Hi George,
Yes, all my machines had valid W7 Pro stickers. They were initially loaded fresh with W7 Pro without any problems, and all was happiness until this latest project. It was possible to download the W10 free upgrade from Microsoft and it went in without any warnings or problems (that I knew of). Now, if all I wanted to do was browse the internet and print, life would go on as it was. But unfortunately I actually use my PCs for doing things. The first hint of trouble was that it was impossible to access the NAS from all but the first PC I "upgraded" (I don't think this was an upgrade, more like a lock down on control). After a lot of looking, poking and prodding I saw that my static IPs were all converted to DHCP (they had no business doing that at all!), and each machine now had a different "workgroup" name that was greyed out and cannot be changed. That kills all attempts to browse the network (my network, not theirs). Further digging revealed that Microsoft views peer to peer networking to be a security risk (it isn't) and actively took measures to prevent that from working. No clear warnings were given, and have fun contacting Microsoft for help on this matter. The obvious answer that Microsoft desires is that anyone having multiple computers that need to interact do so in a server - requester (client) environment.
Okay, annoying, but no problem. I got a Lenovo machine (i5) with a W7 license. The license doesn't matter because I am installing Fedora Server 34 on it. Zero issues with CPU or other upgrades. This is a Microsoft thing to leverage more money from you, and to know exactly what everyone is doing. I'm not playing that game any more.
I might convert my other machines to Fedora workstation 34 depending on how this goes. I have no desire to learn a new OS, but an upgrade from Microsoft amounts to the same thing. From past experience, upgrades on Linux are in fact upgrades, tend to be solid (unlike Windows) and don't change a great deal from release to release. That means whatever I learn on Linux is banked and remains useful.
Right now I am just having trouble remembering how the server installation and configuration goes. Once I have passed this hurdle (it would be the same or worse with a Windows Server). I am not an IT guy and my expertise lies elsewhere. Steps will be taken to ensure this doesn't happen again as it is a total waste of my time and money to jump through hoops for decisions Microsoft makes that do not have a good technical reason. W7 would have been secure and fine no matter what Microsoft says. Killing the network browser does no in any way enhance security when you have someone who does know what they are doing trying to steal your data. Just a casual user who wants to copy your data - and that is if he knows what machine and directory (sorry, folder) the data is in. There is security in that, because certain files are stored on various machines and have fun figuring out how I arranged my directory names and contents out.
-Chris
Yes, all my machines had valid W7 Pro stickers. They were initially loaded fresh with W7 Pro without any problems, and all was happiness until this latest project. It was possible to download the W10 free upgrade from Microsoft and it went in without any warnings or problems (that I knew of). Now, if all I wanted to do was browse the internet and print, life would go on as it was. But unfortunately I actually use my PCs for doing things. The first hint of trouble was that it was impossible to access the NAS from all but the first PC I "upgraded" (I don't think this was an upgrade, more like a lock down on control). After a lot of looking, poking and prodding I saw that my static IPs were all converted to DHCP (they had no business doing that at all!), and each machine now had a different "workgroup" name that was greyed out and cannot be changed. That kills all attempts to browse the network (my network, not theirs). Further digging revealed that Microsoft views peer to peer networking to be a security risk (it isn't) and actively took measures to prevent that from working. No clear warnings were given, and have fun contacting Microsoft for help on this matter. The obvious answer that Microsoft desires is that anyone having multiple computers that need to interact do so in a server - requester (client) environment.
Okay, annoying, but no problem. I got a Lenovo machine (i5) with a W7 license. The license doesn't matter because I am installing Fedora Server 34 on it. Zero issues with CPU or other upgrades. This is a Microsoft thing to leverage more money from you, and to know exactly what everyone is doing. I'm not playing that game any more.
I might convert my other machines to Fedora workstation 34 depending on how this goes. I have no desire to learn a new OS, but an upgrade from Microsoft amounts to the same thing. From past experience, upgrades on Linux are in fact upgrades, tend to be solid (unlike Windows) and don't change a great deal from release to release. That means whatever I learn on Linux is banked and remains useful.
Right now I am just having trouble remembering how the server installation and configuration goes. Once I have passed this hurdle (it would be the same or worse with a Windows Server). I am not an IT guy and my expertise lies elsewhere. Steps will be taken to ensure this doesn't happen again as it is a total waste of my time and money to jump through hoops for decisions Microsoft makes that do not have a good technical reason. W7 would have been secure and fine no matter what Microsoft says. Killing the network browser does no in any way enhance security when you have someone who does know what they are doing trying to steal your data. Just a casual user who wants to copy your data - and that is if he knows what machine and directory (sorry, folder) the data is in. There is security in that, because certain files are stored on various machines and have fun figuring out how I arranged my directory names and contents out.
-Chris
Chris, do you have significant passwords on all your users and machines?
Windows networks different if I set no password, a 2-char password, or a real password. It's been a decade since I knew how/why.
Windows networks different if I set no password, a 2-char password, or a real password. It's been a decade since I knew how/why.
Hi PRR,
Yes, and thank you. Every machine has real usernames and passwords. Old habits die hard. 🙂
Fedora Server 34 is up and running. Now installing a GUI and some server apps.
Windows machines are about to join a real network. I'm starting to remember how to work with Linux machines again, and it makes so much more sense than Windows.
-Chris
Yes, and thank you. Every machine has real usernames and passwords. Old habits die hard. 🙂
Fedora Server 34 is up and running. Now installing a GUI and some server apps.
Windows machines are about to join a real network. I'm starting to remember how to work with Linux machines again, and it makes so much more sense than Windows.-Chris
I have user names and passwords but I still use "share level security" - Anyone on my network can access my "C" drive and have full read/write access (that is when I boot Windows, otherwise when I'm in Manjaro, OpenSSH shared my files with SFTP.). I Hit it with \\192.168.2.12\data because you can't browse shares that use the old obsolete system anymore.
Same with my NAS - By IP address.
You can also try turning SMB 1.0 back on: Can't access shared folders from File Explorer - Windows Client | Microsoft Docs
Same with my NAS - By IP address.
You can also try turning SMB 1.0 back on: Can't access shared folders from File Explorer - Windows Client | Microsoft Docs
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Hi kodabmx,
That stuff might help. I'll give it a shot.
Right now the server is updating software. Web console works perfectly, but I am trying to set it to runlevel 5 (graphical user interface). I'm pretty rusty at this stuff, but I am recognizing things more and more.
Thank you
That stuff might help. I'll give it a shot.
Right now the server is updating software. Web console works perfectly, but I am trying to set it to runlevel 5 (graphical user interface). I'm pretty rusty at this stuff, but I am recognizing things more and more.
Thank you
Hi kodabmx,
Some of that stuff was on. Boy, a lot of silly settings to turn on when it should have been simple to do.
I have to run around to other computers to turn these things on now. What a bother!
Thanks, Chris
Some of that stuff was on. Boy, a lot of silly settings to turn on when it should have been simple to do.
I have to run around to other computers to turn these things on now. What a bother!
Thanks, Chris
Yard sales have been good to me. I picked up a Ryobi 16" scroll saw for $20 and I wanted a router; the wish was granted yesterday. First some bits for $2 and then the machine for $10 at a different sale. Saw another router this morning coming back from grocery shopping for $25...all I want to do is route out a couple speaker cutouts so I can flush mount to the baffle. Now I can. If I can just figure out how, with the cutout already made!
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I bought spools of wire today on AliExpress, as I am deeply indulging myself in the dream of assembling stuff.
Cut out a circle of the outside diameter in a spare piece of material, preferably harder material than the work. Clamp it to the baffle and use it as a guide. Only do a very shallow cut at a time, making several passes very carefully to get it to the correct depth.
Oh, I bought a new router too, dualband Linksys EA6100, instead of the old cheap TP-Link TL-WR741. For my parent's house (where I am on my vacation now). Actually, it is in the used state but it is fine, costed 3 times less than the new one.
And after that, I updated the Wi-Fi drivers for the Wi-Fi module on my current laptop. It worked fine yesterday but today the Wi-Fi card refuses to work, and I don't have old drivers. :-(
So I ordered a new Wi-Fi module too (Intel 7260hmw - Wireless-AC 7260 HalfSize 802.11 b,g,n,ac). The old Wi-Fi module (Intel Centrino n6235) was a bit problematic anyway - it has latency problems which is ok if you only surfing the internet.
By the way, we have a lot of used Linksys routers from the USA here (but mine one - seems to be official, as I can see from the power supply connector).
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As I remember, we can change the workgroup name in Win10. I'm just not sure about all releases. Something other may be a reason which doesn't give your user a right to change it.
And browsing the network with 'older-than-Win10-PCs' (Win7) - may be another trouble.
Hi Vovk Z,
Yes, the first thing W10 did was to shut out all the older operating systems. Reason. They are not considered secure.
The last time I checked, my security is my problem, not anyone else's. Microsoft has gone too far this time.
-Chris
Yes, the first thing W10 did was to shut out all the older operating systems. Reason. They are not considered secure.
The last time I checked, my security is my problem, not anyone else's. Microsoft has gone too far this time.
-Chris
Hi again, Chris!
I agree with you (as always 🙂.
Just in case, here is a good article about your problem with displaying computers in a network: Network Computers are not Showing Up in Windows 10.
(The main answer, among other things, is to turn on an old unsecure SMB 1.x protocol)
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Doc said he wants a chest xray. "Just go over there, same place as Labcorp; you can probably walk right in". So I go do that and on my way back I notice this place called "The Treasure Chest" so I stop in to check it out.
Brought home this for $100. Runs pretty nice. Not perfect, as it wont go to 45 deg - hard stop at ~35. Somehow, the end of the screw shaft got all beat up, so it wont crank out to the end. Cant imagine how it could happen, but it happened - I thought the shaft would just need a good clean / lube.
Now how am I going to chase those threads clean? Who'd even have a die that's like 8 turns per inch? Guess I'll be doing a lot of filing, if I ever want to swing it 45 deg.
Brought home this for $100. Runs pretty nice. Not perfect, as it wont go to 45 deg - hard stop at ~35. Somehow, the end of the screw shaft got all beat up, so it wont crank out to the end. Cant imagine how it could happen, but it happened - I thought the shaft would just need a good clean / lube.
Now how am I going to chase those threads clean? Who'd even have a die that's like 8 turns per inch? Guess I'll be doing a lot of filing, if I ever want to swing it 45 deg.
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Hi jjasniew,
A machine shop could easily create a new screw if you can't clean it up.
Hi Vovk Z,
Thank you for that.
As far as making my network more secure, turning off the SMB protocol does not boost security. If you know only a little about what you are doing, you can still get into everything. So this is nothing more than a cash grab by making everyone's life more difficult.
If I can find software that does what I need, I'll be going back to Linux and staying there. For me, Fedora has been stable and secure. No surprises and it helps me rather than hinders me at every corner. Plus, it doesn't "help" me by reporting everything or installing software that isn't in my interest.
The Windows universe truly is an evil place where the users are kept in the dark and stupid. Yet, everyone seems to accept this situation. All I can say is ... wow!
A machine shop could easily create a new screw if you can't clean it up.
Hi Vovk Z,
Thank you for that.
As far as making my network more secure, turning off the SMB protocol does not boost security. If you know only a little about what you are doing, you can still get into everything. So this is nothing more than a cash grab by making everyone's life more difficult.
If I can find software that does what I need, I'll be going back to Linux and staying there. For me, Fedora has been stable and secure. No surprises and it helps me rather than hinders me at every corner. Plus, it doesn't "help" me by reporting everything or installing software that isn't in my interest.
The Windows universe truly is an evil place where the users are kept in the dark and stupid. Yet, everyone seems to accept this situation. All I can say is ... wow!
Many people were grown with Windows and they don't know about other OS at all. As for me I'm afraid that I won't have all the software I need if I'll use non-Windows. So I am happy with Win7 pro (with lic. code bought on ebay).