Home Forums Discussions Problems Windows10 Creators "upgrade" killed my network

Last night for the second time Windows 10 Professional forced a major upgrade on my Main computer on my Peer to Peer network. Now none of the client machines can find the Main computer. Amazing Charts works just fine on all computers, but we keep all non-amazing chart files on the Main computer (ledgers, forms, etc.) and now none of the clients FileExplorer can find the Main computer. We will have to limp through the day until I can roll back this upgrade once we get patients out of the office today. Last automatic major Upgrade was even worse, not even AmazingCharts would work. Had to roll back that one too.

Any suggested solutions before we roll back? Client machine FileExplorer no longer displays Main computer on Network. Client machine desktop links to Main computer still work. But not FileExplorer. Only the Main computer upgraded last night.

I am no expert but try typing the pathway to the main computer in the File explorer 'address bar' like:||main computer

(|| above is black slashes)

This might force the client to connect.

Restart one of the clients and see if it picks up the Main computer on your network.

Since Microsoft isn't going to reimburse you for practice delay and disruption, I'd recommend upgrading to Windows 7 Pro/Enterprise. A vendor that forces upgrades on you that incapacitate your business is not aligned with your best interests. Minimize their ability to incapacitate you.

This is a business choice.

Try using the IP Address of the server directly.

In File Explorer, you can put \\192.168.X.X

Solved: We managed to limp through the day and get patients seen and out of the office after which I could return my attention to debugging this.

First, my sincere appreciation to many prompt replies and helpful suggestions. I find the user board invaluable for the networking collegiality.
Unfortunately, restarting main computer and clients made no difference.
Client FileExplorer\\<MainComputerLocalNetworkAddress> also was unsuccessful.

The solution may be more useful to others if I restate the problem a bit more clearly.
First some definitions:
"Desktop" means a computer housed in a metal tower, not portable.
"desktop" means Windows OS user window.

Network: Peer to Peer, 1 Main computer and 4 clients, all Windows 10 but a mix of Home (Laptops) and Professional (Desktops)
All files (AmazingCharts and otherwise) stored on Main computer - several thousand, many confidential from staff.
Client staff accounts given access to about 100 shared files on Main computer (timecards, cash drawer ledger, inventory, forms). This is done by going on Main computer FileExplorer navigating to file to be shared and right clicking ShareWith/SpecificPeople and then individually giving each staff user either Read or Read/Write privileges. Established over 9 years of practice file by file as various files developed, I have no list of what has been shared, and it would be very difficult and time consuming to recreate this.

Main Computer automatically upgraded to Windows 10 Pro "Creator" Version 1703
Thereafter, staff user client FileExplorer initially would not display Main computer. Interestingly, physician user client Laptop FileExplorer still could access Main computer shared files, but the shared files are all owned by the physician user on Main computer.
However, client computers staff users still could log on and use AmazingCharts, and client staff user desktop shortcuts still navigated to shared files on Main computer and displayed them correctly. Once a client computer accessed a desktop shortcut, then the client FileExplorer would show the Main computer, but NOT any of the shared files. The only shared files accessible were the few with shortcuts on client staff user desktops, and only when accessed from the shortcut, not from FileExplorer on which they were still not displayed at all.

Solution:
Main computer FileExplorer, navigate to any shared file, right click, ShareWith/SpecificPeople. Still shows all original permissions intact. None the less, for every user, again enter either Read or Read/Write permissions unchanged and click "Share". Just once, and just for any one random previously shared file, not all previous shared files.
Now, client machine staff user accounts FileExplorer all navigate and display all 100 previously shared files.

I certainly don't understand why this happened or why the above actions restored access, but we are back in business.