Hey guys, i have a customer who is having trouble gaining access to a share directory.

its basically an NT machine looking at an XP machine. passwords are set identical on both computers.

doing a "dir \\server\share" has cmd show "invalid user or bad password".

however, "net use t: \\server\share /USER:administrator" seems to fix it.

now i know that the nt machine is logged on as an administrator (start -> run -> cmd shows "C:\documents and settings\administrator")

I'm just wondering what could be causing this?

the server\defer directory is set for sharing EVERYONE full control.

I have a similar problem using my nlite'd version of xp at home. Can't access shares which are setup to allow everyone unless I login to the shares using the computers admin details. Yes I've enabled the guest account :(

In order to access a Windows share you provide credentials, sometimes explicitly, often implicitly on your behalf. These creds are confirmed against an authority when you try to access any shared networked resources - file shares, printers, databases etc.

In a domain environment, this is a central authority. In the absence of a domain controller, the target computer's local users are used to authenticate access to resources.

Setting up identical local user accounts on all machines on the network normally resolves these problems. Alternatively I think you can use simple file sharing and leave the door wide open, but I don't have any experience in this.

In the absence of a domain controller, the target computer's local users are used to authenticate access to resources.

In theory if you log in as "[servername]\[username]" in the absence of a domain controller it should try to use the accounts from the server machine. But having said that i've had no end of obtuse problems with windows sharing so i don't consider myself an expert.

In theory if you log in as "[servername]\[username]" in the absence of a domain controller it should try to use the accounts from the server machine. But having said that i've had no end of obtuse problems with windows sharing so i don't consider myself an expert.

Yeh that never seems to work when I try it tho, say at the login prompt when trying to browse to the share, I only get any satisfaction adding the user ot he machine in Q.

Just set up a domain ffs its not that hard ;)

Yeh that never seems to work when I try it tho, say at the login prompt when trying to browse to the share, I only get any satisfaction adding the user ot he machine in Q.

Which is what i love about Windows sharing because i've had the user/pass combo on the remote machine and STILL had to put the remote computer name in. I didn't get weirded out because in all honesty it makes sense since without a controller both machines are in theory being ghetto domain controllers for themselves.

Go figure.

both machines are in theory being ghetto domain controllers for themselves

I did some snooping this afternoon and Samba apparently offers a a free NT-compatible DC. I have no experience with Linux-based admin or if this is any good.

Might be an improvement (in a VM maybe?!) over ghetto workgroups...

I have a similar problem using my nlite'd version of xp at home. Can't access shares which are setup to allow everyone unless I login to the shares using the computers admin details. Yes I've enabled the guest account :(

start -> run -> gpedit.msc

Computer configuration

|

- Windows settings

   |

   - Security settings

      |

      - Local policies

         |

         - User rights assignment

Find "Deny access to this computer over the network" and delete the guest entry from the list. This is a very risky way of allowing access over an insecure network but if it's your home network and you're behind a firewall it may be fine (I still don't do it though).

Simply enabling the guest account only enables local login to that machine, not network access since it's a really stupid idea to allow just anyone to be browsing your computer in general networked environments.


last edited by whoop at 20:21:29 19/Dec/07