GTS said:
Marsha,
I think there's a lot of confusion here. FWIW -
Well I'm confused. That is why I am here studying every word that each
person has to add. I love this thread. I hope everyone is getting as much
out
of it as am trying to.
1. The domain vs. workgroup issue is almost certainly irrelevant to your
problem. If I've understood you correctly, the problem is losing or
establishing connections, not that the software won't function in a
workgroup setting when a connection is established.
I'm gathering that I don't need to set up a domain situation.
2. For accessing a share on an XP Home PC use of the guest account is NOT
optional. Windows XP HOME is limited to a file sharing method called Simple
File Sharing which allows access to shares EXCLUSIVELY through the guest
account. Creating the others user names on an XP HOME machine is completely
irrelevant.
Well, I have switched the server to W2K (we own both OS's). But I am
confused
about users. Let me make it very simple. On the computer that holds the
data folder,
I have gone to Control Panel, Users and Passwords and setup each computer
name
as a user with a password. That is the only way that I have ever been able
to make
this software work. I always see a "Guest" user when I set up the names.
But I have
not used the "Guest" user. To do that would I just have each user computer
sign in
as Guest??? Is that what that is about??? Would that gain me anything???
To learn more about this see.
How to configure file sharing in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=304040
and
Windows XP Simple File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/filesharing.htm
I will study these as soon as I have killed the alligators du jour.
3. Perhaps you could clarify something about the problem. Initially you
said there were problems with losing connections.
What I meant was many times a week, one of the users will be unable to
access
the data folder on the "server" machine. To solve that problem, we usually
have
to shut down the "server" machine and all the users and then restart the
"server"
and after is is up, restart the users. That works even if it sometimes
takes several
tries.
Later you said other
machines couldn't connect at all to the XP HOME share (implying a firewall
blockage or disabled guest account).
Yes, we just bought a new computer with xp home and were going to replace
the
old w2k "server" machine. I could never get the users to connect to the xp
home
machine. But I now am tending to think it is this software and it's
limitations but it
could be so many different things.
Also, that there is no distinction in
the behaviors of the Win 2K and XP Home machines. Is that an accurate
summary?
I meant that when we have the just mentioned connection problem it is as
likely to
be a user that is a w2k computer OR an xp home computer OR the one xp prof
computer that we have. The network doesn't discriminate but is an equal
problem
employer.
Thanks GTS for all of your wonderful info and help and insights!!!
