XP on T42p Wants Password to Access Printer on W2K PC

[bvaughn]

I have a desktop PC running Windows 2000 (with SP4 and 37 security updates), which is linked on a wireless network to my ThinkPad T42p running Windows XP (with no service pack yet -- I'll install the service packs after I get everything running correctly again; see a comment near the end of this message).

A printer is attached to the PC. On the PC, drive D (an ordinary drive, not a CD drive) is configured for sharing: Share this folder is checked on the Sharing tab for Properties, and Share name is D$. Permissions cannot be set; an attempt to set permissions generates an error message: This has been shared for administrative purposes. The permissions cannot be set. (I run the desktop PC as "Administrator"; see below.) Also on the PC, the printer is configured for sharing: Shared as: is checked and the printer name is entered on the Sharing tab for Properties.

When using the desktop PC (running Windows 2000), I can access and change files on the ThinkPad (running Windows XP). The ThinkPad has Use simple file sharing enabled.

PROBLEM: When using the ThinkPad, which recognizes the desktop PC as part of the network, I cannot map a PC drive as a network drive or connect to the PC-attached printer because the ThinkPad asks for a user name and password in order to connect to the desktop PC.

For instance, using the Add Printer wizard on the ThinkPad in order to connect to the printer that is attached to the desktop PC:
* Select A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer
* Select Connect to this printer (or to browse for a printer, select this option and click Next):
* In Name: enter the printer name as "\\Desktop\HP LaserJet 2100" (that is, the name of the desktop PC on the network and the name of the printer attached to it), and click Next.
Windows XP displays a Connect to Desktop box asking for user name and password.

The desktop PC has no guest account. I run the PC as "Administrator" and never have to log on or give a password. I can't remember how I arranged to do that (long ago), so if I ever did use a password, I've long since forgotten it. I tried to fill-in the XP dialog box with "Administrator" as the user name and a blank password, but XP responded with an error message: Windows could not connect to the printer. Operation could not be completed.

Some possibly relevant information from [Control Panel-> Administrative Tools-> Local Security Policy-> Security Settings-> Local Policies->] User Rights Assigned on the PC would be:
* "Access this computer from the network" = "Everyone,Users,Power Users,Backup Operators,Administrators"
* "Deny access to this computer from the network" = [blank]
* "Log on as a batch job" = "Desktop\Administrator,System" [Note: "Desktop" is the PC's name]
* "Log on as a service" = [blank]
* "Log on locally" = "Desktop\Guest,Users,Power Users,Backup Operators,Administrators"

And possibly relevant information from Security Options on the PC would be:
* "Additional restrictions for anonymous connections" = "None. Rely on default permissions"

Originally, just after I acquired the ThinkPad and set up the wireless network between the ThinkPad and the desktop PC, all of the expected connections between the two computers in both directions simply came into being and worked fine. I had access to files from either computer to the other. The first time I tried to print from the ThinkPad to the PC-attached printer, the ThinkPad simply found the printer and sent the print job to it.

Now I have the above-described situation, after having to reinstall the factory version of Windows XP on the ThinkPad. (I had to do that three times, after twice making the mistake of installing SP1 and SP2 and all security updates, which caused no end of misery and made nothing work right. Therefore, I won't install those service packs and security updates until after everything is properly set up.)

Can anyone sort out what's wrong and how to fix it? Thanks very much for reading this long message. I couldn't find any help in existing postings to this forum.

[marcos]

Indeed the TP should have at least SP1 applied, because it fixes bugs in networking, but you said it was working 'before', that is strange ...
Anyway, SP1 is a must.

Other things I would try: - create a dedicated share and do not use the default ones.
Confirm that the Administrator password is indeed blank, but better if you set one.

Hope that helps!

[GomJabbar]

I haven't done sharing, so I am not familiar with it. I do know that generally speaking, to change permissions in XP, you have to boot up in Safe Mode, then right click on the file or folder you want to change permissions for. Sometimes you have to add a user, close the dialog box, then right click on the object again to change permissions (in the case where no user is listed).

[bvaughn]

Thanks for your replies, marcos and GomJabbar. I managed to solve the problem by remembering (after much thought) the password that I originally used on the Win2K machine, and that was all I needed. (I've written it down now.)