Ok back again.

The P3 500mhz laptop has had it's drive set to share on the network and it will happily access other PCs on network.

It will appear on other PCs but it will not allow access as it requires a name and password. I have not set this and there does not appear to be anywhere I can set it free access, all permissions say it's OK. It has the share 'hand' on the drive but no matter what I try the laptop is unaccesible.
Help!

What OS is the Laptop, if it is XP or 2000, then I would re-check the Share permission, and the directory permission, both have to be correct before access is allowed (i.e. the Share permission might say full access to everyone, but if the file permission say otherwise, then no access will be acheived)

Hope that helps

Cheers

Scott

Has it got a firewall installed?

No firewall on machine but one on wireless router. Doesn't affect others though.

Laptop comes up with a different share name, as C$ rather than the volume or computer name.

Other machines open a password box and claim I do not have permission to access.

Op system is Windows 2000 Professional.

C$ is the admin share, if you input the local admin credentials on the PC trying to get access it should let you on.
So long as all the PC's are 2k on, the local admin username and password will get you the required access.
If you have pre 2k PC's you need to be logged on with the correct username as you will only get the option to enter a password and not a username.
Hope that helps


Cheers

Alex
PS
Networks are fun, I defy anyone to say otherwise

I think it might be an"Access Control" "Share Level setting" that is required

In "Control Panel" "Networks" applet check the primary login network is set to "Client for Microsoft Networks".

While still in the "Networks" applet that on the "Access Control" tab the "Share Level" button is ticked.

Then I would create user name and password in the "User" applet of "Control Panel" should be exactly the sames used on you other PCs.


--------------------

Some times with Windows file sharing problems Angry IP Scanner can be used to gain acccess -- download Angry IP Scanner do a scan of the IP range of your network -- then right click on the computer you want, a menu will drop down, just click "Open Computer in Explorer".


Angry IP Scanner is free from -- great tool http://www.angryziber.com/ipscan/

Sometimes it's worth checking locally first (at least it stops you haveing to run between machines so much.
So try mapping a network drive to the laptop *from the laptop*

I like to use the command line.
Start / Run / cmd

type:

net use * \pteppicc$ /user:pteppicadministrator *

Yep, the asterisk is verbatim
My machine name is pteppic, so you should use your machine name
(you can type echo %computername% to find that).

If everything is working, after the net use, it'll prompt for a password. You type in the password and it will say Drive F: is now connected (or similar).

The first asterisk means use any drive letter
the Second asterisk means I'll type my password in when you prompt.

If that works locally, try the same from another machine.

It's also worth using the ip address if the above doesn't work.

type ipConfig in the command prompt

One of the numbers it gives back is an ip address (if you're on a local wireless, it's likely to be something like 192.168.0.102)

you can stick that in your net use or map a drive command:
net use * \192.168.0.102c$ /user:administrator *

Once youv'e got a successful mapping it'll show up in the explorer.

Alternatively you could try sharing a different directory - you might get more control over the share than the c$ one.

I use win2k prof and a wireless network too, so it's doable.

Cheers
Greg H

Sometimes particularly with Win98 it is better to create a shortcut on the desktop rather than map a share to a drive letter.

Well I've discovered I can access it by logging in with my name and a blank password field.

Not quite what I wanted, just wanted to access without any hassle.

If you look at the user list on the laptop (right click my computer and manage, then choose local users and groups, users.)

You'll probably find that the guest account is disabled. Enabling it will allow any other computer to access it which can be a bad thing.
One option you do have is to create a user on the laptop that has the same name as the user on your desktop. Make sure they both have the same password.
This should allow you to access it without typing anything in.