Guest User Account, XP Pro

[TR]

Does this indicate a problem? Should the Guest account be "active" when
it is "off"
Thanks
TR


Guest
Guest Account is off


run cmd net user guest
..
..
..
Account active Yes

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Does this indicate a problem? Should the Guest account be "active" when
it is "off"
Thanks
TR


Guest
Guest Account is off


run cmd net user guest
.
.
.
Account active Yes

I think that you're looking at two different things and that
everything's OK.

The Guest account setting in Control Panel | User Accounts determines
whether someone can log in as Guest at the keyboard attached to the
computer. It has nothing to do with networking.

The "net user guest" command shows whether someone can access your
computer over the local area network via the Guest account. It has
nothing to do with logging in at the keyboard.

If simple file sharing is enabled on your computer, all users on all
other computers are forced to access your computer over the network
via the Guest account. That requires having the Guest account active,
as shown by "net user guest".

To enable the Guest account for network access:

net user guest /active:yes

To disable the Guest account for network access:

net user guest /active:no
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[TR]

Thanks for the clarification Steve. I have a WORKGROUP set up, with two
machines running Windows XP Pro. PC2 can access files on PC1 using the
IP address of PC1, but not by machine name. So I cannot expand the node
in Network Neighborhood.

I've added an entry to the LMHOSTS file, but that doesn't seem to do the
trick. Do I have to set up WINS?

TR

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I think that you're looking at two different things and that
everything's OK.

The Guest account setting in Control Panel | User Accounts determines
whether someone can log in as Guest at the keyboard attached to the
computer. It has nothing to do with networking.

The "net user guest" command shows whether someone can access your
computer over the local area network via the Guest account. It has
nothing to do with logging in at the keyboard.

If simple file sharing is enabled on your computer, all users on all
other computers are forced to access your computer over the network
via the Guest account. That requires having the Guest account active,
as shown by "net user guest".

To enable the Guest account for network access:

net user guest /active:yes

To disable the Guest account for network access:

net user guest /active:no

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the clarification Steve. I have a WORKGROUP set up, with two
machines running Windows XP Pro. PC2 can access files on PC1 using the
IP address of PC1, but not by machine name. So I cannot expand the node
in Network Neighborhood.

I've added an entry to the LMHOSTS file, but that doesn't seem to do the
trick. Do I have to set up WINS?

TR

You're welcome, TR.

You don't need LMHOSTS or WINS in a single-subnet workgroup network.
You can't set up WINS, because that requires a server operating
system. XP (Home or Pro) is a client operating system.

Make sure that NetBIOS Over TCP/IP is enabled on both computers:

1. Open the Network Connections folder.
2. Right click the local area network connection.
3. Click Properties.
4. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
5. Click Properties.
6. Click Advanced.
7. Click WINS.
8. Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.

See if there are any error messages about NetBIOS or other networking
functions in Start | Control Panel | Performance and Maintenance |
Administrative Tools | Event Viewer.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com