Permission Problems Between XP Pro and Home

I was asked a very good question so I decided to post the solution here. People frequently have problems when filesharing between XP Home and XP Pro. You may recieve errors like the following:

"Error: \\pc name is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource...Access is denied."

or

"You might not have permission to use the network resource. Contact the administrator of the server to find out if you have access permission."

These types of errors are due to NTFS restrictions in effect on the target machine. Windows XP Pro has much more advanced permission controls than XP Home.

Or does it?

Try logging onto your XP Home machine in Safe Mode. When you view a file or folder's properties you'll notice the elusive Security Tab presumed to be missing from the Home Edition. In fact, it's not missing, but rather hidden in normal mode. This simple procedure will allow you to install it in normal mode so that you can make better use of NTFS permissions, and eliminate the errors shown above.

1. Download the Windows NT Server Security Configuration Manager from the Microsoft Website.
2. Run the downloaded scesp4i.exe to extract the contents.
3. Open the folder that you extracted the files into and right-click the file named setup.inf and choose Install.
4. Choose no, if asked to overwrite essent.dll
5. Restart you computer.

Congratulations, you've just returned the Security Tab to your file and folder properties.

Still want more? Okay. How about adding XP Pro's Group Policy Editor functionality to the Home edition? Try the freeware, Windows XP Security Console by Doug Knox.

Thanks Nilpo, worked for me. =)

I told you I had your solution! You're very welcome.

In light of some recent questions, let me add that using the method will remove the ability to use Simple File Sharing.

However, if you're having permission problems, you don't want Simple File Sharing anyway.

and if i get these mesages in windows xp pro

Well, these features already exist in XP Pro.

Make sure that Simple File Sharing is disabled, and that the current permissions are set for the share you are trying to access.

Nilpo,
Could you post an example of how to set the permissons on a XP-Home and XP-Pro machine to share one folder each on each machine.

I followed your instructions to install the Security Tab and I created a new user in XP-Pro machine which is the same userid that I use to login to XP-Home machine. But still I have the same Persmission error.

I gave full control of the folder to this new user id on XP-Pro.

Do the machines have to be in same workgroup?

All these years I had Win2kPro and XP-Pro happily sharing files.

Then I intalled XP-Home in the Win2k machine and having all these troubles with File Sharing.

Appreciate your help.

Lot of people are stuck with this issue. So a step by step example would be very useful.

http://www.connectedhomemag.com/Networking/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=24428

jk

I apologize for the late reply, jk. Windows 2000 Pro and Windows XP Pro use the same permissions, so the steps below would be carried out the same way on both machines.

The first thing you need to determine is what kind of access do you want to allow. Are you setting up a public share (for anyone to access) or a private share (restricted to certain users or groups).

For the first, you simply right click the directory you would like to share, and create the share in its Properties. Then click the permissions button, add Everyone to the allowed list, and select the permission you want to enable.

You follow this same routine for a private share, but instead, you select individual users or groups to allow access to.

Windows has a feature that will allow you to search for valid users or groups. The problem people have is when the user is not listed. In this case, create a user on the local machine with the same login information as the remote user that you want to allow access to. Then make sure your share uses "Windows Login Authentication".

There are endless ways to set this up, this is just the easiest.

Also, setting your machine to "Authenticate as Guest when computer information is unavailable" can also alleviate some issues when you are having authentication problems as well.

Let me know if you need more detailed steps as I'm not sitting at a Windows 2000 Pro or XP Pro machine as I'm writing this.

This is the only site that has provided any answers whatsoever on completing this simple peer network, which once was running, until we brought new machines in.

I have an XP (Front computer) that has been able to access the laptop and back computer. The laptop & back computer could not access the Front computer and I did not worry about it as I knew that I was going to upgrade soon.

So I replaced the back computer with an XP and installed the peer network group. The front computer can access the new back computer & laptop, but the new back computer (XP) always gets "access denied" messages when attempting to access the front computer.

I did download and install the recommended file, all gave permission ~ never did find the "permission button" however....

Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello, kinetickt. Welcome to DevH, the single greatest forum on the planet!

Your problem sounds more like your machines are having a hard time authenticating. When one computer requests to connect to a share on another machine it must first authenticate (or identify) itself in order to establish trust.

Windows provides several different methods of doing this, and it would seem that your machines are authenticating differently.

First off, try making sure that you are using NetBios on all of your machines. NetBios aids in authentication.

1. Open the Network Connections folder.
2. Right click the local area network connection and click Properties.
3. Double click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
4. Click the Advanced and select the WINS tab.
5. Select Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.
6. Click Apply

You should also try disabling the Windows XP Firewall.

Hello Nilpo ~

Yes, I agree DEV HARDWARE rocks! This site is the first one that I was able to actually find something that addresses my particular issue.

I did complete your commands, but, alas, to no avail. Even removing the firewall made no difference!

I am afraid that there is one 'minor' switch that I neglected to complete during the installation and that is causing this 'bug-a-boo'.

Again, any and all assistance is GREATLY appreciated!

Katie

Okay. Let's try some other things. Let me ask you this. When you set up these computers on the network, did you use the Network Setup Wizard? If so, did you use it on all of the machines or just some of them?

Also, on the machine that can't be seen, make sure that you have allowed file and printer sharing.

I am no expert with this networking stuff... I have a home network with 4 PC, 1 Win98, 1 XP Home & 2 XP Pro. all but the XP Home can share the printer attached to one of the XP Pros. I do not use any user account on the PC when I start up so am I sunk... How do I get the XP Home to use the printer? I can see the XP Home on the workgroup but just get use any thing. HELP

are you saying your windows xp home computer cannot connect to a printer on an xp pro computer?

Correct