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by technogeek-1995

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How can I change a powerful desktop computer into a file/printer sharing server (that is cheap)? What are the tweaks to a MS XP Pro computer to make it a Server?

7 replies

by deadly ernest

replace the Xp with Linux, but I won't.hehehe

You can set up any system as a peer to peer operation to provide access to it as a file server and a print server simply by activating the Share capabilities and assigning log on IDs for the other systems, then going to them and pointing them at the Shares on the first system.

Here's some links on stuff I did for someone else on how to share a printer - doing the same for a folder is easier, but much the same.

as a web page
http://www.bywater.net.au/pages/bitsmain.htm

as a download got to this page and select Sharing a Printer
http://www.bywater.net.au/pages/ernpapers.htm

by thumbsup2

Right click My Computer and choose Properties.

Go to the Computer Name tab.

At the bottom you'll see where it says to Rename this computer or join a domain with a button next to it which says Change. Click it.

Follow through the prompts, leaving the workgroup and computer name the same, clicking Next once you're read each screen. You will eventually be prompted to turn on file and printer sharing, so do it. When finished, you may be required to reboot.

This procedure sets the permissions as well as Windows Firewall exceptions to allow sharing.

Once the computer is back up again, go to your printers and look to see if any which are not directly connected to that computer have been shared. If they are, right click them, choose sharing and un-share them. You can't (or shouldn't try to) share anything which isn't physically connected to that computer. Also, don't leave Adobe Print or any of the Document Writers shared. The silly Wizard turns them on, but they shouldn't be.

To share a folder, right click it and choose sharing... give it a share name and click OK.

From other computers, you address any shares on that computer by computer name and share name. Example: \\GEEK1\SHARE1 would point to a folder with the share name of SHARE1 on the computer named GEEK1

Does that help?

by technogeek-1995

That's what I was looking for...
I want to review this and try it tomorrow...

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