File sharing for "Program Files" folder

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Have no idea what "protection from myself" scheme is but you accomplish the
task by turning off "simple file sharing." Open Explorer, go to Tools,
select "Folder Options. go to the View tab, remove the check from "Use
Simple File Sharing," then right click the file and you should be able to
access all necessary security options.

 

[mews.microsoft.com]

I need to allow file sharing on a subfolder in the Program Files folder on
an XP Pro computer. Is there a way around the "protection from myself"
scheme that is in place?

cmsix

 

[cmsix]

Have no idea what "protection from myself" scheme is but you accomplish the
task by turning off "simple file sharing." Open Explorer, go to Tools,
select "Folder Options. go to the View tab, remove the check from "Use
Simple File Sharing," then right click the file and you should be able to
access all necessary security options.

First, thank you very much for your reply. Second, "protection from myself"
was referring to this new feature which I never encountered with Windows
200.

The maching that needs to share a "Program Files" subfolder is at my
customers location and his business is currently closed. I only have XP Home
edition available to me now and when I looked for the setting you mentioned
I did not find a "Use Simple File Sharing" option on the view tab of "Folder
Options." My next question is: "Is this an option that is not available on
the "Home Edition?"

Thanks again for trying to help.

cmsix

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

You're welcome.

In XP Home Edition, you need to boot into Safe Mode to accomplish the task
as Home Edition wasn't designed for a corporate environment in which more
specific security settings can be made. Boot the system, start tapping F8,
when the menu appears, select Safe Mode and select it. Safe Mode requires
an Administrator user, once in, you should see the Simple File Sharing
option and you should be able to change it.

NOTE: each time you wish to make such a change for a file, you will need to
go back to Safe Mode and perform this function "Simple File Sharing" is hard
wired into XP Home Edition at OS level.

 

[wojo]

Not to argue or disagree but even with Simple File Sharing disabled I don't
believe you'll be able to share anything under "program files" since it is a
system protected folder. I know I can't on any of my boxes.

 

[cmsix]

You're welcome.

In XP Home Edition, you need to boot into Safe Mode to accomplish the task
as Home Edition wasn't designed for a corporate environment in which more
specific security settings can be made. Boot the system, start tapping F8,
when the menu appears, select Safe Mode and select it. Safe Mode requires
an Administrator user, once in, you should see the Simple File Sharing
option and you should be able to change it.

NOTE: each time you wish to make such a change for a file, you will need to
go back to Safe Mode and perform this function "Simple File Sharing" is hard
wired into XP Home Edition at OS level.

Ok, thanks again for that explaination. The machine that needs to share a
"Program Files" subfolder is and XP pro machine so I won't need to do this
but it is very good to know. I asked about the xp home setup because it was
all I had to poke around on when I was looking for a way to do a "trail run"
on what you had mentioned before.

cmsix

 

[cmsix]

Not to argue or disagree but even with Simple File Sharing disabled I don't
believe you'll be able to share anything under "program files" since it is a
system protected folder. I know I can't on any of my boxes.

Well I'll see Monday and I hope it works. The whole problem is because an
app keeps its data files in its own folder that is naturally installed under
"Program Files" and it's going to be a pain if I have to uninstall the app
and then reinstall it, putting it somewhere else.

cmsix

 

[Gordon]

cmsix cogitated deeply and scribbled thusly:

I tried this and still didn't find the Simple File Sharing option

In Windows Explorer go to Tools-Folder Options-View and the simple File
Sharing option is right at the very bottom of the window marked Advanced
Settings

HTH

 

[cmsix]

You're welcome.

In XP Home Edition, you need to boot into Safe Mode to accomplish the task
as Home Edition wasn't designed for a corporate environment in which more
specific security settings can be made. Boot the system, start tapping F8,
when the menu appears, select Safe Mode and select it. Safe Mode requires
an Administrator user, once in, you should see the Simple File Sharing
option and you should be able to change it.

I tried this and still didn't find the Simple File Sharing option

cmsix

 

[wojo]

Well I'll see Monday and I hope it works. The whole problem is because an
app keeps its data files in its own folder that is naturally installed
under
"Program Files" and it's going to be a pain if I have to uninstall the app
and then reinstall it, putting it somewhere else.

cmsix

Usually you have an option through the app to set where the data files are
kept.
If so then you can just have it save the files to a shared folder.

 

[cmsix]

cmsix cogitated deeply and scribbled thusly:

In Windows Explorer go to Tools-Folder Options-View and the simple File
Sharing option is right at the very bottom of the window marked Advanced
Settings

I have two xp home machines on my desk. One with sp1 and one with sp2 beta
and neither one of them show this option in regular mode or safe mode. I
just got through checking. It doesn't really matter to me except for the
fact I find it odd that I don't have this option and I can't think of
anything I might have done to get rid of it. That doesn't mean I haven't
done something but if I did I don't know what it could have been.

cmsix

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Hmm, I'm not currently running Home Edition on any of my machines but I will
look into this when I get the chance unless someone jumps in with the reason
why you may not be seeing it on the View tab. I know, when I was running a
Home Edition version, I was able to perform this procedure which is how I
wrote the instructions I gave you in the first place.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

That's interesting WoJo, when I get the chance, I'll check my network setup
and see if I have access to those files.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

I think I agree with you, Wojo and thanks for the heads up. I've tried a
few different scenarios including mapping the drive and sharing out the
entire drive and at least under those scenarios I was unable to share
anything under "Program Files."

 

[Walter Clayton]

Better check again. I just enabled network sharing on "Program Files" as
well as a couple of select directories underneath.

However the original question, if I'm reading correctly, isn't a networking
issue. It's a local permissions issue which is a different story.

I'll see if I can tag into the thread in a better place....

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org

 

[Walter Clayton]

If I'm reading correctly, you're using the wrong terminology.

Sharing is a process that involves two or more machines. The problem you
just described is not a sharing problem, but a local permissions problem.
There are distinct solutions for each problem and they have nothing to do
with each other. In fact it entails using different tabs on the directory
property sheet.

So, is there more than one physical machine involved, or is it strictly a
single machine scenario with a program attempting to do unsafe things to a
normally protected directory structure?

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Yes, I enabled it as well with no problem but I was unable to access the
Program Files folder or any sub-folders across the network. Did you try
accessing the folder or did you just enable network sharing, Walter?

 

[Walter Clayton]

Did full access from either the desktop or laptop just to insure two way
either way. In fact, I have Everest (the presumptive replacement for AIDA32)
installed in "Program Files" on my desktop (don't ask why I let it
default...) and ran it on the laptop without issue after directly mapping
the directory or mapping to "Program Files".

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Well, if you can do it after mapping, maybe the issue I'm facing when I try
the same thing is file ownership.

 

[cmsix]

Hmm, I'm not currently running Home Edition on any of my machines but I will
look into this when I get the chance unless someone jumps in with the reason
why you may not be seeing it on the View tab. I know, when I was running a
Home Edition version, I was able to perform this procedure which is how I
wrote the instructions I gave you in the first place.

Maybe the option went away with some update. It isn't the kind of things
you'd notice without specifically looking for it.

cmsix