Networked Computers not Showing up

Hi Everyone,

For your information:
Laptop running Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 - 32 bit
Two shared computers running Windows XP Pro - SP2


I installed ESET Smart Security a while ago, and for some reason, my two network computers (their running Windows XP, and are both shared) are not showing up when I click on the Network button in the start menu.

Before I ever installed this software, my network computers were showing up fine. But now, on my Vista running laptop, and with Smart Security installed, it's not showing my network computers at all. I tried to do an uninstall, but apparantly that did not fix it. ESET Smart Security kind of messed up my Vista Laptop. And to all surprise, I had this problem before.

I installed this software on my laptop a while back, and then I uninstalled it. Then I found out that my networking was not working... Before all of this, I had no clue it was Smart Security that caused the problem. So I reinstalled Vista.

But now, after about a month, I decide to install the software again.

My shared computers were showing up perfectly before I installed this software. But after I install it, they don't show up..

When I first installed, and ran ESET Smart Security, it popped up a message saying something about Strict Sharing, and Allow Sharing, of course I checked the box, "Allow Sharing". But still, it does not find any of my network computers. It won't even find my networked printer...

Then I tried to put the firewall on Interactive mode... But still, it did nothing.

Before I installed Smart Security, I was running Nod32, and it all worked fine with that. So I know it's the firewall in Smart Security.

Can someone help me out with this? If you have it working, how did you do it? Is there a trick to it? Because even if I uninstall the software, it still doesn't find my networked computers. And, this is not my wireless card. I installed a second copy of Vista on this computer to test it out, and it detected my network fine. It's Smart Security...I know it is.

Thanks for anyone who's reading this, and who's replying to help me fix this issue. This is a important feature for me, because on one of the networked computers I have over 30gb of data I access every day, and I would not want to put that through a flash drive...

Thanks!

-Taylor-

Edit: Even when I disable the firewall, it still does not find the networked computers. I'm not that happy with Smart Security... I've read so many reviews about Smart Security that seems so great; and I tried it for myself, and it's not allowing me to find my computers. I just wish I could get this fixed. Doesn't even find it when I uninstall the software. It altered my computers settings, I just wish I knew what it did......

 

Hello!

Uninstall ESET Smart Security and reboot.
After that , open start and search for "System Restore" . Use System Restore to revert back any potential changes that ESS has made so that you are able to see your network computers . Make sure you restore to a date some days before you first installed ESS . After that you can install NOD32 on that computer .

I don't know what exactly causes the issues on your computer.

 

Here's the bad thing.

I just found out a while ago that System Restore was disabled. I know I enabled it, but something disabled it. I have no restore points...

I cannot restore back... But, this was never supposed to happen in the first place! I just don't know what to do besides installing another OS onto my laptop...

The thing I do know is that ESET Smart Security did modify some files, and some settings; and the uninstaller did not change them back. I tried putting all the services back to normal, but of course, it didn't fix it...

The thing is, it happens both when I'm on WIFI, and on Ethernet.

I'm going to use Your Uninstaller! 2008 to remove the application completely from my system. I love NOD32 a lot, but I wanted to see if this was even better than NOD32. Kind of scared to have any software from ESET on my system now. It did this a while back from what I stated in my previous post. And there's something wrong with it... It sure isn't a coincidence either...

There's only one problem... And, I know it's Smart Security. I might try to reproduce it in a Virtual Machine. But, I'll probably be busy for the next week or so trying to re-do my PC back to normal. Installing Vista, installing my programs, setting it up; you get the picture...


Thanks,

-Taylor-

 

I tried to uninstall the application completely with Your Uninstaller! 2008, but still, it didn't fix it. That means that Smart Security probably modified some registry values, or files, and does not alter them back when Uninstalling... Well, it looks like I'm going to have to install a new OS again...

 

Your Uninstaller will revert the changes a program has made only if it has been installed before the program that is about to be uninstalled was. Even though its functions are limited , System Restore would have had better success at reverting all kind of unwanted changes made to Windows.

You can use ESET NOD32 if it is the one that you have no problems with . An active license for ESS supports downgrading to EAV(NOD32)

Good luck !

 

Yes, I understand. But, I cannot use System Restore, and I just want to get my networking feature back.

I honestly do not want to reinstall my operating system. Mostly for the fact that this computer has a lot of data on it. It would take a long time to recover it back to normal. But, it looks like I have to.

I would like to get this fixed; but it looks like no one knows how to fix it... So, I guess I am off to install a brand new copy of Windows, and start over again.

I guess I'll stick with NOD32 when I get my Windows back. But for now, I'll be busy trying to get this computer back up and running.


Thanks,

-Taylor-

 

I looked through the link, and it didn't give me any help. All of my settings are correct, I know they are.

But it's too bad that this is not being fixed easily. I truly do not want to install, and setup another OS. I'm just furious that this happened two times now. Before, I was not able to fix it. And I probably will be forced to re-do my OS. The networking feature is extremely important to me... I have 3+ PC's in my house, and it makes it much easier to maintain, and keep the files up to date on them...

Thanks,

-Taylor-