no access to third machine

[RipperT]

Hello,

I have 2 desktops & a laptop all running xp pro sp2. All can see each other
on the network, but one desktop cannot be accessed beyond the docs &
settings folder except for all users and default user. Each of the other
folders in docs & settings ( Local service, Network service, My name, My
daughters name, admininstrator) have sharing turned on. In folder
options/view, the following are checked:

Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
Use simple file sharing

The following are UNchecked

Hide protected operating system files

Windows firewall and Zone alarm are disabled.

What should I check next?

Many thanx,

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hello,

I have 2 desktops & a laptop all running xp pro sp2. All can see each other
on the network, but one desktop cannot be accessed beyond the docs &
settings folder except for all users and default user. Each of the other
folders in docs & settings ( Local service, Network service, My name, My
daughters name, admininstrator) have sharing turned on. In folder
options/view, the following are checked:

Display the contents of system folders
Show hidden files and folders
Use simple file sharing

The following are UNchecked

Hide protected operating system files

Windows firewall and Zone alarm are disabled.

What should I check next?

Many thanx,

By default, Windows XP blocks networked access to the Program Files
and Windows folders and to individual users' folders within Documents
and Settings.

Un-checking "Use simple file sharing" will remove those restrictions.
Then, create matching user accounts (same user name and password) on
each computer.

You might have to un-share and then re-share disks and folders to make
the new settings take effect.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[RipperT]

Thank you for the response, but this does not jibe with the fact that the
other two machines on this network have "Use simple file sharing" checked,
and they don't have any trouble accessing each others folders. In fact, the
machine that cannot be accessed by the other two can access the folders of
the other two, it's just not making itself available to the other two.

What is the significance of creating matching accounts? I've never had to do
this on any of the several 3 machine setups I've had.

Thanks again,

Rip

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Thank you for the response, but this does not jibe with the fact that the
other two machines on this network have "Use simple file sharing" checked,
and they don't have any trouble accessing each others folders. In fact, the
machine that cannot be accessed by the other two can access the folders of
the other two, it's just not making itself available to the other two.

What is the significance of creating matching accounts? I've never had to do
this on any of the several 3 machine setups I've had.

Thanks again,

Rip

Perhaps I didn't understand your original question. I thought you
said that other computers can't access individual users' folders
(including your name and your daughters name) within the Documents and
Settings folder. That's the expected behavior when simple file
sharing is enabled on the computer that owns the shared folders. The
solution for that problem is to disable simple file sharing on the
computer that owns the folders, and to use matching user accounts on
all the computers.

With simple file sharing disabled, XP Pro only allows known users to
access its shared disks and folders over the network. Creating
matching user accounts guarantees that XP Pro will recognize the users
on other computers who request access.

If simple file sharing is enabled on the other two computers, the
default Windows XP settings should block networked access to
individual users' folders within Documents and Settings on those
computers. Perhaps those settings have been changed.

The important thing is whether simple file sharing is
enabled/disabled on the computer that owns the shared folders. It
doesn't matter whether simple file sharing is enabled/disabled on the
computers that access the shared folders over the network.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[RipperT]

OK, I've disabled simple file sharing on all three machines. I've unshared
and reshared my daughters My Documents folder on her machine, and even set
full permissions for everyone. Firewall is off. I am an admin on all 3
machines with matching user names. Her machine still refuses to let me past
the Docs & settings folder from either of the other two machines. Can anyone
help me figure this out?

Thanx!

Ripper

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

OK, I've disabled simple file sharing on all three machines. I've unshared
and reshared my daughters My Documents folder on her machine, and even set
full permissions for everyone. Firewall is off. I am an admin on all 3
machines with matching user names. Her machine still refuses to let me past
the Docs & settings folder from either of the other two machines. Can anyone
help me figure this out?

Thanx!

Ripper

To access a folder over the network, a user has to have two types of
permission in the folder's properties. Make sure that the Everyone
group has permission in both places:

1. Share permission (on the Sharing tab) allows access to the folder
over the network.

2. NTFS file system permission (on the Security tab) allows access to
the folder by users on the local computer.

To see if it's an NTFS file system permission problem, sit down at the
keyboard on your daughter's computer, log in as a different user, and
try to access her My Documents folder.

BTW, I'd turn the firewall back on. A firewall can make a computer
visible or invisible on the network, but I don't think that it can
cause access problems for a folder if the computer itself is
accessible.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[RipperT]

I can access my daughters My Documents folder from my desktop on her
machine. The sharing tab for her My Documents folder allows full permissions
for 'everyone'. The security tab had groups Administrators, my daughters
name, and SYSTEM, but no EVERYONE group, so I created one called EVERYONE
and gave it full permissions. No change.

As a comparison: (my daughters machine being #3) consider the My Documents
folder on my account on machine #1. It's sharing tab says "Do not share this
folder", yet it is easily accessible from machine #2 and #3. Also, the All
Users and Default User on my daughters machine also say, "Do not share this
folder" and they are easily accessible from machines 1 and 2. I just don't
get it.

Thanx again for your help.

Rip