Networking WXP Professional laptop to WXP Home Desktop

[Scott Bass]

Hi,

I'm not real familiar with WXP Home, only WXP Pro. I'm trying to help a
friend network her WXP Pro laptop to her WXP Home desktop.

WXP Home does not have the Local Users and Groups applet (why, he asked?)
The accounts on her desktop (hers plus the kids) don't have passwords
(probably not the best idea but that's how she likes it plus there is a
hardware firewall (router) in place).

I'd like to setup a service account on the desktop (eg.
Administrator/password) to handle the login request when I attempt to map a
network drive from the laptop to the desktop. I'd prefer the service
account to ***NOT*** show up on the login screen.

Right now, when I try to map the network drive, the login credentials are
DESKTOP\Guest (grayed out, can't change it), and entering a password doesn't
help (I think it's blank anyway).

Any ideas on tackling this issue would be greatly appreciated. I would
especially like to know how to create hidden, service accounts on both XP
Home and XP Professional.

Regards,
Scott

 

[Scott Bass]

Are there no MVP'ers here who can address this issue? Is this really that
difficult a problem? Are there other resources (eg. Microsoft Support)
where I can get help? Have I posted to the wrong newsgroup(s)?

 

[Enkidu]

Mmm, you've cross-posted to *lots* of groups... 8-(

I don't think that you are going to be able to achieve what
you want. When you connect to another machine, you HAVE to
give the credentials that are required to connect ot that
machine.

When you make a mapping, though, you can specify that it
will be persistent across reboots.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Scott Bass]

Mmm, you've cross-posted to *lots* of groups... 8-(

Hmmm, is 4 lots? I'm open to posting to one...feel free to suggest the best
one for this subject. I wasn't sure so I picked newsgroups that I thought
would apply. It's weird that there isn't a
microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking newsgroup (but there is one for South
Africa, albeit with low readership...)

I don't think that you are going to be able to achieve what you want. When
you connect to another machine, you HAVE to give the credentials that are
required to connect ot that machine.

I understand that. But is there a way to create a "service" account under
WXP Home (and WXP Pro as well). There are plenty of software products that
create a hidden service account as part of their installation process. How
do they accomplish this? Is there a registry setting I can set so an
account does not show up on the login screen?

 

[Malke]

Hmmm, is 4 lots? I'm open to posting to one...feel free to suggest
the best
one for this subject. I wasn't sure so I picked newsgroups that I
thought
would apply. It's weird that there isn't a
microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking newsgroup (but there is one for
South Africa, albeit with low readership...)

Yes there is: microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web.

List of all MS newsgroups:
http://aumha.org/nntp.htm

Malke

 

[Scott Bass]

Yes there is: microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web.

No, there isn't! There are (among others):

microsoft.public.win95.networking
microsoft.public.win98.networking
microsoft.public.win2000.networking
microsoft.public.<country code>.windowsxp.networking

but, as I stated, no:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking, which would parallel the names of the
other O/S networking newsgroups.

microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web !=
microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking.

What is the charter for microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web? My question
does not involve web networking or web protocols (well, ok, I suppose they
all involve TCP), but I assumed my networking question (creating a hidden
service account) did not apply to m.p.wxp.network_web.

List of all MS newsgroups:
http://aumha.org/nntp.htm

Can't I just click on "Newsgroups..." in OE and get the same thing?
Although it's possible my ISP would censor certain newsgroups, I'm confident
they don't censor the microsoft.public.* branch.

 

[Malke]

No, there isn't! There are (among others):

microsoft.public.win95.networking
microsoft.public.win98.networking
microsoft.public.win2000.networking
microsoft.public.<country code>.windowsxp.networking

but, as I stated, no:

microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking, which would parallel the names
of the other O/S networking newsgroups.

microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web !=
microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking.

What is the charter for microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web? My
question does not involve web networking or web protocols (well, ok, I
suppose they all involve TCP), but I assumed my networking question
(creating a hidden service account) did not apply to
m.p.wxp.network_web.

Fine, don't believe me. It would have taken less energy for you to just
look at the network_web group and see that a lot of networking
questions like yours are asked and answered there every day. But if
you'd rather focus on getting all upset over charters, that's your
choice. If you'd like to solve your issue, try this a great network
troubleshooter by MVP Hans-Georg Michna. Take the time to go through it
and it will pinpoint the problem area(s):

http://www.michna.com/kb/wxnet.htm

Malke

 

[DanS]

I'd like to setup a service account on the desktop (eg.
Administrator/password) to handle the login request when I attempt to
map a network drive from the laptop to the desktop. I'd prefer the
service account to ***NOT*** show up on the login screen.

Right now, when I try to map the network drive, the login credentials
are DESKTOP\Guest (grayed out, can't change it), and entering a
password doesn't help (I think it's blank anyway).

Doesn't Home work the same way as Pro ? Each PC needs identical user
accounts ? (I have ZERO experience with XP home)

When you try to map it, isn't there a 'Connect as a different user' option
?

 

[Enkidu]

Hmmm, is 4 lots? I'm open to posting to one...feel free to suggest the best
one for this subject. I wasn't sure so I picked newsgroups that I thought
would apply. It's weird that there isn't a
microsoft.public.windowsxp.networking newsgroup (but there is one for South
Africa, albeit with low readership...)

Probably not. It seemed like more somehow!

I understand that. But is there a way to create a "service" account under
WXP Home (and WXP Pro as well). There are plenty of software products that
create a hidden service account as part of their installation process. How
do they accomplish this? Is there a registry setting I can set so an
account does not show up on the login screen?

You likely have hidden accounts on the machine. You could
compare the registry keys with an ordinary account, but it
would probably take a bit of work.Does the 'net' command exist on XP Home? If so you could
create a little bat file to map the drive from the command
line (including user and password) and create a short cut on
the desktop to the bat file.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

No, there isn't!

There isn't? What a strong assertion, (with a exclamation point) to make,
when a moment's research would have proved that you're completely wrong.

 

[Scott Bass]

This is taken out of context. My original assertion was that there is no
m.p.wxp.networking newsgroup. Malke replied there is:
m.p.wxp.networking_web. Which isn't m.p.wxp.networking.

I'm wasting too much bandwidth making this point (which I'm sure you'll
agree). I do appreciate Malke's point that 1) networking_web may be an
appropriate newsgroup to post my question, and 2) I'll read the external
link he provided.

FWIW, I still think m.p.wxp.networking should be created, to parallel the
other O/S's newsgroups.