New Vista user - Help please

Bought a wonderful laptop with Vista Home Premium loaded.
I am somewhat familiar with XP home net working, but having
difficulty with Vista. Our home network is setup on home
phone lines (RJ-11). I have connected the new laptop to our home
network using a Netgear PA-101 connector, which is a cross
connector between USB to phone line. The Vista Home Premium
easily found the TCP/IP through the PA-101 connector and now
I have access to the Internet. (Wireless Access also runs OK,
as an individual user). Our Home Network is running on XP Pro.,
but I am a new user of Vista operating system.

Question - (a) How do I setup this Laptop, so that I can transfer
files from my Home Network PCs to the Laptop directly,
instead of using bundle of CDs, and (b) use the home network
printers?

Appreciate any help or comments.

User66 wrote:
> Bought a wonderful laptop with Vista Home Premium loaded.
> I am somewhat familiar with XP home net working, but having
> difficulty with Vista. Our home network is setup on home
> phone lines (RJ-11). I have connected the new laptop to our home
> network using a Netgear PA-101 connector, which is a cross
> connector between USB to phone line. The Vista Home Premium
> easily found the TCP/IP through the PA-101 connector and now
> I have access to the Internet. (Wireless Access also runs OK,
> as an individual user). Our Home Network is running on XP Pro.,
> but I am a new user of Vista operating system.
>
> Question - (a) How do I setup this Laptop, so that I can transfer
> files from my Home Network PCs to the Laptop directly,
> instead of using bundle of CDs, and (b) use the home network
> printers?

Standard networking how-to (some bits may not be applicable to your
situation:

This link will take you through Vista networking very well:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/net.../vista_fp.mspx

Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally
caused by 1) a misconfigured firewall; or 2) inadvertently running two
firewalls such as the built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party
firewall; and/or 3) not having identical user accounts and passwords on
all Workgroup machines; 4) trying to create shares where the operating
system does not permit it.

Here are some general networking tips for home/small networks:

1. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network
(LAN) traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing
File/Printer Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network
Setup Wizard on XP will take care of this for those machines.The only
"gotcha" is that this will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you
aren't running a third-party firewall or have an antivirus with
"Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a
firewall, then you're fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually
configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be
192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct
subnet. Do not run more than one firewall.

2. With earlier Microsoft operating systems, the name of the Workgroup
didn't matter. Apparently it does with Vista, so put all computers in
the same Workgroup. This is done from the System applet in Control
Panel, Computer Name tab.

3. Create identical user accounts and passwords on all machines. If you
wish a machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular
user's account) for convenience, you can do this. The instructions at
this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

4. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center:

a. If you need Pro's ability to set fine-grained permissions, turn off
Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and create identical user
accounts/passwords on all computers.

b. If you don't care about using Pro's advanced features, leave the
Simple File Sharing enabled.

Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it matters
in your situation.

I think it is a good idea to create the identical user
accounts/passwords in any case when Vista machines are involved and it
isn't an onerous task with home/small networks.

5. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users'
home directories (My Documents) or Program Files, but you can share
folders inside those directories. A better choice is to simply use the
Shared Documents folder. See the first link above for details about
Vista sharing.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:elPVv5muHHA.2272@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
: User66 wrote:
: > Bought a wonderful laptop with Vista Home Premium loaded.
: > I am somewhat familiar with XP home net working, but having
: > difficulty with Vista. Our home network is setup on home
: > phone lines (RJ-11). I have connected the new laptop to our home
: > network using a Netgear PA-101 connector, which is a cross
: > connector between USB to phone line. The Vista Home Premium
: > easily found the TCP/IP through the PA-101 connector and now
: > I have access to the Internet. (Wireless Access also runs OK,
: > as an individual user). Our Home Network is running on XP Pro.,
: > but I am a new user of Vista operating system.
: >
: > Question - (a) How do I setup this Laptop, so that I can transfer
: > files from my Home Network PCs to the Laptop directly,
: > instead of using bundle of CDs, and (b) use the home network
: > printers?
:
: Standard networking how-to (some bits may not be applicable to your
: situation:
:
: This link will take you through Vista networking very well:
:
: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/net.../vista_fp.mspx
:
: Problems sharing files between computers on a network are generally
: caused by 1) a misconfigured firewall; or 2) inadvertently running two
: firewalls such as the built-in Windows Firewall and a third-party
: firewall; and/or 3) not having identical user accounts and passwords on
: all Workgroup machines; 4) trying to create shares where the operating
: system does not permit it.
:
: Here are some general networking tips for home/small networks:
:
: 1. Configure firewalls on all machines to allow the Local Area Network
: (LAN) traffic as trusted. With Windows Firewall, this means allowing
: File/Printer Sharing on the Exceptions tab. Normally running the Network
: Setup Wizard on XP will take care of this for those machines.The only
: "gotcha" is that this will turn on the XPSP2 Windows Firewall. If you
: aren't running a third-party firewall or have an antivirus with
: "Internet Worm Protection" (like Norton 2006/07) which acts as a
: firewall, then you're fine. With third-party firewalls, I usually
: configure the LAN allowance with an IP range. Ex. would be
: 192.168.1.0-192.168.1.254. Obviously you would substitute your correct
: subnet. Do not run more than one firewall.
:
: 2. With earlier Microsoft operating systems, the name of the Workgroup
: didn't matter. Apparently it does with Vista, so put all computers in
: the same Workgroup. This is done from the System applet in Control
: Panel, Computer Name tab.
:
: 3. Create identical user accounts and passwords on all machines. If you
: wish a machine to boot directly to the Desktop (into one particular
: user's account) for convenience, you can do this. The instructions at
: this link work for both XP and Vista:
:
: Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm
:
: 4. If one or more of the computers is XP Pro or Media Center:
:
: a. If you need Pro's ability to set fine-grained permissions, turn off
: Simple File Sharing (Folder Options>View tab) and create identical user
: accounts/passwords on all computers.
:
: b. If you don't care about using Pro's advanced features, leave the
: Simple File Sharing enabled.
:
: Simple File Sharing means that Guest (network) is enabled. This means
: that anyone without a user account on the target system can use its
: resources. This is a security hole but only you can decide if it matters
: in your situation.
:
: I think it is a good idea to create the identical user
: accounts/passwords in any case when Vista machines are involved and it
: isn't an onerous task with home/small networks.
:
: 5. Create shares as desired. XP Home does not permit sharing of users'
: home directories (My Documents) or Program Files, but you can share
: folders inside those directories. A better choice is to simply use the
: Shared Documents folder. See the first link above for details about
: Vista sharing.
:
:
: Malke
: --
: Elephant Boy Computers
: www.elephantboycomputers.com
: "Don't Panic!"
: MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you so much for the info. I was able to at least find the
Laptop on my network, but the Laptop is locked!. Although I
have given permission for the built-in second drive (d) to be
open for file transfers.

As you suggested, let me look at the firewall settings.
Hopefully, Vista is using its built-in firewalls, rather than
Norton's group of loaded programs.

Thanks again, I will keep you posted.

User66

User66 wrote:

> Thank you so much for the info. I was able to at least find the
> Laptop on my network, but the Laptop is locked!. Although I
> have given permission for the built-in second drive (d) to be
> open for file transfers.
>
> As you suggested, let me look at the firewall settings.
> Hopefully, Vista is using its built-in firewalls, rather than
> Norton's group of loaded programs.

That is a vain and foolish hope. ;-) If you have any Norton products
installed with firewall functions, they will have taken over. You will
need to make sure that in that case Windows Firewall is not running and
that Norton's firewall is properly configured. A better solution IMO is
to uninstall Norton and use a better, less invasive antivirus such as
NOD32, Kaspersky, or even Avast if you want a free one. Use the built-in
Windows Firewall.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:%23PYWt1xuHHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
: User66 wrote:
:
: > Thank you so much for the info. I was able to at least find the
: > Laptop on my network, but the Laptop is locked!. Although I
: > have given permission for the built-in second drive (d) to be
: > open for file transfers.
: >
: > As you suggested, let me look at the firewall settings.
: > Hopefully, Vista is using its built-in firewalls, rather than
: > Norton's group of loaded programs.
:
: That is a vain and foolish hope. ;-) If you have any Norton products
: installed with firewall functions, they will have taken over. You will
: need to make sure that in that case Windows Firewall is not running and
: that Norton's firewall is properly configured. A better solution IMO is
: to uninstall Norton and use a better, less invasive antivirus such as
: NOD32, Kaspersky, or even Avast if you want a free one. Use the built-in
: Windows Firewall.
:
:
: Malke
: --
: Elephant Boy Computers
: www.elephantboycomputers.com
: "Don't Panic!"
: MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have finally removed Norton and Walla! I can enter to the Laptop now
from my other PCs, within the home network. You must have gone
through all of these Nortonian problems already several times.
Thank you so much for your advice.

So far I was able to open only the Personal Section for file transfers.
How do I set up the entire blank second drive, to be opened for transfers?
Is it possible?

User66 wrote:

> I have finally removed Norton and Walla! I can enter to the Laptop now
> from my other PCs, within the home network. You must have gone
> through all of these Nortonian problems already several times.
> Thank you so much for your advice.
>
> So far I was able to open only the Personal Section for file transfers.
> How do I set up the entire blank second drive, to be opened for transfers?
> Is it possible?

Yes, I've seen problems with Norton (and McAfee) many times. Don't
forget to install another antivirus!

On the second drive, which I assume you want to just use for data,
create a new folder - cleverly called "My Data" or the like - and set
your Sharing and Security to Everyone. This is how you set the
permissions and ownership. Make it "Everyone" if you indeed want it
completely available to Everyone.

Check the permissions of the file or folder the file is saved in and
take ownership:

1. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Under Group or user names, click your name to see the permissions you
have.

To open a file, you need to have read permission. For more information
on permissions, see What are permissions?

http://tinyurl.com/2j9vgr

To take ownership of a folder:

1. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then
click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
3. Click Edit. Administrator permission required If you are prompted for
an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide
confirmation.
4. Click the name of the person you want to give ownership to.
5. If you want that person to be the owner of files and subfolders in
this folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check
box.
6. Click OK


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User