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File Sharing between Windows 7 and OS X

Sharing between Windows 7 and Mac OSX

Ok so....unlike all of YOU having issues sharing files between windows 7 and mac my problem is kinda....different...but relates to this very well.

hmm how to explain it. OK i can see my mac pop up on my windows 7 and my windows machine on my mac. also i can easily send files from my mac to my windows machine as well as see any shared file or folder on it. but i can't seem to view my mac from my windows machine in terms of files or folders. it comes up on my network and all sharing options are open but when i try to connect using the remote access it says my remote access isnt turned on on my mac. Yet i clearly see remote access turned on in my preferences...someone help? ;-;
 
Getting Windows 7 Share Folder to Show up on your MAC

ON THE PC
- After setting up a Home network.
- Create a new folder on your desktop or anywhere else you want that safe.
- Right click the folder and choose properties - Share the folder from here.
- Give the folder read/write property if you want to write to it from other computers.
- Download and install the latest version of Safari. When installing make sure Bonjour is selected to be installed also, Bonjour will help the mac to find your windows 7 pc automatically.

Go to the MAC (i'm using 10.5.8)
Open any window and look on the sidebar for a tab called "shared"
open the tab to see all your shared connected computer.
Your Windows 7 pc should now show up there automatically.
When asked for password click "Guest" - if you stil can't connect, make sure your folder on the pc allows a guest connection.

Have Fun!!
 
I don't know about anyone else, but 10.6.3 actually seems to have remedied all of my file sharing problems between os x and win7. My Windows 7 box and both macs are all seeing each other just fine. Previously 7 wouldn't see my MBP but would see the Mac Mini Server while both Macs would see everything.

The only odd thing is now my MBP sees its SMB share as another windows computer on the network.
 
bhuffake said:
I figured out how to make it auto detect your windows 7 computer on your macbook.

Do the following after you have done everything on both sides to get it ready for sharing and you just can't figure out why your mac won't see your windows 7 pc but you see your mac from your windows 7 pc. (this was my problem)


Go to the airport network preferences. Then click advanced and after that the WINS tab select your workgroup and then put in the ip address of your windows computer. This should make it auto detect your windows 7 pc.

p.s. I'm running leopard


hope this works for you, I searched for hours and finally just though I would try it myself and I finally got this way to work
Click to expand...

By inserting IP address of the Win server doesn't work.

It really gets frustrating that I have to use Command + K. I shouldn't have to do this and it's very unMac like and should be fixed! There is no fix that I know of. Auto detection of PC is a hit and miss, it works sometimes but most of the time it doesn't work. Sad sad sad sad sad.
 
Finally works

Hi everyone,
tried everything i could find online to get my mac 10.6 to detect my windows 7 pc including shared printers the same way it would auto-detect my windows xp pc. Had no luck for a few frustrating hours but then i thought of trying something silly and it worked.

Who would have thought that something as retarded as changing the workgroup from MSHOME on my pc and mac to WORKGROUP would be the solution.

So if anyone is having trouble detecting their Windows 7 pc either to access shared folders or shared printers from snow leopard try using WORKGROUP instead of MSHOME.

It worked for me :)
 
It worked yesterday

Hi,

I'm having similar problems. So the office I work in is Windows 7 based. They have a shared network with all of their computers. I am running Mac OS X 10.5.8. I have been working here for two weeks and the first day my Mac found their server under places. This was do able by enabling my file sharing. Simple right? It worked until about five hours ago when the internet went out for ten minutes. Now the network doesn't show up at all. They are not tech savvy at all and have no idea what or where their IP address is.

Please Help!
 
Sorry to push a pretty old topic, unfortunately, I am facing exactly the same problem as everyone mentioned in the topic.

I just replaced my mbp with a 11" mba, got a pretty nice Router and NAS.

It was very weird that at the very beginning of connection, my mba could still discover the windows 7 share folder (Automatically found in Sidebar of Finder), but after couple hours of setting. I could not find the folder anymore.

I don't feel comfortable with this issue (Although I don't quite care as I have a NAS) because it was totally fine at the very beginning.

Unfortunately I do not have a 2nd PC to test the setting of my windows 7. With this issue, I even swap my Internet Security from KAS to NOD32 SS but no good.

Hope anyone could help after another month of investigation.

Thx.
 
shenningsen said:
Hi,

I'm having similar problems. So the office I work in is Windows 7 based. They have a shared network with all of their computers. I am running Mac OS X 10.5.8. I have been working here for two weeks and the first day my Mac found their server under places. This was do able by enabling my file sharing. Simple right? It worked until about five hours ago when the internet went out for ten minutes. Now the network doesn't show up at all. They are not tech savvy at all and have no idea what or where their IP address is.

Please Help!
Click to expand...

You're going to need the IP if you don't know the hostname or if the hostname is not being broadcast via NetBIOS (Windows jargon). Assuming the name is broadcast, just try reconnecting to it.

Finder --> Go Menu --> Connect to Server --> enter smb://computername.

If that doesn't work they're going to need to get that IP.


wongja said:
Sorry to push a pretty old topic, unfortunately, I am facing exactly the same problem as everyone mentioned in the topic.

I just replaced my mbp with a 11" mba, got a pretty nice Router and NAS.

It was very weird that at the very beginning of connection, my mba could still discover the windows 7 share folder (Automatically found in Sidebar of Finder), but after couple hours of setting. I could not find the folder anymore.

I don't feel comfortable with this issue (Although I don't quite care as I have a NAS) because it was totally fine at the very beginning.

Unfortunately I do not have a 2nd PC to test the setting of my windows 7. With this issue, I even swap my Internet Security from KAS to NOD32 SS but no good.

Hope anyone could help after another month of investigation.

Thx.
Click to expand...

Share folders last for the duration of the connection. In other words, if your machine is not "aware" of the server, it won't preserve the share. This is different than how it works in Windows, because there it will persist any share you tell it to.

Reconnecting the share is the same steps I put above. Reconnect to the server first, it will then prompt you for the shares, then you can remap it.
 
revelated said:
You're going to need the IP if you don't know the hostname or if the hostname is not being broadcast via NetBIOS (Windows jargon). Assuming the name is broadcast, just try reconnecting to it.

Finder --> Go Menu --> Connect to Server --> enter smb://computername.

If that doesn't work they're going to need to get that IP.




Share folders last for the duration of the connection. In other words, if your machine is not "aware" of the server, it won't preserve the share. This is different than how it works in Windows, because there it will persist any share you tell it to.

Reconnecting the share is the same steps I put above. Reconnect to the server first, it will then prompt you for the shares, then you can remap it.
Click to expand...
yes, thanks for your quick reply.
I could actually connect and mount to the share folder easily via Control+K and type in smb://ipaddress. Unfortunately, what i mean is (and I guess most of the member who is having the same problem) mac os does not automatically discover and connect the windows 7 just like how it automatically discover the windows xp previously.


This is so weird.

Update : After a reboot of my PC I lost everything again, I cant even connect to User folder by GO>connect to server.....

With nothing changed... :(

Update 2: After a reboot of my mba, I can re-connect to the pc with smb method, see how annoying it actually is... :(
 
wongja said:
yes, thanks for your quick reply.
I could actually connect and mount to the share folder easily via Control+K and type in smb://ipaddress. Unfortunately, what i mean is (and I guess most of the member who is having the same problem) mac os does not automatically discover and connect the windows 7 just like how it automatically discover the windows xp previously.


This is so weird.

Update : After a reboot of my PC I lost everything again, I cant even connect to User folder by GO>connect to server.....

With nothing changed... :(

Update 2: After a reboot of my mba, I can re-connect to the pc with smb method, see how annoying it actually is... :(
Click to expand...

I guess I'm not understanding the problem. You talk about auto discovery. I've been using Snow Leopard for high side of two years now, across four different MacBooks, a Mac Mini Server, and a Mac Mini. I have NEVER seen Snow Leopard autoconnect to a Samba share. I have always had to initiate the connection manually at least the first time, then afterwards it would remember the connection until I disconnected. Since I never have a need to restart my machine unless I'm doing maintenance (Which is maybe once a month), I'm not clear as to what the problem is, apparently.

Is it that:
  1. You can connect via Samba, but the list of shares does not pop up?
  2. The Samba connection times out?
  3. You don't want to have to manually connect to the Samba share?
 
deliasma said:
Hi everyone,
tried everything i could find online to get my mac 10.6 to detect my windows 7 pc including shared printers the same way it would auto-detect my windows xp pc. Had no luck for a few frustrating hours but then i thought of trying something silly and it worked.

Who would have thought that something as retarded as changing the workgroup from MSHOME on my pc and mac to WORKGROUP would be the solution.

So if anyone is having trouble detecting their Windows 7 pc either to access shared folders or shared printers from snow leopard try using WORKGROUP instead of MSHOME.

It worked for me :)
Click to expand...

How to you change the name to MSHOME? I knew how with Win XP but with this whole HomeGroup thing I don't get it...

Okay, hold on, that wan't my problem. Turns out I was using the wrong IP address for my hp-mini. Once I verified and changed that my iMac was able to see my hp-mini using smb://192.168.0.100. Now, how do I get my hp-mini to see my iMac? is there a way to use ftp://192.168.0.101 (my iMac's IP)? - I used to do that with Win XP a few years back.
 
Last edited:
another solution

The login items trick should work providing the smb server name includes the username.

To do this:

1. Press CMD (Apple) K.
2. Enter smb://username@ipaddress/name
3. Now put the folder in login items or save it to favorites.

--Sam
 
cool11 said:
In fact, the only folder I am able to share in win7, that is connected with mac (finder,go,connect to server) is the win7 folder 'users'.

I shared the whole 'c' folder of win7 pc in the same way that 'users' folder does, but with no luck.
Click to expand...

I have had this problem and discovered that it is a permissions issue (strange but true).

Share the folder as usual (r. click folder, properties, sharing, advanced sharing, share this folder) then follow the erm following:

You need to right click on the folder and then click on the Security tab.
Click the Edit button, click the Add button and then type in everyone and click the OK button.

I know this gives everyone access to the files but you can set the permissions so they can only read/execute them but not modify/delete.

I tried a few other users but they didn't seem to work, it was only everyone that did it for me.
 
VPrime said:
Works fine for me.
When you connect manually(smb://iphere) and it asks for password, just select Guest.
Click to expand...

When I do that with my IP, it says that IP cannot be found, or is unavailable. I had a 10 inch dell mini with os x on it, and it worked fine, now my macbook pro will not find my pc. Frustrating. Any other advice I may have missed?
 
just want to add...

Option 1 :

Can't see Mac on Windows 7, all you need to do :-

On Windows 7 PC... read this thread :

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/635271/


Option 2 :

Can't see Windows 7 on Mac or 'Connection Failed' :-

on Windows 7 PC, open 'Network and Sharing Centre (under Control Panel)...

Then click on 'Change advanced sharing settings' (on the top left side windows).

Under 'Home or Work' setting tick/click ON :
- Turn ON network discovery
- Turn ON file and printer sharing
- Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in the Public folders
- Enable file sharing for devices that use 40- or 50-bit encryption
- Turn OFF password sharing
- Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections (recommended)

*** I also copy the same setting for Public profile...

Then in Mac Machine, insert your Windows 7 PC IP address in Network Preference (Network>Advance>WINS).. and put alias in log in item...

and plz configure your router and PC firewall to allow all your network IP address communicate, I'm using KIS and set my home network to 'Trusted Network' (Firewall>Setting>Network)

and finally, OSX cannot mount drive network connection directly to you MAC, only folder can be mount to your MAC.

good luck... worked all on my family machines network (iMac OSx10.5, MBP OSx10.5, MBA OSx10.6, Sony VAIO Z W7 Ultimate, DELL XPS720 W7 Ultimate, Sony VAIO S W7 Prof...)
 
desaputra said:
and finally, OSX cannot mount drive network connection directly to you MAC, only folder can be mount to your MAC.
Click to expand...

Wow that took me hours to find this...
Ok so it's impossible apparently without a specific account to share a disk. It did work if I created a special account for it under Windows 7. But than you cant auto login anymore in Windows 7.

Withouth an account I can only manage to share folders from Windows 7 to Lion.
 
I am having the same issue with Windows 7 Starter. Looks like I'll need to ugdrade to Winows 7 Home edition intorer to even manuall connect for file sharing with my Mac. Anyone want to chime in?

Silvernirvash said:
Ok so....unlike all of YOU having issues sharing files between windows 7 and mac my problem is kinda....different...but relates to this very well.

hmm how to explain it. OK i can see my mac pop up on my windows 7 and my windows machine on my mac. also i can easily send files from my mac to my windows machine as well as see any shared file or folder on it. but i can't seem to view my mac from my windows machine in terms of files or folders. it comes up on my network and all sharing options are open but when i try to connect using the remote access it says my remote access isnt turned on on my mac. Yet i clearly see remote access turned on in my preferences...someone help? ;-;
Click to expand...
 
Connecting my PC Homegroup with my MacBook Pro

I can't seem to connect my PC Homegroup with my MacBook Pro. I'm using my family's network, but am not on their homegroup. So I have 2 questions...

1.) Does that make a difference in whether or not I can my Mac and PC will connect?
2.) How do I make my PC a server that my Mac will recognize?
 
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