Re-enabling network share for remote Guest users

[Jaelani]

Hello,

I have two PCs - one primary and the other is the secondary. Both use
Windows XP Professional and I intend to use both for client & server,
just simple home & private networking. In my primary PC, a long time
ago I disabled access of remote Guest (or anonymous) users to access
(read-only) my network shares - allowing access only for users
registered in local system. The problem is that I forgot how and what
did I do to disable it and I need to re-enabling it again.

My primary PC can see it including its shares and are all accessible
under the Guest user restrictions. My secondary PC can see my primary
PC but it's not allowed to see my shares.

In my primary PC, I make sure that the Guest user is enabled. I've
also searched all the settings in Group Policy about Guest access to
the network shares and disabled the Windows Firewall. But my secondary
PC still not allowed to see my primary PC's shares.

Is there other settings I've missed?
Thanks in advance.


Regards,
Jaelani

 

[Nepatsfan]

Hello,

I have two PCs - one primary and the other is the secondary. Both use
Windows XP Professional and I intend to use both for client & server,
just simple home & private networking. In my primary PC, a long time
ago I disabled access of remote Guest (or anonymous) users to access
(read-only) my network shares - allowing access only for users
registered in local system. The problem is that I forgot how and what
did I do to disable it and I need to re-enabling it again.

My primary PC can see it including its shares and are all accessible
under the Guest user restrictions. My secondary PC can see my primary
PC but it's not allowed to see my shares.

In my primary PC, I make sure that the Guest user is enabled. I've
also searched all the settings in Group Policy about Guest access to
the network shares and disabled the Windows Firewall. But my secondary
PC still not allowed to see my primary PC's shares.

Is there other settings I've missed?
Thanks in advance.


Regards,
Jaelani

You may have disabled simple file sharing. When you do that the Guest account is
no longer used to authorize access to shared resources. Check the following.

Go to Control Panel and double click Folder Options.
In Folder Options, click on the View tab.
On the View page, look in the Advanced settings box and make sure there's a
check mark next to Use simple file sharing.

Note: If you want to leave simple file sharing disabled all you have to do to
allow access to shared resources is to create an account on your second PC that
matches in user name and password an account on your primary computer. Log on
with that account on the second PC and you should be able to access shared
folders on the primary PC.

Also, you don't need to enable the Guest account through the User Accounts
applet for simple file sharing to work. You simply need to confirm that it's
active. Go to Start -> Run and enter cmd.exe in the Open box. At the prompt,
enter net user guest. Make sure it says Yes next to Account Active. If it
doesn't enter net user guest /active:yes.

If that doesn't solve your problem you might want to post your question to the
microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web newsgroup.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Jaelani]

Enabling "Simple File Sharing" has no effect. AFAIK, this is just a
cosmetic setting for Windows Explorer for simpler sharing management.

The "net uset guest" command shows that the Guest account is already
active. I've been playing with the "/active:x" parameter and find that
it actually enables/disables the Guest user in local system viewable
via "User Accounts" control panel and "Local Users and Groups" MMC.

I'll post this issue to microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web.
Thanks for your help.