Accessing Private Folders

[Guest]

I have Windows XP Home and unintentionally made my folders in My Documents
private when I set up a password for my user account. Now when I go to the
Sharing tab of the folder properties, the "Make this folder private option"
is
greyed out, so I can't uncheck it.

I have removed my password for this user account, but that didn't help. Any
recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Guest]

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=308421

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply. This folder is under my directory, so I think I
already have ownership. Nevertheless, I followed the steps to take ownership
from the link you provided. When I log back in and check the Properties -
Share on the folder in question (My documents), I still see the "Make this
folder private" box checked and greyed out, so I can't uncheck it.

I've also tried going up to the Documents and Settings and the C directory
to see if either of those have the Make this folder private checked. Neither
did, but they were both greyed out too.

Please help because I need other people on this computer as well as on the
network to have access to my My Documents folder. Thanks!

 

[Dick Sutton]

Cartman,
Try this: when you see that the "Make this folder private option" is greyed
out, notice at the bottom of this window the line that says "The Options on
this tab are disabled...", click on the link "another folder" and you will
get a window where you can access the checkbox.

Hope this helps...

Dick

 

[iJoKuo]

If you want to make a folder such as "My Documents" folder unprivate t
share, you have to make your Documents and Settings Folder unprivat
first because My Documents folder is under another folder that i
private. In other words, when folder "1a" is under folder "A", an
folder "A" is private, you can't have any file or folders under folde
"A" to not be private.
So just go to My Computer, then C: drive, then Documents and Setting
and find the folder with your account name, here you want to righ
click and go to properties and under Sharing's tab, uncheck the Mak
Folder Private. And your finished!

 

[JCE]

Hi,

any ideas on what to do if there is NO "Make Folder Private" option or
checkmark to uncheck ???? For some reason, it seems like I am missing this
feature and I need to make my folders "un-private" !!! Very strange.
Registered and latest version of WinXP Pro SP2 with all UPD's installed.

Any ideas ?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[NotMe]

I am seeing the somewhat the same with my wife's XP Home, the make private
box is checked, and greyed out.
There is no way to uncheck it.

 

[JCE]

Well, your are lucky !! At least you see it grayed out, I don't have it
at all !! I am running XP Pro !!

That is very strange and NO ONE seems to have an answer to this !! Hmmmmmm


Cheers,

Tom

 

[Kelly]

Note: You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted
as NTFS.

Home Edition: Set Permissions for Shared Files and Folders. Boot into safe
mode and logon to the 'Administrator' account. Right click the folder in
question/Sharing and Security/Make Folder Private.

To view the Security tab for a file or folder in XP, hold down the Ctrl key
while right-clicking the file or folder, and select Properties. If you are
in a domain instead of a workgroup, this approach is unnecessary.

You Cannot Select the "Make This Folder Private" Option
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307286

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[JCE]

Hi Kelly,

does your suggestion below also works with XP Pro ??

My situation is, that after getting my new computer, the first time I
started it up, the Windows Setup gave me the option to make my folders
private. Which I did.

Now I'd like to make them "un-private" again, but so far everything I tried
failed ! I do have NTSF ! And I don't have the checkmark option available on
any sharing properties. The article from MS you've included below, did not
solve the problem either.

Any suggestion ??

Thanks for helping.

Tom

Note: You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted
as NTFS.

Home Edition: Set Permissions for Shared Files and Folders. Boot into safe
mode and logon to the 'Administrator' account. Right click the folder in
question/Sharing and Security/Make Folder Private.

To view the Security tab for a file or folder in XP, hold down the Ctrl
key while right-clicking the file or folder, and select Properties. If you
are in a domain instead of a workgroup, this approach is unnecessary.

You Cannot Select the "Make This Folder Private" Option
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307286

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

I am seeing the somewhat the same with my wife's XP Home, the make private
box is checked, and greyed out.
There is no way to uncheck it.

 

[Kelly]

Hi Tom,

Under Windows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View - uncheck Use simple file
sharing. Apply/ok your way out. If this has more to do with shared
documents, let me know. Either way, good luck and keep us posted.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

Hi Kelly,

does your suggestion below also works with XP Pro ??

My situation is, that after getting my new computer, the first time I
started it up, the Windows Setup gave me the option to make my folders
private. Which I did.

Now I'd like to make them "un-private" again, but so far everything I
tried failed ! I do have NTSF ! And I don't have the checkmark option
available on any sharing properties. The article from MS you've included
below, did not solve the problem either.

Any suggestion ??

Thanks for helping.

Tom

 

[JCE]

Hi Kelly,

sorry, maybe I wasn't clear with my description.

Situation :

1. I am using XP Pro ( registered ) on 5 computers on my home/office network
since it became available.
2. All computers are set NOT TO USE Simple File sharing ( Use simple file
sharing is unchecked ) !! I need to be able to set permissions for specific
users.
3. Two computers ( Administrators ) could ALWAYS access any other computers
mapped drives and folders, incl. the MY Document folder
4. One of these "Admin-Computers" ( mine ) got replace with a new Sony
Notebook
5. During the Sony Notebook setup I was asked if I want to make " My Folders
Private ", I answered YES !! This started the problem !
6. Now, my new Sony Notebook acts like my old "Admin Computer" and I can
access everything I could access before, incl. every other computers "My
Documents" of any user.
7. Problem is : The second "Admin Computer" CANNOT access my "My Documents"
on my new Sony Notebook !!
8. I did created a new share for the My Documents folder ( I even tried to
share the whole C:\ drive ) and also added the USER name who is allowed to
access my "My Documents" to the permissions, but no luck........the other
Admin gets an "Access Denied" messages when trying to map my "My Documents"
on her computer.
9. Usually adding the user name under the SECURITY tab solves this problem,
but when I try to add this user under Security, I get a BSOD and my Sony
Notebook restarts !!! In a matter of fact, I cannot ADD anyone or anything
on the Security tab.

WHY can't I add a user to the Security tab ??? It works just fine on every
other computer. It must have something to do with the "Make Folders Private"
option I selected when I first started up the Sony Notebook, registered
Windows and setup or selected this option "Make folders private" !!

Any thoughts ???

Thanks for helping !

Tom

Hi Tom,

Under Windows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View - uncheck Use simple file
sharing. Apply/ok your way out. If this has more to do with shared
documents, let me know. Either way, good luck and keep us posted.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com