File Sharing

[pshermanfl]

Hi. Yes, I'm a newbie here, and yes, I have read other posts on this!

I have a new home network.I have a laptop running XP Media Edition and a new computer running Vista. I work with images. I process them in the Vista machine and often email them from the Media Center machine. It would be handy to be able to move them easily back and forth (without having to use a flash drive). It seems that this is possible but I do not understand how. One response in another thread said "make sure that all pcs are in the same workgroup, have filesharing turned on, & that the windows firewall(s) are not blocking any filesharing. then go into 'network' or 'my network places' & browse the computers within the workgroup. if you do not put the pcs in the same workgroup, then go to 'start', 'run' & type in the pc's name you want to access."

That's great. 1. How do I find/configure a "workgroup"? 2. How do I turn on filesharing? 3. When I go to "my network places" I find some reference to MSN and that's all. 4. What is my pc's "name"?

Sort of like asking directions in a place you've never been before and being told that you go to the mayor's house, and then you just have to cross the street. Kind of a lot missing here.

So! Can anyone either give me a usable step-by-step to do this, or direct me to a site/tutorial that does not assume you are already halfway there? (I went to the one linked to that same thread and it clearly pre-dated Vista, so was of no use.) I don't need to know why I am doing anything, just need the instructions in clear 1-2-3 (if that is possible. This is, after all, Windows...).

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks.