Resolved Windows Homegroup gone? Windows Feature Update?

In mid 2017, I set up a Windows Homegroup to move files between my desktop and laptop. It worked fine until today.

My laptop just ran the Windows 10 vers 1709 update today. After it ran, I tried to connect my computers using my Homegroup, and it wasn't there anymore, on either computer. I haven't used it in a while, and my desktop computer installed the same update on 1/4/2018.

Any suggestions, other than rebuilding the HomeGroup from scratch?

Terry

 

Have you tried Windows Search?

 

Can you be more specific about "Windows Search?" I'm aware of a Windows Search within a File Explorer, and I ran that searching for "Hercules" which is the name of the laptops, but it never found that.


But in the meantime, some other "stuff" happened.

For reference, I have 3 computers networked. The desktop is named "THOR," my laptop is "HERCULES" and my wife's is "JOANNS-LAPTOP" Within each of these three named network sites, I have a folder that I use to pass files from one computer to another. It's worked very well over the last year.

All three of these computers have undergone the vers 1709 over the last week, with THOR on January 4 , HERCULES yesterday, and JOANNS-LAPTOP today.

When I tried to connect THOR to HERCULES this morning, neither could see the other computer. Later in the day, for a short time, I could see THOR from HERCULES. Then later, they all were unhooked from each other.

Now within the last 15 minutes, THOR can see HERCULES and JOANNS-COMPUTER. BUT HERCULES cannot see THOR, but it can see JOANNS-LAPTOP.

And JOANNS-LAPTOP cannot see the other two.

I expect if I give it a half hour, this will change. So it's working sometimes, but its not stable. I've not seen this behavior before.


As a side note, Microsoft Outlook 2003 on JOANNS-LAPTOP ceased to function, other than open up. After fiddling around, I went to the programs list and ran a "repair" on it, and now it is working again.


It seems to me that I have more problems resulting from Microsoft updates than I do from viruses and malware.

 

More information. While everything looked connected, I tried passing two files totaling 10 GB from THOR to HERCULES. It worked for about 2 minutes, and then froze. The connection had disappeared. That's the first time I've ever experienced that.

 

The Search icon is generally adjacent to the Start button. It was just a thought that Windows could look inside itself in case the update had disturbed/lost your settings.
The other unit I would try is Troubleshooting. This can accessed through Control Panel or Settings.

 

Tried search. No help.

Network and Homegroup troubleshooters did not identify any problems. At this point, none of the connections above are working.

 

Anyone else notice the network issues with Windows 10 Creator's edition?
Read down about #19 as the user states he has a fix - hope it pertains to your problem.
SOLVED: Homegroup lost - Problem found in troubleshooting: "One or more network protocols are missing on this computer"
This advises complete SHUT down of all comps on the network to achieve resolution.

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I'll try that today.

 

Retiredlearner,

Thank you very much for the tip.

The link you posted on recovering the Homegroup discussed the need for replacing some software components, then shutting down all computers, taking them up in order, and applying a new Homegroup password to all computers.

Since the problem I had seemed to result from the installation of the of the Windows 1709 update, I decided to try a simpler approach. I just shut down completely all three computers, then brought them up one by one, starting with the computer where I originally installed the homegroup. This FIXED the problem for all three computers, at least so far. I'll report back if the problem reappears.

 

Great news.
It always pays to Shut down a comp after changes have been made to enable the software to adjust.