sharing files on vista with a win7

[sldi]

Since this wasn't a hardware issue I hope this is the right place.

Lots of old images on old vista machine that I want to share with the new win7. Some of the file sharing is doing ok, can get to files from my netbook running xp fine. Can see the vista machine on the network fine, set up to share my "photos" folder and it shows but won't let me access it. Where do I go from here?

[chenry]

The nearest Apple store!!

[markfh]

You actually have to give rights to access the files either to everybody or a specific user.

[sldi]

permissions were set for full control for everyone, which in this case is only ME.

[srwatters]

They must be members of the same network workgroup. Sometimes you'll find one as "MSHOME" and one as "WORKGROUP". The credentials must be from the same security domain. Like user "BoB" and password "xyz1234" should match on both sides to insure easy access.

It's much easier if you are on an Active Directory domain, but that requires an AD server.

[sldi]

the Netbook on xp was on MSHOME, changed it to WORKGROUP to match the rest. Each computer can see all the others and can get to the other computer, win7 and xp can exchange files fine, vista can get to files on win7 and xp, but nothing can get to the shared folder on the vista machine. I get same error message on xp and win7, so I assume its something on the vista that needs changed.

Folder shows it to be shared, and its shared with full control to everyone. Waiting for a call back from my Sister, a network admin for last 7 yrs.

I have password set to off on win7 and Vista. I have user accts set up on the win7, only one acct. I don't have user accts set up on the vista, I read on one of the websites that it needs to be set up with a user acct otherwise it wont have an Admin acct therefore unable to administer permissions? Seems odd, but very much a microsoft way of doing things.

[srwatters]

There are two levels of security for file sharing. The first has to do with the network share (which you appear to have correct). The second level is the disk file permissions. If you're using NTFS, you will need to make sure the file permissions allow for proper access. That's usually where people have problems.

[sldi]

I watched a video on youtube and noticed something, the button on the dialog box for sharing that says "share..." is always grayed out. I have gone thru the advanced sharing button and checked "share this folder" did my apply, but still never get the "share..." buttton to be active, the video showed the button as active. I will get the share icon on the folder and in the bottom info area of the file dialog it shows shared with everyone, administrators

Just did a quick look on the win7 machine, the same "Share..." button I was referring to is active there. Is it possible that even though I am the only user on the vista machine its not recognizing me as "administrator" therefore not letting me get to the one item that would setup sharing?

[sldi]

FINALLY!!!!!

I read someplace about something in folder options. I went there and found an option for using the sharing wizard, clicked it on then went to the file, right clicked, clicked on share and it brought up a two option box for the wizard, clicked on it and it brought up the flile sharing dialog box (the same one you get if you click on the active "share..." button under properties > sharing tab. added everyone, and files were accessible from my xp and win7 machines.


None of the sites offering advice on file sharing ever said anything about having the wizard on, without it on I could never get the button "sharing..." activated.