Sharing Win 7 folder with Vista user on network

[Solo]

I've read dozens of variations on this question, and dozens of solutions. I'm left with one problem I can't resolve and maybe someone can shed some light on it. I have a file folder on my desktop machine that I must be able to access for read/write from two laptops on my network. The desktop is Win 7 Home Premium. One Laptop is Win 7 Home Premium and the other is running Vista. I just recently switched the desktop from 32 bit to 64 bit Win 7 and prior to that the share had been working for years.

Since the switch, I can access the folder from my Win 7 laptop with no problems. On the Vista machine, I have two IDs (one for me, one for my wife) and I can access the desktop folder from my Vista ID with no problem. But, can't access it using my wife's ID. When I try to map the drive, the error message indicates the folder is not accessible and I might not have permission to access the folder.

I've set up a separate ID on the desktop and used that to access the folder from my ID. I try the same thing for my wife's ID (logging on with the separate ID), but that doesn't work. I've compared the network parameters at the Vista end for the two accounts and see no difference. On the laptop, the separate ID set up for the folder has permission to read/write. I'm at a loss as to what could be different. All ideas appreciated.

 

[chev65]

I've read dozens of variations on this question, and dozens of solutions. I'm left with one problem I can't resolve and maybe someone can shed some light on it. I have a file folder on my desktop machine that I must be able to access for read/write from two laptops on my network. The desktop is Win 7 Home Premium. One Laptop is Win 7 Home Premium and the other is running Vista. I just recently switched the desktop from 32 bit to 64 bit Win 7 and prior to that the share had been working for years.

Since the switch, I can access the folder from my Win 7 laptop with no problems. On the Vista machine, I have two IDs (one for me, one for my wife) and I can access the desktop folder from my Vista ID with no problem. But, can't access it using my wife's ID. When I try to map the drive, the error message indicates the folder is not accessible and I might not have permission to access the folder.

I've set up a separate ID on the desktop and used that to access the folder from my ID. I try the same thing for my wife's ID (logging on with the separate ID), but that doesn't work. I've compared the network parameters at the Vista end for the two accounts and see no difference. On the laptop, the separate ID set up for the folder has permission to read/write. I'm at a loss as to what could be different. All ideas appreciated.

The following link shows how to add read/write access for the Users folder, you would need to do this on the machine's main User folder that you are attempting to access from the wife's machine.
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/92521-hdd-sharing.html#post798310

This assumes that you haven't locked down this folder from a subfolder higher in the hierarchy. I can't the user permissions for the subfolders so can only hope they are default.

 

[whs]

In this thread there are another few tips.
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-...-files-printers-won-t-appear-windows-7-a.html

 

[Solo]

The following link shows how to add read/write access for the Users folder, you would need to do this on the machine's main User folder that you are attempting to access from the wife's machine.
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/92521-hdd-sharing.html#post798310

This assumes that you haven't locked down this folder from a subfolder higher in the hierarchy. I can't the user permissions for the subfolders so can only hope they are default.

Thanks, but I have no interest in seeing what's in the User folders. I have a single folder named Data which has been in existence (and shared) for many years. Everything of value goes there where it can be quickly and easily backed up. All I want to do is to be able to access this single folder from the PCs on my network as I've been doing all along.

 

[Jacee]

If nothing else, you could copy it to a CD/DVD and download it to the Vista computer.

 

[Solo]

In this thread there are another few tips.
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-...-files-printers-won-t-appear-windows-7-a.html

Well, it would be nice if everything made sense, but I guess it isn't necessary. Reading the thread you referenced, the only thing I hadn't tried was sharing the entire C drive with Everyone. I did that and it worked perfectly. From the Vista machine, I can either share the entire desktop C drive or just the Data folder I'm interested in. Many thanks for pointing out this thread to me. I think I've tried everything but the point mentioned there. Now we can stop running back and forth with a thumb drive!

 

[Solo]

If nothing else, you could copy it to a CD/DVD and download it to the Vista computer.

I didn't mention this - the total folder size is 194 GB. Online updates are required.

 

[chev65]

The following link shows how to add read/write access for the Users folder, you would need to do this on the machine's main User folder that you are attempting to access from the wife's machine.
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/92521-hdd-sharing.html#post798310

This assumes that you haven't locked down this folder from a subfolder higher in the hierarchy. I can't the user permissions for the subfolders so can only hope they are default.

Thanks, but I have no interest in seeing what's in the User folders. I have a single folder named Data which has been in existence (and shared) for many years. Everything of value goes there where it can be quickly and easily backed up. All I want to do is to be able to access this single folder from the PCs on my network as I've been doing all along.

Yes, and what you don't understand is that if the User folder isn't shared then NONE of the other folders which reside in the User folder will be sharable. So now, instead of sharing the Users folder like I recommended, you do the less secure thing and share the entire C drive?

This is how Windows is set up and many people do not realize this. It's not set up to share single folders, it's set up to share all User folders then you simply lock down the folders you do not want shared by un-sharing them.

I should also point out that it's huge security risk to share the entire C drive. So now instead of only sharing the Users folders you are sharing all System files so that an attacker would have full access to all System files rather than just the User folders.

This is why Windows only shares the Users folder by Default.

You should have followed the directions to share the entire Users folder which is Default, then you could have locked down any folders you don't want shared. This would be the correct way to do this, no doubt about it.