Share files between Windows Vista and Windows 7

If you’ve recently added a Windows 7 PC to your home network, you don’t have to worry about it not being able to communicate and share files with PCs running Windows Vista on the same network. Windows Vista brought simple-to-use file and folder sharing that made accessing your documents on one PC from another easier than ever.

Windows 7 builds upon this file sharing with the introduction of HomeGroups. Although some of these new file sharing features have been designed to work best between Windows 7 computers, you can still take advantage of most of them when using different versions of Windows. In only a short time you’ll be able to get Windows 7 and Windows Vista sharing files, folders, printers and more.

Step-by-step: Share your files

1 Connect the PCs to a home networkIn order for your Windows 7 and Windows Vista computers to be able to communicate with each other, they need to be connected to the same network. You need a network router that connects your PCs to the network either by wires or through wireless connections.

2 Make sure the PCs are in the same workgroupYour PCs also need to be in the same workgroup so they can see each other on the network. In both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, go to Start, right-click Computer and select Properties. In the Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings section, click Change settings.

3 Remember the name
In the System Properties window, click Change. Make sure Workgroup is selected and it says WORKGROUP in the box, or at least the same workgroup name, for each PC. Also take a note of each PC’s name in the Computer name: box, because this helps you identify which PC is which when connected to the network.

4 View your network
Once all your PCs are connected to the network, and you’ve made sure they’re on the same network, click the Start menu and type network into the search box. Select Network and you should see all the PCs and media devices (such as Xbox 360s) on your network. In Windows Vista, click Start and then Network.

5 Choose a folder to share in Windows 7
You can share an entire folder, giving PCs on your network access to all the files within. Right-click a folder and select Share with ➜ Specific people… Click the drop-down box and select Everyone, then click Add. If you want to let other PCs modify the file, under permission level click Read/Write, then click Share.

6 Choose a folder to share in Windows Vista
Sharing folders in Windows Vista is a similar process to sharing folders in Windows 7. Right-click the folder you want to share and select Share… Click the drop-down list, select Everyone (All users in this list) and click Add. To allow people on the other PCs to alter the files, change the permission to Contributor.

7 Share files
Both Windows Vista and Windows 7 come with shared folders that have been configured to share whatever is in them with other PCs on your network. If you want to share a file, you can drag and drop the file into these shared folders. Alternatively, you can right-click and share the files as you would a folder.

8 Access shared files and folders
Once you’ve shared the files and folders, you can access them on the other PCs by viewing your network again (see step 4) and double-clicking on the icon for the other computer. The shared files and folders are displayed. To get quick access to these shared folders, right-click on them and select Create shortcut.

9 Share a printer
To share a printer connected to one PC so you can print from another, click Start ➜ Devices and Printers. Right-click your printer then Properties ➜ Sharing ➜ Share this printer. To add a printer from another PC, click Add a printer ➜ Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer, select the printer then click Next.

10 Get sharing
Well done – you can now successfully share files and folders between your Windows 7 and Windows Vista computers! No matter which PC you’re currently working on, you can access your files and even print them out – saving you having to run between rooms with a USB stick.