Vista Laptop cannot see XP Desktop

> At least it can't see it today. I had it working a few weeks ago.
> I hate repeating questions, but I just read dozens of similar questions and
> saw no answer that applies to me.
>
> --- CURRENT SETUP:
> Vista Home Premium, Dell Inspiron with Dell 1390 wireless. I have the
> "latest" driver updates from Dell, but these come from last November or
> December, despite the package itself having a March 2007 date.
> XP Media Center desktop, wired to the Netgear DSL/wireless router.
> Same workgroup.
> Trend Micro PC-cillin on XP, set to "Home Network", and the mac address of
> the Vista laptop is designated as "trusted".
> McAfee on Vista laptop.
>
> --- CURRENT STATE:
> XP can see Vista laptop, can access files.
> Vista laptop does not even see XP desktop in its network. The network is
> setup as "private".
> Vista laptop cannot ping XP, but can ping router.
>
> --- HISTORY OF PROBLEM:
> 3 months ago I believe I was able to access shared files on XP from the
> Vista laptop.
> A few weeks ago I could not.
> I came to this group and found some clue about some update I needed to apply
> to XP desktop so that it could properly share with Vista. Strange, since I
> thought it had worked, but I did it anyway. This apparently fixed the
> problem. Sorry, can't remember the filename!
> Then tonight I again find that the Vista laptop cannot see the XP desktop.
> There seems to be no way to bring it back.
>
> I have also had troubles with printer sharing and with wireless network
> going out on me, yet showing a full strength signal and even giving me a
> valid IP address. However, I will be happy to fix one thing at a time.
> (Unfortunately, the best fix would probably be Windows XP on the laptop).
>
> Thanks for bearing with me.
>
> --
> -----
> Glenn Nelson in Santa Cruz

>"Glenn Nelson" wrote:
>

>> At least it can't see it today. I had it working a few weeks ago.
>> I hate repeating questions, but I just read dozens of similar questions and
>> saw no answer that applies to me.
>>
>> --- CURRENT SETUP:
>> Vista Home Premium, Dell Inspiron with Dell 1390 wireless. I have the
>> "latest" driver updates from Dell, but these come from last November or
>> December, despite the package itself having a March 2007 date.
>> XP Media Center desktop, wired to the Netgear DSL/wireless router.
>> Same workgroup.
>> Trend Micro PC-cillin on XP, set to "Home Network", and the mac address of
>> the Vista laptop is designated as "trusted".
>> McAfee on Vista laptop.
>>
>> --- CURRENT STATE:
>> XP can see Vista laptop, can access files.
>> Vista laptop does not even see XP desktop in its network. The network is
>> setup as "private".
>> Vista laptop cannot ping XP, but can ping router.
>>
>> --- HISTORY OF PROBLEM:
>> 3 months ago I believe I was able to access shared files on XP from the
>> Vista laptop.
>> A few weeks ago I could not.
>> I came to this group and found some clue about some update I needed to apply
>> to XP desktop so that it could properly share with Vista. Strange, since I
>> thought it had worked, but I did it anyway. This apparently fixed the
>> problem. Sorry, can't remember the filename!
>> Then tonight I again find that the Vista laptop cannot see the XP desktop.
>> There seems to be no way to bring it back.
>>
>> I have also had troubles with printer sharing and with wireless network
>> going out on me, yet showing a full strength signal and even giving me a
>> valid IP address. However, I will be happy to fix one thing at a time.
>> (Unfortunately, the best fix would probably be Windows XP on the laptop).
>>
>> Thanks for bearing with me.
>>
>> --
>> -----
>> Glenn Nelson in Santa Cruz

>Better now, but still not what it was.
>Currently my only solution is to open Network view, then in the address bar,
>type "\\blue" (name of XP computer, without the double-quotes). This shows me
>all shared resources on the XP system. But Vista stubbornly refuses to show
>me the computer any other way, even though normal network browsing worked a
>few weeks ago.
>
>I remember now that I installed LLTD on Windows XP.
>I have also followed instructions found in some excellent advice here to
>enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (frequently referred to in this newsgroup as
>NetBT). Specifically, this is in network device;TCP/IP;Advanced settings, and
>you should not use "Default", rather explicitly select the radio button for
>NetBIOS over TCP.
>And yes, both Vista and XP computers have the same username/password for the
>active login.
>Despite this, I cannot see my XP computer in the Network panel, but I can
>see it in the Network Map. Unfortunately Network Map does not provide an
>active link to the other computers, so I still cannot open the XP system and
>access its shared resources.
>
>I can understand Microsoft Vista not working well with Linux, or even
>Windows 3.1, but I can't understand how they could ship a new OS that
>basically will not play with the last. Windows ME2 indeed.
>
>-----
>Glenn Nelson in Santa Cruz