Local network, 4 computers all running WinXP Pro Service Packs 2 or 3. An automatic backup program resides on one computer. This program is comfortable backing up from the network drives. (Making separate backups for each drive.) This works fine for those drives we have dedicated to merely data storage.
But Windows will not allow me to “share” the boot drive(s) on the network, so the backup program cannot access them. Well, actually, sharing is permitted for most but not all of the boot drive. Help gives the explanation:
‘The Sharing option is not available for the Documents and Settings, Program Files, and WINDOWS system folders.’
Fer cryin’ out loud, if a boot drive fails, I cannot re-create it without these backups. I should be able to toss the old drive, plug in a new, formatted drive, and recover a complete mirror of the original drive to it. But I can’t back it up if I can’t share it on the network.
There should be an administrative share \<Computer name>\c$ for the root of the System drive.
However, you may need to check the appropriate permissions to ensure that the account used to connect to the client computers can read all the folders and files.
From your backup PC, click Start|Run…(Start menu, Run… option)
In the box, type \<the name of the computer you want to back up>\c$. Click OK. You may get a dialog box asking for a username and password - these are the for an administrative user on the target machine. If everything is OK, a browser window showing the files on the target machine c: drive will open up.
The trick is that shares that end in $ are hidden from the network browser in XP.
Of course, I have no idea how you can do this using your backup software.
Si
You may have problems with open files. If these are PCs in a workgroup rather than a domain, can I suggest an alternative? Get a PC with a large HDD and put Windows Home Server on it. WHS will automatically back up the clients every night, and rebuilding a client is a snap - plug in the recovery CD and away you go.
RUN tries to open the Guest account on the target machine, and requires a password. Problem is that I’ve never assigned a password to the Guest account.
Also, you’re right, even if this would access the directory, it will be of no use to the backup software.
Quartz, these are indeed PCs in a workgroup. I’d rather not add any hardware- this is a charity, and funds are always short.
XP allows one to share other files/folders after nagging about the dangers. Somehow there must be some way to allow sharing for the entire root drive.
The point is, the root of the system drive has already been shared as c$, which is hidden and only allows administrative access.
The first point is to make an account on all machines with the same same name and password, which is a full administrator account. This makes things easier for all sorts of tasks. It makes working in a workgroup just a bit more bearable, without the hassle of having a domain.
What is your current backup solution, and how do you tell it what to back up?
Open an Explorer window, select Tools | Map Network Drive ….
Assign a Drive letter, and in the folder name, type \<the name of the computer you want to back up>\c$. Then select Connect using a different user name
In the box, type the <computer name><user name> and <password> of an administrative user on the target box.
MapRootDrives.cmd
@echo off
net use q: \\*machine1*\c$ /user:*machine1*\administrator *password*
net use r: \\*machine2*\c$ /user:*machine2*\administrator *password*
...
One line for each machine. Of course, this makes the passwords visible.
My suggestion for cash-strapped organisations is SME server - a simple and free linux office server. All the functionality you need, and runs well on restricted or old hardware (500MHz cpu, 512Mb ram, as much disk as you need). It will do email, file sharing, network backup (using AFFAbackup) and all managed via a simple web interface. Reliable as heck.
Sorry, I do not mean to sound ungrateful to either of you, but…
If I attempted to tell you how to prepare and fit jesses on an eagle, I’d be comfortable with the jargon and with the tools and techniques. But you probably wouldn’t.
WinXP makes it simple to share most files/folders. It enforces an idiot proof prohibition against sharing certain files/folders. I am the idiot.
If I were the developer of XP, I’d have made this feature a simple switch, then hidden it. Thus idiot proof. But somebody, some developer type, some non-idiot surely knows just where this switch is, and just how to flip it. If that can be conveyed to the idiot, he can turn the feature off.
Answer: when the recently deceased millionaire really, really liked you, pre-demise.
Basically open My computer click on Tools - Folder Options - View tab. At the bottom of the list should be “Use Simple File Sharing (recomended)”. Uncheck that option. Click on OK. Should not need a reboot.
This should allow you to share any part of the drive you want. I know it is disabled on my system and I can share the root of C.
Well, it (Otanx’s linked directions) seems to work, but I’m not sure. Turns out you can enable sharing on a folder, but that does not make sub-folders shared. I’m having to expand the file tree completely, then go through the whole process for each folder.
Wash, rinse, repeat. For every single subfolder. Want to guess how many subfolders there are? Neither do I. If this were the Pit, I’d espress my feelings about this. Or not-- my fingers are exhausted. I’ll keep on, and see if I can produce a final result for at least ONE computer.
Or maybe there’s a trick for those subfolders? Huh? Maybe? Please!!!
Getting closer so that is good. Next step if it will not let you access the sub folders is to add a user account on the system that matches the account used on the system your backup software is running on. User name and password have to match.
Go to Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Computer Management. Go to Users and Groups, right click on the user folder select New User. Enter the username and password that matches the other system. Click on OK. By default this account with have User access.
Try connecting to your new share and see if you have access to the sub folders.
