four computers on same unmanaged switch can't copy files between them - GEEK squad couldn't fix after 3 hours of attempts

dmac486 said:

I tried to run this in a PowerShell by typing it at the prompt but got a message that loading scripts is disabled on this system. This is the first time I have EVER used PowerShell so I have no idea what to do.

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You can follow the above posts to get it working, but it isn't necessary to run that script anymore. You are able to see each PC from the others now, and that's what that script was about.

pseymour said:

Okay, so now they're able to discover (see) each other; we just need to deal with permissions. Run this in an elevated PowerShell session on each computer.

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -EnableInsecureGuestLogons $true

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garlin said:

Open a CMD window on each W11 PC as Administrator and run:

Code:

powershell "Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false -confirm:$false"

Restart the PC.

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Do I need to do both on all computers? It sounds like they do almost the same thing, what is the difference? I want to make sure I do the right thing.

Both settings are suggested by a MS blog, which lists SMB-related security changes in 24H2.

Applying both changes on your 24H2 PC's is recommended. You can run the same commands on pre-24H2 PC's, but it's probably not necessary since the defaults are reversed from 24H2.

You basically have two options:
- Lower 24H2's default security settings to a more relaxed setting, which was what it was before 24H2. This makes a mixed environment happy.
- Raise the non-24H2 PC's security settings to a more strict setting to match 24H2.

For a home environment where you trust the other PC's, lowering SMB security is probably acceptable.

OK .. I seem to be making progress.
in File Explorer:
White Tower sees Silver Tower, Lenovo, and Acer
Acer sees White Tower, Silver Tower, and Lenovo
Silver Tower sees White Tower, Lenovo and Acer
Lenovo sees White Tower, Silver Tower, Acer ... and itself

And I just realized that the OP said all four computers were on same unmanaged switch, and the two laptops aren't, they are WIFI 5g.

I have shortcuts for batch files that copy files to and from White Tower to each of the other three computers that work both ways for Silver Tower and Lenovo but not for the new Acer Laptop ... says "directory does not exist" and "network name cannot be found." I can manually click in file explorer and copy/paste to or from any computer to any other computer but can't use batch file to automate the process. Her old laptop (Lenovo) used to be able to use batch files to copy to my computer and she keeps on my to fix the brand new "broken" windows 11 computer so it can work like the old one.

So at this point I want to know why Lenovo has itself on the list of network computers and the others don't display themselves. And I want to know how fix batch files to automate what I can do manually.

dmac486 said:

So at this point I want to know why Lenovo has itself on the list of network computers and the others don't display themselves.

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If the Lenovo is Windows 10, it will show itself in the list of network computers. Windows 11 doesn't do that. I've never understood why people need to see the device they're on in the network list.

pseymour said:

If the Lenovo is Windows 10, it will show itself in the list of network computers. Windows 11 doesn't do that. I've never understood why people need to see the device they're on in the network list.

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ok .. so this is normal .. thanks

OK.. I don't know what I did but the batch files on the new ACER laptop now work ... My wife is happy she can double click a screen icon and save the files automatically to the White Tower. There are other batch files in her folder to copy to the other computers, but she doesn't need them, they were just for testing and in rare cases when I will be using them.

The last issue is that there should be functioning batch files in all four computers. The batch files for ACER work to and from every computer. NONE of the others can copy TO my wife's ACER laptop or From the ACER laptop. The batch files work between all of the other three computers .. just not with the ACER laptop. Each computer receives "directory does not exist" and "network name cannot be found."

So does anyone know why the new windows 11 laptop is able to use a batch file to copy TO and FROM other computers but none are able to us a batch file to copy to the new laptop?