Networking with Windows 8

We have 2 computers at home, an HP Pavilion (Windows 7) and an HP Envy (Windows 8). They are networked both with all permissions on all drives. For some reason I am unable to get into the Desktop on the Envy from the Pavilion, even though I have "ticked all the boxes" to allow me to share. There are times when I have to update a spreadsheet and wish them to be the same on each computer and it is for ease of access on the Envy that this is on the desktop.

Is this a problem with Windows 8 or is there a way to share it please.
Thanks
Matilda

 

I map Win 8 folders to Win 7 as mapped network drives, works fine, but I suggest you move the folders/files off the desktop to another location.

 

I do realise I could move it to another location, but why cannot I see any of the desktop folders on the Win8 on my Win7 computer? I cannot access them.

 

If you use Home group, and enter the correct password from the master, on the slaves, you will be access each others shared drives.

 

I use Homegroup and can access the other folders on the C drive and D drive, our data folder, but not the ones on the desktop or Libraries, either via C drive or Users.
Look forward to hearing from you further

 

You will not be able to access the desktop or libraries without sharing them. The desktop should not contain anything on it, but the Trashcan. Everything else should be under Start, which the user sitting at the machine would have access to anything in all programs.

Libraries are just that. They are like going into a library and browsing a set of shelves with various books, etc. on them. You can add a folder to a library like Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, by right clicking on it, then in the context menu, you would get the choice to "Include in Library", or even "Share With", which would allow further choices.

You can find a lot of good info in the Help context under the Start menu, or even over at Microsoft.com. They also have lessons you can take, that allow you to learn certain features, etc.. Everything you need to know, can be found at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/support

Even after 35 years of working with computers, and 22 of them with Windows, I find myself even now still going to microsoft.com to look stuff up, over just pulling up help, or even doing a search engine search through yahoo.com, if I know that microsoft.com may not have the answer.

I can tell you this, you do need to do some housekeeping in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings, to allow sharing, etc..

 

Because, as brownizs has said, it isn't advisable to keep files or folders on your desktop I haven't previously attempted to share it and access it from a networked Win 7 system. However I've just shared it and by adding Everyone under Permissions I find that I can access it from Win 7. Only thing that may be different here is that I don't use Homegroup, I use user accounts and passwords on my home network.

I'd still advise moving your stuff to another location though, and just adding a shortcut to the desktop.

 

As I have a similar need to access spreadsheets and other documents from either computer I chose not to keep two copies but to set the default save location on both computers to point to the same location, so making one machine a sort of file server for the network. This only works satisfactorily though where both machines are running but only one of them is being used at any one time. Just a thought

 

We now keep a lot of stuff up in google docs, or our box.com account, and access it that way, vs. leaving on a hard drive for it to be lost, if we lose it.

 

That's a good option for backups - certainly better than my oh-so-slow NAS, but you can't AFAIK set Office type software to save by default to Google Docs.

 

Thanks guys - looks like I am in for quiet Sunday in front of the computer!

 

Actually you can, you have it set to sync with the folder that you save the file in, or set your save folder as the cloud folder, and let the service run in the background. If it is something that I may work on, when not connected to the Internet, will keep it on the device (ie netbook, iPad), will save to the device, but have the utility set to upload to the cloud when connected to wifi.

Also, a NAS is only as slow as the network connection. I have a 3.x USB pocket drive that I also keep stuff on, but if I had a NAS, it would be one with a 1000mbps connection, but really do not need the NAS, since I have various cloud drive folders, in case I run out of space on the 50gb I have at box.com.

 

I am still trying to work the desktop option, but I am considering the google "Cloud" for my important files, but have never used it before. How large a single file will it take please?

 

I'd be interested to hear how you finally resolve this, as my needs are similar to yours. I've been looking into brownizs' suggestions and while they are practicable, they aren't quite right for my particular needs. Google Drive (the free one - Cloud is for businesses) stores it's sync folder on your C drive and you can't move it. As I just never store any data on the OS drive that rules it out for me but it may be a workable solution for your needs. No idea as to max file size but you get 5GB free storage on Drive.

Do you want to explain exactly what problem you are having with the Desktop method? Works fine here with sharing and the right permissions.

@brownizs - my NAS is fast enough but the means of communication are not (Homeplugs), so the best rates I ever see are of the order of 80Mbps - useless.

 

Need to wire it, or set up a wireless-n a/p that can get you up to the max of the Nas if it has wifi capabilities. Wireless-ac is the next step, at 1.8gbps,max throughput 2.3gbps. The Trendnet a/p we have, can do 450mbps, you can get them as fast as 900mbps. You do have to interconnect everything on 1000mbps switches.