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PC1: Windows 10 Pro, paid for product key

PC2: Windows 10 Home, did not pay for product key, logged in with same Microsoft account as PC1, does not show the "Activate Windows" watermark in the bottom right corner

I did the following:

  1. Made sure both PCs have their network connection set to Private (since both PCs are in my home)
  2. For the Private profile, I made sure that both PCs have the "Turn on network discovery/Turn on automatic..." setting enabled and also "Turn on file and printer sharing" enabled
  3. For the All Networks tab, I made sure to turn off password protected sharing for both PCs

On PC2, I can see PC1 and open the Users folder (and get to Desktop, Documents, etc..). On PC1, I can see PC2 but I cannot open the Users folder because the PC2 folder is empty. Why can't I explore the contents of PC2 from PC1?

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  • Windows installations don’t typically have an “activation” watermark (or any watermark), only exception I know, are Insider Preview builds. Are you running an Insider Preview build? Why are you expecting a watermark.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Sep 20, 2022 at 23:08
  • @Ramhound when you download and install Windows without a product key, normally it shows a watermark on the bottom right of your screen.
    – whatwhatwhat
    Commented Sep 21, 2022 at 2:17
  • My comment was with regards to an activated copy of WIndows. Your Windows 10 Home installation is clearly a OEM copy.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Sep 21, 2022 at 2:31
  • @Ramhound but Windows didn't come with this hardware. I had to install it using the Windows media creation tool that I downloaded from the internet.
    – whatwhatwhat
    Commented Sep 21, 2022 at 3:18
  • Desktop or Laptop? Is the computer an OEM device?
    – Ramhound
    Commented Sep 21, 2022 at 3:20

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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The "Users" folder is not shared by default. Windows only sets up a share for \Users when someone uses the "Give access to..." function on some folder for the first time.

To set up a share manually, right-click the \Users folder on PC2 and select "Properties → Sharing → Advanced Sharing → Share this folder".

(In the same "Advanced Sharing" dialog, also click "Permissions" and enable Change access to "Everyone". Be careful to not confuse this with the Security tab – do not grant any access through the "Security" tab, only through the "Share Permissions" tab.)

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  • I followed your steps, but now PC2 isn't even showing up in PC1's network. Before it was showing up there but I couldn't see the Users folder, now the whole PC is completely gone.
    – whatwhatwhat
    Commented Sep 27, 2022 at 20:12

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