Folder sharing does not work, desperate!

[allanl]

XP Pro SP2, FAT32, admin rights.
In Explorer, if I right click on the root drive (eg C or D) and select
"sharing and security", the sharing dialog box appears and I can share
/ unshare the root drive.
When I right click on a subfolder and select "sharing and security",
the sharing dialog box DOES NOT appear. Nothing happens, nada, nix,
zip, zero.

I also have a subfolder that I shared when I installed XP about 12
months ago. I now cannot unshare this folder, the sharing dialog box
refuses to appear.

My network works fine. I can see other machines on the network and copy
files to / from them. I have run the network wizard to reset file
sharing, no go. Simple File Sharing is ticked. The share service is
running (which it must be if I can share the root).

Can someone please help? Are there any command lines or third party
products / tweaks I can use? I'm getting desperate and short of new
install, I cannot see anyway around this problem.

Note - the same problem also happens for the "Properties" of a folder.
I can get the Properties dialog box to appear for the root dir but not
for any of the subfolders.
I suspect the two problems are related and if I can fix one then maybe
the other will go away....

 

[Chuck]

XP Pro SP2, FAT32, admin rights.
In Explorer, if I right click on the root drive (eg C or D) and select
"sharing and security", the sharing dialog box appears and I can share
/ unshare the root drive.
When I right click on a subfolder and select "sharing and security",
the sharing dialog box DOES NOT appear. Nothing happens, nada, nix,
zip, zero.

I also have a subfolder that I shared when I installed XP about 12
months ago. I now cannot unshare this folder, the sharing dialog box
refuses to appear.

My network works fine. I can see other machines on the network and copy
files to / from them. I have run the network wizard to reset file
sharing, no go. Simple File Sharing is ticked. The share service is
running (which it must be if I can share the root).

Can someone please help? Are there any command lines or third party
products / tweaks I can use? I'm getting desperate and short of new
install, I cannot see anyway around this problem.

Note - the same problem also happens for the "Properties" of a folder.
I can get the Properties dialog box to appear for the root dir but not
for any of the subfolders.
I suspect the two problems are related and if I can fix one then maybe
the other will go away....

Allan,

With Simple File Sharing enabled (ticked), you have just 2 choices for any
folder:
# Whether to share the folder for network access.
# Whether to give read access or read-write access.

Try disabling Simple File Sharing.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Advanced>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Advanced

It's also possible that you are another victim of "885250".
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help

Please let us know if any of these suggestions are of any help. What you learn
may help others in the future, and that's the purpose of these forums.

 

[allanl]

Thank you for the suggestions unfortuantely they did not help. I don't
have a problem getting access to the files in the shared folder, I just
cannot share other folders because the Share dialog box refuses to
appear.
I have tried with SFS checked and unchecked.
However I have just discovered a work around, if I reboot in Safe Mode
with Networking, I can share the folders as I need and the share stays
activated when I reboot in normal mode.
So, Safe Mode with Networking, the share works as expected - Normal
mode, cannot share subfolders.

 

[Chuck]

Thank you for the suggestions unfortuantely they did not help. I don't
have a problem getting access to the files in the shared folder, I just
cannot share other folders because the Share dialog box refuses to
appear.
I have tried with SFS checked and unchecked.
However I have just discovered a work around, if I reboot in Safe Mode
with Networking, I can share the folders as I need and the share stays
activated when I reboot in normal mode.
So, Safe Mode with Networking, the share works as expected - Normal
mode, cannot share subfolders.

Well, those suggestions were a start, but only that. And they were made because
my skill in mindreading is nowhere.

But, since you found a workaround that seems to solve your problem, we'll leave
it at that. Unless you wish to try something else.