Windows 7 file sharing password protecting or making stuff available to just me

file-sharingnetworkingwindows 7

Even with the new Homegroup feature I'm still finding the way Windows deals with folder sharing utterly baffling. Here's what I want to do.

I have two computers, a PC Desktop and a laptop. I also live in a shared flat with other computer users. I have set up a Homegroup and a Workgroup on the desktop and joined them on the laptop and in the home group I have shared video, music and pictures. This is so that anyone on the network can view pictures and listen to music etc. But I want my Documents folder from my desktop to only be available to me on my laptop and not to anyone else that may be on the network. The Homegroup only allows (from what I can gather from the baffling array of options) sharing with everyone or no one. Is it possible to only allow the laptop to access the documents folder on the desktop? The user name and password are the same on both computers.

Best Answer

After MANY hours of digging to find the answer to this, I finally have it! I was almost driven insane trying to get it to work and it turns out it is really simple.

  1. from the Control Panel, select homegroup and sharing options -> Change advanced sharing settings

  2. Set these options under Home or Work(current profile):

    • public folder sharing [turn on]
    • Password protected sharing [turn on]
    • homegroup connections [use user accounts and passwords]

The homegroup connections option is where the magic happens. All of your personal computers need to have this enabled. You don't need to reset your PC to get it to work, only to log out and log back in, which Windows will automatically prompt you to do.

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