I hate computers

[tiv48]

All was well until the mother board packed in on my desktop PC .
As i was going to Bristol i called in at the computer fair and bought a used DEll optiplex 7400 for £30.
This had win 10 installed i fitted a wifi dongle and got the internet working ok.
The fun started when i tried to connect to the home network.
I was asked for windows credentials user name and password ?  after trying every pass word i could think of i gave up and had i try at joining the home group as 3 of my computers are already using it.
but when i tried to join i got a message saying "this computer cant be connected to home group"!
after hours of google i found the answer.
go to c:\programdata\microsoft\crypto\rsa  right click on the folder scroll to properties and share with all.
not only did this work but so now did the home network.
microsoft help was no help at all.
can someone tell me what are network credentials? do i need them ? if so how do i enter them.
i have looked it up but am even more confused.
if anyone can tell me can you please keep it simple.
Thanks Rob T 

[Dick.1]

It's basically that MS home groups cannot accept a new addition that does not have an assigned password or credentials as our transatlantic cousins call them & so will demand the password before allowing the new machine into the group.

One fix is to change the password in one of your existing machines on the network & use this to update the other machines on the network including the new one.

Do you really need this ....short answer no , but it's easier just to go along with MS & it's quirks

You can also go to.................... Control panel\All control panel items\Network & sharing center\Advanced sharing settings......................scroll down to the end of the options & select "Turn off password selected sharing"

Hope this makes things a bit clearer

Dick.

[tiv48]

thanks Dick
i still don't understand how come i have set up networks for years and never had this problem before ?
Rob T

[Craig]

The more I hear about W10 the more determined I become that I want nothing to do with it.