File Sharing Windows 2000 PC

How to set up File Sharing on Faculty/Staff Windows 2000 computers

The following instructions explain how to set up a shared folder on a faculty or staff computer running Windows 2000. The shared folder can be made accessible to anyone who has a domain account and a Windows computer that is a member of the Wellesley domain.

As reference, only computers owned by Wellesley College (faculty and staff computers) are domain members. Personal computers (not owned by Wellesley College) are NOT domain members.

Table of Contents

• Before setting up file sharing
• How to set up file sharing
• How to check which folders are shared
• How to remove file sharing

Before setting up file sharing

• You will need to log into your office computer using your domain account (which has Administrator privileges on your computer). For more information on Administrator privileges, read the User Groups Overview.
• Make sure you have set strong passwords on your computer and that you have the latest security patches and updates by running Windows Update before continuing with these instructions.
• Check your anti-virus program and make sure it is up-to-date. If you have McAfee VirusScan, make sure you have the latest version of the program and the latest virus definitions.

How to set up file sharing

This section explains how to set up file sharing on Windows 2000. If you are not logged into the computer, log in as you normally would. Allow 10-15 minutes for the the two steps in this process:

I. Configure your computer for file sharing
II. Disable administrative shares
III. Setting up a shared folder

I. Configure your computer for file sharing

You will only need to configure your computer for file sharing once. If the option for file sharing is already set up on your computer or if you wish to set up another shared folder on your computer, continue to the instructions to II. Disable Administrative Shares to check that file sharing is correctly set up on your computer.

1. Click on the Start button and then select Settings > Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Network Dial-Up Connections.
3. In the new window that appears, right-click on the Local Area Connection icon and select Properties from the menu.

   

4. In the Local Area Connection Properties window, check that the General tab is selected. Under the Components checked are used by this connection section, check that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is listed and make sure that its checkbox is checked. If it is listed, the computer is already configured for file sharing; click Cancel and skip to the next section - II. Disable administrative shares. If it is not listed, then:
   1. Click the Install button.
   2. Click once on Service to select that option.
   3. Click Add.
   4. Click once on File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks to select it and then click OK.
   5. Click Close.
   6. If the computer asks to restart, click No. You will restart your computer in the next step. Proceed to II. Disable administrative shares.

II. Disable administrative shares

By default, administrative shares are automatically set up on Windows 2000 and XP Professional computers once file sharing is enabled. These are set up as "hidden" shares that share out your entire hard drive(s), your printers, and your Windows system folder, etc., and which can be accessed using the Administrator password. You may identify most of these shares by the $ sign at the end of the shared folder's name, for example: C$, ADMIN$, FAX$, PRINT$, NETLOGON. To keep your computer as secure as possible from viruses and other computer attacks, you should disable these administrative shares and make sure your Administrator account has a strong password.

To disable administrative shares, follow the instructions below:

1. Right-click on the following link: StopAutoShares.
2. Select Save Target as.
3. In the Save As window, select the Desktop as the location to save the file and then click Save.
4. On the desktop, double-click on StopAutoShares.reg (may appear without the .reg).
5. Click Yes to add this information to the registry and then click OK.
6. Restart your computer by clicking on the Start button and choosing Shut Down. In the window that appears, either click on Restart or make sure the Restart is selected and then click OK.
7. After the computer has restarted, log in with the same account and proceed to step III. Setting up a shared folder.

III. Setting up a shared folder

Only folders may be shared, not individual files, i.e. if you wish to share a file named blue.doc, then you must put blue.doc inside a folder and then share that folder by following the directions below. Note: If a Windows 98 computer is going to access your shared folder, then the name of your shared folder should not contain any spaces.

1. Right-click on the file or folder to be shared. In the drop-down menu that appears, select Sharing.
   

   

2. Select Share this folder. The name of the folder that appears on the network may be changed by typing in the new name in the Share name field.
3. Click Permissions.
   

   

4. Click once on Everyone to select it and then click Remove.
5. Click Add.
6. To give certain domain accounts access to this folder, make sure the Look in: bar has WELLESLEY selected. In the Name section of the Select Users or Groups window, find and then double-click on the name(s) of the user account(s) that will have access to the folder. Click OK when you are done.

1. To change each user account's permissions for the folder, in the Permissions window, click once on the name of the user account. Once it is highlighted, you may allow or deny them privileges according to the options below. Check or uncheck the boxes next to the permissions you wish to give the user. Note: You must change the permissions for each user account that has access to this folder.
   
   • Read allows the user to read the files in the folder.
   • Change allows the user to add, alter, or delete files in the folder.
   • Full Control allows the user to read, add, alter, and delete files in the folder as well as to adjust these permissions or take ownership of the folder.
     
2. When the permissions for all users have been set, click OK.
3. Click on the Security tab and then click Add.
4. Add all the user accounts that you have added in the Permissions window in step 6 by double-clicking on the names of the user accounts that will have access to the folder. Click OK when you are done.
5. Click Apply and then click OK.

The folder icon will change into a folder resting on an arm . This indicates that this folder is now shared. Only the domain users whom you have given access to the shared folder(s) will be able to access the files within the folders.

To find out how to access shared folders on another computer, go to the How to access a shared folder documentation.

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How to check which folders are shared

1. Click on the Start button and select Settings > Control Panel.
2. Double-click on Administrative Tools and then double-click on Computer Management.
3. Under the System Tools section on the left side of the window, double-click on Shared Folders to expand it.
4. Click once on the Shares folder to display the list of shared folders on the computer in the right-hand side of the window.

   

   • By default, IPC$ should be listed under the Shares folder. If items like C$ or ADMIN$ are listed, repeat the instructions for II. Disable Administrative Shares. Make certain that the Administrator's account on your computer is password-protected. To set or change the Administrator password, follow the directions for Windows Passwords.
   • To undo sharing on a folder in this window, right-click on the folder and then select Stop Sharing. Click OK or Yes in the confirmation window. If you are asked to reconfirm this choice, click Yes. Note: Do not undo sharing on IPC$.

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How to remove file sharing

To un-share a particular folder:

1. Right-click on the folder's icon. Select Sharing...
2. In the window that appears, click on Do not share this folder.
3. Click Apply and then click OK.

To turn off file sharing completely:

1. Click on the Start button and then select Settings > Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Network Dial-Up Connections icon.
3. Right-click on Local Area Connection and select Properties.
4. Select File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks.
5. Click the Uninstall button.
6. Click Yes in the window that appears.
7. Click Close.
8. Restart your computer.

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• Doug Chudzik
• Information Services
• Date Created: October 22, 2002
• Last Modified: November 10, 2003
• Expires: July 1, 2004