file sharing with xp pro

[v0rTeX]

Whenever I try to access files on my PC from the others on the network, a dialog box comes up asking for a name and password. The title on the top of the box is "Connect to (computer name)" and it has the icon of some keys idicating a need for a password. I have tried to access the files both with Simple File Sharing enabled and disabled and still no luck.

Why is my computer doing this is if I haven't done anything on purpose to require password access to my files? I can access the other XP pro computer on the network.

I'm not sure if this will affect it or not but my HD is set up as follows...

C:\ (Primary Partition) in NTFS not sharing files
M:\ (Extended Partition) in FAT32 sharing several folders

I would greatly appreciate if anyone has experienced this before and would be able to offer a solution.

Thanks much

[Midknyte]

are both systems in the same workgroup? did you add the same usernames and passwords to both systems?

http://www.theeldergeek.com/quick_gu...le_sharing.htm

[v0rTeX]

Yeah both computers are in the same workgroup but I have found that with XP this doesnt matter since I can view other workgroups if there happen to be any more on the network.

No, the usernames are different since they belong to different people and on one system my sister uses a password to log into her XP but I dont use a password so mine logs on to my name by itself.

I get the feeling there is some advanced setting, possiblly an administrative thing, that got activated or checked and is trying to increase security or something with the password.

[Midknyte]

you need to have each computer updated with all the usernames and passwords. run lusrmgr.msc and add the usernames and passwords. if there is no password, just leave it blank. each system has to authenticate the user, since there is no central userdatabase (like active directory).

[v0rTeX]

Well I will look into the whole user list approach.

What I still dont understand is, my sisters computer has never had any user accounts and passwords added into it and she can share files from XP pro without having to do anything more than hit the sharing tab and checkmark the box.

The only other thing I did was turn off the guest account .. gosh I hope its not that simple.. I will check into that also.

Thanks for the suggestion though

[Midknyte]

yeah, that's a problem. guest allows for anonymous access.

[omendata]

Shes probably using SIMPLE FILE SHARING - There are two types of authentication in XP.

Guest account I think is needed for anonymous access.

[v0rTeX]

Well I tried turning the guest account on and off and it didnt make a difference, I guess that doesnt have any effect on shared files.

I did try using SFS but at the time it didnt change anything that I could tell as I still got a sign in dialog. I am really curious now as to what is happening on my PC that makes it think it needs a name a password to allow file sharing.

Guess I will turn the simple stuff back on and reboot and maybe it will work. Any other possible ideas? Or any ideas as to what specific setting I could change while using advanced file sharing to allow anonymous network users to look at my files?

[omendata]

Have you been fiddling with the Group policy editor.
The source of many a network headache?
Be honest now!!!

Try installing Netbuie on both systems first - it can make things easy.

Are you getting an IPC$ login?

Make sure the server service and browser servies are running on both machines.......AND TCPIP NETBIOS HELPER.

[v0rTeX]

well Im not sure exactly where to find the group policies... I was poking around in the administrative tools area but I only changed a couple of things that sounded like they were related to the guest account or anonymous users.. but Ive never changed any of those in the past manually so Im still not sure how this all happened.

my pc has the Client for Microsoft Networks, TCP/IP, File and Printer Sharing, and the QoS thing for the network.. the other computer has the same except the Qos

How should the settings for Authentication look?... the Enable IEEE 802.1x, authenticate as computer, and authenticate as guest options.. etc..??

[v0rTeX]

oh yeah I forgot to mention.. Yes,, from a W98SE computer on the network I sometimes get a 'do not have permission' and there were a couple of times when I did get a ' \\xxxxxx\IPC$ ' login screen.. does that point to any thing in particular?

[Midknyte]

like I said, you need to have the same usernames and passwords on each system. did you do that yet?

make sure you are using the client for windows networks login, and NOT windows logon as the primary logon for win98.

[omendata]

IPC$ usually comes 4up when a win9x machine tries to access a 2K/XP machine that is on a domain/authentication. The solution is to get it into the domain.

Install netbuie first and see what happens - this will negate an ip subnet /mask problem.

Make sure all the machines are in the same workgroup / same usernames and passwords , same ip subnet.

I must admit to having fiddled so much to tighten security on my maIN XP machine that none of my win9x stations can access it and for the life of me I havent been able to sort it.

Make sure the firewall is switched off too!!!

Win9x just doesnt like 2k/xp.

[v0rTeX]

I will check out a couple of things soon to see if I can fix it but if I dont get it figured out I may just reformat and start over since I dont mind doing that as much as most people.

Thanks for the feedback guys.