How to share files or a folder in Vista

How to share files or a folder on Windows Vista

Beside Public folder sharing, you can share files or a folder on your computer. You do this by setting sharing permissions and security permission. Sharing permissions can be granted to an individual or to a group of users on the same network. For example, you might allow some people to only view your shared files, while allowing others to both view and change them.

By default, everyone has read only permission when you enable the sharing. So you need to assign change and read permissions if you want some one to save and modify the files. If you receive Access is denied error, you may want to check the permissions in the Security tab which is main cause.

To share files from a folder on your computer, please follow these steps:

1. Locate the folder you want to share.

2. Right-click on it and select Properties, and then Sharing

3. In the File Sharing dialog box, do one of the following:

o Type the name of the person you want to share files with, and then click Add.

o Click the arrow to the right of the text box, click the person's name in the list, and then click Add.

o If you don't see the name of the person you want to share files with in the list, click the arrow to the right of the text box, and then click Create a new user to create a new user account so that you can share files with the person using this account.

The name of the person or group that you selected appears in the list of people you want to share files with.

4. Under Permission Level, click the arrow next to the permission level for that person or group, and then do one of the following to set sharing permissions:

o Click Reader to restrict the person or group to viewing files in the shared folder.

o Click Contributor to allow the person or group to view all files, add files, and change or delete the files that they add.

o Click Co-owner to allow the person or group to view, change, add, and delete files in the shared folder.

Note: If you are sharing a file instead of a folder, there is no option to set the permission level to Contributor.

5. After you are finished choosing the users or groups you want to share files with, click Share. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

6. After you receive confirmation that your folder is shared, you may send a link to your shared files to the people you are sharing them with, so they know the files are shared and how to access them. Do one of the following:

o Click E‑mail Link to automatically open a Windows Mail e‑mail message with the link to your shared files.

o Manually copy and paste the link displayed on this screen into an e‑mail message. Right-click the link and click Copy Link. Then open a new e‑mail message and paste in the link. You might want to do this if you don't use Windows Mail as your e‑mail program.

7. Click Done.

8. Click Security tab make sure the users and groups have necessary rights. If not, add them accordingly.

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