How can I share "C:\Program Files" ?

[Frank]

XP Pro SP2 : How can I share "C:\Program Files" ? I can share other
drives, including "D:\Program Files", various drive roots, and even
"C:\", but when I try to access "C:\Program Files", I get
"(C)\Program Files is not accessible. Access is denied."

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

XP Pro SP2 : How can I share "C:\Program Files" ? I can share other
drives, including "D:\Program Files", various drive roots, and even
"C:\", but when I try to access "C:\Program Files", I get
"(C)\Program Files is not accessible. Access is denied."

By default, Windows XP doesn't allow sharing the Program Files and
Windows folders or individual users' folders within Documents and
Settings.

You can share subfolders within those folders, e.g. you can share
"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express" or "C:\Documents and
Settings\Username\Desktop" and access that folder from another
computer on the network.

With Windows XP Professional, you can disable simple file sharing,
which removes those sharing restrictions:

1. Open My Computer and click Tools | Folder Options | View.
2. Scroll to the end of the advanced settings.
3. Un-check "Use simple file sharing (recommended)".

You'll then need to create matching user accounts on each computer to
allow access to the shared folder. Details here:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm
--
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

 

[Chuck]

XP Pro SP2 : How can I share "C:\Program Files" ? I can share other
drives, including "D:\Program Files", various drive roots, and even
"C:\", but when I try to access "C:\Program Files", I get
"(C)\Program Files is not accessible. Access is denied."

Frank,

Is this computer running Simple File Sharing, or just using Guest
authentication, by any chance? You can't share "C:\Program Files" with Guest.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Guest>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Guest

 

[Frank]

By default, Windows XP doesn't allow sharing the Program Files and
Windows folders or individual users' folders within Documents and
Settings.

You can share subfolders within those folders, e.g. you can share
"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express" or "C:\Documents and
Settings\Username\Desktop" and access that folder from another
computer on the network.

With Windows XP Professional, you can disable simple file sharing,
which removes those sharing restrictions:

1. Open My Computer and click Tools | Folder Options | View.
2. Scroll to the end of the advanced settings.
3. Un-check "Use simple file sharing (recommended)".

You'll then need to create matching user accounts on each computer to
allow access to the shared folder. Details here:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm

Thanks; Good article. I can share the subfolders, but it's not quite
as convenient as I would like.

I'm using Simple File Sharing; this is a network of usually 5-6
machines of 98, 2K, XP. I'm regularly plugging in laptops and other
machines, so managing accounts would be quite a task.

Only two people use the network, and it's behind a NAT firewall. All
file sharing is bound only to NetBUI, so I want it to be as open as
possible. Does anyone know exactly how and where XP treats certain
folders differently? Is it by registry settings, hardcoded into a
DLL, or in some config file?
Frank

 

[Frank]

By default, Windows XP doesn't allow sharing the Program Files and
Windows folders or individual users' folders within Documents and
Settings.

You can share subfolders within those folders, e.g. you can share
"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express" or "C:\Documents and
Settings\Username\Desktop" and access that folder from another
computer on the network.

With Windows XP Professional, you can disable simple file sharing,
which removes those sharing restrictions:

1. Open My Computer and click Tools | Folder Options | View.
2. Scroll to the end of the advanced settings.
3. Un-check "Use simple file sharing (recommended)".

You'll then need to create matching user accounts on each computer to
allow access to the shared folder. Details here:

Windows XP Professional File Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_filesharing/index.htm

Thanks; Good article. I can share the subfolders, but it's not quite
as convenient as I would like.

I'm using Simple File Sharing; this is a network of usually 5-6
machines of 98, 2K, XP. I'm regularly plugging in laptops and other
machines, so managing accounts would be quite a task.

Only two people use the network, and it's behind a NAT firewall. All
file sharing is bound only to NetBUI, so I want it to be as open as
possible. Does anyone know exactly how and where XP treats certain
folders differently? Is it by registry settings, hardcoded into a
DLL, or in some config file?
Frank

 

[Frank]

Please disregard -- it's 3 AM.

 

[Ron Lowe]

Frank,

Is this computer running Simple File Sharing, or just using Guest
authentication, by any chance? You can't share "C:\Program Files" with
Guest.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Guest>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Guest

Well, you can if you want.
Just reset the NTFS permissions on the Program Files folder using CACLS from
the command line.

Go to a command prompt, and CD up to C:\ ( the parent folder of 'Program
Files'. ), and use the cacls command thus:


C:\Documents and Settings>cd ..
C:\>cacls "program files" /T /E /G Everyone:C
processed dir: C:\Program Files

Now, if we use the CACLS command again, we can see if it worked:

C:\>cacls "program files"
C:\Program Files BUILTIN\AdministratorsOI)(CI)F
CREATOR OWNEROI)(CI)(IO)F
EveryoneOI)(CI)C <----Oh, yes it did.
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEMOI)(CI)F
BUILTIN\UsersOI)(CI)R

This is now accessible across the network too.