Windows Xp - Home Networking Problem

[Wolfie]

Ive recently bought a new PC, clean build of windows. Im trying to connect it to my main PC for two reasons...

1. The main PC has the internet connection, which i want to share with the secondary PC

2. The main PC has files i want to install on the secondary PC.

I'm trying to set up the PCs so they can access shared files, but i'm having difficulty. I can see the primary PC from the secondary PC "search" facility and have mapped a shared drive. Every time i try to access a file from that shared directory i get the error "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item". Both PC's are logged on with the main account (with admin permissions) and the shared folder has been shared without restriction. The main PC can see the secondary PC using the search facility but when i try to open the machine to access the shared folder i get told "\\xx is not accessable. You might not have permission to use this network resource". Contact the administrator of this network to find out if you have access permissions"

Having never configured a Windows XP network before, i'm a little stumped... anyone know about such things and care to help me?

[rio666uk]

try using

\\machine name\c$

just using \\machine name will show you that computers shared directores only "c$" shows everything in the root drive

[rio666uk]

sounds like something aint right with the share permissions...

well try the above anyway - if that isnt any good i would take another look at your shares - maybe even start again... its bound to be something fairly simple - if your machines are networked and can see eachother then its got to be down to permissions.

[Ian_B]

Are both PCs on the same workgroup?

Go to the control panel...system...computer name and check they are part of the same workgroup

[sting01]

Are both PCs on the same workgroup?

Go to the control panel...system...computer name and check they are part of the same workgroup

on the bottom left :

START/My Network Places

when the folder is open, select all the folders present (but not the 3 original icones from XP)

then :

click entire NEtwork

you will got your network icone after a while (30 sec), double click after 30 sec you will get your 2 puters icones, double click the computer you want to check, you will have the list of the shared folders, et voila.

Mostly the problem is caused because the local IP address have changed (usually it must be something like 192.168.000.001, and both internet and LAN must be bridged (made automatically by XP).

hope it help

[Tywais]

Try disabling the XP firewall on both machines temporarily and see if the files can be accessed then.

[The Coder]

Hi Wolfie,

I think I know exactly your problem! Right click on your drive, click the security tab. If there is an entry for "Everyone", select it and click "Full Control" in the box below. If there is not an entry for "Everyone", add it and give it "Full Control". Click ok and Windows will grind away at the hard drive for a minute or so and presto, you will have file access from the other machine.

[Wolfie]

Update:

I've managed to get file shareing kinda working ok on the two machines, i am able to see both PC's shared drives and access them... had to rerun the network setup wizard on the secondary PC - this seemed to fix the problem.

Where the problem still exists is when i try to execute a file on the secondary PC from the primary PC (through a shared folder) - i still get that weird "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item" error.

I'm not able to connect to the internet on the secondary machine either.

Windows firewall is disabled on both machines, i'm running zone alarm instead. I have configured Zone alarm to recognise both PC's in the trusted domain.

Both machines can ping each other without a problem.

[francois]

Update:

I've managed to get file shareing kinda working ok on the two machines, i am able to see both PC's shared drives and access them... had to rerun the network setup wizard on the secondary PC - this seemed to fix the problem.

Where the problem still exists is when i try to execute a file on the secondary PC from the primary PC (through a shared folder) - i still get that weird "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item" error.

I'm not able to connect to the internet on the secondary machine either.

Windows firewall is disabled on both machines, i'm running zone alarm instead. I have configured Zone alarm to recognise both PC's in the trusted domain.

Both machines can ping each other without a problem.

network wizard, the only thing to do to avoid aspirin

is the folder or file you try to access declared as shared?

did you make a shortcut in the share folders?

you need to setup ZA with expert rules in the zone section, add the IP or ports you use, beware! sharing file and printer open a port that stay open,

you're not stealth anymore

one file shared on one com needs to be seen on others!

if not it means the file on the pc2 isn't declared as shared ...

hope it wil hope a bit

francois

[Wolfie]

The file sharing is only a temporary thing, i intend to turn off file shareing once the secondary PC is fully configured/set up.

I've found that the internet connection problem is Zone Alarm related because when i turn off zone alarm on the main pc the secondary pc can connect to the internet.

Just need to configure that now - one step closer

[rio666uk]

Update:

I've managed to get file shareing kinda working ok on the two machines, i am able to see both PC's shared drives and access them... had to rerun the network setup wizard on the secondary PC - this seemed to fix the problem.

Where the problem still exists is when i try to execute a file on the secondary PC from the primary PC (through a shared folder) - i still get that weird "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item" error.

I'm not able to connect to the internet on the secondary machine either.

Windows firewall is disabled on both machines, i'm running zone alarm instead. I have configured Zone alarm to recognise both PC's in the trusted domain.

Both machines can ping each other without a problem.

#things have moved on since typing this so please ignore#

Sounds like the problem still lies with your shares - it may be worth setting another "group" admin account on both PCs.

Right Click My Computer > Manage > Users & Groups

Create a test account and add it to the local admin group on both PCs

When you create your new user - right click the user > properties

under the "Member Of" tab - when you click Add - you will see "Location"

if youre using workgroups or domains make sure this is selected otherwise it will only search the local machine.

Are you using a domain or workgroup? either way you want a domain group with admin rights added to all your shares... sorry Im only used to working with large domains using active directory etc...

ping is only for testing network connectivity via the tcp/ip protocol - it is of little help in this situation - other than to confirm that both pcs are on the same subnet and tcp/ip is working.

[Petch01]

Try on both connections:

Local Area Connection > Properties > Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) > Properties > Advanced > WINS and check "Enable NetBios over TCP/IP".

Good Luck

Petch01

[sting01]

To execute a file from a remote connection, you have to be in a server/client configuration.

That is not related to IP adress, nor networking, nor internet, nor router, but simply to know if your application is server or not.

To explain, even if you have a legitimate .exe on the computer A, you will never make it working and screen on the computer B, or you must have a server release of that application. Some applications are natively server release, I think particulary to Staroffice/OpenOffice. Some are not at all made to be used as server release (photoshop 6 for exemple).

Then let say also the last realease of the main programs are able to work as server release, if you hack the registry, and also hack a bit them for some features (like the .bak file, the automatic autosave, memory gestion and some other very small and boring details). If you are not a skilled hacker or an patent ingenior in IT , mai pen rai about it.

If the problem related to internet still exist, so do as I do :

1) unplug both your LAN cable and internet cable.

2) delete all connections that are exisitng in the corresponding folder, in both computer.

3) then run the network wizard on the main computer, with the setting : connected to internet, and sharingwith other computers on a LAN

4) then run the wizard on the second computer, with the setting connect to internet throught a gateway (or throught another computer, the sentence change following window release).

5) reboot when asked to do so, and then enjoy.

With 98 or 2000 it was better to do it manually, but the wizard with XP is just fine and 4 clicks are enought to share your internet.

If you think to use M$Office document, on both computer, the best is to get StarOffice (sun.com) or OpenOffice (openoffice.org) during the intallation you will choose to install them as server (so one installation in the main computer + small files copied on the clients. StarOffice have a demo (90 days), and OpenOffice is free (that is the same product but as Sun have bought it long time ago, they also sell it) OpenOffice is unde the GNU.

[ningnong]

Are you using XP Home or Pro on the computers?

[JSixpack]

You might check whether the Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Service (ICS) is still running on the server machine (or both machines), even though the Windows Firewall is turned off. It's often helpful if it is. You can also try enabling the Guest account.

[Thaipwriter]

Are you using XP Home or Pro on the computers?

Good question, XP Home has very limited scope for networking

**Internet connection sharing wizard will need to be run to get internet access on the second machine

[Wolfie]

Well turned out to be Zone Alarm that was causing all the problems, I upgraded to Zone Alarm Pro (15 day free trial) and configured it for ICS and everything is working.

Still have the problem accessing drives on the other PC's but i can work around that easily enough, the main internet connection was the thing i needed to get set up. Not too worried about file/print shareing to be honest.

So can anyone reccomend a good firewall for a home network that isnt too expensive (or free) and supports ICS - I'd rather not use the windows firewall if possible.

[Petch01]

Sygate Personal Firewall. It's discontinued but still available at

http://www.simtel.net/product.download.mirrors.php?id=53687

It's free.

Petch01

[ningnong]

If you're using XP Pro on both machines and have password protected administrator accounts on both you should be able to log in and freely navigate the drives. If you use the same user name on both it seems to make it even easier. Enter \\computername\C$ in the address bar and see if you receive a login prompt.

[ningnong]

Good recomendation for Sygate, better than ZA in my opinion.