How to set up a network drive please

from JoeUser Forums
OK this is the deal. I have 2 HP laptops. Both laptops have Windows Vista Home Premium. My laptop is connected directly to the linksys wireless router thru the cable. My wifes laptop is set up as wireless in our bedroom. I have a 500 GB external hard drive that connects via USB to my laptop.

I want to be able to share the external hard drive to my wifes laptop. We are both on the same network and can see each others PCs. She can not access mine but I can access hers with a password. Can someone please give me step by step details to set up the USB external HD so that I can access all the files from my wifes PC? I have searched the internet and have not forund anything specific enough to help me. I was able to get access to 1 of the folders on the external drive from my wifes PC but now it's asking for access to my laptop and nothing I do gives it permission. I want access to the entire drive and also to my second internal drive on my laptop.

Thank you in advance.
17,699 views 5 replies
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you go to Control panel > Network & Internet > Set up file sharing, you will see something like this:-



Make sure you click on each button and select the correct settings, particularly turn off password protected sharing on your laptop as that is why the other laptop is asking for permission. Make sure also you have the same settings, and workgroup, on both laptops.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
There is not much difference between home and Pro for XP and Vista - except in file sharing! be very careful. You can do it (fuzzy gives you great screen shots), but remember - if she can see it so can a lot of nasty people. That is why file sharing is turned off by default on the home editions.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks for all the help. Fuzzy's instructions is what I had before and apparently had changed some of the settings without realizing it. Thanks. But I am curious as to why I can give access to the folders inside a drive but not to the drive itself? It keeps telling me they have no access to the drives directly but is I set the folder to share a link to the folder apears where they can go straight into the folder.

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
It keeps telling me they have no access to the drives directly but is I set the folder to share a link to the folder apears where they can go straight into the folder.
End of quote


The drives are set up for Admin shares - with preset permissions (basically the local admin group of the computer). Once you turn file sharing on, they are shared automatically. As dollar sign (invisible so you cannot browse to them) shares.

If she uses your admin account and password, she can map to the drive - \\yourcomputer\c$

If you do not have the same admin account names and passwords, use the following from the command line:

net use z: \\yourcomputername\c$ /user:yourcomputername\youraccountname

It will prompt you for the password.