The following instructions explain how to set up a shared folder on student-owned computers running Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional Edition. The shared folder can be made accessible to anyone using a Windows machine on the Wellesley network who has a user account and password on the computer that is sharing the folder.
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 on the Start button and then select Settings > Control Panel.
In Windows XP Pro, click on Start and then select the 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 on 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.
Click Add.
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:
Right-click on the following link: StopAutoShares.
Select Save Target as.
In the Save As window, select the Desktop as the location to save the file and then click Save.
On the desktop, double-click on StopAutoShares.reg (may appear without the .reg).
Click Yes to add this information to the registry and then click OK.
Restart your computer by clicking on the Start button and choosing Shut Down. In the window that appears, either click on Restart or make sure the Restart is selected and then click OK.
After the computer has restarted, log in with the same account and proceed to step III. Disable Simple File Sharing on Windows XP Pro.
III. Disable Simple File Sharing on Windows XP Pro
If you have Windows XP Pro, 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, skip to the next section.
Click on the Start button, then select the 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 Wellesley 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 button and then select Settings > Control Panel.
Double-click on Users and Passwords.
Click Add....
In the User name field, enter a name for the account, i.e., wendy. 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. For more information about user groups, click here.
Click Finish.
If you wish to create multiple accounts, repeat steps 2-8 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
Click on the Start button and select the Control Panel. Double-click on the User Accounts icon.
Click on Create a new account.
Type in a username for the new account, i.e. lilteapot. 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 steps 2-9 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 blue.doc, then you must put blue.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:
In the Enter the object names to select field, type in the name of the first user account (or alternatively, type in the
\) 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 step 1 for each account you wish to add. Each user account will appear as COMPUTER NAME\user name (i.e. WWELLESL\wendy) and each user account will be separated by a semicolon.
Click OK when you are done.
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.
Read allows the user to read the files in the folder.
Change allows the user to add, alter, or delete files in the 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.
When the permissions for all users have been set, click OK.
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 step 11.
Add all the user accounts that you have added in the Permissions window above in step 6.
In Windows 2000, in the top 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:
In the Enter the object names to select field, type in the name of the first user account that will have access to the folder and then click Check Names.
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 (i.e. WWELLESL\wendy) and the accounts will be separated by a semicolon.
Click OK when you are done.
Click Apply and then click OK.
How to check which folders are shared
Go to the Control Panel.
In Windows 2000, click on the Start button and select Settings > Control Panel.
In Windows XP Pro, click on the Start button and select the Control Panel.
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 for Switch to Classic View.)
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 window.
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. Note: Do not undo sharing on IPC$.
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How to remove file sharing
To un-share a particular folder:
Right-click on the folder's icon. Select Sharing... or Sharing and Security..
In the window that appears, select Do not share this folder.
Click Apply and then click OK.
To turn off file sharing completely:
Go to the Control Panel.
In Windows 2000, click on the Start button and then select Settings > Control Panel.
In Windows XP Pro, click on Start and select the Control Panel.
Double-click on the Network Dial-Up Connections or Network Connections icon.
Right-click on Local Area Connection and select Properties.
Select File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks.
Click the Uninstall button.
Click Yes in the window that appears.
Click Close.
Restart your computer.