so, I'm confused now - does this mean that when I try and connect to the PC, see the PC fine but then get an error after the credentials page - it's because I don't have the sama installed?
I have 10.2 - I can see the PC, it connects, asks for a password, I enter it, I get 5023 error. I'm not very good on PC's so I don't know what to check and where. All I know is this PC is running Windows 2000.
It should ask you for more than just your password.
You should enter the workgroup, the username you have on the PC, and the PC password for that username. That is all that is needed. If you can already see the PC, you should be able to connect.
No you do not need SAMBA. It is already installed.
Ok, it already enter the workgroup, the username and password blank field - I enter what I think is my password and I get the error 5023. I'm not very good with PC's at all - where would I get the password from the PC?
When you are asked to enter the username and password, this is the username and password for the computer you wish to connect to not the one you are trying to connect from.
First things first. You need a user account on the PC you are trying to connect to or you need an administrator to make a folder on that PC which is sharable with you. Without one of these two options you can not connect.(well legally anyways)
This sounds like you problem. I always re-enter the fields in sign in window(workgroup, username and password) just to be sure the correct data is being transferred. But then again, my mac has different usernames than my PC so the default username from my mac is not recognized and I have to enter in the PC username to logon.