Sharing Program Files folder in XP (1 Viewer)

[SteveBjr]

Does anyone know of a way to share the Program Files folder using Windows XP Pro over a network.

 

[Dustin B]

You talking about a LAN?

Right click the folder, go to properties. Then the sharing tab. Enable sharing and then click the permissions button to set who can access it.

There might be better ways of doing this, but I either create a basic account (memeber user or guest account) on my computer (like user: sharing, password: something simple that the people who will access the drive can remember) and set the folder to share on that account. Then when someone tries to access it they enter that info.

Or you create accounts with identical user names and passwords as are being used on the computers you want to share too (make them all user accounts). Add the users group to the permissions and they can just click on the folder in network nieghborhood and it will open (no password or username needs to be entered now).

 

[SteveBjr]

Yeah i can do that with all folders but not the Program Files folder. It says all the tabs are greyed out because this folder is used by the operating system. The only reason i'm interested in doing this is so i can move saved games back and forth across my LAN. The way i'm doing it now is just copy/pasting the save games to a folder i do have shared and then copying it over to the other drive. It's not that big of a deal but would be nice if i could just share the Program Files folder.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Mmm.. perhaps this is something particular to XP. I can set a Share on my Program Files folder in Windows 2000.

Can you try setting a share for the drive rather than just the folder? In theory everything underneath the share point should be accessible.

 

[Dustin B]

Hmm, I'm able to share it with my WinXP Pro.

Some possible reasons, just guessing here:

-need to add another share name that doesn't conflict with system share (i've only had this happen when trying to share a whole drive)
-need to disable simple sharing (windows explorer -> tools -> folder options -> view -> very last check box)
-your account type doesn't have permission to make the change

 

[Colin Dunn]

I was just able to share my CROGRAM FILES folder. However, I turned off the "simplified" file sharing feature and went for the whole enchilada...