SOLVED Workgroups Password Lost

[hehlers]

Actually someone on the network apparently created a new workgroup and without intending to do so does not have a password for it. Now I just got a new computer and would like to network with my own Desktop and to access its printer.

I keep getting asked to join an existing network and am prompted for the password. It gives the name and computer of my friend that seemingly created the Workgroup.

I am not told how to delete that Workgroup and create a new one and the commands others have mentioned are simply not there. All I can do is join the existing Workgroup which is impossible without a password.

Now given this situation how can I start over. It would be fairly easy to reset the router and build that back up again but I get the feeling the Network definition will be restored from the offending computer that created this dilemma in the first place. The owner is not keen to have me get into that computer. It was just off an hour or so ago and I rebooted my computer and tried to create a new Workgroup but I still am not given that opportunity.

Can anyone give me some help here. Seems to be a fairly common problem but other suggestions have not worked here. I am willing to do most anything and my own computer could use a rebuilding and restoration of all software about now anyway if that would help. Can resetting the router be of any help? I am just not knowledgeable as to how this all works and where the defining information is really stored. I realize the defining computer can be turned off and the balance of the computer should still be able to share files on the Network. How does that work?

 

[Trouble]

Hello hehlers and welcome to the forum.
I think you might be confusing terms.... HomeGroup versus "WORKGROUP"
You don't need a "HomeGroup" to network your two computers and share the printer.
All you need to know is the Machine Name (NetBIOS Name) of the computer that is sharing network resources (files, folders, printers, etc.), a User Name on that computer and the password for that User Name on that computer.

Make sure that you are actually sharing something on the computer hosting the resource, then open File Explorer on the computer you wish to use to access those shares, near the bottom of the left column (navigation pane), expand "Network". Select the computer that is sharing the network resource and you should be prompted for credentials to authenticate your permission to use that resource.
Just type
MachineName\UserName
Password

Where "MachineName" is the NetBIOS name of the computer hosting the printer, followed by a backslash and then the "UserName" where UserName if the name of a user on that host computer who has permission to log on to that computer and then in the password box, type the password for that user on that computer. Check the box that says remember my credentials.

That is simple WorkGroup networking and has been the same for a very long time, long before there was ever anything called HomeGroup.
I've personally never found the Microsoft "HomeGroup" construct very handy and as you are finding can sometimes be a bit of a pain.

 

[hehlers]

I was going to post an hour or two after I posted my question that the problem has been solved. Your answer however has revealed some ignorance on my part which I will have to research.

It turns out that I had done most everything right and my problem was the existing network group without a password. The secret as revealed to me by others who have posted (thank you very much) was to turn off all computers and then boot up the computer I intend to use and create a new group or network. I could not get that to work until I found that the offending computer that had created the unworkable network earlier was not really turned off but just had its monitor turned off. That made all the difference in the world. Little things can sure trip you up.

Things seem to be working just fine and Microsoft has done a good job improving things over the conditions I found ten years ago when it took me a month to get a remote computer to exchange data with a downstairs computer with the printer.

The biggest problem using the forum is to clearly state the problem so others can help. Sometimes that can be very difficult when the person with the question is quite unfamiliar with the task at hand.

I am 81 and the industry has left me somewhat behind but I love the challenge and do pretty good.