How to circumvent Access Denied?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lindsay Graham
  • Start date Start date
L

Lindsay Graham

Guest
We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers and 1

Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for this

query). I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of folders/files

recently, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated with Microsoft's

insistence on denying access to some Documents and Settings subfolders

and some Windows subfolders.



Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What can be

done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders and files on

ALL computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer or ZTreeWin or

whatever? I know MS thinks it is protecting us from ourselves, but

there must be some people (like me) who have legitimate reasons for

needing access and are prepared to accept any risks involved.



Lindsay Graham

Canberra, Australia
 
Lindsay Graham wrote:

> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers

> and 1 Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for

> this query). I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of

> folders/files recently, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated

> with Microsoft's insistence on denying access to some Documents and

> Settings subfolders and some Windows subfolders.

>

> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What

> can be done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders

> and files on ALL computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer

> or ZTreeWin or whatever? I know MS thinks it is protecting us from

> ourselves, but there must be some people (like me) who have

> legitimate reasons for needing access and are prepared to accept

> any risks involved.



Are the accounts actually all the same (same actual username and password?)



Change the permissions on all files and folders so that "everyone" has "full

rights".



--

Shenan Stanley

MS-MVP

--

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
 
If you are prepared to take the risks then you can grant access to

everything on a computer on all 4 computers by ensuring that the computers

are SHARED on the network. To do this you need to do the following:



1) Double click on My Computer;

2) Right-Click once on C: Drive;

3) Select Properties from the drop down list;

4) Select Sharing tab;

5) You get a message to warn you of the risks. click on it if you

understand it!;

6) In the middle of the new box, there is a check box saying: "Share this

folder on the network". Click on the box;

8) The is another box just below it now became active, click on it as well

so people can change the files and delete the files etc;

9) Click OK

10) Done. Reboot for changes to take place.



hth











"Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

news:u0SFCFiqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers and 1

> Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for this query).

> I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of folders/files recently, and

> I'm getting increasingly frustrated with Microsoft's insistence on denying

> access to some Documents and Settings subfolders and some Windows

> subfolders.

>

> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What can be

> done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders and files on ALL

> computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer or ZTreeWin or whatever?

> I know MS thinks it is protecting us from ourselves, but there must be

> some people (like me) who have legitimate reasons for needing access and

> are prepared to accept any risks involved.

>

> Lindsay Graham

> Canberra, Australia
 
Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long

ago on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those

folders that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the

Owner identity under C:\Documents and Settings.



Any other thoughts?



Lindsay





On 10 Feb 2010 at 19:30, 20100210 wrote:

> If you are prepared to take the risks then you can grant access to

> everything on a computer on all 4 computers by ensuring that the computers

> are SHARED on the network. To do this you need to do the following:

>

> 1) Double click on My Computer;

> 2) Right-Click once on C: Drive;

> 3) Select Properties from the drop down list;

> 4) Select Sharing tab;

> 5) You get a message to warn you of the risks. click on it if you

> understand it!;

> 6) In the middle of the new box, there is a check box saying: "Share this

> folder on the network". Click on the box;

> 8) The is another box just below it now became active, click on it as well

> so people can change the files and delete the files etc;

> 9) Click OK

> 10) Done. Reboot for changes to take place.

>

> hth

>

> "Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

> news:u0SFCFiqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers and 1

>> Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for this query).

>> I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of folders/files recently, and

>> I'm getting increasingly frustrated with Microsoft's insistence on denying

>> access to some Documents and Settings subfolders and some Windows

>> subfolders.

>>

>> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What can be

>> done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders and files on ALL

>> computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer or ZTreeWin or whatever?

>> I know MS thinks it is protecting us from ourselves, but there must be

>> some people (like me) who have legitimate reasons for needing access and

>> are prepared to accept any risks involved.

>>

>> Lindsay Graham

>> Canberra, Australia

>

>
 
In news:u4ByGJjqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl,

Lindsay Graham typed:



> Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long

> ago on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those

> folders that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the

> Owner identity under C:\Documents and Settings.

>

> Any other thoughts?



Add the sole user on each machine to group "Administrators".



.... and please don't top-post, as it makes it difficult to follow your train

of thought.
 
What about Windows Firewall settings? Go to start, Control Panel, Security

Center, Windows Firewall.



Make sure the settings in the exceptions tab is: File & Printer sharing.



Just ensure there is check mark on the left of this item.



Hope this works.



"Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

news:u4ByGJjqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long ago

> on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those folders

> that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the Owner

> identity under C:\Documents and Settings.

>

> Any other thoughts?

>

> Lindsay

>

>

> On 10 Feb 2010 at 19:30, 20100210 wrote:

>> If you are prepared to take the risks then you can grant access to

>> everything on a computer on all 4 computers by ensuring that the

>> computers are SHARED on the network. To do this you need to do the

>> following:

>>

>> 1) Double click on My Computer;

>> 2) Right-Click once on C: Drive;

>> 3) Select Properties from the drop down list;

>> 4) Select Sharing tab;

>> 5) You get a message to warn you of the risks. click on it if you

>> understand it!;

>> 6) In the middle of the new box, there is a check box saying: "Share this

>> folder on the network". Click on the box;

>> 8) The is another box just below it now became active, click on it as

>> well so people can change the files and delete the files etc;

>> 9) Click OK

>> 10) Done. Reboot for changes to take place.

>>

>> hth

>>

>> "Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

>> news:u0SFCFiqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers and 1

>>> Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for this

>>> query). I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of folders/files

>>> recently, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated with Microsoft's

>>> insistence on denying access to some Documents and Settings subfolders

>>> and some Windows subfolders.

>>>

>>> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What can be

>>> done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders and files on

>>> ALL computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer or ZTreeWin or

>>> whatever? I know MS thinks it is protecting us from ourselves, but there

>>> must be some people (like me) who have legitimate reasons for needing

>>> access and are prepared to accept any risks involved.

>>>

>>> Lindsay Graham

>>> Canberra, Australia

>>
 
On 10 Feb 2010 at 19:29, Shenan Stanley wrote:

> Lindsay Graham wrote:

>> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers

>> and 1 Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for

>> this query). I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of

>> folders/files recently, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated

>> with Microsoft's insistence on denying access to some Documents and

>> Settings subfolders and some Windows subfolders.

>>

>> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What

>> can be done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders

>> and files on ALL computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer

>> or ZTreeWin or whatever? I know MS thinks it is protecting us from

>> ourselves, but there must be some people (like me) who have

>> legitimate reasons for needing access and are prepared to accept

>> any risks involved.

>

> Are the accounts actually all the same (same actual username and password?)

>

> Change the permissions on all files and folders so that "everyone" has "full

> rights".

>



Thanks for the help, Shenan. No, different computers have different

names as Owner. None of the computers have passwords to gain access.



Presumably you mean change the permissions on the folders where access

is denied? (the others are already accessible, presumably because the

C:\ drives have all been shared). At least some of the Documents and

Settings folders have been specifically shared, and I'll go through and

check all computers now. What do you mean "everyone" has "full rights"?

(I'm looking at Win XP computers and I cannot see anything like that,

although I'm aware it looks something like that on Vista computers).



The folder C:\Windows cannot be shared in that manner (the Sharing

dialog box says "All the options on this tab are disabled because this

folder is used by the operating system"). Is there any other way of

doing it? I particularly wanted that access today to copy some font

files from one computer to another.



I don't understand why, when the C:\ drive is shared, all folders of

that drive aren't automatically shared.



Lindsay
 
On 10 Feb 2010 at 20:34, Greg Russell wrote:

> In news:u4ByGJjqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl,

> Lindsay Graham typed:

>

>> Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long

>> ago on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those

>> folders that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the

>> Owner identity under C:\Documents and Settings.

>>

>> Any other thoughts?

>

> Add the sole user on each machine to group "Administrators".

>

> ... and please don't top-post, as it makes it difficult to follow your train

> of thought.

>

>



Greg, how and where do I find the group "Administrators"? I am using

Win XP Home -- is it only in Win XP Pro?



As you'll see, I only top-post in this newsgroup when the person to whom

I'm replying has done so.
 
Thanks again -- I had not thought to look there, but I have now and File

& Printer Sharing is ticked on every computer. Any other ideas, anybody?



20100210 wrote:

> What about Windows Firewall settings? Go to start, Control Panel, Security

> Center, Windows Firewall.

>

> Make sure the settings in the exceptions tab is: File & Printer sharing.

>

> Just ensure there is check mark on the left of this item.

>

> Hope this works.

>

> "Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

> news:u4ByGJjqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>> Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long ago

>> on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those folders

>> that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the Owner

>> identity under C:\Documents and Settings.

>>

>> Any other thoughts?

>>

>> Lindsay

>>

>>

>> On 10 Feb 2010 at 19:30, 20100210 wrote:

>>> If you are prepared to take the risks then you can grant access to

>>> everything on a computer on all 4 computers by ensuring that the

>>> computers are SHARED on the network. To do this you need to do the

>>> following:

>>>

>>> 1) Double click on My Computer;

>>> 2) Right-Click once on C: Drive;

>>> 3) Select Properties from the drop down list;

>>> 4) Select Sharing tab;

>>> 5) You get a message to warn you of the risks. click on it if you

>>> understand it!;

>>> 6) In the middle of the new box, there is a check box saying: "Share this

>>> folder on the network". Click on the box;

>>> 8) The is another box just below it now became active, click on it as

>>> well so people can change the files and delete the files etc;

>>> 9) Click OK

>>> 10) Done. Reboot for changes to take place.

>>>

>>> hth

>>>

>>> "Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

>>> news:u0SFCFiqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers and 1

>>>> Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored for this

>>>> query). I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of folders/files

>>>> recently, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated with Microsoft's

>>>> insistence on denying access to some Documents and Settings subfolders

>>>> and some Windows subfolders.

>>>>

>>>> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What can be

>>>> done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders and files on

>>>> ALL computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer or ZTreeWin or

>>>> whatever? I know MS thinks it is protecting us from ourselves, but there

>>>> must be some people (like me) who have legitimate reasons for needing

>>>> access and are prepared to accept any risks involved.

>>>>

>>>> Lindsay Graham

>>>> Canberra, Australia

>
 
"Lindsay Graham" wrote in message

news:#aWc9FlqKHA.4636@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> I am using Win XP Home



In that case try disabling Simple File Sharing, and ensure that each

computer has a user account that is EXACTLY IDENTICAL in setup, WITH A

PASSWORD.
 
In news:%23aWc9FlqKHA.4636@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl,

Lindsay Graham typed:



>> Add the sole user on each machine to group "Administrators".

....

> Greg, how and where do I find the group "Administrators"? I am using

> Win XP Home -- is it only in Win XP Pro?



I'm sorry that I can't answer that question for you, as we've never used the

"Home" versions here, but in "Professional" it's Control Panel ->

Administrative Tools -> Computer Management (Local) -> System Tools -> Local

Users and Groups -> Groups -> Administrators -> Add (button) ...



There are no doubt other routes to the Groups functionality.
 
Lindsay Graham wrote in

news:u0SFCFiqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:



> We have a small home network with, at present, 4 Win XP computers

> and 1 Vista computer (although the Vista machine can be ignored

> for this query). I've had to do quite a bit of rearranging of

> folders/files recently, and I'm getting increasingly frustrated

> with Microsoft's insistence on denying access to some Documents

> and Settings subfolders and some Windows subfolders.

>

> Each computer has one user only and that user is the Owner. What

> can be done to provide EACH user with full access to ALL folders

> and files on ALL computers, using My Computer or Windows Explorer

> or ZTreeWin or whatever? I know MS thinks it is protecting us

> from ourselves, but there must be some people (like me) who have

> legitimate reasons for needing access and are prepared to accept

> any risks involved.

>

> Lindsay Graham

> Canberra, Australia



OK. Here's the story.



1) You say that your computers have XP Home. This being the case, you

cannot disable "Simple File Sharing". Simple File Sharing is enforced

for XP Home. (FYI: If you had XP Pro, the answer to your problem would

be trivial)



2) One feature of "Simple File Sharing" is that *any* network

connection to the file system authenticates as the user "Guest".

Therefore, *all* access to files and folders is that of the Guest user.



3) Refer to the document "How to configure file sharing in Windows XP"



File accessibility over the network by a non-owner or non-administrator

(e.g. "Guest") is through "Level 4" (read only) or "Level 5"

(Read/Write). Thus, according to the access chart, any file you wish

to access over the network must be a Level 4 or Level 5 file/folder.



4) By default, Windows assigns certain folders to Level 2. Among these

folders is every folder in the "C:\Documents and Sharing" folder, the

"C:\Program Files" folder, and the "C:\Windows" folder. A Guest user

on the network cannot connect through these folders (although

sometimes other folders under these folders can be shared).



5) Bottom Line: I believe that I read somewhere that using the

"cacls.exe" program, permissions might be modified to allow access like

you desire for the Guest user, but AFAIAC that's a exercise for the

student. Otherwise, the more straightforward solution to your problem

would be to upgrade to XP Pro and disable Simple File Sharing.



HTH,

John
 
On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:04:20 +1100, Lindsay Graham

wrote:



>

>On 10 Feb 2010 at 20:34, Greg Russell wrote:

>> In news:u4ByGJjqKHA.4220@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl,

>> Lindsay Graham typed:

>>

>>> Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long

>>> ago on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those

>>> folders that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the

>>> Owner identity under C:\Documents and Settings.

>>>

>>> Any other thoughts?

>>

>> Add the sole user on each machine to group "Administrators".

>>

>> ... and please don't top-post, as it makes it difficult to follow your train

>> of thought.

>>

>>

>

>Greg, how and where do I find the group "Administrators"? I am using

>Win XP Home -- is it only in Win XP Pro?

>

>As you'll see, I only top-post in this newsgroup when the person to whom

>I'm replying has done so.



Don't be misled by his sins. Even then you can post below him or

interspersed with him, and above those prior to him.
 
On Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:20:33 +1100, Lindsay Graham

wrote:



>Thanks very much for the detailed advice. However, that was done long

>ago on each of the computers, and it does not permit access to those

>folders that Microsoft deems need protection, eg, C:\Windows and the

>Owner identity under C:\Documents and Settings.



Exactly. MS is trying to protect people from other users.



>Any other thoughts?



So really, why do you have to have access to all those files from

every computer. They're not meant to be changed at all, or maybe once

in a great while. If you need to change them, isn't it worth the

effort to go to each computer?



>Lindsay



Do you want to update them or only look at them?. IF you only want to

look at them, at jpsoft.com, bottom left corner you can dl tce LE 10,

or maybe even 11, for free, and afaik it will look at anything, using

the List command.



It runs much much faster than any program that can edit a file, so I

think it copies it only to the video card memory, not to a work area,

so maybe that is enough to avoid the problem you are having.



My network isn't really working yet or I'd test them for you, but it's

a great program anyhow. It an alternative to cmd.com . Installs

pretty easily. Seems to require two clickings to get it to run, first

click puts in in the taskbar.



Remove NOPSAM and email me if it works for you. But reply to this

post via the newsgroup please, unless you've tried it already.



P&M
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top