Although HomeGroup makes file sharing easier, many PCs running various versions of Windows can’t always join or form a HomeGroup on their local network. This article will walk you through various possible solutions to the “Windows can’t set up a homegroup on this computer” problem.
In most circumstances, Windows users receive the message “Windows can’t set up a homegroup on this computer.” This issue shows whenever the user attempts to join or establish a Homegroup using the afflicted machine.
We made this article to help users like you fix the windows cannot setup a homegroup on this computer windows 7 issue on your computers.
What Causes the Windows cannot setup a homegroup on this computer Windows 7 Error?
A homegroup is a group of computers that may share files and printers on a home network. Having a Homegroup facilitates file sharing. However, some users frequently encounter issues when attempting to join an existing homegroup on their local network.
The “Peer Networking Grouping” service frequently fails to start, resulting in this error. The Peer Networking Grouping service is in charge of providing multi-party communication via Peer-to-Peer Grouping.
This service is crucial to Windows’ ability to join and establish Homegroups, and it governs how PCs in the same Homegroup interact. The troubleshooting steps listed below may assist you in resolving the “Windows can’t set up a homegroup on this computer” problem.
Solutions To Resolve Windows Cannot Setup A Homegroup On This Computer
- Run The Homepage Troubleshooter
- Manually Start Peer Networking Group Service
- Allow Complete Control To Machine Keys And Peer Networking Folders
- Rename Machine Keys Directory
- Turn Off AllHomegroup
- Ensure IPv6 Is Enabled
- Make Sure Your Clock Is Set Right
- Change The PC Name
Solution 1: Run The Homepage Troubleshooter
If the problem is in the homepage configuration, the troubleshooter may find and resolve it. To do so,
- First enter the “start menu” by clicking the “Windows key” or, if that doesn’t work, by the windows icon, type “control,” and then access the “control panel.”
- Type “troubleshoot” into the control panel window.
- On the left side of the troubleshooting box, choose “see all.”
- Locate “homegroup” in the list and follow the instructions.
Restart your computer after you’ve completed the troubleshooter.
Solution 2: Manually Start Peer Networking Group Service
When the services are not operating, the error windows cannot set up a homegroup on this machine win 10 might occur. To address this,
- From the “Start” menu, type “services.msc” into the “run” bar.
- Right-click on it to modify the kind of service.
- Select “manual” and adjust the system startup type to “local service.”
After that, manually restart the service to see whether the fault remains.
Solution 3: Allow Complete Control To Machine Keys And Peer Networking Folders
In some circumstances, system processes obstruct the setup; control should be delegated to machine keys to avoid this. To do so,
- 1.Search for the applications using the paths C:ProgramDataMicrosoftCryptoRSAMachineKeys and C:WindowsServiceProfilesLocalServiceAppDataRoamingPeerNetworking.
- 2. Right-click on both and select “properties.”
- 3. Look for the “edit” option in the “security” tab.
- 4. Locate and enable the “full control” option.
This should fix the message “Windows 10 can’t create a homegroup.
Solution 4: Rename Machine Keys Directory
If the problem persists, machine keys may be to blame. To rename them,
- Navigate to location C: ProgramDataMicrosoftCryptoRSA. Locate “Machine Keys” and right-click on it.
- Select the “Rename” option and open it.
- Rename it “Machine Keys-old” instead of “Machine Keys.”
- To provide access, create a new folder called Machine Keys and grant full control rights to all devices and users on the PC.
This will rename the problematic keys and fix the problem.
Solution 5: Turn Off AllHomegroup
Can’t connect to a Homegroup on Windows 10? It might be the result of networks converging. To prevent several homegroups from impeding new homegroups, do the following.
- Open “task manager” and terminate all services, beginning with “home” or “peers.
- Go to C:\Windows\Service\Profiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking, Delete everything in the directory that opens, PeerNetworking.
- Make sure all but one of the network’s devices are turned off.
- On the working device, establish a new homegroup and invite all other devices to join it.
This will generate a new homegroup free of interference from prior networks. If the situation persists, look for an incorrect directory name error.
Solution 6: Ensure IPv6 Is Enabled
The problem may arise if your computer’s IPv6 functionality is deactivated. To activate this,
- Open the “network” settings from the start menu or, if the start menu is unavailable, from the bottom right of your screen.
- Navigate to “change adapter settings” and choose the “properties” tab for your connection.
- Locate and enable “Internet Protocol Version 6” (TCP/IPv6).
- Make sure this is true for all devices in the Homegroup.
This will allow the network protocol and resolve the issue “Windows 10 cannot form a homegroup.
Solution 7: Make Sure Your Clock Is Set Right
Some people who encountered the problem had incorrect clock timings. This might be a problem for you as well. To double-check and rectify it,
- Right-click on the “taskbar” and select “change time/date.”
- Disable the “Set time automatically” option and wait a few moments.
- Re-enable it and try to create the Homegroup again.
This is an uncommon method, but it does fix the problem.
Solution 8: Change The PC Name
If the problem is in the setup, you will need to alter the names of the linked devices. To accomplish this,
- In the start menu’s search bar, type “name.”
- Select “view your PC name” from the drop-down menu.
- Look for “rename this PC” in the popup that appears.
- Enter the new name and press the “next” button.
Restart your PC, and if you cannot build a Homegroup, repeat the process for all additional devices.
Conclusion
We hope you could resolve the issue without establishing homegroup windows with the assistance of our tutorial. If the problem persists, try resetting your computer.
Now that Windows allows you to form a new homegroup, you may resume sharing and managing files on all of your devices without worrying about Windows being unable to join a homegroup.