menu and type printers into the search box and hit Enter.
Right-click on the shared printer and select Properties.
Under the General tab click on the Print Test Page button.
The following message is displayed while the test page prints out on the printer connected to your Windows 7 machine.
Another test you might want to perform is opening a test document and making sure you can print that to the Windows 7 printer.
Provided everything prints out successfully you might want to make it the default printer.
Troubleshooting
If your machines aren’t able to see each other or the printer isn’t working…here are a few steps you might want to use to determine where the problem is.
Double check to make sure Network Discovery and File and Print Sharing is enabled on both machines as shown above.
In this example both machines are connected to a Belkin home wireless router and IP addresses are dynamically assigned. If you are using Static addresses make sure you can ping the IP address of each computer. If not, double check the assigned IP Address and cabling of each computer…
If the printer isn’t working, double check to make sure you have the latest drivers for each OS installed.
Conclusion
This should get you started sharing folders, files, and printers between your Vista and Windows 7 system. In this test, we didn’t need to install any different drivers for the printer like you might have to do when sharing a printer between XP and Windows 7. Results with printers are going to vary depending on the printer models and set up. Older printers are notorious for having issues with drivers that won’t work with Vista and or 7. As long as network discovery is enabled on both the Vista and Windows 7 machine, sharing documents is actually a fairly simple process. If you want to share between Windows 7 and XP make sure to check out our previous article–Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP.
Cool article, but I have 1 thing to add…in your example when going from the Vista machine to the Win7 machine, you have password protect enabled. This requires the user on the Vista machine to input pwd info to log into the Win7 machine. This doesn’t work if you have pwd protect disabled on Win7 machine…exactly the setup i have on my home network…I have 3 comps; 2 Win7-64, 1 Vista-32. The 2 Win7 comps are using the Homegroup feature (which is awesome, btw) which requires no password, hence my main (server) computer running Win7 is not pwd protected (unnecessary for my network). Therefore my Vista 32 machine (laptop) has no access to the Win7 machines at all. It is one of those odd little quirks between the OS’s. Can you tweak you’re way around that one? I’m thinking no, can’t be done. Now if I could just talk the wife into letting me put Win7 on her laptop…
Hopefully Vista gets an update to add Homegroup. That would be convenient.
hello
I did what is explained to share files between Win7 and Wind Vista.
I could see the win7 computer when working on vista. But i could see the vista when working on win7.
I put then on the same workgroup. I have a wireless router connecting the both computers.
I tried the mapdrive, still have the same problem: not able to share files.
Anyone has a suggestion ?
Thanks,
Saya tidak bisa sharing printer (HP Laserjet 1010) dari windows XP ke windows 7,,dengan pesan error
..”NO DRIVER FOUND”..
Windows can’t find a driver for HP Laserjet 1010 on the network.
To lacate on manually, click OK. Otherwise, click Cancel and
consult your network administrator or the printer manufacturer’s website.
Tolong blz pesan ini ke email saya
Thanks
Regard Teguh Santoso
two computers running Windows 7 Home Premium both wireless to a home Netgear wireless to modem and internet. HP Photosmart printer connected to comp 1 via usb. Can’t get printer 2 to print. Neither computer “sees’ the other one. Both try to set up a homegroup as if the other wasn’t there. Both on same Workgroup called “WORKGROUP”.
I have a 32 bit Vista machine that has a HP C5580 attached. I want to use this printer from my networked 64 bit Windows 7 machine. When adding the printer to the Win 7 machine it installs just fine but cannot print to it. No Test page prints and when I go to Properties of the printer and click Test Page it Fails. I can share files, on both computers. Any help would be appreciated.
The commentary gets close to the problem and answer, but here is my twist. Vista 64 desktop with printer, networked to Win7 (both Home Premium). Internet and shared printing works fine, as does either ethernet or wireless. Shared folders are visible to each other, but error screen is:
” is available but the user account that you logged on with was denied access.”
“Windows cannot further diagnose the problem because network diagnostics does not know the username and password that is required to connect to the shared folder”
Accounts are both with “Administrator” priviliges, tried with and without passwords. When I look at the “compmgmt.msc” page, it identifies these active network sessions as “guest”!!??
Does this match any of your situations?
Elderone,
Had the same problem…try this
the solution was to
1 right click on the folder that cannot be accessed and choose properties
SHARING>SHARE>CHANGE SHARING PERMISSIONS
2 on the drop down menu choose “everyone”
3 press the add tab on the right
4 then select co-owner in Permission level column
5 press share button on bottom
i have some problem,,
i can’t access other computer on LAN network, but other computer can access mine..
everyone in this LAN use win 7,,
this really frustating me for a month
lol
please answer
thanks
I’ve been having the same problem. I’ve tried the step-by-step instructions listed above, and the troubleshooting tips.
The main computer here is Windows Vista, and this is where the accounting files are kept. We’ve set up our new computer in the same office and its running on Windows 7. Both connect to the wireless internet just fine, but I’m losing my mind trying to get them to share the accounting program. Am I missing something? Any help/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks much
Hi Bev,
Have you confirmed that each computer does at least see one another in network sharing center?
Try disabling all firewalls for awhile and although the routers wifi protection should not interefere it might be a good idea to turn it off for awhile as well.
It seems that most things shared by default will be based on the Public Folder structure and your accounting program will not be located in the public folder area so you might need to share specific items from top to bottom as I explain below.
You can share specific areas required by right clicking the C: drive on say the Vista PC and share name it as C-Vista, then do the same thing for every required folder, example, users, documents, programs, etc
This is kind of long and tedious to share each folder from the top on down but it might work.
Try the firewall thing first though
Good Luck
I did as described…thanks for that!
When I’m on my Vista laptop, I can see my Windows 7 files. However…
When I’m on my Windows 7 desktop, I can’t see my Vista files.
I think it may be a sharing thing, but I wouldn’t think so if I followed the directions above correctly…any advice? Thanks!
When I try to drop files into the shared users folder on either machine, I keep getting the message that I need permission to continue. What does this mean and how do I get around it?
hi,
i need some help!
i have a printer installed on my vista desktop and i recently bought a laptop with windows 7.
i want to connect the printer. but when i did all the previous settings, and go to the network on my windows 7, it doesn’t show all the computers on the same network.
also when i go to add printer, they don’t show a printer and when i enter the name of the printer it says “windows cannot connect to a printer, Operation failed with error 0×000092f”
please please help me
thanks