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I have a 2 Windows machines networked and I am having trouble with simultaneous access to files. I would like only one user to be able to open a file at a time, which I thought was automatic, using file locks.... if the program used to access the file is locking the file.
I believe the problem I am having is some of the programs I use, don't lock the file, and there for can be modified simultaneously by multiple users, which is very much not desired.
Currently I am having this problem with only two computers, although as soon as I can figure out a solution to this problem the network is going to be expanded to 6 computers, which will include Windows 7, Vista, and XP, as well as a central file server (Samba).
Is there a way to ensure that all files opened in windows get locked? I have considered some sort of version control system, but all of the ones I have looked at are way too complicated. All I need is to ensure that multiple users can't write to a file at the same time.
Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks in advance.
EDIT:
The suggestions are appreciated, although here are some guidelines I was hoping to fulfill.
There is a large number of files and directories that are going to be shared, which will be served by a Samba file server. So managing share access with windows sharing won't be possible.
Multiple people need to be able to access a given folder simultaneously.
Samba supports file locking, so ideally I would like to force windows to place locks on files, even when the program being used normally wouldn't do so. (Is there a program that can do this?)
This does not apply to a samba server. It anyway allows only one user on the whole share. – harrymc – 2012-07-02T06:09:42.450