Sharing Vista Desktop on a network

I have the computers all networked; 5 on WinXP and 1 with Vista. All of them
can see and access each other. I can go to an XP machine, and access the
Public Folder on the Vista machine. What I want to do is share the Desktop
folder on the Vista machine on the network like I do on the XP machines. On
XP, I found I could specifically share the Desktop folder from Documents and
Settings, and It would show up in the network as a shared folder. When I
download files, I usually save them temporarily to the desktop, so fast
access from other computer's desktop is nice.

I'd like to be able to do the same thing on Vista, but if I try and set up
the share on the desktop folder, it either tells me it's not accessable (for
the one shown as a shortcut), or that it's already shared (the actual
folder). This is when I'm on the Vista machine, not trying to access it via
another. Oh, and I'm logged on as an administrator.

"Chuck [MVP]" wrote:

> On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 10:30:00 -0800, ObiRich <ObiRich@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
>

> >I like to be able to access the desktops of my computers directly via the
> >network. In XP I did this by sharing the Desktop Folder in Documents and
> >Settings. However, Vista won't let me access it, or it tells me that it
> >already is shared (but can't access it from other computers. How can I set
> >this up? Thanks all!

>
> Sharing in Windows Vista is similar to Windows XP, but there are some
> interesting details that you need to know about.
> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html>
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/1...-together.html
>
> What exactly do you see when "Vista won't let" you access the other computer?
> How many other computers do you have? Some details here might be useful.
> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html>
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...useful-in.html
>
> Check personal firewalls, the NetBT setting, and name resolution settings, on
> each computer, to start.
> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/0...ing-using.html
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
> Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
> My email is AT DOT
> actual address pchuck mvps org.
>

On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 16:59:03 -0800, ObiRich <ObiRich@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

>"Chuck [MVP]" wrote:
>

>> On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 10:30:00 -0800, ObiRich <ObiRich@discussions.microsoft.com>
>> wrote:
>>

>> >I like to be able to access the desktops of my computers directly via the
>> >network. In XP I did this by sharing the Desktop Folder in Documents and
>> >Settings. However, Vista won't let me access it, or it tells me that it
>> >already is shared (but can't access it from other computers. How can I set
>> >this up? Thanks all!

>>
>> Sharing in Windows Vista is similar to Windows XP, but there are some
>> interesting details that you need to know about.
>> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/12/windows-xp-and-vista-on-lan-together.html>
>> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/1...-together.html
>>
>> What exactly do you see when "Vista won't let" you access the other computer?
>> How many other computers do you have? Some details here might be useful.
>> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/background-information-useful-in.html>
>> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...useful-in.html
>>
>> Check personal firewalls, the NetBT setting, and name resolution settings, on
>> each computer, to start.
>> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/07/advanced-windows-networking-using.html>
>> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/0...ing-using.html

>I have the computers all networked; 5 on WinXP and 1 with Vista. All of them
>can see and access each other. I can go to an XP machine, and access the
>Public Folder on the Vista machine. What I want to do is share the Desktop
>folder on the Vista machine on the network like I do on the XP machines. On
>XP, I found I could specifically share the Desktop folder from Documents and
>Settings, and It would show up in the network as a shared folder. When I
>download files, I usually save them temporarily to the desktop, so fast
>access from other computer's desktop is nice.
>
>I'd like to be able to do the same thing on Vista, but if I try and set up
>the share on the desktop folder, it either tells me it's not accessable (for
>the one shown as a shortcut), or that it's already shared (the actual
>folder). This is when I'm on the Vista machine, not trying to access it via
>another. Oh, and I'm logged on as an administrator.

Is Password Protected Sharing Enabled, or Disabled? If PPS is disabled, Guest
is the share account. Guest isn't an administrator, and the Desktop (which is
part of each personal profile) won't be accessible.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Guest>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...-xp.html#Guest

If PPS is Enabled, do you have an administrator account on the Vista computer
that's mirrored on the XP computers? Is that account properly activated?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...s-xp.html#Help

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/l.../bb727037.aspx

Have a read towards the bottom about permissions and users in Vista

"ObiRich" wrote:

> I like to be able to access the desktops of my computers directly via the
> network. In XP I did this by sharing the Desktop Folder in Documents and
> Settings. However, Vista won't let me access it, or it tells me that it
> already is shared (but can't access it from other computers. How can I set
> this up? Thanks all!