Re: File sharing with blank password

From: Chuck (none_at_example.net)
Date: 07/07/04 

Date: 7 Jul 2004 18:28:08 -0500

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 23:06:02 +0200, Marco De Vitis <*deleted*> wrote:

>Il 07/07/2004, alle ore 21:09, Chuck ha scritto:
>
>> Is this the documentation you found:
>> <http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=87c0a6db-aef8-4bef-925e-7ac9be791028&DisplayLang=en>
>
>Exactly. I quote from it:
>
>-------------------------------------
>In order to connect to a Windows XP Professional shared folder when
>advanced file sharing is being used, you must be:
>• Using a set of credentials that Windows XP can validate (it is either a
>local computer account or a domain account) and has been granted the Read,
>Change, or Full Control access type either explicitly (the account name)
>or though group membership, as specified in the permissions of the shared
>folder.
>[...cut...]
>
>You can be denied access to a Windows XP shared folder through the
>following:
>• The account name in the credentials sent by the connecting client is a
>valid user name, but the password is incorrect.
>[...cut...]
>-------------------------------------
>
>It only talks about wrong passwords. It does not tell that access will be
>denied also when the password is empty.

Because that is a configurable behaviour. If you disable the local security
policy (Local Security Settings - Security Options - Accounts - Limit local
account use of blank passwords to console login only), and both accounts have
blank passwords, you will be able to share files.

>
>BTW, it also tells:
>
>-------------------------------------
>In order to connect to a Windows XP Professional shared folder when
>advanced file sharing is being used, you must be:
>[...cut...]
>• Using a set of credentials that Windows XP cannot validate, and either
>the domain Guest account or the local Guest account has been enabled and
>has been granted the Read, Change, or Full Control access type either
>explicitly (the Guest account name) or though group membership, as
>specified in the permissions of the shared folder.
>-------------------------------------
>
>I tried this, with no success. I'm using WinXP Pro, I deactivated simple
>file sharing, I activated the Guest account, shared a folder, expressly
>gave the Guest user permission to access it, but I still cannot access the
>files when connecting with a no-password account or unknown credentials.

Guest / non-Guest access is controlled thru the Network access: Sharing and
security model.

It's a Rubik's cube process. Read all of the below - see if some of it helps.
And make sure Guest is enabled properly on each computer.

On any XP Pro computer, check to see if Simple File Sharing (Control Panel -
Folder Options - View - Advanced settings) is enabled or disabled. With XP Pro,
you need to have SFS properly set on each computer.

With XP Pro, if SFS is disabled, check the Local Security Policy (Control Panel
- Administrative Tools). Under Local Policies - Security Options, look at
"Network access: Sharing and security model", and ensure it's set to "Classic -
local users authenticate as themselves".

With XP Pro, if you set the Local Security Policy to "Guest only", make sure
that the Guest account is enabled, thru Local User Manager (Start - Run -
"lusrmgr.msc"), and has an identical, non-blank, password on all computers. If
"Classic", setup and use a common non-Guest account, with identical, non-blank,
password on all computers.

For XP Home, OR for XP Pro with Simple File Sharing enabled, make sure that the
Guest account is enabled (for XP Pro, thru Local User Manager (Start - Run -
"lusrmgr.msc")), on each computer.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

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