The Business versions of Windows Vista, which let you connect your computer to a network running Windows Server, have extremely fine-grained permissions. For example, with the right settings, you can allow one user to open files in a particular folder but not change them. Or you can prevent another user from seeing those files in that folder, but allow them to navigate through that folder to a subfolder it contains and then allow them to work with just one of the files in that subfolder. Setting such permissions is intricate and tricky - and in any case, most home users don’t need such complex permissions. So, the Home versions of Windows Vista provide a simplified set of permissions and set up sharing as follows:

• Windows encourages you to create a separate user account for each person who uses your computer and to protect each user account with a password. Windows keeps each user account’s files separately.

• Windows Vista creates a folder named Users on the system drive - for example, C:\Users. This folder contains each user’s user account and a separate collection of settings for each user. By contrast, Windows XP stores the user accounts in the Documents and Settings folder for example, C:\Documents and Settings.

• The Users folder contains a folder for each user account you’ve created, together with a Public folder, which Windows Vista creates so that you can share files and folders with other users of the computer and the network.

• Windows Vista automatically protects files and folders in each user account from Standard users and the Guest user. However, any Administrator user can access the contents of any user’s user account folders.

• Windows Vista assumes that you’ll want to share some files and folders with other users of your computer, but not with other computers on the network. For such sharing, Windows Vista provides folders that are automatically shared with all users of your computer the Public folder structure. You can’t stop Windows from sharing these folders.

• Windows Vista lets you choose whether to let other computers on the network see your computer and whether to share files, the Public folder, and printers from your computer. You can choose whether to limit the sharing of the Public folder and printers to people who have a user account on your computer or whether to let anyone access these items.

• Windows Vista lets you share your media library - your music, pictures, and videos - with other users on the network.

• For any folder apart from folders owned and protected by the operating system, you can choose to share the folder on the network. You can even share your Documents folder but it’s not usually a good idea.

• You can share either a folder or individual files. Normally, it’s best to set up folders for sharing and then place in them the files you want to share. If you share a file and let other users modify it, they can also create new files in the folder that contains the file.

Who Are the Administrator Users?

The user who set up Windows Vista on your computer becomes an Administrator user. That user can create other Administrator users as needed. The computer must always have at least one Administrator user so that there’s someone to administer it if a problem occurs.

Expert Knowledge: Manipulating Permissions with caclsand xcacls

If you find the file sharing arrangements in Home versions of Windows Vista too simple, you may be glad to know that Windows Vista includes a tool that lets you manipulate permissions on individual files. It’s called cacls, it’s a command-line utility, and it’s awkward to use because you need to understand permissions in order to make it do what you want.

cacls stands for “change access control lists,” and there’s a more powerful version of cacls called xcacls “extended change access control lists” that you can download for free from the Microsoft website search for “xcacls.exe”. In Windows, an access control list ACL is used to store the permissions for an object, such as a file, a folder, a printer, or another resource.

Because cacls and xcacls are highly esoteric, this article leaves you to explore them on your own if you decide you need them. Use the /? switch from the command line for example, cacls /? to display the help available.

Setting Up Sharing and Discovery

Sharing and discovery is the group of Windows settings that control how your computer can communicate with other computers on your network. These settings are part of Windows Firewall, a software-based form of protection for your computer. To set up sharing and discovery, you must be an Administrator user or know an Administrator user’s password. Your computer should be connected to a private network rather than a public network - for example, connected to your home network where you do want to share files rather than to a public network at your local airport or coffee shop where you don’t want to share files.

Opening a Network and Sharing Center Window

To set up sharing and discovery, first open a Network and Sharing Center window . Click the Start button, right-click the Network item, and then choose Properties from the context menu.

Making Sure Your Computer Is on a Private Network

In the Network area, make sure that Windows Vista knows your computer is connected to a private network. If the Network readout says “Public network,” follow these steps:

1. Click the Customize link. Windows launches the Set Network Location Wizard, which displays the Customize Network Settings screen .

2. In the Network Name text box, check the name that’s entered. If Windows Vista is still using “Network,” consider giving the network a more descriptive name - for example, “Home Network” or “Our Network.”

3. In the Location Type area, select the Private option button.

4. If you want to change the network icon used, click the Change button, select a different icon in the Change Network Icon dialog box, and then click the OK button.

5. Click the Next button and then authenticate yourself to User Account Control if necessary. The wizard displays the Successfully Set Network Settings screen.

6. Click the Close button.

Choose Sharing and Discovery Settings

Next, arrange the sharing you need by choosing suitable sharing and discovery settings. You need to authenticate yourself to User Account Control for most of these settings. Follow these steps:

1. To enable your computer to see and be seen by other computers on the network, click the drop-down button on the Sharing and Discovery bar to display its controls, select the Turn on Network Discovery option button, and then click the Apply button.

2. If you want to share files and folders within folders other than the Public folder, click the drop-down button on the File Sharing bar to display its controls, select the Turn on File Sharing option button, and then click the Apply button.

3. If you want to share items in your computer’s Public folder with other computers on the network, click the drop-down button on the Public Folder Sharing bar to display its controls. If you want to share items so that others can open them but not change them, select the Turn on Sharing So Anyone with Network Access Can Open Files option button. If you want others to be able to change the files you’re sharing or create new files in the folders you’re sharing, select the Turn on Sharing So Anyone with Network Access Can Open, Change, and Create Files option button. Click the Apply button.

4. If you want to share a printer attached to your computer, click the drop-down button on the Printer Sharing bar to display its controls, select the Turn on Printer Sharing option button, and then click the Apply button.

5. If you shared the Public folder in step 3 or a printer in step 4, but you want to restrict access to the folder or printer to those people who have user accounts on your computer but are accessing the folder or printer from another computer, click the drop-down button on the Password Protected Sharing bar to display its controls, select the Turn on Password Protected Sharing option button, and then click the Apply button.

6.If you want to share music, picture, and video files in your media library, click the drop-down button on the Media Sharing bar to display its controls, and then click the Change button. Windows displays the Media Sharing dialog box, which walks you through the process of specifying what you want to share and whom you want to share it with. Article 22 shows the Media Sharing dialog box and explains the process in detail.

7. Click the Close button the  button. Windows closes the Network and Sharing Center window.

Sharing Files and Folders

Windows Vista provides two easy ways of sharing files and folders:

• Use the Public folder to share the file or folder with all other users of the computer and users of other computers on the same network.

• Change the permissions on a particular file or folder so that it’s shared with one or more other users. You can decide exactly who you want to share the file or folder with.

The next two sections discuss these ways of sharing a folder.

Sharing Files and Folders with All Other Users of Your Computer and Network

To share a file or a folder with all the other users of your computer and the network to which it is connected, put the file or folder in the Users\Public folder. If you’ve turned on Public Folder Sharing in the Network and Sharing Center, as described in “Choose Sharing and Discovery Settings,” earlier in this article, Windows makes the file or folder available to all other users of the network; if you allowed others to change items, they can edit or delete a file or folder, or create new files within a folder. If you allowed others only to open the file, they can open it but not save changes to it within the Public folder. If you’ve turned off Public Folder Sharing, items you place in the Public folder are available to other users of your computer but not to users of other computers on the network.

Sharing a File or Folder with Specific Users

Sharing a file or folder with everyone can be useful, especially for items such as music files that everyone needs to access. But often you’ll want to share a file or folder with some people but not with others. To share a file or folder with specific users, follow these steps:

1. Open an Explorer window to the folder that contains the file or folder you want to share. For example, choose Start Computer to open a Computer window, and then navigate to the folder.

2. Select the file or folder, and then click the Share button on the toolbar. You can also rightclick the file or folder, and then choose Share from the shortcut menu. Windows displays the File Sharing dialog box .

3. In the drop-down list, select the user with whom you want to share the file or folder. Select the Everyone All Users in This List item if you want to share it with everyone. Your own username appears in the list, but you already have access to the file or folder. You can also choose the Create a New User item in the drop-down list and create a new user, but normally it’s best to share only with the existing users.

4.Click the Add button to add the selected user or group to the list in the list box. Windows assigns the user or group the Reader permission level. This permission level allows the user or group to open the file or folder, but not change it.

5. If you want to give the user or group a different level of permission for this file or folder, click the drop-down button next to the Reader item, and then choose Contributor or Co-Owner from the drop-down list:

Contributor The user or group can open all the files in the folder, add new files, and change or delete files they add. They cannot change or delete files you’ve created.

Co-Owner The user or group can work freely with all the files in the folder, changing or deleting them as needed, or adding new files.

6. Click the Share button to apply the sharing you’ve set up, and then authenticate yourself to User Account Control. Windows Vista applies the permissions, and then displays a File Sharing window telling you that the items are shared. The window may include a link that lets you automatically send details of the shared file or folder to the user or users with whom you have shared it.

7. Click the Done button. Windows closes the File Sharing window.

Seeing the Files and Folders You’re Sharing

When you share a file or folder, Windows Vista adds to the file or folder’s icon a little square icon showing the heads and shoulders of a couple of regular folks. If you’re using Extra Large Icons or Large Icons in Explorer, and you’re sharing only a few files and folders, you may be able to use these squares to keep track of the items you’re sharing - but more likely, you could use an easier way of tracking these items. To see which files and folders you’re sharing, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, right-click the Network item, and then choose Properties from the context menu. Windows displays a Network and Sharing Center window.

2.At the bottom of the window, click the Show Me all the Files and Folders I Am Sharing link. Windows displays a Shared by Me window showing the items you’re sharing .

If you want to stop sharing one of the files or folders, click it in the list, and then click the Share button on the toolbar. Alternatively, right-click the file or folder, and then choose Share from the shortcut menu. Windows displays the File Sharing window . Click the Stop Sharing button. Windows removes the permissions, and then displays a File Sharing window telling you that you have stopped sharing the file or folder. Click the Done button.