User`s guide

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting 35

I can open shared files or folders, but cannot write to or delete them.

The following troubleshooting steps will help you track down and solve the problem.

Check whether the file is read-only. “Read-only” is a file attribute that prevents

anyone from writing to the file or otherwise making alterations. To check the

attributes of a file, locate the file in its folder, right-click the file, and choose

Properties. Attributes can only be changed by a user who has administrative

privileges on the computer where the file is located.

Check whether you have permission to change the shared file or folder. When

files or folders are shared over the network, they still might not be accessible by

everyone. Their owner can configure permissions that limit which users can read,

write to, or delete the shared resources. If you are having difficulty accessing a file

or folder on another computer, it might be because the permissions for that file limit

your ability to share it. You might receive an “access denied” error message, or have

problems locating the shared files on your network.

To check the permissions for shared files or folders, go to the computer containing

those files or folders. In Windows XP, right-click the folder containing the

information that you want to access and choose Properties. Click the Sharing tab

to see if file sharing has been enabled. If the computer is using Simple File Sharing

in Windows XP, files are either shared to everyone or not shared at all, and

permissions cannot be modified. In other words, a shared file should be accessible

from another computer. If the computer is not using Simple File Sharing

(recommended), click the Security tab to check and modify permissions for each

user accessing the folder.

For more information about checking and setting permissions, see Broadband

Network Utility Help.

Note Windows XP Home Edition uses only Simple File Sharing. Windows XP

Professional Edition uses both Simple File Sharing and standard, permissions-based

file sharing.