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:
- In Windows XP, from the
Startmenu, selectControl Panel. On the left side of the window, clickSwitch to Classic View, and then look on the right side for theNetwork Connectionsicon and double-click it. (If you are already in Classic View, from theStartmenu, selectSettings, and thenControl Panel.)In Windows 2000, on the desktop, right-click the
My Network Placesicon and selectProperties. - Right-click the
Local Area Connectionicon and selectProperties. In Windows XP, this icon is most likely underneath the "LAN or High-Speed Internet" heading.
- 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 Networksshould 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 clickOK, 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:
- Click the
Installbutton.
- Select the
Serviceicon, and then click theAdd...button.
- Select the
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networkscheckbox, and then clickOK.
- Click the
Closebutton. 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:
- Right-click the folder or drive you want to share. In Windows XP,
select
Sharing and Security.... In Windows 2000, selectSharing....
- Select
Share this folder.
- 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.
- If you would like to grant access to particular groups or
individuals, click the
Permissionsbutton to add the appropriate group or usernames.
- If you are using NTFS, check the permissions
in the
Securitytab 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
Securitytab if you are using FAT32. - Click
OK.
To share a printer, follow these steps:
- In the Windows XP Classic View, click
Startand selectSettings, thenPrinter and Faxes. In the Windows XP default view, clickStartand selectPrinters and Faxes.In Windows 2000, click
Startand selectSettings, and thenPrinters. - Right-click the printer you want to share, and then select
Sharing....
- Select
Shared as:, enter a name for the printer, and then clickOK.
Accessing a shared folder or printer
To find and access a shared folder or printer, follow these steps:
- From the desktop (Windows XP Classic View or Windows 2000)
or the
Startmenu (Windows XP default view), double-clickMy Network Places.
- On the left side of the window, select
Search Active Directory.
- From the drop-down menu next to "Find:", select either
PrintersorShared Folders.
- 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 clickFind Nowwithout entering any search terms.
- 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:
- From the
Startmenu, selectRun....
- 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.eduand the name of the share isr2d2, enter: \\bl-iub-threepio.ads.iu.edu\r2d2 - 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?
Last modified on September 06, 2007.






