Network Revived but File-Sharing Confused

The File-Sharing Network on my XP SP2 Home machines spontaneously
revived, but only after I did a lot of fumbling that seems to have
affected my ability to compare files of the same name that are shared
by two computers.

Here's my attempt to give a clear illustration of the problem:

Suppose I have two Work Group computers named "Desktop" and "Laptop,"
and also have two folders named "Alpha" and "Beta" on the C: drive of
each computer. I want to be able to compare and synch the two sets of
folders on either Desktop or Laptop. I can do that with "Alpha" but
not with "Beta."

In "My Network Places," I can see the icons for the Alpha and Beta
folders of both computers. There is a Key difference in the icon
names, however: Alpha is shown in Desktop as "Alpha (laptop)" and in
the Laptop as in "Alpha" (desktop.)" Beta, however, is labeled "Beta
(laptop)" on both computers.

What can I do to make the Beta folder function the same way as Alpha?
Would getting the name of the Beta folder on the Laptop to change from
"Beta(laptop)" to "Beta(desktop)" do the trick? Is that possible? If
so, how?

I get tongue twisted trying to explain this problem so I hope the above
is understandable.

I would appreciate any suggestions about changes I can try to make it
possible to view the two computers' Beta folders side-by-side on either
computer.

Thanks.

On 8 Nov 2005 15:59:08 -0800, *email_address_deleted* wrote:

>The File-Sharing Network on my XP SP2 Home machines spontaneously
>revived, but only after I did a lot of fumbling that seems to have
>affected my ability to compare files of the same name that are shared
>by two computers.
>
>Here's my attempt to give a clear illustration of the problem:
>
>Suppose I have two Work Group computers named "Desktop" and "Laptop,"
>and also have two folders named "Alpha" and "Beta" on the C: drive of
>each computer. I want to be able to compare and synch the two sets of
>folders on either Desktop or Laptop. I can do that with "Alpha" but
>not with "Beta."
>
>In "My Network Places," I can see the icons for the Alpha and Beta
>folders of both computers. There is a Key difference in the icon
>names, however: Alpha is shown in Desktop as "Alpha (laptop)" and in
>the Laptop as in "Alpha" (desktop.)" Beta, however, is labeled "Beta
>(laptop)" on both computers.
>
>What can I do to make the Beta folder function the same way as Alpha?
>Would getting the name of the Beta folder on the Laptop to change from
>"Beta(laptop)" to "Beta(desktop)" do the trick? Is that possible? If
>so, how?
>
>I get tongue twisted trying to explain this problem so I hope the above
>is understandable.
>
>I would appreciate any suggestions about changes I can try to make it
>possible to view the two computers' Beta folders side-by-side on either
>computer.
>
>Thanks.

Joseph,

What is the actual problem here? Are you seeing a duplicate link - to Beta on
the laptop - on both computers? Or is the shortcut to Beta, on the desktop,
somehow labeled "Beta (laptop)" on the laptop? Are these both mapped drives, or
are they manually created shortcuts?

The contents of the "()" is generally the name of the computer hosting the
resource, and the description, perversely, precedes the "()". If I have my
computer, named "Computer1", and described as "Office Computer", it will display
as "Office Computer (Computer1)"; if description is blank, it will simply
display as "Computer1". How do you have the computer names and descriptions
setup?

Or are we looking at yet another browser problem?

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

Just found this reply. Sorry about the duplicate threads. I deleted
my initial posting on the other one. I'm not a good UseNet navigator,
I guess, but I'm beginning to get accustomed to using Google to access
Usenet groups.

To answer your question, I was actually seeing a duplicate link. I
deleted the one identified as "Beta (laptop)" from the laptop and "Beta
(desktop)" from the desktop and as a consequence, have made some
progress:

I can now display both Beta folders in two Explorer windows on either
computer and can actually copy files from one computer's folder to te
other's folder. (My file synchronizing program, however, still cannot
pick up the other computer's Beta folder though it can pick up the
other computer's Alpha folder. I'm exploring that issue with tech
support of my synching program.)

You do have me worrying about the browser problem, despite my having
only a feeble understanding of it. I'll make another attempt to
download a copy, run it, and post its output.

Is there some way to copy and paste information from a DOS window into
a message, or must typed it into a message?

On 10 Nov 2005 07:22:42 -0800, jercarrier@earthlink.net wrote:

>Just found this reply. Sorry about the duplicate threads. I deleted
>my initial posting on the other one. I'm not a good UseNet navigator,
>I guess, but I'm beginning to get accustomed to using Google to access
>Usenet groups.
>
>To answer your question, I was actually seeing a duplicate link. I
>deleted the one identified as "Beta (laptop)" from the laptop and "Beta
>(desktop)" from the desktop and as a consequence, have made some
>progress:
>
>I can now display both Beta folders in two Explorer windows on either
>computer and can actually copy files from one computer's folder to te
>other's folder. (My file synchronizing program, however, still cannot
>pick up the other computer's Beta folder though it can pick up the
>other computer's Alpha folder. I'm exploring that issue with tech
>support of my synching program.)
>
>You do have me worrying about the browser problem, despite my having
>only a feeble understanding of it. I'll make another attempt to
>download a copy, run it, and post its output.
>
>Is there some way to copy and paste information from a DOS window into
>a message, or must typed it into a message?

Joseph,

You use redirected output. If you type "browstat status >c:\browstat.txt", you
run "browstat status", which puts the output from "browstat status" into
"c:\browstat.txt". Read:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/command-window.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...nd-window.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

Chuck,

Thanks again.

A few minutes after posting my last note, I discovered something that
may, or may not, indicate a browser problem:

If I do a START>SEARCH on my desktop for laptop: I find duplicate
listings of laptop. The same thing happens when I run a search on
laptop for desktop: duplicate listings of desktop

Is that an indication of a browser problem -- or of anything else?

Joseph

On 10 Nov 2005 08:12:24 -0800, *email_address_deleted* wrote:

>Chuck,
>
>Thanks again.
>
>A few minutes after posting my last note, I discovered something that
>may, or may not, indicate a browser problem:
>
>If I do a START>SEARCH on my desktop for laptop: I find duplicate
>listings of laptop. The same thing happens when I run a search on
>laptop for desktop: duplicate listings of desktop
>
>Is that an indication of a browser problem -- or of anything else?
>
>Joseph

Joseph,

A browser issue can cause many symptoms, and I can see that could well be one.

The best way to diagnose a browser problem, though, is with "browstat status"
and "ipconfig /all" from each computer.

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.