my network places problems

[malcolm]

Hello,

I have two computers at home (both xp home sp2)and this
is the problem. Today I installed the SP2 and I'm pretty
sure that the sharing wasn't working prior to this
anyway, but now I am trying to share a picture between
the two computers via the network. They both connect to
the internet wirelessly to a router which is connected to
a hub. Now, when I click on my network places, then show
network computers, it says "access denied etc". It also
has the same message when I try to access the other
computers shared files. I can see the other computers but
I can't access from either to the other. I have tried to
take down the firewall but now it won't work. A few
months back though, the network was workign fine. It must
be to do with the SP2.

PLEASE HELP, I am in desperate need and that is why i
gave so much description.

thanks so much

Malcolm

 

[Lance]

I wonder if the Guest accounts on both computers have been disabled. If
they are, enable them and see if that fixes things.

After you get things working for security's sake give both Guest
accounts the same non-blank password using:

Start/Run/ type in lusrmgr.msc and press return.

Lance
*****

malcolm thought carefully and wrote on 8/30/2004 4:33 PM:

 

[Guest]

What do you mean by guest accounts?

I don't think lusrmgr.msc works on home edition.

Malcolm

PS. I tried diasbleing the firewall (The SP2 one) and
they both work to access each other. BUT, I still can't
(from both computers) acces the option "View workbook
computers" because i still get the error "Access denied
blah blah". This makes me so annoyed.

 

[Lance]

Yes, you're right. lusrmgr.msc isn't available in XPHome.

You'll have to use the user manager in the control panel (or 'control
nusrmgr.cpl' in the Run box).

Lance
*****

(e-mail address removed) thought carefully and wrote on
8/30/2004 9:42 PM:

 

[Malcolm]

Guest accounts are ON on both comps. both computers can
view each other. It's just that it won't allow "Show
workgroup computers." because of "Accesss denied blah"
error.

I'm close, but still no cigar.

Malcolm

 

[Lance]

OK Malcolm, let's check permissions on your shares and explicitly allow
Guest to have access. Right now I'm working with XP Pro, so my steps may
be slightly different than yours.

Right-click on a shared folder, select Properties, select the Sharing
tab. Make sure "Share this folder" is checked. Click "Permissions" and
add the Guest account. Give Guest whatever level of permission you'd
like ("Full" is probably not a good idea) and click apply.

This is coming back to me. I think I had to do the same things on my SP2
network at home (Pro/Home mix). IIRC, the default "Everyone" didn't work
and I had to set explicit permissions for each user.

I hope this is it. Let me know if it works.

Lance
*****

Malcolm said the following on 8/30/2004 10:31 PM:

 

[Malcolm]

Hey Lance,

Well, this is the deal. I've been posting this on a few
forums arround. I got told to add an exception of each
computer to this one and for each of the computers. That
seemed to fix the problem of not being able to access the
shared folders. Now, I still have the problem of not
being able to access my network (MSHOME). Well the
message when I click on "show workgroup comps" is "access
denied etc".

Also please explain how opening a guest account will help?

and I do not understand this line in your message:

"IIRC, the default "Everyone" didn't work
and I had to set explicit permissions for each user."

Hope this gives enough info to fix the rest of the
problem. If not please tell me what more tell you. Please
write back.

Malcolm

 

[Lance]

The answer to your problem is somewhere in here:

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 304040
How to configure file sharing in Windows XP
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040&Product=winxp>

The purpose of the Guest account is to provide someone we can explicitly
define permissions for.

The default permissions for shares is for "Everyone" to have read
permission. Open up the properties of the shared folders, click on
"Permissions" and you'll see what I mean. In my case, "Everyone" did not
work as expected so I had to add "Guest" and define permissions explicitly.

Lance
*****

Malcolm thought carefully and wrote on 8/31/2004 10:29 AM:

 

[Malcolm]

Hey,

I read the article and when I try to do most of those
options eg. turning on/off Simple file sharing OR
Properties> sharing> Permisions. On Home edition, those
options are not available. i think that my computer is
stuck in an option that I cannot change UNLESS you know
how to do those things on XP home.

Malcolm







Lance happily wrote on 8:21pm Aug 31 2004:

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

I read the article and when I try to do most of those
options eg. turning on/off Simple file sharing OR
Properties> sharing> Permisions. On Home edition, those
options are not available. i think that my computer is
stuck in an option that I cannot change UNLESS you know
how to do those things on XP home.

Malcolm,

yes, Windows XP Home Edition doesn't have these permissions for
files or folders.

Have you tried to uninstall Service Pack 2 and check whether it
then works as before? That would show you whether SP2 indeed
triggered the problem.

Some more hints and background information can be found in
http://www.michna.com/kb/WxSP2.htm.

Hans-Georg