XP Home simple file sharing

[Ya_know]

I am using XP home for the first time in the last couple of weeks, and I am really strugeling to understand how things work with networking and file sharing.

For starters, I found articles telling me I must turn on simple filesharing, but when I go into folder options, view tab, the option is not there. Any ideas?

Brand new compaq laptop, XP home...

[Ya_know]

I just figured it out, I needed to run the network setup wizzard. What a screwy OS...XP Pro doesn't do this crap!

Since I have a thread going, I will probably have more questions. Anyone with some advice? I can share files now, but the option for simple file sharing still isn't available. This is probably moot...

[Ya_know]

There is no administrative shares...c$, admin$, what gives? I can't even manually share out the Windows directory!?!

Is this just a limitation I am not accustom to?

[NooNoo]

Yep, welcome to H.E... yuck

First of all you have to be in safe mode to change things like simple file sharing, simple file sharing is ON by default. Secondly you have to use NTFS to be able to use the security and file sharing.

Here is M$'s explanation (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/features.asp)



Here is Mr Helmigs - much better (http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxpnetsh.htm) unfortunately he keeps running out of bandwidth - so keep trying.

[Ya_know]

Safe mode...you must be craz....

Well, f$#@ me :o ...worked like a charm. Why didn't I think of that!

Thanks for the insight. Cleared up a lot of misunderstanding!

[NooNoo]

;)

[Ya_know]

Another question, windows activation…

The system is a compaq, brand new laptop. When I picked it up at Best Buy, I opted for the free “setup” and test that they offer, on the off chance the guy might show me something, also to make sure there was no foul out of box experience. Anyway, I watched everything he did, and can almost testify that he didn’t activate windows.

Now that I have it, windows activation isn’t available in system tools, so I went to the run line (as the help function suggested) and ran “oobe/smobe /a” and the activation window pops up telling me that windows has already been activated… When did this happen? Is it packaged up already activated?

[kato2274]

Originally posted by Ya_know
Is it packaged up already activated?

probably. . . . .since activation is tied to the hardware, and not the customer I imagine that most computers that are prebuilt are activated at the factory especially laptops.

[Matridom]

Originally posted by Ya_know
Another question, windows activation…

The system is a compaq, brand new laptop. When I picked it up at Best Buy, I opted for the free “setup” and test that they offer, on the off chance the guy might show me something, also to make sure there was no foul out of box experience. Anyway, I watched everything he did, and can almost testify that he didn’t activate windows.

Now that I have it, windows activation isn’t available in system tools, so I went to the run line (as the help function suggested) and ran “oobe/smobe /a” and the activation window pops up telling me that windows has already been activated… When did this happen? Is it packaged up already activated?

could it have been activated by the manufacturer? or part of the initial logon process (when you put in your name company etc?)

[confus-ed]

Thus far I have found ...

... anything that comes with a 'restore' disk is already activated ... anything with a 'real' windoze cd is not & has one of those 'generic keys' & you have that to come....

I think its just manufacturer's preference ?

[Ya_know]

Originally posted by confus-ed
Thus far I have found ...

... anything that comes with a 'restore' disk is already activated ... anything with a 'real' windoze cd is not & has one of those 'generic keys' & you have that to come....

I think its just manufacturer's preference ?
Cool...I wasn't sure if I missed something.