How to remove XP file sharing restrictions

By default, Windows XP's local security settings require users to make network access in the guest mode. At the same time, the Guest user is prohibited from accessing the system through the network in the user rights assignment of the Windows XP security policy. These two conflicting security policies have caused other users on the network to access computers using Windows XP over the network. You can use the following methods to solve.

Method 1 Unlock the Guest Account

Click “Start→Run”, enter “GPEDIT.MSC” in the “Run” dialog box, open the Group Policy Editor, and select “ Computer Configuration→Windows Settings→Security Settings→Local Policies→User Rights Assignment, double-click the “Deny access to this computer from the network” policy, delete the “GUEST” account inside. In this way, other users can use the Guest account to access the computer using Windows XP system through the network.

Method 2 Change the network access mode

Open the Group Policy Editor, select "Computer Configuration→Windows Settings→Security Settings→Local Policies→Security Options" and double-click "Network Access: Local Account" The "Share and Security Mode" policy changes the default setting "Guest Only - Local User Guest Authentication" to "Classic: Local User authenticates by itself".

Now, when other users access a computer using Windows XP over the network, they can log in with their own "identity" (provided that this account already exists in Windows XP and the password is correct).

When the policy is changed, the way the files are shared is also changed. After the "Classic: Local users authenticate by themselves" mode is enabled, we can limit the number of users accessing shared files at the same time, and Different access rights can be set for different users.

However, we may encounter another problem. When the user's password is empty, the access will be rejected. Originally, in the "Security Options", there is an "Account: Local account with blank password only allows console login" policy is enabled by default. According to the principle of rejecting priority in Windows XP security policy, users with empty passwords access through the network. Computers using Windows XP will be banned. We just need to disable this strategy to solve the problem.