“Base-Ops this is Buzz Light Year. I seem to have been stranded on some strange planet. No sign of any working Windows Seven file sharing here.”

Microsoft Windows Seven Ultimate Edition

So you’ve manage to get Windows Seven installed, no problems. Everything’s great, the new quick launch bar is actually useful, the OS loads up fast, and the cool new grouped roll over window preview pane is actually letting you get some work done now. You’re ready to go to the next lan party and sport your new slick OS, get some compliments and “Ooohhs” and “Awws”, and swap a few files…. but wait, what happened to the Windows Networking? Why isn’t it working anymore? How are you going to trade the latest season of Red Vs. Blue if you can’t even connect to another Windows file sharing enabled computer?

Microsoft has amped-up their new operating system with some new security standards, which notably fix their aging Samba (SMB) Windows File Sharing protocol. By default, Windows Seven comes pre-configured to only communicate with other file sharing clients and servers which are also using the new beefed-up and more secure version of the Samba file sharing protocol. Because of this, it will not properly communicate with computers running older versions of Samba (SMB) Windows File Sharing protocol.

So are you SOL? If you don’t continue to read this guide you will be. I’ve made a quick walk through with screen shots guiding you on how to restore your file sharing capabilities with older Windows File Sharing computers including but not limited to Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 95/98/ME, and even Linux distributions running the SMB service.

Chicken Noodle Soup for the Windows 7 User’s Soul

To start us out, you need to go to your Start Menu, and search for “Local Security Policy“. When it comes up, don’t click it straight away. Right click, and say “Run as Administrator“.

Start - Local Security Policies

Select Local Security Policies from the Directory Tree on the left, and then beneath of that, select Security Options.

Local Security Policies - Local Policies - Security Options

From here, under the policy browser select and open “Network security:Minimum session security for NTLM SSP (including RPC based) Clients“.

Network Security - Minimum session security for client.

Uncheck both boxes so that neither “Require NTLMv2 session security” or “Require 128-bit encryption” are checked. Apply the settings and close that window.

Un-check the box "require minimum security" for clients.

Now, right below the currently selected policy in the policy browser, select and open “Network security:Minimum session security for NTLM SSP (including RPC based) Servers“. Again, Uncheck both boxes so that neither “Require NTLMv2 session security” or “Require 128-bit encryption” are checked. Apply the settings and close that window.

Uncheck the "require encryption" box for servers, and apply the changes.

With those settings set, we are two thirds done. Back in the Security Policies browser for Local Security Policies – Security Options, locate and open the policy “Network Security LAN Manager authentication level“.

Network Security - Lan manager authentication level.

In the drop down selector for the options of this policy, Locate and select the option “Send LM & NTLM – use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated“. Click Apply, and close out of all policy management windows.

Set the lan manager authentication level to "Send LM and NTLM responses."

That wasn’t so bad, was it?

After changing these settings, you should be able to access any SMB server, assuming that you’ve properly configured the server itself to allow you to connect to it.

If you are still having trouble after doing this, double check that the machine you are connecting to has it’s Samba file sharing configured properly as well, that your network connection on both computers is solid and configured properly, and that if you are running any firewalls on either machine, that you have set them up properly to allow for Windows Samba File Sharing on the network. I was able to access my SMB share on my Linux file server after modifying these settings on Windows 7.

Note to Linux Users: The new NTLMv2 protocol in Windows Seven has been known to cause the Samba server process on a Linux operating system to hang and or crash when receiving attempted communication from a NTLMv2 enabled client. You may need to restart the samba service on your Linux server if you have previously attempted to connect from a NTLMv2 Client (such as Windows Seven).

Post Revisions

• 2009-10-01:Changed the recommended configuration option for setting authentication level of the LAN manager from “Send LM and NTLM responses.” to “Send LM and NTLM. – Use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated.” This was changed for better compatibility of devices which use NTLMv2.
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Tags: client, file sharing, fix, guide, hack, linux, Microsoft, Network, Networking, patch, Samba, server, SMB, tip, tutorial, Win7, Windows 7, Windows Seven, Winows File Sharing