The NTFS (New Technology File System) file system used in Windows creates access control lists (ACLs) for each folder. This is something like a list of invited guests, where each user of this folder (or a group of users) is personally assigned permissions and prohibitions to perform certain operations in this folder.
Instructions
Step 1
To open external access to the contents of a folder, you need to make the appropriate changes to the ACL for this folder. The operating system provides scenarios for both simplified and detailed management of these safety lists. Depending on which of them is currently involved in your computer, the sequence of actions will also differ. To find out, open the main menu on the "Start" button and launch the Control Panel (in Windows XP it is located in the "Settings" section). In the panel, click Appearance and Themes and then Folder Options. Go to the "View" tab and find the line "Use simple file sharing" in the "Advanced options" list. You can check or uncheck this checkbox at your discretion. The simplified version requires less qualifications, while the advanced one allows for more fine-tuning of user rights.
Step 2
Now navigate to the folder you want to share and right click on it. In the drop-down context menu, select "Sharing and Security" and go to the "Access" tab. With the Simplified Access Control option enabled, this tab will look like this:
Step 3
Here put a check mark in front of the item "Share this folder". In the Share Name field, you can specify the name of this folder for external users. You can also check the box "Allow changing files over the network" - without it, external users will only be able to view or copy files in the folder. To commit the changes, click "OK".
Step 4
If you turned off "simple sharing", then the "Access" tab of the folder properties window should look different:
Step 5
There is a field for specifying the network name of the folder and the ability to set a limit on the number of simultaneous external connections. In order to give permission to external users to modify the files in a folder, you need to click the "Permissions" button and set a checkmark for the "Modify" item.
