Sharing a folder in Windows XP

The steps to share a folder on a Windows XP system are very similar to sharing a folder in Windows 2000, but Microsoft has tried to simplify managing the security by hiding the security settings by default. To share a folder in Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Locate the folder you wish to share on your system.
2. Right-click the folder and choose Sharing and Security.
3. On the Sharing tab, choose the Share This Folder on the Network option.
   Notice that the share name is the same name as the folder.
4. If you would like users to be able to alter the files in the folder, choose the Allow Network Users to Change My Files option.
5. Click OK.

You share a hard drive or CD-ROM in exactly the same way that you share a folder. To share the hard drive or CD-ROM, open My Computer, right-click the drive, and then choose the Sharing command - a great idea to share the CD to a number of users on the network so that all users can access the contents of the CDROM at one time!

If you want to modify the permissions on the share in Windows XP like you do with a shared folder in Windows 2000, you need to disable the Simple File Sharing option within Windows XP. To disable Simple File Sharing, follow these steps:

1. Open My Computer.
2. Choose Tools → Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the Advanced Settings and clear the Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended) option.
5. Click OK.

After you have disabled Simple File Sharing in Windows XP, you will be able to set the share permissions by selecting individual users and groups and what permissions you would like to assign by following the instructions in the "Sharing a folder in Windows 2000" section. Also note that Windows XP Home edition only supports Simple File Sharing.