Everything is as it should be according to your instructions

net user guest shows account active yes on both computers

Client for Microsoft Networks enabled on both computers

File & Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks enabled on both computers

services.msc
Workstation Startup Type is "Automatic on both
Server Startup Type is "Automatic on both
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Startup Type is "Automatic on both
Computer Browser Startup Type is "Automatic on both

uninstalling McAfee does not seem to be a good idea, I have only recently installed this and the problem was there before that using only windows firewall which I tried disabling with no luck.

I do not get an error message, what is happening: on the vista machine start/network only the the Notebook appears on the screen (no desktop), on the XP machine start\my network places/view workgroup computers only the Desktop (no notebook)

Can you also double-check the "Workgroup Name" to make sure they all have "THE SAME" name

I appreciate with some of the things that you have already said that you seem to know what you are doing and are not a novice, but as this problem has risen, don't take anything for granted that it is correct, until you have double checked it again.

When typing the path directly into the address bar of Vista's "Network" (My Network Places)?

\\computername \\Desktop response is windows cannot access \\Desktop

\\computername\sharedfolder \\Desktop\D response is windows cannot access \\Desktop\D

or even using the XP PC's IP address:

\\192.168.x.x \\192.168.1.1 response is windows cannot access \\192.168.1.1

Workgroup name is the same on both

I'm really scraping the barrel now on this one but try repairing the TCP/IP stack and Winsock. Open a Command Prompt window ("Start > Run", type cmd and click OK).

To repair the TCP/IP stack, at the prompt, type...

netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

...and press Enter

(note the spaces in the command line). The original prompt will reappear, exit the Command Prompt window and reboot the PC.

To reset Winsock entries, at the prompt, type...

netsh winsock reset catalog

...and press Enter

Exit the Command Prompt window and reboot the PC. (If running both repairs, reboot only after running the second command.)

Hi Mike,

That has cured the problem, both computers can now see each other on the network and share files also the printer has now appeared as well.

Thanks for your help, this has been bugging me for months and no one else has been able to fix it.

Steve

Glad to hear we got there in the end!

Well done Mike!

Just popped in to post this (But too late now) thankfully.
But it might come in handy either later or for someone else.

A How to: Tutorial can also be found here:
If the link does not open the first time (which it probably wont, it's a funny site to access) just select it again keeping the original window open.

However, glad to hear the problem is solved.
But any idea what was causing the problem?

Sounds like the TCP/IP stack and Winsock had become corrupt ..... virus could have done this .... it was running a repair on these that cured the problem.

Yes, thanks Anne

Well done Mike - brownie house point plus the glory for you.