Hmm well, as I stated, I'm not an expert on file-sharing. It's my understanding that file/folder sharing is possible both at the private (LAN) and Internet level. (After all, that's the basis of 'remote access', isn't it?). I thought it was precisely because of that that there existed a vulnerability. Anyway, it seems that you're saying that I needn't bother with running the Network wizard and should instead simply enable F&PS. Actually, I've found that there's also a F&PS Exception setting in the Windows XP Firewall, so I guess that would need enabling as well.

Moving on though, I've found a highly informative KB article at Microsoft's site. Have a look:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040

which talks about Simple File Sharing. It's quite a long document but the implication is that, for local (private) sharing you don't necessarily need to turn on F&PS. I've printed it out and will now spend some time reading it to see if any of the scenarios in it might fit my requirement.

Incidentally, when I tried to print out the KB article using the XP machine, it refused, with no feedback (other websites/webpages print okay), but when I attempted to print the KB article from the Mac it worked. So, it looks like Microsoft have now disabled printing of it, for Windows machines, given that the terminal date for WinXP support has now expired. A bit ironic, though, that it's still printable via a Mac.

In reply to a post by meditator:

Incidentally, when I tried to print out the KB article using the XP machine, it refused, with no feedback (other websites/webpages print okay), but when I attempted to print the KB article from the Mac it worked. So, it looks like Microsoft have now disabled printing of it, for Windows machines, given that the terminal date for WinXP support has now expired. A bit ironic, though, that it's still printable via a Mac.

Give over!

Sometimes it helps to "next next finish" throuhg the file and print sharing wizard as it resets a few registry settings etc if they have become incorrectly set.

But really, you should only need to type in the UNC path of the computer to browse the files, no need to run the network setup wizard. However I don't know how this all works on a Mac environment...

Do you have a 2nd windows PC you could test from first and then once that is up and running OK check between the mac and the Windows PC?

As long as you don't share all your folders to the "everyone" group you should be OK. You will be behind NAT on the router (hopefully) so people won't be able to get at your file shares easily, and the Windows firewall should be configured to only allow file n print sharing on your local subnet.

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

But really, you should only need to type in the UNC path of the computer to browse the files

Thanks, I never realised that & did not know what you meant by UNC.

Now I can use \\MyPC\MySharedFolder either in my browser. Explorer or Command Window to access my shared folders. But I already have F&PS ON so I don't know if that is really necessary.

What about the hidden share c$ ?

F&PS being enabled is not, it seems, a pre-requisite for the sharing of a printer on a local (private) network. At present, for example, I'm specifically using fixed LAN IP addresses (with DHCP turned off in the router) and can print from either the Mac or the XP machine, and yet F&PS is turned off. Same goes for printing from webpages. Currently, this situation is okay, but of course when it comes to file sharing - the issue in hand - it may well be that I've got to have F&PS turned on.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I think it's pointless for someone in my position to be trying the UNC method unless and until the file/folder(s) are put into shared status.

Late news: that KB article by Microsoft must be quite old, as one or two of the initial settings described in it simply aren't available in XP any longer. So, it does indeed rather look as though you're meant to run the Network wizard instead and then set the required folder to 'shared' afterward.

Edited by deleted (Mon 21-Apr-14 15:37:03)

In reply to a post by meditator:

Incidentally, when I tried to print out the KB article using the XP machine, it refused, with no feedback

On my XP when I try to print it, it crashes IE8 and then recovers the tab. I would expect that is due to IE8 not handling the page rather than due to WinXP support now expired. It prints OK on IE11 on Win8.1.

Yeh, it was also on IE8 that I was trying to get a printout from it. I found that no matter what tricks and workarounds I tried that article simply wouldn't print. I tried printing completely different webpages elsewhere and they worked fine. On reflection, as you say, I guess there must be a particular issue or print bug in printing that article with IE8. It printed fine using the Mac, so indeed makes it look like an IE8 problem.

In reply to a post by meditator:

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I think it's pointless for someone in my position to be trying the UNC method unless and until the file/folder(s) are put into shared status.

You don't know for sure whether it is enabled or not.... Typing in \\pcname would only take 5 seconds or so to check, it's worth doing.

Interesting!

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

What about the hidden share c$ ?

Yes, can see XP's C$ from either PC, but not Win8.1's C: cuz it's not shared.