Sharing C Drive

Have recently upgraded Win2000 to XP pro but not sure if that has anything to do with this.

When I right click on the the C drive in Explorer I get a "Sharing and Security" menu - and I select this, go through a msg about the perils of sharing and wind up a screen that allows me to share "folders" over a network.

I want to share the entire C drive over my home network but when I click the boxes (share this folder, ie. presuambly 'folder' refers to the C drive); put in shared name (ie "C ") and check the box, allow others to change these files... I can only access certain files (eg NOT the Program Fiules folder) from my other PC.

I am making this changes in the Administrator account with full priviledges. For what it's worth I do not have a p/w set for the Admin or other accounts, but not sure if this would matter.

Can anybody suggest how I can set up accessing all the folders/files on this drive over the network.

 

Limitations to file sharing
While you can share most files on your computer, there are a couple of limitations:
You cannot share your copy of most software programs, such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel. You can share files created by the program, but the program itself needs to be installed on each computer in your workgroup.
You cannot share certain protected folders on your computer. These include the Documents and Settings folder, the Windows System or System 32 folder, and the Program Files folder. You also can't share files from other user's profiles.

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/broadbandnetworking/10_concept_file_share_setup.mspx

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Ordinarily, I would be at the office where I could mess with this kind of question using the "hands on" method, the computers are networked, but currently I'm at home and this puppy is a stand alone, darn it! Did you right click the specific folder such as the "programs file" and allow the sharing of that folder? I noticed that is an option on this computer? I do not know if that over rides the default "file sharing" policy but I noticed the option so I thought I'd mention it.

Perhaps the options are different using "simple file sharing" versus the having this unchecked in the options> for folders> view tab.

There may be a work around for this, I just don't know the specifics off the top of my head. Let me go have a NET_looksee and I'll be back........perhaps the "magic guru fairies" who do know this "backwards and forwards" will have dropped into this post by then. Said it before and I'll say it again: "I hate Networking"

 

I actually was able to share my program files folder... and office on top of that...

WARNING: sharing your files over a network will make your computer more vulnerable; do this at your own risk…

Well anyway, you have to go to My Computer, right click on the C drive icon, click on the sharing tab on the top... now you will see something that looks like a link in the window, it should read: If you understand the risk but still want to share the root of the drive, click here. Click on it. the window should change, the bottom box should say network sharing and security, in that box, click on network setup wizard, run through the wizard, when the wizard is done click choose not to restart... not yet, in the window that you opened in the beginning, the Network Sharing and security box has changed once again, click on the checkbox that says 'share this folder on the network' and enter some share name (something like 'mikes computer' or something) The question is weather you want to be able to change files over the network or just view them. If you want to be able to change the files, then you should click on the 'allow network users to change my files' check box. When your done, click apply, a loading screen should come up with the title: 'setting folder permissions' wait for this to finish, might take a while, when everything is done, to check if it worked, go to My computer and look at the C icon, there should be a hand under it meaning that it is shared...
Now you should restart your computer

All I can say is download a good firewall; you can find one on wilders.org

Please post back if it worked or you had any problems

Good luck,
Jason

 

oh ya.. i forgot to say, you still cannot access the windows folder on the network, but you can run programs, like word

 

Ah...see, there's a fairy now.

Just thought I'd pop in again, to mention or ask, if you have missed or overlooked Help-net's "Network" forum. I feel that there are "Risk Factor" considerations such as all the major security risks you may be undertaking by zipping through setting up your network. There are safe[r] ways of doing this and lazy less secure half ways. Any time or agravation you may think your avoiding now may come back to haunt you "Ten Fold" later.

This board has some exceptional, extraodinarily wise, patient and experienced members. I'm sure, without even looking, the Network Forum is a veritable treasure chest waiting for those wise enough to use it. You can do this by a new post or searching the archives of past posts. Reading through these posts of others past experiences, tips, and advice can be very informative. While you will be given the "fast food" fix for your current question, you be missing out on the "more tasty" pit falls and ways to avoid possible indigestion or (the horror) death by food poisoning.

^Forgive my playful metaphors, I guess I'm in one of those moods. I think you get the idea though. I will stop rambling now.....and get back to my task at hand.

 

Appreciate the advice.

I am aware of the risks of sharing folders but since it is only over my home network I'm not too concerned about this.

What confuses me is that with my other PC (call it 'A') on the LAN. also running Win XP, I have no problems accessing all the folders on that unit from the other PC ('B'), and I have set up the PCs essenetially the same. I guess the only difference is that the one ('B', which I'm having trouble sharing the C drive) has several user accounts (left over from an earlier use of the PC) and an Admin account - the other unit ('A') only has a 'one user' (if I can call it that) set up.

Basically one of the directories (call it "Photos" on 'B') I want to access over the LAN is in the Program Files folder (which won't let me access it). Although I have shared this folder, I can't get to it from the other PC ('A') since I'm not allowed to expand the Program Files folder (on 'B') to get to the Photos folder.

I know I could move the Photos folder to its own dirrectory on the C drive and share access to it that way but I can't understand why I can access all the folders (including Program Files) from one PC (ie. B looking at A) and not from the other (ie A looking at B)!

 

technicly, if you did what i said, you should be able to access everything on the computer that does not have to do with the running of the computer, ie. windows folder. what folder is this "photos" folder in? Documents and settings, my documents, etc...

pls respond.
Jason

 

That's the rub - The path for the "Photos" folder is C:\Program Files \ Image Editor \ Photos (which is where I save the edited pictures).

So on the shared drive, since I'm blocked to access the Programs File folder I can't drill down to see the Photos folder! I have shared both the Image Editor and Photos directories but when I try to view them over the LAN I'm denied at the parent directory which is the Program Files folder.

 

actually, the whole reason i told you to do those steps was so that you should be able to access the program files folder... so if you followed the directions, then you should be able to access the photos folder



if you cant... ever think about flash memory sticks

 

Thanks AbsentmindedJWC.

I followed your instructions 14 times and still can't remotely access the Program Files fllder and therefore the Photos folder.

There is obvious work-arounds such as you say using a mem-stick or setting up a folder as I'm doing now called "Hold Photos" which does allow me to access the folder over the LAN.

Accessing the Program File folder is more a matter of principle! When I right click the C drive icon in Explorer, then the Sharing and Security menu, then the understand the risk warning comment, then the screen where I check share this folder, allow changes and Share name... Then I click on Apply and OK but I don't get a permissions screen after that (since I'm the Administrator, should I?) - then I reboot and check if I can access the Prog Files folder over my LAN, and I'm denied access!

I must be missing something...???

 

By default, at install time the root of each hard drive is shared. It is a hidden, administrative share but it is there.

If you are on PC-B and want to connect to the C: share on PC-A then start => run => \\PC-A\C$ should do it if you are logged onto PC-B with an account that has admin rights on PC-A.

However, you will do yourself a huge favor if each logon on all PCs require a username and a non-blank password.

And BTW - 2K sets up the same administrative, hidden shares at the root of each hard drive.

 

That should of worked.... well, it worked with me, say exactly what you are trying to do, and exactly what it says, if it says anything that is. Well, I hope that I can help you... This stuff is normally easier if you are right there looking at the problem


oh ya, the one thing that i think i forgot to say... on the other computer you have to set it up to be able to read the computer, but to do that you have to go on the other computer and open My computer, right click on My Network Places in the left hand panel and click on 'map network drive'. A window will open click on 'Browse...' and find the drive that you shared

It should be listed under the workgroup name... ex. MSHome (whatever you named it)

I forgot about this step... wow, sorry

Jason

 

If you disable simple fiesharing and are using NTFS there are tons of ways to handle permissions and access. You can give the Everyone Group just read permissions. Add your profile in Security tab and give it read and write. You don't need full control on the other machines.
The only folder that needs more than read would be the folder you back up files too or your downloads if you want to move them . Hard to update or copy files with only read.
Once you have added yourself there shouldn't be problems

 

Since we have never clearly clarified these specifics:
For both computers A and B, Are you using home or pro? NTFS or FAT32? "Simply" file sharing or the "full function" file sharing?

This link and sublink may help to refresh your memory on some of the steps you may have taken or should have taken. The sublink comes from within the post and this is what my focus is on:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...+%22step+by+step%22+share+%22program+files%22

sublink from within the above post^
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/whole.htm

 

I'm pretty sure you can share the folder C:\Program Files \ Image Editor \ Photos by right clicking on the Photos folder and clicking "Sharing and Security" and going through the sharing steps you described for the C:\ root. The Program Files subfolders can be shared right where they are, even though Program Files itself can not.

PS - I think this only works in the Professional version. I don't have the home version, so I could be wrong.

Hope this helps.

 

I can get there in Pro. I don't have Home on any computers. Goddez1 those were good links. Explains it very well.
I knew there was a reason I hated Home. I used Windows 2000 for a long time and got used to it.

 

Decided to add this from Microsoft. It seems pretty user friendly also:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=304040

Comment about my previous links:
Thanks Maggie. I like explanations with pictures! They always catch my eye. On some of the more head spinning cross-eyed procedures, they are a big help, at least for myself. (and nothing leaves me drooling like Networking. Here comes my mantra... "Ohmmmmm...I so hate Networking ")

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Gemo!!!! Where you be????

 

FYI, I've got three computers on my LAN, two running XP Pro, the other 98 SE. I can access ALL files and folders, including Windows and its subfolders and files, on each computer from each of the other two computers. I use simple file sharing on the two XP computers, as it's the only way I can access the XP computers from the 98 computer.

Do you really think that's necessary on a single-user home LAN, Newt? My 98 computer requires a password (automated) at logon, but the XPs do not, and that's the way I like it.

 

If you are happy with Simple File Sharing then yes, you can certainly live without logons and passwords.

Well, you can unless some critter gets inside your network and starts trying to hook up to the XP machines with enough rights to do bad stuff. In that case, the lack of logon accounts with strong passwords means you will be toast in very short order. The critter will connect itself as the PC admin account and be able to do whatever the designer had in mind.

Moot point for me since I don't like the limitations and general behavior of Simple File Sharing, I do like NTFS, and I've been using strong-password logons so dang long I barely even notice them.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to link the 98 computer to the two XP computers without using SFS.

Well, maybe I've just been lucky but, so far, I haven't had a problem with "critters ". I scan for viruses (virii? virae?) daily, and run Spybot S&D, Ad-aware, and a variety of other spyware programs at least weekly. And, perhaps just as important, I use neither Internet Explorer nor Outlook Express.

I use NTFS as well, but what are the limitations of SFS that you're speaking of?