Okay, I am no expert at networking, so forgive me if I say anything stupid.
I'm playing around with Windows 2000 right now and file sharing and all of that stuff. I was connected with an XP computer over a LAN this weekend, and i found unlike 98, 2k requires a login to view shared folders. So after a while i firgured out that I had to do my computer name\Administrator and then the password. If i let other people log into my computer as admin like that will they have full access to everything? Or is it just like 98 and they cant do anything as long as my shared folders are read only. Now i know its better to log people on as guest, but i was just wondering if it matters. Is there a way I can make it so that people can see my shared folders with out a log in? And my final question is about looking at 2k with win98. When i try to get into my computer from 98 it prompts for the password, but uses the Username PLT1\IPS$ (or something simular to that, PLT1 is my computer btw) When i enter my password it does not work, so I am assuming this is because its trying to log in as IPS (or what ever it was) and not a valid 2k user.

Wait i have one last minor question, if someone goes to my computer over the network as a certain user say like \mom, will that person only be able to see only the files s/he would normaly see? Or i guess in a more general sense when you go over the network do you get the user you logged in as priviliges, or is it just like win98 and everyone over the network will get the same priviliges?

by default shares are readable by everyone which can be accessed if you enable the guest account

without the guest account enabled they are only accessable by valid users on the system

when viewing the shares in computer manager if you see admin$ then giving your admin password out will let someone reconfigure shares on your computer from the network

just enable the guest account and set a password if you want one, or add all the users to the system.

If the machine is connected directly to the internet I would disable all auto shares on the system...


HKeyLocal Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanManServer\Parameters

For Servers edit (or add) AutoShareServer with a REG_DWORD Value of 0.

For Workstations, edit (or add) AutoShareWks with a REG_DWORD Value of 0.


I would also make a batch file to run this on boot ...

install the AUTOEXNT.EXE file onto your PC. You will also need to copy the INSTEXNT.EXE file. Just copy these files to the winnt\system32 directory and create a batch file called autoexnt.bat and place this in the same directory. This should contain the single line:



net share IPC$ /delete

Im sorry, but where do i get AUTOEXNT.EXE and INSTEXNT.EXE

they are in the nt resource kit

it's probably not that big of a deal if you have disabled remote administration ( ADMIN$ )you should be ok


ever notice how you can open a machine that has file sharing enabled even if there is nothing shared and you just see nothing in there.

this is the result of autoshare