Problems sharing folders across network

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Guest

I've read a few posts with info related to my problem but to no avail. I have
two XP Pro computers set up with same Workgroup name. One computer (A) has
three users (#1, #2, #3) each with administrator rights and a guest account
that is off. The other computer (B) has one user and a guest account that is
off. The problem is that from B, I can access User#1 on A's My Documents but
not User #2's My Documents. All folders on Computer A have the same file
sharing/modification options set.

I made the name of the User on B the same as User #1 on A. No difference.
Created a second user acccount on B and gave it same name and password (ie
blank) as User #2 on A. Still no difference, ie still can't access User#2's
My Documents.

I've tried re-running Network setup wizard on B, made no difference. Tried
re-running the wizard on A in order to re-establish sharing, still no
success.

To be clear the message I get is to the effect "Documents on A not
accessible. You may not have permissions. Contact Administrator. Access
denied".

I am out of ideas, please help TIA .... Greg
 
gvm said:
I've read a few posts with info related to my problem but to no avail.
I have two XP Pro computers set up with same Workgroup name. One
computer (A) has three users (#1, #2, #3) each with administrator
rights and a guest account that is off. The other computer (B) has one
user and a guest account that is off. The problem is that from B, I
can access User#1 on A's My Documents but not User #2's My Documents.
All folders on Computer A have the same file sharing/modification
options set.

I made the name of the User on B the same as User #1 on A. No
difference. Created a second user acccount on B and gave it same name
and password (ie
blank) as User #2 on A. Still no difference, ie still can't access
User#2's My Documents.

I've tried re-running Network setup wizard on B, made no difference.
Tried re-running the wizard on A in order to re-establish sharing,
still no success.

To be clear the message I get is to the effect "Documents on A not
accessible. You may not have permissions. Contact Administrator.
Access denied".
Click to expand...

This is most commonly caused by a misconfigured firewall. When you ran
the Network Setup Wizard, it automatically turned on the Windows
Firewall. If you aren't running a third-party firewall or have an
antivirus with "Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2005/06) which
acts as a firewall, then you're fine (and obviously you're not fine
right now). If you have third-party firewall software, configure it to
allow the Local Area Network traffic as trusted. I usually do this with
my firewalls with an IP range. Ex. would be 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254.
Obviously you would substitute your correct subnet.

In addition, check both computers to make sure that the Simple Sharing
setting is identical - disabled. Find the setting in Folder
Options>View tab.

Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it
matters in your situation.

Malke
 
Hi Malke, thanks for the response.

Addresses of both computers and hub that make up my network are in the range
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.3.

Each computer had a diferent "Use simple file sharing" option set. I
disabled the option on both and still I can't access the relevant files. What
else is there to do please?
TIA....Greg
 
gvm said:
Hi Malke, thanks for the response.

Addresses of both computers and hub that make up my network are in the
range 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.3.

Each computer had a diferent "Use simple file sharing" option set. I
disabled the option on both and still I can't access the relevant files.
What else is there to do please?
TIA....Greg
Click to expand...

Hi, Greg. Unfortunately, this new post is orphaned from your original thread
and i have no idea what the problem was or what you've done. This
newsgroup, while not as active as it was a few years ago, still gets a
relatively huge amount of traffic so I don't remember every post I answer,
particularly if your original post was more than a few days ago.

Please post back with a concise summary of the problem and what you've done.
You might as well keep it in this thread. Make sure you include the full
location of the files you are trying to access (C:\Program Files\foobar),
XP versions, and Service Pack levels. I'll be around all day today and I'll
watch for your new post.

Malke
 
Malke said:
Hi, Greg. Unfortunately, this new post is orphaned from your original thread
and i have no idea what the problem was or what you've done. This
newsgroup, while not as active as it was a few years ago, still gets a
relatively huge amount of traffic so I don't remember every post I answer,
particularly if your original post was more than a few days ago.

Please post back with a concise summary of the problem and what you've done.
You might as well keep it in this thread. Make sure you include the full
location of the files you are trying to access (C:\Program Files\foobar),
XP versions, and Service Pack levels. I'll be around all day today and I'll
watch for your new post.

Malke
--
Click to expand...
Hi Malke, the background to this problem follows:
I've read a few posts with info related to my problem but to no avail. I have
two XP Pro computers set up with same Workgroup name. One computer (A) has
three users (#1, #2, #3) each with administrator rights and a guest account
that is off. The other computer (B) has one user and a guest account that is
off. The problem is that from B, I can access User#1 on A's My Documents but
not User #2's My Documents. All folders on Computer A have the same file
sharing/modification options set.

I made the name of the User on B the same as User #1 on A. No difference.
Created a second user account on B and gave it same name and password (ie
blank) as User #2 on A. Still no difference, ie still can't access User#2's
My Documents.

I've tried re-running Network setup wizard on B, made no difference. Tried
re-running the wizard on A in order to re-establish sharing, still no
success.

To be clear the message I get is to the effect "Documents on A not
accessible. You may not have permissions. Contact Administrator. Access
denied".
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is most commonly caused by a misconfigured firewall. When you ran
the Network Setup Wizard, it automatically turned on the Windows
Firewall. If you aren't running a third-party firewall or have an
antivirus with "Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2005/06) which
acts as a firewall, then you're fine (and obviously you're not fine
right now). If you have third-party firewall software, configure it to
allow the Local Area Network traffic as trusted. I usually do this with
my firewalls with an IP range. Ex. would be 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254.
Obviously you would substitute your correct subnet.

In addition, check both computers to make sure that the Simple Sharing
setting is identical - disabled. Find the setting in Folder
Options>View tab.

Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it
matters in your situation.

Malke
-- ------------------------------------
Hi Malke, thanks for the response.

Addresses of both computers and hub that make up my network are in the range
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.3.

Each computer had a diferent "Use simple file sharing" option set. I
disabled the option on both and still I can't access the relevant files. What
else is there to do please?
----------------------------
 
gvm said:
Hi Malke, the background to this problem follows:
I've read a few posts with info related to my problem but to no avail. I
have two XP Pro computers set up with same Workgroup name. One computer
(A) has three users (#1, #2, #3) each with administrator rights and a
guest account that is off. The other computer (B) has one user and a guest
account that is off. The problem is that from B, I can access User#1 on
A's My Documents but not User #2's My Documents. All folders on Computer A
have the same file sharing/modification options set.

I made the name of the User on B the same as User #1 on A. No difference.
Created a second user account on B and gave it same name and password (ie
blank) as User #2 on A. Still no difference, ie still can't access
User#2's My Documents.

I've tried re-running Network setup wizard on B, made no difference. Tried
re-running the wizard on A in order to re-establish sharing, still no
success.

To be clear the message I get is to the effect "Documents on A not
accessible. You may not have permissions. Contact Administrator. Access
denied".
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This is most commonly caused by a misconfigured firewall. When you ran
the Network Setup Wizard, it automatically turned on the Windows
Firewall. If you aren't running a third-party firewall or have an
antivirus with "Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2005/06) which
acts as a firewall, then you're fine (and obviously you're not fine
right now). If you have third-party firewall software, configure it to
allow the Local Area Network traffic as trusted. I usually do this with
my firewalls with an IP range. Ex. would be 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254.
Obviously you would substitute your correct subnet.

In addition, check both computers to make sure that the Simple Sharing
setting is identical - disabled. Find the setting in Folder
Options>View tab.

Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it
matters in your situation.

Addresses of both computers and hub that make up my network are in the
range 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.3.

Each computer had a diferent "Use simple file sharing" option set. I
disabled the option on both and still I can't access the relevant files.
What else is there to do please?
Click to expand...

So the file sharing works, you just can't get into one user's My Documents?
You can access other folders/files on that machine in a different location?
If this is the case, it sounds like that user made My Documents private.
See:

http://tinyurl.com/48x4w - MS website on How To Make Folders Private
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/undoprivate.htm - Ramesh - How to undo "Make this
folder private" option"

Malke
 
Malke, You're right, file sharing is working and it is the folders belonging
to a particular user that I can't access. The properties/sharing options for
these folders seem identical to the settings for the folders belonging to the
other users whose folders are accessible.
I've been to http://tinyurl.com/48x4w and noticed how the referenced
dialogue box is in two halves: the top half which has to do with local
sharing and which contains the make my files private option you are directing
me to. The bottom half has network sharing options. However, when I look at
properties for the folders I'm trying to access, the Sharing dialogue box
contains only network sharing options and the opportunity to select "make my
folders private" is not there; not even there but greyed out. So, still no
joy! TIA .... Greg
 
gvm said:
Malke, You're right, file sharing is working and it is the folders
belonging to a particular user that I can't access. The properties/sharing
options for these folders seem identical to the settings for the folders
belonging to the other users whose folders are accessible.
I've been to http://tinyurl.com/48x4w and noticed how the referenced
dialogue box is in two halves: the top half which has to do with local
sharing and which contains the make my files private option you are
directing me to. The bottom half has network sharing options. However,
when I look at properties for the folders I'm trying to access, the
Sharing dialogue box contains only network sharing options and the
opportunity to select "make my folders private" is not there; not even
there but greyed out. So, still no
joy! TIA .... Greg
Click to expand...

See this information by MVP Ramesh:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/undoprivate.htm

Malke
 
Malke, the security settings for the folders in question already haf assigned
administrators with full control....Greg
 
gvm said:
Malke, the security settings for the folders in question already haf
assigned administrators with full control....Greg
Click to expand...

Well, then without being able to see your machine I really don't know. I can
only suggest you 1) remove the shares and then recreate them; 2) check not
only the "front" sharing tab but also look at the Advanced tab to see who
is the owner and add "everyone" to the user access list; 3) have a
professional come on-site and fix it for you.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you. Unfortunately, some problems are solved
best by someone with hands-on access who can actually see the box.

Malke
 
that's OK Malke, thanks for your help. I will attempt resetting everything up
from scratch. Cheers ... Greg
 
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