How to disable remote access on Windows XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andrew
  • Start date Start date
A

Andrew

I'd like to know how to disable remote access without using
Network Setup Wizard. I am NOT talking about Remote
Assistance. I am talking about file sharing over a local
network.

When the clean installation of Windows XP Home Edition on a
computer completes, Windows disables remote access to the
computer as a security measure. However, once remote
access is enabled by Network Setup Wizard, it seems that
the Wizard does not know how to disable back remote access.
I would like to disable back remote access.

By the way, let me point out an evidence that remote access
is disabled when Windows XP is initially installed. Try to
share the following folder immediately after the clean
installation of Windows XP.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents

Right-click on the above folder and issue "Sharing and
Security" command. In the "Network sharing and security"
section under "Sharing" tab, you will see the following notice.

As a security measure, Windows has disabled
remote access to this computer. However, you
can enable remote access and safely share
files by running the Network Setup Wizard.

If you understand the security risks but want
to share files without running the wizard,
click here.

Once Network Setup Wizard enables remote access, I cannot
find any means to disable back remote access, which would
bring back the above notice.


P.S. It is not an acceptable option to manually disable
shared folders one by one, by opening the "Sharing" tab of
each shared folder and unchecking its sharing option, if
there are too many shared folders without counting their
subfolder. It might take an hour to disable all of them. I
may not remember which folders are shared, either. Also, I
do not want to use System Restore to just disable remote
access.
 
Go to the network connections folder;
right-click the LAN connecton, choose properties.
Un-check 'File and Print Sharing for MS Networks'.
OK your way out.
 
Thank you for your reply, Ron. However, I am still
confused. I followed your suggestion. I unchecked "File
and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" in the
properties of "Local Area Connection" in the Network
Connections. Since I also have 1394 Connection, I also
unchecked "File and Printer Sharing ... " of 1394. I also
verified that "File and Printer Sharing ... " of the modem
was unchecked. Then, I restarted the computer just in
case. However, the following notice, which I quoted in my
original message, did not come back.

As a security measure, Windows has disabled
remote access to this computer. However, you
can enable remote access and safely share
files by running the Network Setup Wizard.

If you understand the security risks but want
to share files without running the wizard,
click here.

The above notice was sitting under the Sharing tab of the
properties of the following folder immediately after
Windows XP was clean-installed and of many other sharable
folders.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents

However, I do not see the above notice any more. I'd like
to disable back remote access. The above notice was
relatively convincing. I feel uneasy because the above
notice is still missing even after I unchecked "File and
Printer Sharing ... ".

Best Regards
 
Andrew said:
Thank you for your reply, Ron. However, I am still
confused. I followed your suggestion. I unchecked "File
and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" in the
properties of "Local Area Connection" in the Network
Connections. Since I also have 1394 Connection, I also
unchecked "File and Printer Sharing ... " of 1394. I also
verified that "File and Printer Sharing ... " of the modem
was unchecked. Then, I restarted the computer just in
case. However, the following notice, which I quoted in my
original message, did not come back.

As a security measure, Windows has disabled
remote access to this computer. However, you
can enable remote access and safely share
files by running the Network Setup Wizard.

If you understand the security risks but want
to share files without running the wizard,
click here.

The above notice was sitting under the Sharing tab of the
properties of the following folder immediately after
Windows XP was clean-installed and of many other sharable
folders.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents

However, I do not see the above notice any more. I'd like
to disable back remote access. The above notice was
relatively convincing. I feel uneasy because the above
notice is still missing even after I unchecked "File and
Printer Sharing ... ".

Best Regards
Click to expand...



I'm not sure how you can get the message to re-appear.
I think it's a one-time deal.
Presumably, is stashes something in the registry to say you've seen the
notice, not to display it again.

But disabling f+p sharing does what you want.

Best thing I can suggest is to use a registry change monitor
like regshot http://www.webattack.com/get/regshot.shtml.

Take a snapshot right before you loose the warning, and another right after.
The program will show the difference.
You'll be amazed ( horrified, perhaps ) at the amount of registry
read-writes going on when the machine is just sitting around. Keep running
programs to a minimum to reduce background noise. Look at the difference
between the before and after, and see if you can determine any likely
candidates.

If you are not comfortable with registry editing, then don't try any
changes.
Any changes you do try, export the key before you mess with it!
 
Back
Top