Filesharing Permission Issue - Need your ideas ThankS!

[iamtwon]

So I'm at the new job, it's not even the first day, and my boss asks m
if I could set up Printer Sharing and File Sharing. I say yes eve
though I've had zero experience with either. It's only two computers
and I managed to get the printer sharing to work after fiddling with i
for hours only to figure out Norton Requires that you add the IP's t
the Trusted list for filesharing etc.

On to filesharing...

So What I did was Map Network Drive, and called it O:

I created a folder on JOEOFFICE (which is computer 1). I set permissio
for "all users" to co-owners. All through the list, everything i
co-owner in permissions. Both the folder and the O: Drive are bein
shared and are visible on both computers.

Computer two - FRONTOFFICE. I can see the O: drive fine. I place
shortcut to the O: drive on the desktop for ease of use. Although thi
computer flashes that I "Don't have permission" to do anything othe
than read the files on this mysterious O: drive. So, editing, adding
and removing files are obviously out of the question (whereas I can d
all of that on computer one). I redid all of the permission settings t
the best of my knowledge and ability and I cannot find the computer'
name on the user list within permissions for the O: drive, and mor
specifically, the folder that the drive is mapped to (which is where
believe the problem enlies). Any ideas on how to add a user t
permissions to force Vista to see the FRONTOFFICE computer?!?!

FYI - In the network map, both computers see eachother fine, an
printer sharing is not a problem. So I believe all Norton firewal
stuff is in order. Also no windows firewall, and a lynksis router i
being used. Any other info necessary will be gladly provided in
timely fashion. Thanks so much and sorry for the novel.

-Anthon

 

[Malke]

So I'm at the new job, it's not even the first day, and my boss asks me
if I could set up Printer Sharing and File Sharing. I say yes even
though I've had zero experience with either. It's only two computers,
and I managed to get the printer sharing to work after fiddling with it
for hours only to figure out Norton Requires that you add the IP's to
the Trusted list for filesharing etc.

On to filesharing...

So What I did was Map Network Drive, and called it O:

I created a folder on JOEOFFICE (which is computer 1). I set permission
for "all users" to co-owners. All through the list, everything is
co-owner in permissions. Both the folder and the O: Drive are being
shared and are visible on both computers.

Computer two - FRONTOFFICE. I can see the O: drive fine. I place a
shortcut to the O: drive on the desktop for ease of use. Although this
computer flashes that I "Don't have permission" to do anything other
than read the files on this mysterious O: drive. So, editing, adding,
and removing files are obviously out of the question (whereas I can do
all of that on computer one). I redid all of the permission settings to
the best of my knowledge and ability and I cannot find the computer's
name on the user list within permissions for the O: drive, and more
specifically, the folder that the drive is mapped to (which is where I
believe the problem enlies). Any ideas on how to add a user to
permissions to force Vista to see the FRONTOFFICE computer?!?!

FYI - In the network map, both computers see eachother fine, and
printer sharing is not a problem. So I believe all Norton firewall
stuff is in order. Also no windows firewall, and a lynksis router is
being used. Any other info necessary will be gladly provided in a
timely fashion. Thanks so much and sorry for the novel.

General information about file/printer sharing:

Excellent, thorough, yet easy to understand article about File/Printer
Sharing in Vista. Includes details about sharing printers as well as files
and folders:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

For XP, start by running the Network Setup Wizard on all machines (see
caveat in Item A below).

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally caused
by 1) a misconfigured firewall or overlooked firewall (including a stateful
firewall in a VPN); or 2) inadvertently running two firewalls such as the
built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party firewall; and/or 3) not having
identical user accounts and passwords on all Workgroup machines; 4) trying
to create shares where the operating system does not permit it.

A. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network (LAN)
traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing File/Printer
Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network Setup Wizard on
XP will take care of this for those machines.The only "gotcha" is that this
will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you aren't running a
third-party firewall or have an antivirus/security program with its own
firewall component, then you're fine. With third-party firewalls, I
usually configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct
subnet. Refer to any third party security program's Help or user forums for
how to properly configure its firewall. Do not run more than one firewall.
DO NOT TURN OFF FIREWALLS; CONFIGURE THEM CORRECTLY.

B. For ease of organization, put all computers in the same Workgroup. This
is done from the System applet in Control Panel, Computer Name tab.

C. Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines. You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the passwords
assigned to each user account can be different; the accounts/passwords just
need to exist and match on all machines. DO NOT NEGLECT TO CREATE
PASSWORDS, EVEN IF ONLY SIMPLE ONES. If you wish a machine to boot directly
to the Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you
can do this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

D. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab).

E. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users' home
directories or Program Files, but you can share folders inside those
directories. A better choice is to simply use the Shared Documents folder.
See the first link above for details about Vista sharing.

Malke

 

[bmoag]

You need to simplify your life if it is only two or so computers that are on
the network.
Unfortunately one of the worst aspects of Vista is networking: despite
anything that Microsoft or its fan-boys write/say Vista is the most
difficult OS ever created for users to set up simple peer to peer
networking.
And the most unreliable, particularly if you use any kind of wireless
connections.
First get rid of the Norton firewall and revert to the Vista firewall. Why
on earth would two computers need a third part software firewall? I
guarantee that Norton will NOT protect you from surreptitiously loaded
malware if you are cruising Easter European Porn and file sharing sites on
the internet. It has been my sad experience, I will not elaborate, that the
best and most up to date anti-virus and malware programs let stuff slip
through.
While you are at it get rid of all Norton/Symantec programs. They are
expensive, slow, resource hogs that do not perform significantly better than
freeware like AVG. Unfortunately Symantec products can be difficult to
uninstall so back up your data if you go that route as uninstalling a
Symantec product, and it has happened to me more than once, can trash your
hard drive.
The designers of Vista decided that users are too f**king stupid to be
allowed to share files and directories as they like without putting them
through the tortures of Hell. That is why there is a "public" directory
where sharing permissions have been pre-configured. There is nothing
inherently "safer" about placing data in these directories as opposed to
navigating your way through the maze of settings required to share other
directories/folders just as there is no inherent safety to the UAC asking
you if you want to do what you just did.
Your life will be easier if you place data/programs to be shared in the
Public directory until you get your Microsoft Network Certificates (all 7)
so you can share two computers any way you like.
However by then Microsoft will be on to Vista SP3/Windows7 and will have
devised entirely new "safety" schemes.