File Sharing XP Pro and WIN98SE

[Guest]

We are using WIN XP Pro SP2 on all our work stations. However, because of the
much simpler file sharing in WIN 98SE, we continue using a single WIN 98SE
workstation on the network as our "document server".

Each network user has a folder (some with one or more sub-folders) on the
"document server". This main (highest-level) folder is "shared" in WIN 98SE
and protected by a password.

Here is the problem:
We can gain access to the individual folders and sub-folders and open files
(say, WORD documents) after entering the appropriate password for the main
folder, and can also re-save the files as long as the file name remains the
same.

If we open a document and try saving a modified version of the file under a
different name (with the Save As function), an error message appears "The
folder .... isn't accessible. The folder may be located on an unavailable
volume or protected with a password."

There is no difference whether "Simple File Sharing" is turned ON or OFF.

It appears (but I am not 100% certain) that these problems began after
updating to SP2.

 

[Guest]

Additional Information I forgot to include in the original post:

I've read other posts with similar problems and the recommended solutions
(check firewall; limit folder names to 12 characters; no spaces in folder
names; etc.) and have tried them all, but to no avail.

 

[Steven L Umbach]

It is up to you but personally I thing it is not wise to use Windows 98 as a
file server. You really should look into using XP Pro or Windows 2003
Server, maybe even as a domain controller depending on the size of your
network. Then each user can have a user account and logon to their computer
with a password. You would then create the same user logon/password on the
file server and configure share/NTFS folder permissions to manage access to
the folders. Then the users could access their folders without any password
prompt and be denied access to folders where they do not have permissions.
The NTFS file system that XP Pro can use is much more robust then the FAT32
file system used by Windows 98.

As far as your exact problem in the current environment I don't really know
and Windows 98 is pretty ancient technology these days. You might try
posting in a Windows 98 newsgroup also. Simple file sharing only changes the
way users access shares on an XP Pro computer and would not have any bearing
on your particular problem. Windows 98 also lacks a lot of the logging and
other troubleshooting tools that you would normally be able to use in XP Pro
such as folder auditing. You could try removing SP2 on a workstation of
yours to see if that solves your problem if you believe it may be SP2
related. SP2 beefed up RPC security quite a bit which could be causing what
you are seeing. --- Steve

 

[Guest]

Steven,

Thanks for the feedback.

The problem with setting up individual users on the file server is that some
folders must be accessible for a group of users, but that not everyone in a
group may have access to folders that other group members may have access to.

In Win98SE you could assign a PW to an individual folder --- as long as you
knew the PW you were allowed access, regardless of your user name.

Henry

 

[Steven L Umbach]

You still can do that with folder/NTFS permissions. What you do is add the
users to the computer with the share and then create local groups on that
computer. Then give the groups permissions to the folders they need to
access and add the users to the appropriate groups. Users can be members of
more than one group. This is done all the time in enterprise and small
business networks. Security is also increased because only authorized users
can access a folder while in your situation any user who has the password,
whether they are supposed to know it or not, can access the folder. I
understand that change is difficult and it involves an investment in
configuration and training. --- Steve

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Mon, 2 Jan 2006 10:21:03 -0800, HenryWolf

We are using WIN XP Pro SP2 on all our work stations. However, because of the
much simpler file sharing in WIN 98SE, we continue using a single WIN 98SE
workstation on the network as our "document server".

Each network user has a folder (some with one or more sub-folders) on the
"document server". This main (highest-level) folder is "shared" in WIN 98SE
and protected by a password.

Here is the problem:
We can gain access to the individual folders and sub-folders and open files
(say, WORD documents) after entering the appropriate password for the main
folder, and can also re-save the files as long as the file name remains the
same.

If we open a document and try saving a modified version of the file under a
different name (with the Save As function), an error message appears "The
folder .... isn't accessible. The folder may be located on an unavailable
volume or protected with a password."

There is no difference whether "Simple File Sharing" is turned ON or OFF.

It appears (but I am not 100% certain) that these problems began after
updating to SP2.

Strange failure pattern. Two things come to mind:

1) Is File and Print Sharing allowed through the SP2 firewall?

I'm pretty sure it might be, in that no file access should be possible
otherwise. Specifically, you'd be able to see the PC in the workgroup
but not be able to navigate into it ("refusenik" error message)

That's assuming you are using TCP/IP as your protocol for File and
Print Sharing (F&PS). If using something else, then the firewall
should not be the problem - but in my experience I have found anything
other than TCP/IP (i.e. IPX or legacy NetBEUI) have not worked for
peer-to-peer F&PS with a mix of Win9x and XP.

2) Is the data dir name same as the volume name?

For some reason I've seen failed access if I create a directory of the
same name as the HD volume it is on, and then share that directory.
If this applies, try changing the name of the HD volume.

3) Too many PCs accessing the Win9x "server"?

This is not one of the two points I had in mind, as I'd expect a
different failure pattern. Workstation OSs are artificially limited
in terms of how many other PCs can access then via the network, in
order to drum up SBS and Server sales, as follows...
- 5 PCs (4, due to bugs): WinME, XP Home
- 10 PCs (9, due to bugs): Win95xx/98xx, NT, XP Pro

Actually, your failure pattern looks more like some sort of
permissions issue, e.g. you have permission to read and write
existingfiles, but not create new ones.

User permissions such as these are usually applied via NTFS
permissions and/or Group Policy, typically involving a domain
controller. So it's hard to see how anything on the Win98 PC could
account for this; the sharing permissions are too granular (i.e.
either read-only or full rights) and there's no NTFS factor.

Perhaps there's something within the XP Pro side's account setup that
may be at work here?

Finally, I truly hope those "password-protected" shares are not
accessible from the Internet or wireless

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[Guest]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR EXTENSIVE RESPONSE. I MEAN IT.

to 1)
F&PS is listed among the exceptions.

to 2)
No, completely different.

to 3)
I was able to re-create the failure pattern here on my home network with
only two computers connected (the XP machine and the 98SE machine).

Strangely enough, if I can

- re-save the file to the same location or another location (folder) if the
file name does not change

- do the "Save As" of the file to the same location or another location
(folder) if the file name does not change

I cannot use the "Save As" function for saving the original file under a
different name to ANY folder (the original folder where the original file
resides, or any other folder).


I'll keep trying and will post to this thread if I come up with something.

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Mon, 2 Jan 2006 10:21:03 -0800, HenryWolf
1) Is File and Print Sharing allowed through the SP2 firewall?

F&PS is listed among the exceptions.
OK

2) Is the data dir name same as the volume name?

No, completely different.
OK

3) Too many PCs accessing the Win9x "server"?

I was able to re-create the failure pattern here on my home network with
only two computers connected (the XP machine and the 98SE machine).[/QUOTE]

OK. So none of those apply.

Strangely enough, if I can

- re-save the file to the same location or another location (folder) if the
file name does not change

- do the "Save As" of the file to the same location or another location
(folder) if the file name does not change

Both the above point away from an MS Office denial-of-service payload,
that could happen in MS Office XP or later if the office suite thinks
it is running on the "wrong" system. This is a Product Activation
thing, where the suite sinks into a "reduced capabilities" mode,
essentially similar to having the free file viewers installed.

I'd expect that payload to block all saves, if not grey out the menu
option to Save or save As completely.

I cannot use the "Save As" function for saving the original file under a
different name to ANY folder (the original folder where the original file
resides, or any other folder).

I'll keep trying and will post to this thread if I come up with something.

I'll watch with interest. Just to re-cap...

Is the problem only when saving through the LAN to the Win98 PC?
Does the problem affect only certain apps e.g. MS Office?
Can you rename files via Windows Explorer?
Can you paste files via Windows Explorer?
Any macros resident in MS Office?

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