Home Network with Ubuntu 12.04 and Windows 7

[jonandrews]

To Dave_in_MD: I'm sorry - I forgot to say that I have assumed that you configured your Windows 7 network setting in line with my guidelines earlier in this thread. ie:

In 'Network & Sharing Centre' click on 'Advanced Sharing Settings'
On the resulting page called 'Change Sharing Options for...etc.' set the following options:
Network Discovery > Turn on
File & Printer sharing > Turn On
Public Folder Sharing > Turn on Sharing
Media Streaming > (Leave off)
File Sharing Connections > Enable sharing for 40 -56 bit...
Password Protected Sharing > Turn off
HomeGroup Connections > Use User accounts & Passwords...etc

Save the changes & reboot (just to be sure)
The Win7 pc will now be visible to a network, along with it's public folders.

[jonandrews]

Reading through this thread,I noticed that there was a suggestion that "media streaming" should be "off" in the network set up on Windows 7. I discovered that networking would only work if it is turned "on".
...

Hi WelshLion- I know that we all experience some odd behaviour by individual systems, but I can assure you that the media streaming setting in Win7 is irrelevant to file sharing. I have 5 Win7 pc's on my network right now with it turned off, all of them sharing between themselves and Ubuntu & Apple pc's.

[Dave_in_MD]

To Dave_in_MD: If I understand your last post correctly, my thoughts are as follows
1 - From the Ubuntu pc, by default you are able to see and access shared windows folders. The password request you are getting is from windows, and you need to enter your windows user name & password. If you don't have a windows password, then the password is [leave it blank].

2 - If you have done nothing on the Ubuntu pc to set up sharing, then it it quite right that you will not be able to see it from a windows pc. To set up sharing, follow my guide on http://www.europe.eclipse.co.uk/Ubuntu/.

I hope I have understood your situation correctly.

I was just giving the op an idea as to what he may see, but that if he can not access the shares it just may not be set up completely. Once I set up a share other than the windows homegroup and set up a share on the Ubuntu box so that it would download the needed package all worked as it should. I just haven't tried the printer at this time.
Thank You for your efforts. I passed your web link on to someone else on another thread as well.

[walt11]

Got the computer names changed, and added my XP system to the network - which was surprisingly easy, thanks to jonandrews' Windows Workgroups guide. I'm going to mark this thread solved. Thanks again to all for your help.

[Ambimom]

I installed Ubuntu 12.04 on my laptop. I have Windows 7 on my desktop. I have been able to share the printer; I can access all the Ubuntu files on my Windows 7 desktop ......but

When I first set up and installed Ubuntu, it recognized the Windows Workgroup and I could access my Windows files with no problem. I could share between the two computers in either direction.

The next day when I booted, though Ubuntu recognized the Windows 7 Workgroup I could not access the files anymore.

I spent the better part of the day changing all the settings in different ways hoping to fix the problem but nothing worked.

It is driving me crazy. Is this a bug? Or am I doing something wrong.

[walt11]

I probably shouldn't be offering advice, since I've needed so much myself, but-

When I set up the sharing on the Win7 PC, I followed jonandrews' detailed instructions at Post #9. If you haven't already, it may be worthwhile to check that yours conforms to that.

Once I was able to connect to the WORKGROUP (named exactly that), I'm asked for my Windows password twice: once to get access to the Win7 PC, and again to get access to the users directory. Once I've done that, I can access all the files.

[Ambimom]

@Walt11, Thanks so much for your prompt reply. I tried your suggestion, and changed the Advanced Sharing in Windows 7. The same thing happened. I could see my Windows 7 Workgroup listed under the Ubuntu Network but it wouldn't let me access them.

Then I tried another approach.

I asked Ubuntu to "connect to server" and inserted the ip of my Windows 7 desktop for "Share" service. The domain was Workgroup, and the passwords and identifiers were my Windows passwords....

Next thing I know I have full access sharing between both computers. I don't know why

I guess I have to do this manually every time I want sharing....I sure wish it was automatic....but at least it's working.

Thanks again!

[walt11]

I never tried the "connect to server" approach, and I'm glad it worked for you. I wonder if the system will retain that connection information, and it will be more automatic next time.

I don't recall if Windows instructs you to reboot after changing the advanced sharing, but it would be a good idea (although, you've probably done that).

[sunson565]

I've written a guide to configure basic file sharing etc between Ubuntu & Windows 7. It was written using older versions of Ubuntu, but I've recently checked it against 12.04, and it is unchanged. Go to http://www.europe.eclipse.co.uk/Ubuntu/ . I hope this helps.

Thx that was helpful

[rmaultz]

Windows 7 requires you to set specific user permissions / Read/ write for every share and also set user name and password for all users on the windows computer

i have dealt with this before easy solution configure all windows users with a password and then set read / write permissions in windows by right clicking on the folder or drive you are sharing and choose sharing options And then set the users allowed to connect to the shares and you will have to log in on ubuntu machine with one of the admin user account set up on the windows machine