Can’t connect to shared folders

Windows 10 keeps resetting my network settings, switching on password-protected sharing and making it impossible for me to access shared folders on either of my two PCs until the feature is switched back off. But now it refuses to let me connect without network credentials, despite the fact that neither of my main user accounts are password-protected! Please help!

LES HIGGINS

Nate Drake replies: In an ideal world, Les would be logging into Windows with a Microsoft account on both PCs, meaning the problem would not arise. However, he’s using local user accounts, but because they have the same username all he needs to do is password-protect both accounts using the same password. On doing this, Les reported he was immediately able to access most of his shared folders again. Other shared folders are made accessible by rightclicking the troublesome folder and choosing ‘Give access to’ > ‘Specific people’. Type Everyone into the box and click Add. Click ‘Read’ under Permission Level and change it to Read/Write; click Share and that folder should now be accessible, too. To save the bother of having to log into Windows, press Win-R, type netplwiz and press Enter Untick ‘Users must enter a username and password to use this computer’. Click ‘Apply’, and enter your user password twice before clicking OK twice. Reboot and you should boot straight back to the Windows desktop.