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Menno Hershberger

This has been an ongoing problem for me for 3 years.
I maintain 3 computers (all XP Pro-SP2) on my network.
I have always had them all formatted in Fat32 specifically on account of
file sharing problems.
One user on all machines (me), no passwords. All drives set for full
sharing with "simple file sharing" checked. I've never had any problem
reading or writing to ANY folders between machines.
But now I've made the mistake of putting an NTFS formatted machine in the
system and I don't have wide open access to it like I want from the others.
I've Googled and read up on it and still haven't succeeded. I've tried with
simple file sharing turned on and with it off. I've set all the NTFS
permissions to "full" on the individual folders. The only folder I've had
any degree of success with is the My Documents folder. I can't access
Program Files, or the Windows folder. For instance, I wanted to transfer my
HOSTS file to the NTFS machine and it won't let me into the Windows
folder... much less System 32, Drivers, etc.
I don't have much on that machine yet and if there's no other answer, I'm
just going to start over and format it in Fat32 and have it over with.
There's got to be a way!
Isn't there?
 
Menno Hershberger said:
This has been an ongoing problem for me for 3 years.
I maintain 3 computers (all XP Pro-SP2) on my network.
I have always had them all formatted in Fat32 specifically on account of
file sharing problems.
One user on all machines (me), no passwords. All drives set for full
sharing with "simple file sharing" checked. I've never had any problem
reading or writing to ANY folders between machines.
But now I've made the mistake of putting an NTFS formatted machine in the
system and I don't have wide open access to it like I want from the others.
I've Googled and read up on it and still haven't succeeded. I've tried with
simple file sharing turned on and with it off. I've set all the NTFS
permissions to "full" on the individual folders. The only folder I've had
any degree of success with is the My Documents folder. I can't access
Program Files, or the Windows folder. For instance, I wanted to transfer my
HOSTS file to the NTFS machine and it won't let me into the Windows
folder... much less System 32, Drivers, etc.
I don't have much on that machine yet and if there's no other answer, I'm
just going to start over and format it in Fat32 and have it over with.
There's got to be a way!
Isn't there?
Click to expand...

NTFS has a lot to do with access permissions and nothing at all
with file sharing. If security is no issue then you can grant everyone
full access to all folders. Here is how it's done:
- Log on as administrator.
- Click Start / Run
- Type cmd {OK}
- Type these command verbatim:
cd /d c:\ {Enter}
cacls *.* /s /e /c /g everyone:F {Enter}
cacls c:\ /g everyone:F {Enter}

The first cacls command will grant everyone full access to all
files and folders on drive C:. The second cacls command will
ensure that all folders you may create in future are fully
accessible by everyone.

I assume that you have already created matching accounts/
passwords on all PCs. I also assume that your "share" permissions
are set to "Full Control" for everyone.
 
NTFS has a lot to do with access permissions and nothing at all
with file sharing. If security is no issue then you can grant everyone
full access to all folders. Here is how it's done:
- Log on as administrator.
- Click Start / Run
- Type cmd {OK}
- Type these command verbatim:
cd /d c:\ {Enter}
cacls *.* /s /e /c /g everyone:F {Enter}
cacls c:\ /g everyone:F {Enter}

The first cacls command will grant everyone full access to all
files and folders on drive C:. The second cacls command will
ensure that all folders you may create in future are fully
accessible by everyone.

I assume that you have already created matching accounts/
passwords on all PCs. I also assume that your "share" permissions
are set to "Full Control" for everyone.
Click to expand...

First off, let me tell you that it worked! And I thank you.
I don't know if you made a typo or my machine is just a little
different, but the first command brought up the help screen. "/s" was not
listed as a valid parameter, but "/t" looked like it would have the
desired effect, so I replaced your "/s" with "/t" and it did its thing.
The second command went off without a hitch with an "Are your sure".
So I came back in the other room, and sure enough, I am able to access
everything... read and write.
I had already set the permissions to full for everyone.
My username is "Menno" on one machine and "MH" on the NTFS machine and
there are no passwords on any of my accounts, other than the required one
for the "administrator" account in XP Pro. That password is not the same
on each machine, but I don't need/use that account anyway.
You have solved a problem that has been plagueing me for years and for
that I am eternally grateful!
 
Menno Hershberger said:
First off, let me tell you that it worked! And I thank you.
I don't know if you made a typo or my machine is just a little
different, but the first command brought up the help screen. "/s" was not
listed as a valid parameter, but "/t" looked like it would have the
desired effect, so I replaced your "/s" with "/t" and it did its thing.
The second command went off without a hitch with an "Are your sure".
So I came back in the other room, and sure enough, I am able to access
everything... read and write.
I had already set the permissions to full for everyone.
My username is "Menno" on one machine and "MH" on the NTFS machine and
there are no passwords on any of my accounts, other than the required one
for the "administrator" account in XP Pro. That password is not the same
on each machine, but I don't need/use that account anyway.
You have solved a problem that has been plagueing me for years and for
that I am eternally grateful!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the /s was a typing error.

The instructions I gave you were an administrator's shortcut.
You could have done the same in a GUI, by following the
inbuilt help instructions. Type Start / Help, click the Search
tab and type "Permissions", then follow the detailed guide.
 
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