Windows 7: Sharing permissions problem

Hi!

I have 3 computers on my network, 2 running Windows 7, one running XP SP3. Basic sharing bewteen all PCs works, however I can't seem to setup any more specific permissions.

What I want to do is share a number of folders between the two windows 7 PCs, and a different set of folders with the XP PC.

Now I thought I could use the handy homegroup feature to do that, use regular sharing options to allow access for the XP PC and all...but I can't make either windows 7 PC recognize the other's homegroup.

I've tried to create one on each, the other wouldn't find it. I've tried to create one on each at the same time with the same pass, they still would not find each other.
All despite the fact that regular sharing works.

Are there any other (better) options to specifiy which folders are to be visible to which PC?




I'd like to resort to creating an account on my PC which the others can use to access their specific files only if there is no other way, as I'd like to keep the whole thing password free.


I'd appreciate any help

Some things to think about that you may already know about ... "Homegroup" is for windows 7 computers only, XP cannot join. Each computer needs to have the same user account name created, for example a user account named "cake" with identical passwords.

You can manually create/select folders to share through the "Workgroup" settings including XP, just make sure each computer's workgroup name is the same, then right click on a folder, select properties, sharing.

I have shared 7, XP, K2, 98, and linux on my home network including printers. Here is my advanced sharing settings for 7 for you to compare with yours:





Hope this gets you started!

Robert

In addition to the above excellent post, when sharing make shure you only use advanced sharing to set the share permissions and also ensure that the correct NTFS file permissions are set, as both are required for successful sharing

Thanks for the replies, but I think you misunderstood.


I have 3 PCs on the network...my own(Windows 7), my mom's(Windows 7), and my little brother's(XP).

I want to share all my media with my mom, my mom wants to share all her media with me, but my little brother should only be able to view a selected few folders.


Now I could create a user on my computer called "mom" and "brother" with NTFS permissions for the specific folders, which they would use to gain network access,
but this method would require me to turn on password protected sharing.

I'd like to keep it password free as this is just a home network.


So, in order to keep it password free I was counting on the homegroup feature to share folders between my moms pc and my own, and the regular sharing for my little brothers PC.

Regular sharing works, homegroups don't. Neither windows 7 PC detects a homegroup if the other creates one.


Is this required using HomeGroups? Just asking because I see no mention of it anywhere in the instructions for using the feature..

By the way: in your settings you have network discovery disabled, this would prevent any other computer from seeing your computer on the network? And according to the windows help, it would also prevent homegroups from working. ???

First off to run your network as stated above you will require a few things set up.

I will use the users Cake = You, Mum = Mum and Bro = your brother and the pc names of CakePC, MumPC & Bro PC

• ensure that you are on the same TCP/IP subnet on all three machines eg. 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.3
• Ensure that all three machines are in the same workgroup eg Home
• Create users with a password on you machine Mum & Bro ( the users on their own machines will require passwords but these do not need to be the same as the users on your machine.)
• Create a user "Cake" on your Mum's machine with a password

That should be basic setups you require

Ok for homegroups one thing that has to be considered is the time on the two machines (Your's and your Mum's ), if the time on machines are not synchronized the homegroup will fail.

To set up the home group first go to your machine and set up a homegroup, share the libraries you wish to and I advise set your own password. then go to your Mum's machine and attempt to join the same homegroup if it fails run the troubleshooter and let that set up the parameters you need - if it still fails Post back the errors and I will see what I can suggest further.

On your machine give the Bro user the NNFS Access permissions to the files and or folders you wish to allow your brother to have access to ( you can also set the level of access - navigate, Read and execute should be enough, although settings files for games will need write access )
Once the permissions are set up share the folders and include "bro" in the permissions.

To remove the need for the passwords you can check out the tutorials section here to set up automatic logon - the passwords are an integral part of network sharing of non public folders but once set up need not be an annoyance. Once the shares and permissions are correctly set the system will not ask for passwords

Let me concentrate on sharing with Little Bro. In the sharing properties of 7, you can limit who has access. I created a "Temp" folder and opened the share properties here:



Instead of sharing a folder with "Everyone", you can share a folder with Mom and she with you, but not Lil' Bro. You would need to create another folder and include Lil' Bro, You, and/or Mom to give him a folder he can access while restricting access to the other shared folder. You would need to use the "Workgroup" not the "Homegroup" because of XP. Each computer that has folders you want to share this way will need 4 user accounts: Admin, You, Mom, Little Bro. Also Barman is correct in that once you authenticate the network connection with the password, it does not ask again.

Yes, that is correct. Actually, I have enabled "Network Discovery" but Windows keeps turning it off. Evidently at this point, it doesn't need it for my home network to function correctly.

Ok thanks again. For now I'll try the "regular" way with users and passwords.

When I get HomeGroup to work, couldn't I use "share with -> homegroup" for both me and my mom, and "share with -> everyone" to share with my brother?

And I have another question...do I need to share my music library to be able to stream it to another PC? Because I really don't like the libraries and I'd prefer sharing the folders

Edit: Oh an another, semi-related question:
When I stop sharing folders, they get a little lock icon. Is there any way to get rid of this?
I find it quite annoying as these folders aren't "locked" - they just aren't shared, like thousands of other folders, and those don't have a lock.

Hmmmm ..... Sharing with "Everyone" would allow everyone to see the folders, and I thought the plan was to limit what Bro had access to?
Not really sure on this one. I am able to listen to mp3s on an external networked folder with Media Player. Same thing?
Looking into this.

Take a look at this thread:

Why have some of my folders got a lock!

Robert

Exactly. Got it all working now, including Homegroups, so if I share folder "Mum" with "HomeGroup" and folder "Bro" with "Everyone", "Bro" is visible on the XP based PC, and "Mum" is visible on my mums PC.

The lock thing, appears that if I add "Everyone" via the simple sharing menu the lock disappears.
If I then remove "Everyone"'s permissions via the Advanced Sharing menu, and stop sharing it there, the lock doesn't appear. pff.

Thanks for all the help everyone