Why can't Win7 laptop access external drive attached to system with Win XP?

I'm attempting to help a coworker with a problem. He has an external USB drive attached to an XP deskside server. He wants to be able to access that drive with his Win7 laptop.

He is able to access a folder on the C: drive of the deskside server that he's shared, but can't access the external drive. We see it on the list of available drives from the laptop, but when we try to go there, it gives and error about not having permissions. We HAVE shared both the whole drive, a specific folder on the drive, and a new folder we created, but we get the same error while trying to access any of these.

The XP system has NEVER asked him for an ID and password. Both systems are in the same Workgroup (MSHOME). What are we missing??

Cindy Armstrong

Posted 2014-03-04T19:24:45.833

Reputation: 21

2Is Windows XP the Home or the Pro version? – Canadian Luke – 2014-03-04T19:28:17.190

What have you researched and tried? Using simple sharing or advanced? – CharlieRB – 2014-03-04T19:38:35.980

XP Pro for the deskside system. Win7 professional for the laptop. So far we've only tried the actual sharing of the drive and its folders, both with and w/o firewall on. The thing that's throwing me is that he can share and access folders on the C drive already. – Cindy Armstrong – 2014-03-04T19:39:24.750

Answers

Right click on the directory and check your settings in BOTH the Sharing AND Permissions tabs.

Either one of these can deny access, so you must check both.

Bradley Forney

Posted 2014-03-04T19:24:45.833

Reputation: 651

What permission tab? There isn't one on the XP system. – Cindy Armstrong – 2014-03-06T16:29:46.193

I think you can.

This is my set up where I got it worked.

Windows XP x32 bit Toshiba Satellite
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 bit
Router Linksys

You need to share the hard drive and the connected drive (in my case it is a Freeagent GoFlex drive) of the XP. Allow sharing files/folders on both c: and connected drive

allow incoming connections to XP (Firewall settings)

Verify pinging each computer from the other.

On the Windows 7 create a mapped drive using UNC, \WindowsXp\

Now you can access the files on the connected drive

Added later: Here you will find some more details:

http://hodentekhelp.blogspot.com/2014/03/can-external-usb-drive-connected-to.html

user2063329

Posted 2014-03-04T19:24:45.833

Reputation: 99

Again, we can already get to the C drive, and we have shared both the root L drive (the attached external drive) and some of the specific folders that need to be accessed. No luck. – Cindy Armstrong – 2014-03-06T16:29:23.567