File sharing Tutorial for XP Pro, XP Media Edition, and Win 2000

The purpose of this tutorial is to assist in setting up multiple computer file sharing for a home or small office wireless or wired network

You must be logged in as administrator to perform these tasks

I. Configure your computer for file sharing

You will only need to configure your computer for file sharing once. If the option for file sharing is already set up on your computer or if you wish to set up another shared folder on your computer, continue to the instructions to II. Disable Administrative Shares to check that file sharing is correctly set up on your computer.

Go to the Control Panel.

In Windows 2000, click Start | Settings | Control Panel.
In Windows XP Pro & Media edition, click on Start | Control Panel.

Double-click on the Network Dial-Up Connections or the Network Connections icon.
In Windows XP, if you do not see this icon, click Switch to Classic View located on the left side of the window to see all Control Panel options.
In the new window that appears, right-click on the Local Area Connection icon and select Properties from the menu.

Note: The content of the Local Area Connection Properties window is the same for both Windows 2000 and Windows XP Pro.

In the Local Area Connection Properties window, check that the General tab is selected. Under the This connection uses the following items: or the Components checked are used by this connection section, check that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is listed and make sure that its checkbox is checked.

If it is listed, the computer is already configured for file sharing; click Cancel and skip to the next section - II. Disable administrative shares.

If it is not listed, then:

Click the Install button.
Click once on Service to select that option.
ClickAdd.
Click once on File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks to select it and then click OK.
Click Close.
If the computer asks to restart, click No. You will restart your computer in the next step.

Proceed to II. Disable administrative shares.

II. Disable Administrative shares

By default, administrative shares are automatically set up on Windows 2000 and XP Professional computers once file sharing is enabled. These are set up as hidden shares that share out your entire hard drive(s), your printers, and your Windows system folder, etc., and which can be accessed using the administrator password. You may identify most of these shares by the $ sign at the end of the shared folder's name, for example: C$, ADMIN$, FAX$, PRINT$,

NETLOGON. To keep your computer as secure as possible from viruses and other computer attacks, you should disable these administrative shares and make sure your Administrator account has a strong password.

To disable administrative shares, follow the instructions below:

Open Notepad (Start | Run, type in Notepad)

Copy everything in green to Notepad

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanserver\parameters]
"AutoShareWks"=dword:00000000
"AutoShareServer"=dword:00000000

Click File | Save As

Change Save as Type to All Files
Call the file disableshare.reg
In the Save As window, select the Desktop as the location to save the file and then click Save
On the Desktop, double click the disableshare.reg
Click Yes to add this information to the registry and then click OK
Restart your computer

Proceed to Step III Disable Simple File Sharing on Windows XP Pro (XP Pro Only)

III. Disable Simple File Sharing on Windows XP Pro (XP Pro & Media Edition Only)

If you have Windows XP Pro or Media Edition, follow these instructions to enable password-protected file sharing. If Simple File Sharing is not disabled, shared folders will not be password-protected - this will allow any users and network viruses easy access into your computer. If you have already disabled this feature on your computer, or you don't wish to password protect the files, skip to the next section.

Click on the Start | Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, double-click on Folder Options. If you do not see the Folder Options icon, click on Switch to Classic View located on the left side of the window to see all Control Panel options.
Click the View tab.
Uncheck Hide file extensions for known file types.
Uncheck Use simple file sharing.
Click Apply and then click OK.
Close the Control Panel window.

Proceed to IV. Create user accounts.

IV. Create user accounts

A user account must be set up on the computer for each user or group of users who will have access to the shared folders. Any number of users within the network may be allowed access your Windows 2000/XP Pro computer by adding them as users.

You may create one user account on your computer for sharing purposes, i.e. you may give that account's username and password out to anyone whom you allow to access shared folders. Or you may create multiple user accounts, one for each individual or group to whom you wish to give access to different share folders on your computer.

Windows 2000

Click on the Start | Settings | Control Panel.
Double-click on Users and Passwords.
Click Add....
In the User name field, enter a name for the account, eg, joebloggs. The name should not contain spaces or special characters.
Do not use a domain account username.
Click Next.
In the Password field, enter a strong password for this user. Note: It is very important that you set a strong password for every user account. This will be the username and password necessary for access to shared folders.
Retype this password in the Confirm Password field.
Click Next.
Select Standard User for access level.
Click Finish.
If you wish to create multiple accounts, repeat the above steps for each new account.
When all users have been added, click OK. Proceed to V. Setting up the folder that will be shared.

Windows XP Pro & XP Media Edition

Click on the Start | Control Panel.
Double-click on the User Accounts icon.
Click on Create a new account.
Type in a username for the new account, eg joannabloggs.
The name should not contain spaces or special characters.
Do not use a domain account username.
Click Next.
Select Limited as the account type.
Click on the Create Account button.
Under the or pick an account to change section, click on the newly created account.
Click on Create a password.
Type a strong password for this user and then retype it in the next field to confirm it. You may skip the field for creating a password hint. Note: It is very important that you set a strong password for every user account. This will be the username and password necessary for access to shared folders.
Click on the Create Password button.
If you wish to create multiple user accounts, repeat the above steps for each new account.
When all users have been added, close all open windows.

Proceed to V. Setting up the folder that will be shared.

V. Setting up the folder that will be shared

Only folders may be shared, not individual files, i.e. if you wish to share a file named shared.doc, then you must put shared.doc inside a folder and then share that folder by following the directions below.
Note: If a Windows 98 computer is going to access your shared folder, then the name of your shared folder should not contain any spaces.
Right-click on the file or folder to be shared. In the drop-down menu that appears, select Sharing or Sharing and Security.

Select Share this folder. The name of the folder that appears on the network may be changed by typing in the new name in the Share name field.
Click on Permissions.

Click once on Everyone to select it and then click Remove.
Click Add.
To give user accounts access to this folder:

In Windows 2000, make sure the Look in: bar has the name of your computer selected. Under the Name section of the Select Users or Groups window, double-click on the names of the user accounts that will have access to the folder. Click OK when you are done.

In Windows XP Pro & Media Edition:
In the Enter the object names to select field, type in the name of the first user account (or alternatively, type in the <ComputerName>\<user name of the account>) that will have access to the folder and then click Check Names.

To add multiple user accounts, type a semicolon after the first account name and then repeat the above for each account you wish to add. Each user account will appear as COMPUTER NAME\user name (i.e. mycomputer\joebloggs) and each user account will be separated by a semicolon.

To change each user account's permissions, in the Permissions window for that folder, click once on the name of

the user account. Once it is highlighted, you may allow or deny them privileges according to the options below. Check or uncheck the boxes next to the permissions you wish to give the user.

Note: You must change the permissions for each user account that has access to this folder.

Full Control allows the user to read, add, alter, and delete files in the folder as well as to adjust these permissions or take ownership of the folder.

Click on the Security tab and then click Add. If you do not see a Security tab within the share folder's Properties window, then skip to Click Apply then OK below

Add all the user accounts that you have added in the Permissions window above in the above step.

in the top window, double-click on the names of the user accounts that will have access to the folder. Click OK

In the Enter the object names to select field, type in the name of the first user account that will have access to the

To add multiple user accounts, tap the spacebar on the keyboard to put a space after the first account name and then

repeat step 1 for each account you wish to add. Each user account will appear as COMPUTER NAME\user name

This indicates that this folder is now shared. Anyone who knows the username and password of the account(s) set up with access to the shared folder(s) will be able to access the folders, so be careful about giving out the account information and make sure the users whom know that information understand the importance of keeping them secure.

Double-click on Administrative Tools and then double-click on Computer Management.

(In Windows XP, if you do not see the Administrative Tools option, click on the link in the left side of the window

Under the System Tools section on the left side of the window, double-click on the Shared Folders to expand it.

Click once on the Shares folder to display the list of shared folders on the computer in the right-hand side of the

By default, IPC$ should be listed under the Shares folder. If items like C$ or ADMIN$ are listed, repeat the instructions for II. Disable Administrative Shares. Make certain that the Administrator's account on your computer is password-protected. To set or change the Administrator password, follow the directions for Windows Passwords.

To undo sharing on a folder in this window, right-click on the folder and then select Stop Sharing. Click OK or

Yes in the confirmation window. If you are asked to reconfirm this choice, click Yes.