# Is there a way to share your "Program files" in Windows XP?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-share-your-program-files-in-windows-xp/104157>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 17, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-share-your-program-files-in-windows-xp/104157 "2002-04-17T15:42:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-share-your-program-files-in-windows-xp/104157/1 "2002-04-17T15:42:46Z")

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I just finished networking mine and my dad’s computers together and I want us to be able to share files but it says that the “Windows” folder and the “Program Files” folder cannot be shared because they contain system information or something lame like that. So, is there a way around this?

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**Author:** ![abel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@abel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-share-your-program-files-in-windows-xp/104157/2 "2002-04-17T15:51:39Z")

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Well, I just went to my program files folder in Win XP and tried to share it, and it worked. Are you running an account that has Administrative privileges? Also, you might try going into ‘Tools’ (at the top of the window when you open Windows Explorer), then ‘Folder Options’, and under ‘View’, look for “Simple File Sharing” to be turned on, as well as “Show Hidden Files” and “Display the Contents of System Folders”.

One more thing. Does it deny you the right to share the folder, or just warn you that it may be a bad idea? When I tried to share my root directory (C:) Windows gave me grief about it being a security risk, but still let me do it.

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**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-share-your-program-files-in-windows-xp/104157/3 "2002-04-17T16:05:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by abel \*  
> \*\*One more thing. Does it deny you the right to share the folder, or just warn you that it may be a bad idea? When I tried to share my root directory (C:) Windows gave me grief about it being a security risk, but still let me do it. \*\*

When I right click on the Program Files folder and go to properties and click the sharing tab it says “All the options on this tab are disabled because this folder is used by the operating system.”