Folder Sharing Win7 to Win7 for 1 user only

[thecooldude]

Hi there.

I'm having difficulty understanding File and folder sharing with Windows 7.

I have several PCs all running Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on a home network in the same workgroup called "Workgroup".

What I want to do is share 1 folder for me called "Chris" (that no one else can access but me) on a PC named "Bear-den" I use as a media server. I have a Homegroup set up on this PC and working fine so everyone in my house can access my media on it and that is great. I do not want my Homegroup users to see or access the "Chris" folder. If they can see it I guess I can live with that but I definately don't want them to be able to access it.

Now the "Chris" folder I want shared for me only is shared by right clicking it and selected specific user (me). I can access it only if I am logged in to that PC. I cannot access the folder from any other PC that I am logged into. I am using the same username and password on all my PCs and although I can see the folder i cannot access it. I get the message "Windows cannot access \\Bear-den\chris You do not have permission to access \\bear-den\Chris. Contact your network administrator to request access." It never asks me for credentials when I double click the folder.

I know I have to have a user account on each Win7 PC but I can't figure out why this is not working.

Network Discovery is turned on
File and Print Sharing is Turned on

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Holy Moses]

I would logon to PC Bear-Den, go to your Chris folder.

Right click "chris" folder. Click properties. Open Security tab. Just below the box "group or user names" click Edit. Click Add

Click locations button. Now it should show you a list of other PC's in your network. I think they would need to be on. Pick your other PC (not Bear-Den), click OK. Now the line "From this location" should have your second PC name, instead of Bear-Den.

In the bottom white box you should be able to add "chris" then click OK. This should now add ...........

Chris (Other-PC\Chris) or similar

to your "Group or User Names" box on the previous window.
Click "Chris(Other-PC\Chris), so it is highlighted in blue then go down to the bottom box and set your permissions. I would assume you want to fully manage that folder so click "full control", then click Apply.

You would have to do this from each PC you add to your network if you want it to be able to access your folder.

Sorry it's written, and not numerically ordered, like 1)click this 2) click that.....

I have actually disabled my Homegroup and run strictly with workgroup, being an ex-XP/Vista guy.

 

[thecooldude]

Hi Holy Moses.

Thanks for your responce!

OK, I have gone to the line "From this location" but the only PCs listed is Bear-den. How do I get it to list my other PCs?

Thanks again!

 

[Holy Moses]

Hmm. I just got rid of my other PC, so I can't verify. Only have PS3 and Xbox360 in network, and room-mates PC is with him in camp.

K, don't go any further then. Permissions and stuff can be tricky. Give my some time to look into this again, maybe someone else will have another route.

 

[Petey7]

Holy Moses, I tried the method you described earlier and when I clicked Locations, no other PC appeared, but I believe the only other Win7 PC on my network is turned off at the moment. The other PC has XP. I'm not sure if that matters or not.

 

[Holy Moses]

Holy Moses, I tried the method you described earlier and when I clicked Locations, no other PC appeared, but I believe the only other Win7 PC on my network is turned off at the moment. The other PC has XP. I'm not sure if that matters or not.

I think I may be a little foggy. Now that I have been Googling like crazy, I think I have confused myself more.

For some reason i remember seeing more than one PC under "locations", but as I said, I have no other PC's in network until roommate gets home. Only game consoles. Not sure about the Xp thing, if that makes a difference

I am starting to think maybe we could direct the OP towards some kind of Network folder password protect, not just a basic sharing password. One specific for that folder. Maybe encrypt the folder.

Unless the "authenticated users" group actually might work on a network basis, not just locally on the single PC? Not sure of all the available group identities, maybe another one he could use. Otherwise, I just always add "everyone" which opens up the folder......but he doesn't want the folder shared with everyone.
Maybe add "everyone" to the groups, with full permissions, then password protect or encrypt it it and don't give anyone the password. It would be visible, with full accessibility and control to anyone who enters the password.

I think I am overthinking this now....probably something so easy

 

[Holy Moses]

OK, I found this folder lock solution. Seems iffy as it is a code a user made or found, but it has been approved by admin, and moved to the tutorial forum....so admins must have verified it.
This is how to lock a folder WITHOUT external apps/programs....just Windows.
There are some security holes in it though it seems. I advise reading the thread then deciding. If you have other users that are proficient with a PC, AND snoopy, this might not be enough security.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/96979-folder-lock-password-without-any-software.html

There is also TrueCrypt. Freeware, compatible with Windows 7. Not sure about individual folders, but you should be able to create a new secure volume that you could put your sensitive data in

TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux

Still trying to find a way to set your permissions though. Will post back if I figure something out.

 

[kegobeer]

Here's how I share things:

• Create identical users on all computers in the workgroup.
• Put the folder(s) I want to share on another partition or another drive (never try to share a user's private folders).
• Set permissions on the folders in question (ie: right click on the folder, choose security, click edit, and make changes as necessary). Make sure "everyone" is not there, and only the people you want are listed. Don't remove system or administrators.
• Share the folders in question. Add only the users you want to have access.

 

[Holy Moses]

Here's how I share things:

• Create identical users on all computers in the workgroup.
  [*] Put the folder(s) I want to share on another partition or another drive (never try to share a user's private folders).
• Set permissions on the folders in question (ie: right click on the folder, choose security, click edit, and make changes as necessary). Make sure "everyone" is not there, and only the people you want are listed. Don't remove system or administrators.
• Share the folders in question. Add only the users you want to have access.

I think this is where my mind was stuck on this one.

 

[thecooldude]

Hi there.

I don't think I want to go the Truecrypt route as it seems unecessary.

In answer to kegobeers method, the "Chris" folder is in the root of a 2nd hard drive installed on the "Bear-Den" computer. So, as such it is not a private folder.

kegobeer, how did you get this to work?

Why can folders be shared for individual users so easily with Windows XP or Vista but not Windows 7? Seems like a step backwards. Homegroup is good if you want to open everything wide open but I don't want that.

Is this perhaps a problem because I am using Homegroup? Is kegobeer using homegroups?

Thanks again everyone.

 

[thecooldude]

Hi guys.

I just stumbled upon this:

Windows 7 HomeGroup: Frequently Asked Questions

It says "To share the file or folder with specific people, click Share with in the toolbar, click Specific people, select each person with whom you want to share with the file or folder, and then click Add. Click Share to close the File Sharing dialog box. Sharing with specific people only works if they’ve linked their profiles to an online ID."

Trying to figure out what tis means.....

 

[Holy Moses]

Hmmmmmm.

I never use Homegroup, so I can't say for sure.

Check this though.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4367-homegroup-link-your-online-id-share-files.html

No need to set anyone else up with an online id, just yourself, then share with just yourself.
That is what I gathered from a quick glance at it.

If that doesn't work, then we can probably get you set up on Workgroup, especially now I know your folder isn't a private folder, and it is easier to set permissions. I just overthought your original post. Sorry bout that.

EDIT: I just tried to start a Homegroup, and for some reason it says "you cannot setup Homegroup on this PC" or similar. Probably service I have disabled, or Windows feature I turned off. So I can't even try and see if it works. I used to be able to create HomeGroup at will. Strange.

 

[thecooldude]

Hi everyone.

That did the trick.

I linked my online ID, that I previously had with Windows live, to my login on \\bear-den and another PC and tested.

Works!

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[Holy Moses]

Glad we could help.

 

[kegobeer]

FYI - homegroup is for Windows 7 only. If you want to share files with 7, Vista, and XP, you have to use a workgroup.