Access Denied for Certain Users

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UNIXBOYMD - 31 Mar 2005 18:51 GMT

I have successfully set-up a home network between 2 Windows XP Home machines
(1 desktop & 1 laptp). The desktop is wired into the router and the laptop is
wireless into the router. I have also setup mapped network drives between the
2 machines.

I know the networking was successful, because I can access one machine from
the other (via my network places and the mapped drives).

However, I am having some difficulty with gaining access to some of the user
accounts.

From the desktop (going to the laptop) I can successfully access the
following:

C:\Documents and Settings\USER1\
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\

But I am unable to access the following and get a "not accessible, access is
denied" error:

C:\Documents and Settings\USER2\
C:\Documents and Settings\USER3\

I find it very frustrating that I can successfully access some user
directories and not others.

A similiar instance happens when I try to access going from the laptop to
the desktop.

Can someone turn on the light bulb over my head please?

TIA!
UNIXBOYMD

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Steve Winograd [MVP] - 31 Mar 2005 19:53 GMT

>I have successfully set-up a home network between 2 Windows XP Home machines
>(1 desktop & 1 laptp). The desktop is wired into the router and the laptop is
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>TIA!
>UNIXBOYMD

I'm sorry, but that's how Windows XP Home Edition works when it's
installed on an NTFS disk partition. It blocks access to the Program
Files and Windows folders and to individual users' folders within
Documents and Settings. The "All Users" folder is an exception, since
it contains the "Shared Documents" folder.

You can share subfolders within those folders, e.g. you can share
"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express" or "C:\Documents and
Settings\USER2\My Documents" and access that folder from another
computer on the network.

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Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

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http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

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UNIXBOYMD - 31 Mar 2005 21:21 GMT

According to what you just said...

I should not be able to access ANY of the user folders.

However, I am able to access SOME of the user folders. So why is that?

> >I have successfully set-up a home network between 2 Windows XP Home machines
> >(1 desktop & 1 laptp). The desktop is wired into the router and the laptop is
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> Settings\USER2\My Documents" and access that folder from another
> computer on the network.

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Steve Winograd [MVP] - 31 Mar 2005 22:04 GMT

>> >I have successfully set-up a home network between 2 Windows XP Home machines
>> >(1 desktop & 1 laptp). The desktop is wired into the router and the laptop is
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
>
>However, I am able to access SOME of the user folders. So why is that?

You're welcome.

You haven't given us the actual user names or folder names on your
computers, so I can't answer that question.

Some folders in Documents and Settings don't correspond to actual
users. For example, my XP Home computer has a folder named "Default
User" that's accessible over the network.

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UNIXBOYMD - 31 Mar 2005 23:01 GMT

I don't see what having the acutal user names / folder names has to do with
anything. But here you go. And just in case you were wondering the Z: and X:
drives are mapped drives. All accounts (Cheryl, Roger, India) are all system
administrator accounts (if that helps with anything).

When sitting at the desktop and accessing the laptop via the network :

SUCCESSFUL Z:\Documents and Settings\All Users
SUCCESSFUL Z:\Documents and Settings\Cheryl
SUCCESSFUL Z:\Documents and Settings\Roger
UNSUCCESSFUL Z:\Documents and Settings\India

When attempting to access Z:\Documents and Settings\India I recieve the
following error:

Z:\Documents and Settings\India is not accessible. Access is denied.

When sitting at the laptop and accessing the desktop via the network :

SUCCESSFUL X:\Documents and Settings\All Users
SUCCESSFUL X:\Documents and Settings\Cheryl
UNSUCCESSFUL X:\Documents and Settings\Roger
UNSUCCESSFUL X:\Documents and Settings\India

When attempting to access X:\Documents and Settings\India and X:\Documents
and Settings\Roger I recieve the following error:

Z:\Documents and Settings\India is not accessible. Access is denied.

TIA!

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Steve Winograd [MVP] - 31 Mar 2005 23:31 GMT

>>>> >I have successfully set-up a home network between 2 Windows XP Home machines
>>>> >(1 desktop & 1 laptp). The desktop is wired into the router and the laptop is
[quoted text clipped - 86 lines]
>
>TIA!

Thanks for the additional information. I don't know why the
individual user (not the "All Users") accounts work as you describe.
Did you upgrade to Windows XP from Windows 95/98/Me, or is XP Home the
first OS that's been installed on each computer?

Here's a possible solution: boot in Safe mode, which lets you specify
NTFS permissions and share permissions, and share the desired folders.
Then reboot normally.

Microsoft designed this Safe mode behavior to enable recovery of
protected files after a system crash, not specifically for the purpose
that you have. I recommend making a System Restore point before doing
it in case of problems.

If you do it, please post a reply describing the results.

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