In Windows 2000 or XP, how do I share a folder, printer, or drive on the network?

To share a folder, printer, or drive on the network in Windows 2000 or XP, follow the instructions below:

Verifying that the sharing component is installed

By default, Windows installs the File and Printer Sharing service. To verify that it is installed on your computer, follow these steps:

1. In Windows XP, from the Start menu, select Control Panel. On the left side of the window, click Switch to Classic View, and then look on the right side for the Network Connections icon and double-click it. (If you are already in Classic View, from the Start menu, select Settings, and then Control Panel.)

   In Windows 2000, on the desktop, right-click the My Network Places icon and select Properties.

2. Right-click the Local Area Connection icon and select Properties. In Windows XP, this icon is most likely underneath the "LAN or High-Speed Internet" heading.
   
   
3. In the area below "This connection uses the following items:" (Windows XP) or "Components checked are used by this connection:" (Windows 2000), a checkbox labeled File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks should appear, and should be checked. If this is so, skip to the directions under "Sharing a folder, printer, or drive". If the checkbox appears but is not checked, click to check it and click OK, and then skip to "Sharing a folder, printer, or drive".

Installing file and printer sharing

If the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks component is not present, follow these steps to install it:

1. Click the Install button.
   
   
2. Select the Service icon, and then click the Add... button.
   
   
3. Select the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks checkbox, and then click OK.
   
   
4. Click the Close button. If a dialog window appears telling you to restart your computer, do so.

Sharing a folder, printer, or drive

Once File and Printer Sharing is installed, to share a folder or drive, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the folder or drive you want to share. In Windows XP, select Sharing and Security... . In Windows 2000, select Sharing... .
   
   
2. Select Share this folder.
   
   
3. In the appropriate fields, type the name of the share (as it appears to other computers), the maximum number of simultaneous users, and any comments that should appear beside it.
   
   
4. If you would like to grant access to particular groups or individuals, click the Permissions button to add the appropriate group or usernames.
   
   
5. If you are using NTFS, check the permissions in the Security tab to ensure that they are properly set to allow people access to the share. Because Security settings override Share permissions, it is possible for people on the Permissions list to be denied access to the share because they either are not specified or are denied specifically in the Security list.

   Note: FAT32 does not provide the same level of security as NTFS. You will not see the Security tab if you are using FAT32.

6. Click OK.

To share a printer, follow these steps:

1. In the Windows XP Classic View, click Start and select Settings, then Printer and Faxes. In the Windows XP default view, click Start and select Printers and Faxes.

   In Windows 2000, click Start and select Settings, and then Printers.

2. Right-click the printer you want to share, and then select Sharing... .
   
   
3. Select Shared as: , enter a name for the printer, and then click OK.

Accessing a shared folder or printer

To find and access a shared folder or printer, follow these steps:

1. From the desktop (Windows XP Classic View or Windows 2000) or the Start menu (Windows XP default view), double-click My Network Places.
   
   
2. On the left side of the window, select Search Active Directory.
   
   
3. From the drop-down menu next to "Find:", select either Printers or Shared Folders.
   
   
4. You can now enter search terms in the appropriate fields to modify the search, and start the search by clicking Find Now. To search for shared printers and folders that match any criteria, simply click Find Now without entering any search terms.
   
   
5. You then will see a list of shared printers and folders that are available on the network. Double-click the item to which you want to connect.

If you know the exact name of the computer and the share, or the exact name of the printer, you can enter it directly into the Run dialog box, as follows:

1. From the Start menu, select Run... .
   
   
2. Enter two backslashes, the name of the computer, another backslash, and then the name of the share or printer. For example, if the name of the computer is bl-iub-threepio.ads.iu.edu and the name of the share is r2d2, enter: \\bl-iub-threepio.ads.iu.edu\r2d2
3. Click OK.

If you repeatedly access a shared folder or network drive, you can map to it. Mapping creates a persistent link to the share, allowing you to double-click its icon in My Computer whenever you want access. For instructions on mapping a drive, see In Microsoft Windows, how do I map a drive?

Also see:

• In Windows 2000, how do I manually set up Dial-up Networking to connect to IUB or IUPUI?
• In Active Directory, what are the differences between universal, global, and domain local groups?
• In Windows 2000, how can I add my computer to the ADS Domain?
• In Windows 2000 or XP, how do I manually set up a network connection?
• In Windows 2000, how do I install AppleTalk for printing?
• What is Windows 2000?