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Sharing all files
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:31 pm
by thewolfe
Sharing all files
I want to share all files with two WinXP computers on my network.
I share "C" but if I drill down it will/may ask me to setup sharing with a sub folder.
Is there a way to share all?
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:35 pm
by DCrazy
In My Computer, right click on C: and choose Sharing and Security. Click "If you understand the risk...". Click "Share this folder without using the Network Wizard." Then choose "Just share this folder" and click OK. Check the "Share this folder on the network" box, and if you want other computer to be able to modify the files, check the "Allow network user to change my files" box as well. Click OK, let XP do its thing, and everything should be OK.
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:04 pm
by Krom
Better yet, go into folder options and uncheck "Use simple file sharing" in the view tab, then connect to the c$ default share using an admin user/pass.
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:59 pm
by DCrazy
Can't do that under XP Home, so might as well provide the lowest-common-denominator solution.
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:19 pm
by thewolfe
I did as dcrazy said but files within C: like documents and settings couldn't be accesed so I shared that folder then I couldn't get into a sub folder of that........
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:15 pm
by roid
that's because some folders within documents and settings are passworded to their respective users.
(note all the user specific info is stored here - desktops, startmenus, etc)
an administrator login may be able to bypass this. i'm not sure.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:24 am
by DCrazy
The admin logon for the PC can, but people who are "Computer Administrators" cannot.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:24 am
by JMEaT
I seem to recall a checkbox saying "Allow networked computers to see/change my files." In the user panel.
I'll have to dig around, I think I got it working on my laptop but not home PC.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:31 am
by DCrazy
Yeah that's the equivalent of installing File and Printer Sharing on 9x.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:37 am
by thewolfe
Just found this in the "Help"
"The Sharing option is not available for the Documents and Settings, Program Files, and WINDOWS system folders. In addition, you cannot share folders in other user's profiles."
I'm was trying to get my Quicklaunch folder amoung other files that is in Docs & Set.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:16 am
by Krom
Ugh, one more reason to get XP Pro.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:37 am
by DCrazy
Well, if you have XP Pro, you can turn off Simple File Sharing to get around the problem. With Simple File Sharing turned on (which it is by default) all remote users authenticate as Guest. This makes accessing the C$ share impossible. If you turn off Simple File Sharing on your computers, they will be able to access each other's C$ shares.
For example, if ComputerA has a user Thewolfe1 whose password is "abc", and ComputerB has a user Thewolfe2 whose password is "xyz", and Simple File Sharing is turned off on both computers, you will be able to type "\\ComputerB\C$" in the Run box of ComputerA, and provide the username "Thewolfe2" and the password "xyz" to get access to all files on that computer's C: drive. Likewise, from ComputerB, you can open up "\\ComputerA\C$" and provide the username "Thewolfe1" and the password "abc" to access ComputerA's C: drive.
If you really want to go hardcore, you can use the ADMIN$ share instead of the C$ share. In this case, you must authenticate as "Administrator" with the remote computer's Administrator password (not just a Computer Administrator user, the actual Administrator account).
This is basically what Krom was suggesting above, but this all depends on Simple File Sharing being disabled, which is impossible in XP Home.