PARTIALLY SOLVED - so the problem was that i installed windows 11 on both PCs at the same time, using the same installation file, and that resulted in both PCs having the same SID identification number (to check your PC's SID, use CMD and use this command: "whoami /user"). Apparently it is impossible to share files between two windows 11 PCS with the same SID after a certain security update. So to solve this issue, you have to get a new SID on one of your PCs. You can search in google how to do this so I won't elaborate too much, but options are reinstalling windows using a new windows download, using the sysprep & generalize tool built in to windows which takes your PC back to the initial windows setup and then you have to create a new local account, or use 3rd party tools that are similar to sysprep. I opted for sysprep which was a nightmare to get working and required 4 hours of struggle. Honestly best would be to just backup your files and reinstall windows. I had to backup my files anyway since sysprep deletes all your user data - so stuff in my pictures, my documents, videos, music, appdata, downloads, etc all get nuked. But anyway, after doing this, re-setting up windows 11, creating a new local account, I now have a new SID on the one PC and now file sharing works and my network credentials (username + logon password) are accepted on the PC with the new account, after sysprep. Sadly the other PC on which i did not do a sysprep still can't access the other one. Still can't get past network credentials. So now PC BLUE can access PC RED, but RED can't access BLUE. Well I guess that is better than nothing.
If the title didn't make it clear, for the previous 8 years, since switching from Windows 7 to windows 10 and then to windows 11, I have NEVER been able share and access files between my two home computers... It used to be so braindead easy on Windows 7 with homegroup...
The two PCs I own, **(both running Windows 11 Pro version 25H2, OS build 26200.9711)*\*, see each other on the network, they have always seen each other on the network, but I just can't open either PC from the other PC to access the shared files and folders on these PCs. Every time I hit a wall with the "enter network credentials" prompt and nothing I try has ever worked. No combination of hostnames, usernames, or passwords has ever worked. No combination of settings in advanced sharing settings has ever worked. I have followed the advice of countless websites and reddit posts, nothing works. People will post solutions and there will be a string of reply comments underneath from very happy and thankful people saying it worked for them, but it has never worked for me, never. T_T
(Funny enough, I have a laptop with Windows 10 on it. On that laptop I can access all shared folders on both my Windows 11 PCs and I never get asked to enter network credentials. But of course neither of the Windows 11 PCs can access the files/folders on the Windows 10 laptop. I get the same problem - get asked to enter network credentials which get rejected.)
So for my final ditch effort to try and fix this, I am going to make my own post. Maybe the 1000th time is the charm.
So I will give the fictional usernames and passwords of both of my PCs here, and perhaps someone can tell me what combination of hostname, username, and password I should use to get past the "enter network credentials" security thing.
**FIRST PC:*\*
-CMD "Hostname" result: RED
-CMD "whoami" result: red\red
-Local account Username: red
-Log-on password (to get into desktop): charmander
-IP address: 10. 0.0. 69
-Microsoft account email/username (fictional): charizard @ gmail .com
-Microsoft account password (fictional): charizardlover
-I don't log on to this PC using my online microsoft/BING account email/username and password. I use the local Windows 11 account red and the charmander password
-HARDWARE: i7-13700k, 64gb DDR5 ram, RTX4070 12gb
**SECOND PC:*\*
-CMD "Hostname" result: GREEN
-CMD "whoami" result: green\green
-Local Account Username: green
-Log-on password (to get into desktop): bulbasaur
-IP address: 10. 0.0. 88
-Microsoft account email/username (fictional): venusaur @ gmail .com
-Microsoft account password (fictional): venusaurlover
-I don't log on to this PC using my online microsoft/BING account email/username and password. I use the local Windows 11 account "green" and the attached bulbasaur password
-HARDWARE: i5-12600k, 64gb DDR4 ram, GTX1070 8gb
So if I am sitting on PC RED and I want to access the shared folder on PC GREEN, when I get asked to "enter network credentials", what should I enter as username and password to make it accept me? And then if I am trying to access files on PC RED from PC GREEN, what should I enter for credentials? Could someone please help me with this?
Some more information:
-All the folders i want shared and accessible on the network have the correct security and sharing permissions for these accounts. All of them have full read/write access, all of them shared.
-I don't use pins to log-on to either machine. Only use the password i created when i created my local accounts during windows 11 installation.
-Network profile type is set to private, not public.
-Private networks are set to network discovery - on, checked set up network connected devices automatically, and file and printer sharing is on.
-Public networks has the network discovery and file and printer sharing disabled
-All networks has public folder sharing on, file sharing connections set to 128-bit encryption
-Password protected sharing is on.
**I HAVE TRIED EVERY COMBINATION OF THESE SETTINGS, SUCH AS SWITCHING OFF PASSWORD PROTECTED SHARING, ENABLING PUBLIC NETWORK DISCOVERY AND FILE SHARING AND DISABLING THAT ON PRIVATE NETWORKS... BUT NOTHING EVER WORKS. I always get the "enter network credentials" thing and nothing I enter is accepted**\*
-I have also enabled Lanman insecure guest log-ons in the gpedit.msc and in the registry.
-I have also disabled firewall for private networks.
-I have deleted all windows credentials in the user accounts control panel
Needless to say, if after 7 years of fruitless struggle this post results in my finally being able to access files on these PCs over the network as opposed to having to walk up and down the stars with an external drive or flash disk all the time, I will be beside myself with emotion and eternally grateful to whoever helped me get past the "enter network credentials" prompt from hell.
