Tag Archives: w7

Windows 7 forgets workgroup network share password

Computer Aid Posted on by

I put a new Windows 7 PC (W7 pro, 32-bit), on my network.

Since my main PC is uses XP and network drives are shared using XP workgroup sharing, then I adjusted the W7 PC to join the same workgroup.

I then map a shared drive. As expected, I’m asked to supply username and password, and I tick the box that says remember my credentials.

Everything works fine until I restart the W7 PC, then it forgets the network share password, and I need to re-enter it.

After this happens a few times, I eventually decide to find a solution.

One suggestion is to use the full username (ie computernameusername), but that didn’t work (although it might work computers in networks with Domain servers).

I eventually find the solution by following this sequence:

Control Panel -> Credential Manager -> pick the username and/or server that refuses to get remembered, then click “edit”, and replace the domain name with the name of the computer / server that you are connecting to, then click save.

Logoff, then login again

Ignore the “cannot reconnect network drive error”

Reopen credential manager, and note that the credential you are interested in, is not there anymore.

Now re-connect to the network drive (re-enter the username and password), then switch back to credential manager, click: “add a windows credential” -> enter server name, user name, password, then save.

Note that the credential details say that the credential has a persistence of: enterprise

Now when I restart the W7 PC, it remembers the password.

It seems like Microsoft no longer care about non-W7 users…

W7 first impressions.

Computer Aid Posted on by

At this stage, W7 is still very new, and after vista, most people are cautious about jumping in, in case w7 turns into another lame duck.

So, here is what i have found, both good and bad, but without getting into details that many people don’t care about.

First of all, the bad:

  • Despite what MS says, w7 really is vista 2.0. Now that sounds worse than you might think. Towards the end of its life, vista was much better than when it was first released.
  • If you don’t like the vista “look and feel” then you won’t like w7.
  • It still pushes the vista “start menu”, with the annoying system of “wipe out the current set of start menu choices with whatever sub-menu you happen to pause over”. Its annoying with a scroll-mouse, and just plain crap with any pointing device without a scroll wheel.
  • My biggest gripe about w7 and vista is the senseless naming system. In particular, i find the control panel change from “add / remove programs” under xp, to “programs and features” just makes managing the pc more difficult for the average, non-technical user. I have seen many people not know how to un-install software… And this has now gotten much worse with vista / w7

The good:

  • W7 64 bit is impressively fast. As long as you have enough RAM (at least 4 Gb), then everything seems to respond faster. And W7 64 bit has virtually none of the incompatibilities that xp-64 had.
  • The UAC popups are much less intrusive, compared to vista.
  • Connecting devices (eg printers) is usually flawless, particularly if you have an internet connection.
  • If you just use your computer for email, web browsing, some instant messaging, and a writing a few documents and spreadsheets, then you probably won’t be able to tell the difference between xp, vista, w7, mac, and linux anyway.

Overall, w7 doesn’t have the same “stay away at all costs” feel that vista had, as long as you can get used to the slightly less friendly user interface.