Accessing an XP computer Program File Folder from another xp system

[Carli Burke]

I have a a peer to peer network with 2 Windows XP systems
and 1 Windows 2000. I am trying to set up the network so
that one of the Windows XP systems and the Windows 2000
system can access the Program Files folder on the
remaining XP system and I always get an "Access Denied"
error message. I have tried to copy the Program Files
folder to the Shared Documents folder but I get the
message "Moving the Program Files folder could make some
programs not work properly". Is this the correct way to
share the Program Files folder and if I move it, will all
of my desktop icons stop working? Or, is there another
way to share the Program Files folder?

 

[Ron Lowe]

I have a a peer to peer network with 2 Windows XP systems
and 1 Windows 2000. I am trying to set up the network so
that one of the Windows XP systems and the Windows 2000
system can access the Program Files folder on the
remaining XP system and I always get an "Access Denied"
error message. I have tried to copy the Program Files
folder to the Shared Documents folder but I get the
message "Moving the Program Files folder could make some
programs not work properly". Is this the correct way to
share the Program Files folder and if I move it, will all
of my desktop icons stop working? Or, is there another
way to share the Program Files folder?

This is the designed behaviour.

When you:
-share a whole disk ( ignoring the 'not reccomended' nag );
-which is formatted in NTFS;
-on an XP system which has Simple File Sharing enabled,
Then:
it will use the NTFS permissions to block shared acess to certain folders.
( You get a brief grinding of the disk, and a message that it's setting
permissions. )

In XP home, Simple File Sharing is enabled all the time.
And it 'shields' you from the big bad NTFS permissions ( security tab. )
So you can't change it.

On XP machines with FAT32 filesystems, since FAT32 does not
support file and folder permissions, this 'feature' does not occour.

Possible workarounds?

1) You can share any individual sub-folders of the blocked folders.

2) You could try booting to safe mode, and from there gain access to the
NTFS permissions ( security tab ), and re-set them.
This would probably remain in force untill you let the Simple File
Sharing UI tramp all over the permissions again.( I've not tried this. )

3) You can re-format the machine to FAT32 ( backwards step. )

4) You can upgrade to XP Pro, and disable Simple File Sharing.
You then have full control of both Share and NTFS permissions.

 

[CheshireCat]

I believe it's not possible to share the whole folder, but sharing its
subfolders is possible.