Windows Vista supports two ways to share folders: public file sharing and standard file sharing.
Of these two models, standard file sharing is preferred because it is
more secure than public file sharing. However, public folder sharing is
designed to enable users to share files and folders from a single
location quickly and easily.
Windows
Vista supports the use of only one Public folder for each computer. Any
files that you want to make available publicly can be copied or moved
to an appropriate folder inside the Public folder. The Public folder is
located at C:\Users\Public and contains the following subfolders:
Public Documents
Public Downloads
Public Music
Public Pictures
Public Videos
Recorded TV
Another
folder worth mentioning is the Public Desktop folder, which is used for
shared desktop items. Any files and program shortcuts placed in the
Public Desktop folder appear on the desktop of all users who log on to
the computer (and to all network users if network access has been
granted to the Public folder).
To access public folders using Windows Explorer, follow these steps:
1. | Click the Start button, and then click Computer.
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2. | In Windows Explorer, click the leftmost option button in the address list and then click Public.
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Public
folder sharing settings are set on a per-computer basis. If you want to
share a file, you just need to copy or move the file into the
C:\Users\Public folder. When the file is copied or moved to the Public
folder, access permissions are changed to match that of the Public
folder so that all users who log on to the computer and all network
users (if network access has been granted to the Public folder) can
access the file.
By
default, files stored in the Public folder hierarchy are available to
all users who have an account on this computer and can log on to it
locally. You cannot access the Public folder from the network. To enable and configure public folder sharing, follow these steps:
1. | Click
Start, and then click Computer. In Windows Explorer, click the leftmost
option button in the address list, and then click Public.
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2. | On the Windows Explorer toolbar, click Sharing Settings.
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3. | Open the Network and Sharing Center.
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4. | Expand the Public Folder Sharing Panel by clicking the Expand button.
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5. | Under Public Folder Sharing, select the public folder sharing option you want to use. The options available are as follows:
Turn On Sharing So Anyone with Network Access Can Open Files Turn On Sharing So Anyone with Network Access Can Open, Change, and Create Files Turn Off Sharing
Permissions are shown in Table 5.3.
Table 5.3. Share and NTFS Permissions for the Public Folder| Access Type | Share Permission | NTFS Permissions |
|---|
| Open files | Read | Read and execute, list folder contents, read | | Open, change, and create files | Full control | All (full control, modify, read and execute, list folder contents, read/write) |
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6. | Click Apply to save the changes.
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Note
Windows Firewall settings might prevent external access.
