File sharing with blank password

[Marco De Vitis]

Hello.
I remember reading somewhere that, when you share a drive or folder in
Windows XP, you cannot access it using a user account with a blank
password.
Indeed, this seems confirmed by my tests, using XP Pro and a folder on an
NTFS partition with advanced file sharing turned on: I need a user with a
non-blank password to be able to access the files therein.
And as far as I can tell it does not matter if the Guest account is
enabled or not.

But someone told me that he could access files using an identical
configuration and a user account with a blank password.
Is there any situation or setting making it actually possible?

I can't find any official document stating that a non-blank password is
actually needed... the "FileSharing.doc" on Microsoft's web site does not
mention this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eric Cross [MVP]]

Greetings Marco De Vitis,

By default, Windows XP will not permit a network user without a password.
You can permit a network user without a password using Group Policy in
Windows XP Pro. For more details, see the following link.

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/03userpasswords.htm

________________
Eric Cross
Microsoft MVP (Windows Networking)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Chuck]

Hello.
I remember reading somewhere that, when you share a drive or folder in
Windows XP, you cannot access it using a user account with a blank
password.
Indeed, this seems confirmed by my tests, using XP Pro and a folder on an
NTFS partition with advanced file sharing turned on: I need a user with a
non-blank password to be able to access the files therein.
And as far as I can tell it does not matter if the Guest account is
enabled or not.

But someone told me that he could access files using an identical
configuration and a user account with a blank password.
Is there any situation or setting making it actually possible?

I can't find any official document stating that a non-blank password is
actually needed... the "FileSharing.doc" on Microsoft's web site does not
mention this.

Thanks in advance.

Marco,

By default, file sharing only works for accounts with non-blank passwords. If
you alter the local security policy (Local Security Settings - Security Options
- Accounts - Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only)
to disabled, and both accounts have blank passwords, you will be able to share
files.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Unknown]

,;Greetings Marco De Vitis,
,;
,;By default, Windows XP will not permit a network user without a password.
,;You can permit a network user without a password using Group Policy in
,;Windows XP Pro. For more details, see the following link.
,;
,;http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/03userpasswords.htm
,;
,;________________
,;Eric Cross
,;Microsoft MVP (Windows Networking)
,;http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
,;

I wonder if this relates to my problem.

Computer with 98se to be upgraded to XP with a clean install (format
c. I copied the entire C drive to another computer and was able to
access the folder on the second computer.

Now I feel comfy that I wouldn't lose any files so I formatted and
installed XP on the first computer.

Whoops. Now the second computer (XP OS) which has the folder
containing the C drive wants a password to open that folder. The
second computer with the folder I would like to peek in does not
require a password on bootup.

I can move that folder to a second HD on the second computer and the
need for a password travels with the folder.

Hopefully I have described the problem so it is understandable.

Any words of wisdom will be appreciated.

 

[Marco De Vitis]

Il 07/07/2004, alle ore 1:44, Eric Cross [MVP] ha scritto:

By default, Windows XP will not permit a network user without a password.
You can permit a network user without a password using Group Policy in

Thank you Eric; Thanks Chuck, too.

Anyway, does Microsoft EVER tell this in its own documentation? The link
you kindly provided is again "unofficial" information.
I wonder why the detailed description of file sharing in XP which I found
on MS web site never mentions this fact.

 

[Marco De Vitis]

Il 07/07/2004, alle ore 13:11, Unknown ha scritto:

I'm not sure I understand what you did.

Computer with 98se to be upgraded to XP with a clean install (format
c. I copied the entire C drive to another computer and was able to
access the folder on the second computer.

You mean you copied all files from C: in the first PC to a folder inside a
partition on the second PC?
Is the partition to which you copied the files an NTFS or FAT partition?
How did you access the files after copying them? Did you turn off or
disconnect the first PC, then put your hands on the second PC and just
opened the folder?

Now I feel comfy that I wouldn't lose any files so I formatted and
installed XP on the first computer.

Whoops. Now the second computer (XP OS) which has the folder
containing the C drive wants a password to open that folder. The

If you previously accessed the folder like I described above, then this
makes no sense, because you didn't change anything on the second PC while
formatting the first one, and folder access on the second one is a local
thing...

The only suggestion I can think of is: try taking ownership of that folder
(look at the advanced security settings for the folder).

 

[Chuck]

Il 07/07/2004, alle ore 1:44, Eric Cross [MVP] ha scritto:


Thank you Eric; Thanks Chuck, too.

Anyway, does Microsoft EVER tell this in its own documentation? The link
you kindly provided is again "unofficial" information.
I wonder why the detailed description of file sharing in XP which I found
on MS web site never mentions this fact.

Marco,

Is this the documentation you found:
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-aef8-4bef-925e-7ac9be791028&DisplayLang=en>

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Marco De Vitis]

Il 07/07/2004, alle ore 21:09, Chuck ha scritto:

Is this the documentation you found:
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-aef8-4bef-925e-7ac9be791028&DisplayLang=en>

Exactly. I quote from it:

-------------------------------------
In order to connect to a Windows XP Professional shared folder when
advanced file sharing is being used, you must be:
• Using a set of credentials that Windows XP can validate (it is either a
local computer account or a domain account) and has been granted the Read,
Change, or Full Control access type either explicitly (the account name)
or though group membership, as specified in the permissions of the shared
folder.
[...cut...]

You can be denied access to a Windows XP shared folder through the
following:
• The account name in the credentials sent by the connecting client is a
valid user name, but the password is incorrect.
[...cut...]
-------------------------------------

It only talks about wrong passwords. It does not tell that access will be
denied also when the password is empty.

BTW, it also tells:

-------------------------------------
In order to connect to a Windows XP Professional shared folder when
advanced file sharing is being used, you must be:
[...cut...]
• Using a set of credentials that Windows XP cannot validate, and either
the domain Guest account or the local Guest account has been enabled and
has been granted the Read, Change, or Full Control access type either
explicitly (the Guest account name) or though group membership, as
specified in the permissions of the shared folder.
-------------------------------------

I tried this, with no success. I'm using WinXP Pro, I deactivated simple
file sharing, I activated the Guest account, shared a folder, expressly
gave the Guest user permission to access it, but I still cannot access the
files when connecting with a no-password account or unknown credentials.

 

[Chuck]

Il 07/07/2004, alle ore 21:09, Chuck ha scritto:

Is this the documentation you found:
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...db-aef8-4bef-925e-7ac9be791028&DisplayLang=en>

Exactly. I quote from it:

-------------------------------------
In order to connect to a Windows XP Professional shared folder when
advanced file sharing is being used, you must be:
• Using a set of credentials that Windows XP can validate (it is either a
local computer account or a domain account) and has been granted the Read,
Change, or Full Control access type either explicitly (the account name)
or though group membership, as specified in the permissions of the shared
folder.
[...cut...]

You can be denied access to a Windows XP shared folder through the
following:
• The account name in the credentials sent by the connecting client is a
valid user name, but the password is incorrect.
[...cut...]

Because that is a configurable behaviour. If you disable the local security
policy (Local Security Settings - Security Options - Accounts - Limit local
account use of blank passwords to console login only), and both accounts have
blank passwords, you will be able to share files.

BTW, it also tells:

-------------------------------------
In order to connect to a Windows XP Professional shared folder when
advanced file sharing is being used, you must be:
[...cut...]
• Using a set of credentials that Windows XP cannot validate, and either
the domain Guest account or the local Guest account has been enabled and
has been granted the Read, Change, or Full Control access type either
explicitly (the Guest account name) or though group membership, as
specified in the permissions of the shared folder.
-------------------------------------

I tried this, with no success. I'm using WinXP Pro, I deactivated simple
file sharing, I activated the Guest account, shared a folder, expressly
gave the Guest user permission to access it, but I still cannot access the
files when connecting with a no-password account or unknown credentials.

Guest / non-Guest access is controlled thru the Network access: Sharing and
security model.

It's a Rubik's cube process. Read all of the below - see if some of it helps.
And make sure Guest is enabled properly on each computer.

On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have SFS properly set on each computer.

With XP Pro, if SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy (Control Panel
- Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

With XP Pro, if you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make sure
that the Guest account is enabled, thru Local User Manager (Start - Run -
"lusrmgr.msc"), and has an identical, non-blank, password on all computers. If
"Classic", setup and use a common non-Guest account, with identical, non-blank,
password on all computers.

For XP Home, OR for XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the
Guest account is enabled (for XP Pro, thru Local User Manager (Start - Run -
"lusrmgr.msc")), on each computer.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.