Synchronizing via network

XP Pro, SP3, updates current, Lenovo T60p laptop running at about 2ghz.

I'm trying out a "free to private users" synchronizing program. It has worked fine to a USB flash drive, but when I try to synchronize the other computer on my (wireless) network I get "Access Denied" errors.

I'm worlds worst at setting up networking configurations - too many bits and pieces for me to remember. Is this simply how Microsoft Networking does things? Requiring everything to be funneled through special "share" folders and nothing in the way of genuine networking? I've had better on a simple crossover cable.

Or are there permissions that be set to make it work normally?

JimLL

 

just generally in XP you will need to set this to use the Shared Documents folder to host the data to synchronize and then add share permissions to that folder. Try to access teh shared folder across the network to be sure it setup correctly.

Easy way to find the folder, go to My Computer, in the left side "Other Places" box click on Shared Documents. In Shared Documents, make a folder for your data, then click on Share this Folder on the left.

 

Make a folder for my data... Really? I have scores of files and/or folders to synchronize. Are you saying Microsoft actually requires all of them to be put in shared documents to sync them? That's not networking! Or am I completely misunderstanding what you mean by "folder for your data"? Some kind of aliasing required? Not that I've ever really understood aliasing.

 

oh my, NO, of course not. I completely misread what you are doing.

I haven't sync'd files in a while, used to use AJC sync. It wasn't very complicated, just mapped network drives and share permissions.

What do you consider genuine networking? Something not windows based, i'm assuming.

Sorry to be of no help at all but here's a bump back to the top.

 

I'm sorry I didn't do any better at explaining the issue. In case one computer goes south I'll need the other to work on, so the data must match.

I'm sure everyone but me perfectly understands what that means. But I was not kidding in any way when I am worlds worst at networking. Every time I try to map or share (whatever those terms mean on a basic level) everything I do is wrong. I should have done something else first. Everything I try gives me an error saying, in essence, "you can't do that."

I'm not sure what you mean. It was another operating system I was on before but I assumed all of them worked pretty much alike.

After months of hand holding (it seems there are hundreds of details but _NO_ written, step-by-step procedures for making networking work; networking types just know; multi-task thinking is apparently like wiggling a finger to them.) I got it turned on. At that point with nothing but a crossover cable I could work any part of one computer from another - save a file (or folder) from any hard drive or partition on one computer to any hard drive or partition on the other computer. I could even work on one computer running a program from the other computer. I could rearrange the desktop on one computer using the keyboard on the other computer. It was somewhat like the way Linksys accessed my computer remotely to set up my computer's configuration to operate my router or modem.

But I have no sense at all what all this "just mapped network drives" or "just share permissions" means or involves. There is no "Step 1, step 2, step 3," written anywhere. I didn't "get it" before I had the stroke and I don't get it now. How do you start without a starting point?

Sorry I have zero aptitude for grasping what you find so simple. It's just a pile of bits and pieces to me. That's how it has always been between me and people who can remember a zillion things at once. I can't find a toehold into their world of ease and they can't find a toehold into my world of one track thinking. It's like Dante's great gulf.

It reminds me of the omnipotent Q on StarTrek telling the humans "You just do it!"

I'm starting another thread in Programming. They _may_ be related at an elementary level.

 

I'll look at see if I can find a step by step guide for setting up shares and mapping drives in XP.

It's frustrating and I would like to be able to walk you through it, but honestly, XP and I don't get along when it comes to shares. Mine never work.

What program are you using to sync, I'll see if I can mix the steps from the program together with a basic networking step by step for XP and make it an easy list.

 

Thanks. I'm trying out the first sync program that looked good - AlwaySync by BOTKind, Inc. It was very easy to sync some stuff on my USB extension large drive, but I got the access error when I tried to sync across my net. Everything says to use the few shared folders originated by the Microsoft Windows Network. But that's cumbersome even if you're only moving one file.

AlwaySync is simple even to me. Just click on source and destination, file or folder - no sweat. I doubt there will be anything necessary other than getting access to drives on the net. It is the same with manual access. I can look at folders on the other computer and copy them. But I can't rename or edit, save etc. And my tuneup utility tells me I have far too many full access shares as it is. I don't know how that came to be.

 

I was just searching for information on setting up shares. One article was about sharing drives. IT TOLD HOW! Then I saw the following line:

"When you share a drive or folder, anyone who has user access to the network can read the contents of that drive or folder."

Great!! You can read contents!! That's still not networking... What I'm talkin' about. :mad

 

You can limit the access to users that have a specific user login name and password. Did the example show something like "Everyone" or "Users"? Replace that with one user login name and then it should be ok.

I have found it easier in the past if computer 1 user ABCD with the password 1234 also has a matching user on computer 2, same name, same password. Is that something that you would be Ok with?

 

The example was clear enough, but did not give full access. As I said it let you look at the contents. That's nothing or less.

I don't suppose I'd be opposed to alpha versus numeric; in fact it sounds clever. But it still doesn't tell me anything about actually getting access instead of an anemic "have a peek" excuse for networking.

 

In the sharing tab you have the box checked next to 'Allow network users to change my files"? That usually does it unless there could be a firewall or program running that could block it.

 

Thank you, I'm having trouble finding those options, possibly related to the following.

I found these statements in Help and Support:

"If you are connected to a network domain, the Shared Documents, Shared Pictures, and Shared Music folders are not available."

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"If you are logged on to a domain, do the following:

Right-click the shared folder or drive, and then click Sharing and Security."

Altho I can't think it anything I changed I can no longer find "Sharing and Security" on a menu.

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On a local network I don't know what a domain is. I have no idea what it means to be "connected to" a domain. All I see is something called a "work group." It is looking like I need to connect to whatever this domain thing is to get full access to the other computer?

I looked under "Join a Domain" and found this:

"Under Member of, click Domain, type the name of the domain you want to join, and then click OK."

This is what drives me nuts in networking. How can I type "the name of the domain" if I don't know what or where or "who" it is? I did note that if I clicked on "Domain" the check mark for "Workgroup" disappeared. That doesn't make me feel good.

Other entries talk about doing things to a domain, but they all assume you already have said domain. :cry

 

I've been assuming that is a home network. Does this describe your setup? You have a simple network - a bunch of computers linked together with a switch and router or just a router. Each computer is configured at the computer, each computer stores it's own settings. You may have a server, but it is for central storage of data and and may host programs for the other computers and it may host the settings for access to the internet.

If that is you, you do not have a domain, you don't need to join a domain and you can ignore any instructions about a domain.

Just in case I'm wrong, and since you have only mentioned Windows, I'll try to give an example of a very basic domain. A common Windows domain is controlled by a domain controller, usually a Windows Server that each member computer must autheticate to for access to the network. Settings and access control are dictated by the server for each individual computer or group of computers. Those computers join a domain and are members of a domain. If the server is down, individual computers will not have access to the network.

It doesn't sound like this applies to you.

 

For the previous share setting reference that I didn't explain it's location --

If you are sharing the entire drive, access sharing setup at -

My Computer > Right click on [C:] and choose Sharing and Security

There is a warning that you can choose to bypass regarding the safety of sharing the root drive. If you choose to share it anyway, click on the link.

You should now be in the Local Disk [C:] properties window. On the sharing tab, go to the center section and check the box for , Share this folder on the network. It's good to give it a name beyond the standard C like desktopC.

Once you do this another option lights up, Allow network users to change my files. You can check this. Click ok to save the settings

Your computer is now fairly vunerable to having files changed so please try to secure your network as best you can and be careful setting up your sync. I've synced in the wrong direction. It's not good. I always backup before testing now.

 

Not that you asked but here is an example of what I mean about instructions. The problem: an error saying you don't have proper permissions. The answer: Give proper permissions. IE.

Cause: The user does not have permission to log on locally to the Telnet Server computer.

Solution: Ensure that the user, or a group the user belongs to (such as the TelnetUsers group), has the right to log on locally.

Not a word or letter on how.

 

I'm doing this on the remote computer for the benefit of the local? I hope so because the C: properties window on the local are completely different from the one on the remote, even though they are both XP Pro SP3 with full updating.

 

OK, I'll try a different question...

In:

My Network Places -> Entire Network -> Microsoft Windows Network

Is there a technical name for entries there or what's in entries there? Clicking Properties merely brings up a box that repeats the names of the entries and not a word else.

I have two entries in that folder. I don't know how I put them there. I don't know how to change or remove them. Maybe I can stumble around and figure it out if I can find out what buzz word they are supposed to be called.

Said another way, entry x has a name. But what _IS_ (not who) entry x? (I don't think it is a domain name.)