want to share all drives, files and folders without needing to log in

[Buggs1a]

i have windows xp pro sp2 all updates etc. how do i share all drives, all
files, all folders without having to log in? i want to share my entire pc
for myself on my lan and don't want to log in at all. i want the c drive
shared, the system folder etc. Every single thing. i don't wanna have to log
in anywhere. if this is not possible can you set it uip so you don'tneed a
password but you can log in with username only? i am the admin too.

the pc will be connected from another pc that is also winxp and my xbox via
xbox media center. each pc has different user accounts. i don't want to log
in at all on either. i connect from xbox to stream music and movies, but it
always asks for log in. it does this for each pc, each folder etc. i don't
want that. and i don't know how to save the log in in xbox media center
media player thing so it won't ask me anymore on either pc.

I'd be so eternally grateful to any help.

 

[Bob I]

You will need to log in (automatic or otherwise) to use any NT operating
system resources. That is how the the system is designed. It will be
MOST transparent if you put the same USERNAME/PASSWORD combo on ALL
systems to be accessed. You may do this first, or fight the system for
awhile and do it later.

 

[Buggs1a]

You will need to log in (automatic or otherwise) to use any NT operating
system resources. That is how the the system is designed. It will be MOST
transparent if you put the same USERNAME/PASSWORD combo on ALL systems to
be accessed. You may do this first, or fight the system for awhile and do
it later.

Thanks. Cool, so I know now that with NT based systems a log in is totally
required. Ok cool.

On one pc I have one account named Administrator and I cannot change that
username. Why not? On another pc I have an account named Joe, but I cannot
name that Administrator. Why not? This way I could just set up as a username
Administrator and then from another pc or my xbox I can just put in
Administrator/passwoird and then it would be saved so I don't have to enter
it in all the time.

1 pc has Administrator account.
2 pc has Joe account.
3: both are administrator accounts.
4: can i get 1 username on both pc as the same name or will it not work? I
would have to change administrator to joe or joe to administrator and as far
as i know this won't work to change the username itself that way.

 

[Malke]

Thanks. Cool, so I know now that with NT based systems a log in is totally
required. Ok cool.

On one pc I have one account named Administrator and I cannot change that
username. Why not? On another pc I have an account named Joe, but I cannot
name that Administrator. Why not? This way I could just set up as a
username Administrator and then from another pc or my xbox I can just put
in Administrator/passwoird and then it would be saved so I don't have to
enter it in all the time.

1 pc has Administrator account.
2 pc has Joe account.
3: both are administrator accounts.
4: can i get 1 username on both pc as the same name or will it not work? I
would have to change administrator to joe or joe to administrator and as
far as i know this won't work to change the username itself that way.

Leave the Administrator account alone. It is a built-in system account and
should not be used for regular work. Create "Joe" with a password that you
will remember on all machines. If you want to have the convenience of
automatically logging into the Joe account, you can:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

Here's a general explanation of the user account structure in XP so you'll
have a better picture of what's really happening:

My Computer - represents your entire computer, showing drives and shared
folders. Shared Folders are folders where you can put files you wish to
share with other users on the system. You don't need to use these folders
if you don't want to, but leave them alone!

[some name] C:\ - your first hard drive, usually the system drive.

Document and Settings - The "container" for all user settings. Each user
will have [username] Documents, Music, Videos, My Pictures.

Administrator - Built-in account - Leave alone! Do not use! Do not worry
about it!

All Users - Section where items common to all users go. In a multi-user
operating system, users have separate accounts. This is the place where if
you want to share files with all the other users on the system you would
put those files. You don't ever have to use those folders but they need to
be there. This is where programs you install that are meant to be installed
for all users put settings. All the "Shared Documents" type of folders you
see at the root of C:\ are shortcuts to the shared folders in here. Leave
them alone!

Default Users - This is the template from which new user accounts are made.
You will never put anything in any of those folders but they are needed to
create new users. In Linux we use "skel" ("skeleton" - get it?). In
Windows, the less-colorful term "Default User" is used. Leave it alone!

[OEM] Administrator or Owner - This is the generic user created by the OEM
when installing the operating system. After all, the OEM doesn't know who
is going to buy the computer. If you aren't using this OEM user account,
you can delete it from the User Accounts applet in Control Panel. It is not
the same account as "Administrator". If you don't have a pre-built OEM
machine from a company like Dell or HP (i.e., you installed XP yourself),
you won't have this user account.

Hope that made things a bit clearer for you.

Malke