Access to the Windows folder on a mapped drive

[Fernando Ronci]

Hello,

In order to support a legacy application I have to grant read/write access
to the whole shared C: drive of a Windows XP Professional SP2 machine acting
as a file server, including the C:\Windows folder. In other words, the
clients (which are also Win XP Pro SP2 btw) mapping the C:\ drive on the
host machine need to read files in the Windows folder of that machine.
Everything is OK except that access to the Windows folder is denied. I
understand that this is due to XP's security policies nonetheless.
To overcome that restriction, I added an admin-type account on the file
server for each workstation that needs this sort of elevated access level.
Those accounts are the same case and have the same passwords as their
counterparts on the workstations. This, however, didn't make any difference
as access to the <mapped_drive>:\Windows folder is still denied.

So my question is: In an scenario like this, how do I grant access to the
C:\Windows folder on the file server so that the workstations can access the
files in it?

Thanks,
Fernando

 

[Steve Winograd]

Hello,

In order to support a legacy application I have to grant read/write access
to the whole shared C: drive of a Windows XP Professional SP2 machine acting
as a file server, including the C:\Windows folder. In other words, the
clients (which are also Win XP Pro SP2 btw) mapping the C:\ drive on the
host machine need to read files in the Windows folder of that machine.
Everything is OK except that access to the Windows folder is denied. I
understand that this is due to XP's security policies nonetheless.
To overcome that restriction, I added an admin-type account on the file
server for each workstation that needs this sort of elevated access level.
Those accounts are the same case and have the same passwords as their
counterparts on the workstations. This, however, didn't make any difference
as access to the <mapped_drive>:\Windows folder is still denied.

So my question is: In an scenario like this, how do I grant access to the
C:\Windows folder on the file server so that the workstations can access the
files in it?

To allow networked access to the Windows folder, disable simple file
sharing on the host machine:

1. Open My Computer.
2. Click Tools > Folder Options > View.
3. Scroll to the end of the advanced settings.
4. Un-check "Use simple file sharing (recommended)".
--
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

 

[Anteaus]

I think it might be worth adding that this is an Extremely Bad Arrangement.
If any other workaround is possible, it should be used instead.

 

[Fernando Ronci]

Thanks !! It worked.

Now I've got a partially related question.
When mapping the C$ share on each workstation for the first time, the system
offers the option to remember the Username & Password. When checked, the
user doesn't need to re-map and re-type the credentials every time his/her
machine is rebooted or turned on. However, there's a single Win XP machine
that for some obscure reason it doesn't have the checkbox "Remember
password". What's wrong with this machine? How do I fix it?

The same issue (save for a slightly difference) occurs in a couple of Vista
clients when they map the C$ share on the Windows XP file server. Although
these two Vista machines do have the option for remembering the password,
they don't honor it. Again, for some obscure reason, they don't re-map the
C$ share on the Win XP file server when they're rebooted or turned on. There
must be some sort of network protocols mismatch between Vista <---> XP. Is
there a solution ?

Thanks,
Fernando

 

[Steve Winograd]

Thanks !! It worked.

You're welcome!!

Now I've got a partially related question.
When mapping the C$ share on each workstation for the first time, the system
offers the option to remember the Username & Password. When checked, the
user doesn't need to re-map and re-type the credentials every time his/her
machine is rebooted or turned on. However, there's a single Win XP machine
that for some obscure reason it doesn't have the checkbox "Remember
password". What's wrong with this machine? How do I fix it?

Windows XP Home Edition doesn't have the "Remember Password" box. Only
XP Professional does.

The same issue (save for a slightly difference) occurs in a couple of Vista
clients when they map the C$ share on the Windows XP file server. Although
these two Vista machines do have the option for remembering the password,
they don't honor it. Again, for some obscure reason, they don't re-map the
C$ share on the Win XP file server when they're rebooted or turned on. There
must be some sort of network protocols mismatch between Vista <---> XP. Is
there a solution ?

I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer to this.

Thanks,
Fernando

--
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

 

[Fernando Ronci]

Windows XP Home Edition doesn't have the "Remember Password" box. Only
XP Professional does.

Thanks Steve.
Yes, the machine is running XP Home Edition.
Being unable to save the username/password poses a severe limitation from
the usability point of view.
Do you by chance know how can I programmatically map the C$ share via C# or
Powershell (or even the plain old NET USE command line) ? I understand that
the System.Management namespace has the facilities to do it. The idea is to
place an .exe or .bat in the startup folder to automatically do the mapping.

Thanks.
Fernando

 

[Steve Winograd]

Thanks Steve.
Yes, the machine is running XP Home Edition.
Being unable to save the username/password poses a severe limitation from
the usability point of view.
Do you by chance know how can I programmatically map the C$ share via C# or
Powershell (or even the plain old NET USE command line) ? I understand that
the System.Management namespace has the facilities to do it. The idea is to
place an .exe or .bat in the startup folder to automatically do the mapping.

Thanks.
Fernando

You're welcome, Fernando. Here's how to specify a user name and
password in NET USE:

NET USE d: \\computer\share password /USER:name
--
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

 

[Fernando Ronci]

Thanks Steve.
Everything is OK now.

Cheers,
Fernando

 

[Steve Winograd]

Thanks Steve.
Everything is OK now.

Cheers,
Fernando

You're welcome, Fernando.
--
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