Steve’s Tech Guide

When you have more than one computer you want to make sure that you can easily interact between them. By enabling simple file sharing in XP you can ensure that you get the level connectivity that you want between your two computers. Sharing files on Windows XP is easy, it allows you to transfer your files from one computer to another, share folders or specific disks on computers, and offers good performance, rather than sending files through AIM, or using a file upload service.

Network File Sharing For Simple File Sharing

To share files between your computers first you’ll have to specify which files to share. So right click on your C: drive in ‘My Computer’ and go to ‘Sharing And Security’.
Windows XP is going to show you a file sharing warning, click on the link and it will open the ‘Local sharing and security’ and the ‘Network sharing and security’ settings.

Check ‘Share this folder on the network’. Specify a ‘Share name’ for the folder. I set mine to Bob. Also check ‘Allow network users to change my files’ so that way when you’re on your other computer you can modify files on this computer.

Now you should be on the computer that you want to access the shared folder. Now go to ‘Control Panel’ -> ‘Network Connections’ -> ‘My Network Places’. Click on ‘Add a network place’.

Now you’ll be in the Add Network Place Wizard, click Next until the Internet or network address window shows up. And type in the computer name (Can be found in Control Panel -> System -> Computer Name), \Bob. Use the screenshot above for reference.

Click next. Now you can specify a name for the network place, or you can just leave it. I just left it alone.

Click finish, and now the specified folder to share on your other computer should open on your current desktop, and now you share between your current computer and the other computer. If you want to be able to go both ways with both of your computers, you’ll have to repeat the applicable steps on the other end for the other computer.