Error Connecting to C$: Device Attached to the System is not Functioning

Troubleshooting
Published Apr 16, 2014 Updated Mar 18, 2018

When I tried to connect to the administrative file share C$ on my wife’s computer I got the error A device attached to the system is not functioning.

A device attached to the system is not functioning - 2

The other way round worked without a hitch, i.e. I could access my laptop’s C$ share from my wife’s computer.

When I tried to connect to her computer on the commandline I got this:

d:\>net use \\Computername\C$ /user:Computername\Username *
Type the password for \\Computername\C$:
System error 58 has occurred.

The specified server cannot perform the requested operation.

Different error message, same result.

After fruitlessly poking around some more I finally had the idea to check the target computer’s firewall settings. And indeed, file and printer sharing was disabled:

File and Printer Sharing disabled in Windows firewall

After enabling file and printer sharing for private networks and also disabling UAC remote restrictions (we are in a workgroup environment, not in a domain) things worked as expected.

Administrative Shares Firewall

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