Some XP shares work, others don't (fixed - sort of)

[Zelator]

I have created several shares on an XP machine with what seem to be full access to the network. They are all visible in Remote Places, Samba Shares, but only some can be opened, the rest demand an undefined username and password.
Those that do work I have created network folders for, but the others come up with the same user/password demand when I try to create them.
I have tried all the passwords on both machines, to no avail. I have been into kcontrol to set up the Samba user and password there, but it makes no difference.
Is this an XP problem? Is there some trick in defining the shares?

[javierrivera]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

Are those shares "special" folders in Windows XP (like Program Files)?

The most usual problem that I see sharing XP folders is the need to adjust XP folder permissions.

Javier.

[Zelator]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

Javier, I think this is the answer, I have just looked up the XP help on shares and it says that they cannot be established on various directories, including "Documents and Settings", which is where the user's "My Documents" sits. It seemed a sensible place to put my wife's working directory, but I need to back it up over the network, so it will have to be moved, unless there is a way to override the restriction.

[penguin.ch]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

A possible workaround, drafted from memory ...:

On the Windoze machine, implement an "automatism" (read: script to be executed at boot) to copy all relevant data to a local, "non-critical" folder - with the latter to be shared ... Let me know if you needed more details on how to do this.

[javierrivera]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

IIRC it could be solved by changing the permissions of the special folders to allow the user "nobody" to read and write on those folders.

Again IIRC, XP Home doesn't allow you to change the folders permission in "normal" mode. You'll need to boot into safe mode and log in as the "Administrator" user.

Everything is from memory as I don't have XP box near to test it.

Javier.

[Detonate]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

You can use a little known program from MS called "SyncToy". Set up a shared folder, then set up SyncToy to maintain the files in that folder as copies of the files in the folders you want to share. Works great.

[Zelator]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

I have had to allow for serveral quirks in getting round my problem. Firstly, the XP box replaces an old XP box that was upgraded from 98SE, and the shares worked perfectly, even ones accessing mail and bookmark files under "Documents and Settings".
1) On this XP I find that I can now only access directories under the shared directory, though I am sure it was not like that to start with.
2) Shares of directories under "Documents and Settings" don't work, though a couple did originally when I was reloading data, and XP allows them to be declared as shared.
3) Shares on straight C drive directories work, subject to item 1.
4) If any attempt to access via Kubuntu "Remote Places" fails, any subsequent attempt fails, demands unspecified user and password (not XP admin it seems) , or is read only, and any subsequent "Add a Network Folder" fails. Log out and in, don't trigger errors etc, and "Add a Network Folder" for a C drive share works.

I will look up SyncToy for the mail and bookmarks, sounds easier than writing scripts, even if scripts are more fun.

Thanks for your help,everyone.

[Detonate]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

You can get SyncToy here:

http://tinyurl.com/7dlru

[Zelator]

Re: Some XP shares work, others don't

Thanks for the SyncToy link.
I have just discovered a curious thing in Kubuntu's Remote Places. When trying to copy data to a Samba Share, Ctrl/V gives an error - "Writing to remote is not supported", but right-click > Paste works without complaint. Fun, isn't it?