Originally posted by: JW310
From
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304040 :
When Simple File Sharing is turned on, remote administration and remote registry editing does not work as expected from a remote computer, and connections to administrative shares (such as C$) do not work because all remote users authenticate as Guest. Guest accounts do not have administrative rights. When Simple File Sharing is turned on, if you configure specific user ACEs, remote users are not affected when Simple File Sharing is turned on because all remote users authenticate as Guest when Simple File Sharing is turned on.
Originally posted by: hondaman
It doesnt give an error. I just tried to make a custom share on my laptop. The share name is Dell. When I try and map it from my main computer, im prompted by a box that already has the username filled in, and is grayed out. It says HONDALAP\guest I enter every password ive ever used, and it still doesnt connect. No error, just presents the same box prompting for the password.
Did you disable simple file sharing on both boxes, or just the one? Simple file sharing needs to be disabled on the box that has the share you're trying to access for this to work. So if you're trying to access \\desktop\C$, you need to have simple file sharing disabled on "desktop" or else it won't work.
Sounds like the reason you were getting the grayed out username box is that simple file sharing is turned on for your laptop, and the guest account is disabled on your laptop. I just tried my sharing setup with that configuration and got exactly the same behavior (trying to access admin share on my laptop from my desktop). By enabling the guest account on my laptop, it got rid of that password prompt, but I was still unable to access the administrative share on my laptop. By turning off simple file sharing on my laptop, I was then able to access the administrative share from my desktop system.
JW