Win 10 PC can't see itself under Network Folder

I remote support family computers. There are two computers PC-1 and PC-2 on a home LAN. The Network Folder on both PCs only show PC-2. PC-1 doesn't appear in either Network Folder. Connectivity is there as a UNC path works, PC-2 can access \\PC-1\c$. PC-1 is the one having the problem. I'm trying solve getting PC-1 to appear under the Network Folders.

PC Specs

  • Both PC’s running Win10 Pro x64 v1909 Build 18363.1016
  • PC-1 is a Dell Optiplex 755. PC-2 is a Dell Optiplex 990
  • PC-1 has Intel 82566DM-2 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter w/Driver version 9.13.41.3



PC-1 Setup

  • Network Status: Ethernet Private network
  • Ethernet -> Network Profile -> Private
  • Network and Sharing Center -> Advanced Sharing -> Settings -> Private (current Profile)
    • Selected – Turn on network discovery
    • Selected – Turn on automatic setup of net connected devices
    • File and Printer Sharing Turned on

  • Service Function Discovery Provider Host – Running | Automatic (Delayed Start)
  • Service Function Discovery Resource Publication – Running | Automatic (Delayed Start)

PC-1 and PC-2 are in the same Workgroup. PC-1 AV/Firewall is Norton. I turned off PC-1 firewall off and rebooted. PC-1 still didn’t see itself under Network

PC-1 Network Properties

Name: Ethernet

Description:        Intel(R) 82566DM-2 Gigabit Network Connection
Physical address (MAC): 00:1e:4f:ab:71:4e
Status:  Operational
Maximum transmission unit:       1500
Link speed (Receive/Transmit):  1000/1000 (Mbps)
DHCP enabled:  Yes
DHCP servers:   192.168.1.1
DHCP lease obtained:     Tuesday, August 18, 2020 5:06:59 AM
DHCP lease expires:        Wednesday, August 19, 2020 5:06:59 AM
IPv4 address:     192.168.1.165/24
IPv6 address:    
Default gateway:              192.168.1.1
DNS servers:      9.9.9.9
DNS domain name:        
DNS connection suffix: 
DNS search suffix list:    
Network name: Network
Network category:          Private
Connectivity (IPv4/IPv6):              Connected to Internet / Connected to unknown network
                                                  
                                                  
Name:  Wi-Fi
Description:        TP-LINK 300Mbps Wireless N Adapter
Physical address (MAC): e8:de:27:5b:2a:0e
Status:  Not operational
Maximum transmission unit:       1500
IPv4 address:     169.254.147.1/16
IPv6 address:     fe80::7d94:fb12:d125:9301%2/64
DNS servers:      fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1, fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1, fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
Connectivity (IPv4/IPv6):              Disconnected
                                                  
                                                  
Name:  Local Area Connection* 1
Description:        Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical address (MAC): 1a:de:27:5b:2a:0e
Status:  Not operational
Maximum transmission unit:       1500
IPv4 address:     169.254.205.64/16
IPv6 address:     fe80::4459:d342:f6a5:cd40%13/64
DNS servers:      fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1, fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1, fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
Connectivity (IPv4/IPv6):              Disconnected
                                                  
                                                  
Name:  Local Area Connection* 2
Description:        Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter #2
Physical address (MAC): 2a:de:27:5b:2a:0e
Status:  Not operational
Maximum transmission unit:       1500
IPv4 address:     169.254.226.65/16
IPv6 address:     fe80::5848:d22c:62ae:e241%6/64
DNS servers:      fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1, fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1, fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
Connectivity (IPv4/IPv6):              Disconnected



PC-1 Network Properties

What exactly is your question?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Problem is one of the PCs (PC-1 in above post) doesn't appear in the Network Folder of either PC on the Network. I can't figure out why.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Problem is one of the PCs (PC-1 in above post) doesn't appear in the Network Folder of either PC on the Network. I can't figure out why.

You must share the root folder, e.g. as "DriveC":

Image

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

The problem is PC-1 doesn't appear as a computer name in the Network Folder.

The C drive is already shared by Windows by default as a "hidden" share upon install  (i.e. hidden share means the share name must be followed with a $)

As noted in my post even though PC-1 doesn't appear in Network Folders, PC-2 can still access PC-1 using the UNC path \\PC-1\C$

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

The default share C$ worked reliably under Win2000 but no longer. You MUST create your own share as indicated in my previous reply.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Thank you for the reply. However it happened, the share's already defined as I've already tried typing \\PC-1\C$ in File Explorer from a remote computer and it successfully connects. So it must be one of the other dozen or more things that can go wrong.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Thank you for the reply. However it happened, the share's already defined as I've already tried typing \\PC-1\C$ in File Explorer from a remote computer and it successfully connects. So it must be one of the other dozen or more things that can go wrong.

How about at least trying my suggestion of creating your own share?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Sure. Gave it a try. I created a share named C and rebooted. From the snapshot note

  1. PC-1 in my post is really named ZANCOMPUTER-2
  2. The share has been created
  3. ZANCOMPUTER-2 is still not appearing in the Network folder

Image

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

The drive will only become visible after you've mapped it to a drive letter:

Image

Image

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

You misunderstand.

The problem is that the local computer name isn't appearing under the Network Folder.  When you click on the Network Folder in the navigation pane on the left you should see computer names listed  (again, see my last snapshot). I'm not trying to map a network drive to a share. Thanks.

2 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

 
 

Question Info


Last updated April 19, 2025 Views 1,036 Applies to: